Description
Home to Australia’s largest butterfly aviary and a stone’s throw from both the Barron Gorge National Park and Rainforestation Nature Park, Kuranda is a remarkable rainforest retreat abundant with exciting experiences and amazing activities for you to enjoy. On this comprehensive ten-hour tour, you’ll have the chance to experience everything this stunning slice of northeast Australia has to offer and enjoy an entire day of adventure in the Wet Tropics of Queensland. From your hotel, you’ll be transferred to the Kuranda Scenic Railway – a journey from Cairns to Kuranda that immerses you in the Barron Gorge National Park and gives you the chance to see both Barron Falls and Stoney Creek Falls in comfort. Arriving in Kuranda a couple of hours later, this tour will then give you the chance to stretch your legs and wander through the picturesque village before visiting the impressive Kuranda Butterfly Sanctuary – an aviary home to around 1,500 butterflies and stunning landscape gardens. Following this, you’ll then be transferred to the Rainforestation Nature Park, where you’ll embark on an Army Duck Rainforest Tour, visit the impressive Tropical Fruit Orchard, and immerse yourself in Aboriginal culture with the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience. Before relishing in the sensational sights of the awe-inspiring Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, which will take you back to Cairns for pick-up, you’ll be afforded the opportunity to spend some time in the Koala & Wildlife Park in the Rainforestation Nature Park. Home to koalas, kangaroos, wombats, and more, this immersive experience will let you observe these incredible animals in their natural habitat – something you won’t soon forget. An immersive, comprehensive wildlife experience that couples Australia’s flora and fauna with dramatic scenery only the Wet Tropics of Queensland can provide, this full day of adventure will leave you with lasting memories and a renewed appreciation for the Australian wilderness and its inhabitants.
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Things to do
Kuranda Scenic Railway
Winding through the Barron Gorge National Park on the heritage-listed railway line between Cairns and Kuranda, this sensational scenic rail experience gives you the chance to see stunning rainforest sights like Barron Falls and Stoney Creek Falls from the comfort of a plush lounge-style chair – with refreshments and an informative commentary from a dedicated host accompanying the views.
Kuranda Village
A stunning rainforest retreat in the mountainous region around Barron Falls, the colourful village of Kuranda is home to an array of shopping experiences, restaurants, and cafes; with a population of just over 3,700 people, this destination is home to the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and is just a stone’s throw from the heart of the Rainforestation Nature Park.
Australian Butterfly Sanctuary
The biggest butterfly aviary and sanctuary in Australia, the Kuranda Butterfly Sanctuary is home to roughly 1,500 free-flying butterflies from a variety of species; the laboratory here breeds around 30,000 caterpillars each year, with roughly 24,000 pupae then released into the aviary in the hopes they transform into butterflies.
Army Duck Rainforest Tour (Rainforestation Nature Park)
Navigate muddy dirt tracks and splash into the waterways weaving through the Rainforestation Nature Park on this exciting experience aboard an amphibious DUKW – known as a Duck, these vehicles were used by the U.S. military throughout the Second World War and Korean War; throughout this rainforest tour, you’ll also have the chance to explore the impressive Tropical Fruit Orchard alongside embarking on the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience, where you’ll learn more about Aboriginal traditions and beliefs.
Koala & Wildlife Park (Rainforestation Nature Park)
It’s time to get up close and personal with the wonderful world of Australian wildlife; here, thanks to a series of elevated walkways offering unobstructed views of incredible wildlife enclosures, you’ll have the chance to observe a variety of Australian animals and reptiles in their natural habitats; the Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda is home to koalas and kangaroos, wombats and dingoes, and more.
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
This award-winning scenic cable-car experience runs above the stunning Barron Gorge National Park and the Wet Tropics Rainforest, the world’s oldest tropical rainforest; at roughly 7.5 km in length, it was the world’s longest cableway when it was completed in 1995 and there are two rainforest stations on the route from the Kuranda terminal to Cairns.
Things to know
Kuranda Scenic Railway Experience
With Gold Class Service aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway, you will enjoy the following:
- Dedicated host services
- Individual seating in lounge-style chairs
- Quality refreshments, including sparkling Australian wine, beer, hot drinks, soft drinks, ice water, and mocktails
- Appetisers throughout the journey
- Chilled refresher towel
- Gift pack, including Kuranda Scenic Railway badge, pen, and postcard with postage