Best of Cairns
Kuranda from Cairns: Skyrail, Scenic Railway and the Rainforest Village
Kuranda, a rainforest village on the Atherton Tablelands about 25 kilometres northwest of Cairns, is one of the most popular day trips from the city. The experience is typically structured around the journey as much as the destination: travelling up via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway (which glides over the rainforest canopy with stops at Red Peak and Barron Falls) and returning on the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway through tunnels and cliff faces above the Barron Gorge. Kuranda itself has a permanent market, wildlife experiences including Birdworld and the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, and a range of cafes and craft stalls. The combination ticket (Skyrail plus railway) is the most common way to visit.
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- 1
Kuranda Scenic Railway
A 2-hour heritage railway journey from Cairns to Kuranda through the rainforest, past 15 tunnels, 37 bridges and the spectacular Barron Falls, one of Queensland's great rail experiences.
- 2
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
A gondola cableway from Smithfield to Kuranda, gliding above the rainforest canopy with two mid-stations at Barron Gorge for boardwalk walks.
- 3
Rainforestation Nature Park
A nature and cultural park at Kuranda with a Pamagirri Aboriginal dance show, wildlife encounters and an Army Duck ride through the rainforest.
- 4
Kuranda Original Markets
A permanent market in the Kuranda Heritage Markets open daily, with local artists, tropical fruit, handicrafts and the famous Frog's Restaurant.
- 5
Barron Falls Lookout
A free lookout above the spectacular Barron Falls within Barron Gorge National Park, at its most impressive in the wet season when the Barron River floods.
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