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Kuranda Safaris & wildlife activities

Our most recommended Kuranda Safaris & wildlife activities

Cairns: Kuranda Day Trip with Kuranda Train and Skyrail

1. Cairns: Kuranda Day Trip with Kuranda Train and Skyrail

Explore the village of Kuranda in a pristine World Heritage-listed rainforest. Be picked up from your hotel and travel to the train station. Take the Kuranda Scenic Railway and marvel at mountains on the way. Soar over waterfalls and over Barron Gorge on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Explore the markets, shops, and walking trails, or take a river cruise (seasonal) for 2.5 hours. Discover the food stalls and cafés, or dine with the water dragons at Frog’s Restaurant famous for its sauces and dressings. Take the famous Skyrail down, spanning 7.5km over the rainforest canopy. Spot native wildlife, including the cassowary, the world's 3rd-largest flightless bird. Next, take the 2:00 PM Skyrail back to the bottom (Skyrail Smithfield station). Embark on a fascinating journey of discovery over and deep into the world’s oldest, continually-surviving tropical rainforest. The iconic Skyrail experience is a must-do Cairns attraction of Australia’s World-Heritage listed tropical rainforest, immersing you in one of the most botanically fascinating areas on earth. At the end of your Skyrail experience, be picked up again by bus at 3:30 PM to be brought back to the hotel.

Cairns: Best of the Kuranda Rainforest Full-Day Tour & Lunch

2. Cairns: Best of the Kuranda Rainforest Full-Day Tour & Lunch

Discover some of the finest scenery and fascinating culture of the Kuranda Rainforest on a guided tour. Visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, a Koala and Wildlife Park, and learn about about Aboriginal culture at the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience. Start your immersion into the culture and nature of the Kuranda Rainforest with a ride aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway. Wind through the mountains and rainforest to the village of Kuranda.  Upon arrival, experience Australia's largest butterfly aviary at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary with 1,500 tropical butterflies, including the vibrant green Cairns Birdwing. Next, travel by shuttle to the Rainforestation Nature Park for a barbecue buffet lunch.  After lunch, explore the rainforest by 6WD amphibious vehicle as you climb aboard a World War II Army Duck that can drive over land and in water. Search for wildlife as you learn about the plants and trees of the surrounding rainforest. Then, sample some exotic fruits and locally-made ice cream at the Tropical Treats fruit orchard.  Find out more about Aboriginal culture at the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and watch spear-throwing demonstrations and traditional dances. Try your hand at throwing a boomerang, and hear all about the didgeridoo. Then, get up close to Australian animals including koalas, dingoes and the endangered Cassowary and Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo. See typical Australian critters including wombats, crocodiles, lizards and birds. Feed the kangaroos and wallabies by hand. Then, travel back to Cairns on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and ride over the canopy of the pristine rainforest. Transfer back to your accommodation at the end of the tour services.

Kuranda: Koalas, Birds and Butterflies Experience

3. Kuranda: Koalas, Birds and Butterflies Experience

Experience an unforgettable day with fantastic wildlife such as koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, rare birds, and colorful butterflies, as you enjoy access to three wonderful attractions. Find yourself among kangaroos and wallabies roaming around a free-range enclosure at Kuranda Koala Gardens, and take the opportunity to hand-feed them yourself! Marvel at the spectacle of tropical birds flying through their natural rainforest habitat at Birdworld, home to some of Australia's most precious bird species. Enjoy the magic of over 1500 magnificent butterflies fluttering above you in the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Learn fascinating information about the wildlife as you benefit from a guided tour at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, and a complimentary bird spotter's guide at Birdworld.

Kuranda: Rainforestation Nature Park Guided Tour

4. Kuranda: Rainforestation Nature Park Guided Tour

The award-winning Rainforestation Nature Park is a 100 acre (40-hectare) property located in the middle of Kuranda’s World Heritage Rainforest. Locally owned and operated park offers three unique experiences to visitors. Board an amphibious World War II Army Duck for a land and water adventure through the rainforest, as your Duck Captain identifies and explains fascinating plants including ferns, orchids, strangler figs, and the infamous stinging tree. As you move through the water, keep an eye out for turtles, fish, eels and water birds, or for birds, pythons and other reptiles on land. Rainforestation has 12 of the historic Army Ducks (officially spelled DUKW) which hold up to 30 passengers and have a combination of 6-wheel drive, a propeller, and rudder. After disembarking, visit the Tropical Fruit Orchard, containing over 40 species of exotic tropical fruit trees. This tranquil setting provides the perfect opportunity to view and learn about fruits of the region and the world, including jackfruit, pawpaw, lychees, carambola, and star apple. The Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience offers the opportunity to see traditional dance performances in the setting of the beautiful Rainforest Amphitheatre. You can also take part in the Dreamtime Walk along the Rainbow Serpent walkway, then watch a display of traditional spear throwing and didgeridoo playing. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn the art of throwing a boomerang, and try it out for yourself – can you get your boomerang to come back to you? Take a self-guided tour in the Koala & Wildlife Park and see crocodiles, kangaroos, wallabies,  snakes, dingoes, a cassowary, and the only Tasmanian Devils in North Queensland. Rainforestation is also home to a rescued Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo. Don’t miss Jack the Ripper, one of the largest crocodiles in captivity. Coming in at over 5 meters in length and weighing almost a tonne, you can view him from the safety of our elevated boardwalks. Explore the park at your own pace and hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies as they roam freely through the park.

Day Trip: Rainforest & Aboriginal Culture Tour

5. Day Trip: Rainforest & Aboriginal Culture Tour

Experience this enchanting region of Australia and see its wildlife, lush scenery, and aboriginal culture. Explore the rainforest on a 6-wheel-drive World War II Army Duck amphibious vehicle. Your experienced Duck Driver will help you search for wildlife, and teach you about the plants and trees that make up the surrounding rainforest. After your tour, you can sample exotic fruits and locally made ice cream at the Tropical Treats fruit orchard. The Koala & Wildlife Park offers the opportunity to get up close with native Australian wildlife, including wombats, crocodiles, lizards and birds. You can hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies. Enjoy emission-free travel on the first 100% electric bus in the Australian tourism industry  The Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience is unforgettable. Follow your Pamagirri Guide along the Dreamtime Walk down the Rainbow Serpent pathway and learn how to throw a traditional boomerang. Your Pamagirri guide will demonstrate traditional spear throwing as well as a didgeridoo presentation, followed by an energetic and interactive traditional Aboriginal dance performance in our Rainforest Amphitheatre.  Catch our shuttle to the Kuranda Village where you can visit Kuranda's markets and art galleries, or even the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Return coach transfers to and from Cairns hotels.

From Cairns: Kuranda Day Trip with Petting Zoo and ATV Ride

6. From Cairns: Kuranda Day Trip with Petting Zoo and ATV Ride

Spend a day in the rainforest on this day trip from Cairns. Speed through the nature on an ATV, spend time in a petting zoo, and enjoy free time browsing for souvenirs and goods in the markets and shops of Kuranda Village. Start your day with pickup from your accommodation in Cairns and head for the Sky Rail and Rainforest station for the journey to Kur Cow. Discover an interactive and working farm complete with a herd of 150 cattle. Take a thrilling tour of the farm from the seat of an ATV four-wheeler. Partake in a safety briefing to familiarise you with the ATV and how to handle it before speeding round the property and see the cattle. Next, head to the petting zoo to spend some free time with the farm animals. Hang out with these creatures as you take a well-deserved break after your ride. Take advantage of transportation to Kuranda Village and enjoy time to explore at your leisure. Browse in its many charming shops and shop for mementos at one of its 3 markets. At the end of your experience, enjoy transportation back to Cairns and drop-off at your hotel.

Cairns: Kuranda Village Horse Ride and Petting Zoo Visit

7. Cairns: Kuranda Village Horse Ride and Petting Zoo Visit

Take a day trip to Kur Cow Farm in Kuranda village and explore the tropical forest tablelands on horseback, with transfer to and from Cairns. Enjoy a guided ride through the farm’s meandering valleys and verdant rainforest, and finish at the petting zoo.  Start the tour at your hotel in Cairns, where you’ll be driven up into the surrounding hills of Myola to Kur Cow Farm. After a safety briefing, explore the landscape on horseback as you follow a gentle trail through rainforest and past herds of grazing animals. After the ride, take some time to meet the farm’s residents and mini animals at the petting zoo. To finish the trip, you'll be transferred back to your accommodation in Cairns.

Kuranda Koala Gardens Entrance Ticket

8. Kuranda Koala Gardens Entrance Ticket

Enjoy entrance to the Kuranda Koala Gardens and meet an amazing array of Australian wildlife. For an additional fee, you can pose for a photo with a koala bear, or have your picture taken with a python. See wallabies, wombats, and freshwater crocodiles. Explore the nocturnal exhibit and visit the Aussie Bush Collection where marsupials and reptiles live in harmony. Get up close with Australia’s incredible animals.

Kuranda: Friends in the Rainforest Koala Gardens & Birdworld

9. Kuranda: Friends in the Rainforest Koala Gardens & Birdworld

Enjoy the opportunity to hold a koala, and discover two of the most unique wildlife attractions in Tropical North Queensland, the Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld Kuranda. Visit the Kuranda area and see some of Australia’s most well-known native animals including quokkas, wallabies, lizards, possums, gliders, kangaroos, and many others. Snap your own momentous memories to share with your family and friends with hand feeding and photo opportunities. See brilliant Amazonian macaws, the endangered and stately cassowary, cheeky rainbow lorikeets, galahs, cockatoos, and many more exotic and beautiful birds. Explore the natural landscape brimming with waterfalls, ponds, exotic and native plants. Surround yourself in the rainforest habitat and be amazed at more than 350 birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors on display.

Cairns: Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

10. Cairns: Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary provides a world-class wildlife experience in the heart of Kuranda. The all-weather experience is home to over 1,500 magnificent tropical butterflies. All butterflies in the sanctuary are local rainforest species, while the undisputed stars are the fluoro green Cairns Birdwings. Wear something bright (red, white, or hot pink are best) and let these beautiful creatures flutter all over you. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the aviary. Learn to identify each of the butterfly species, as the guides explain a butterfly’s life cycle and its behavior.  Visit the breeding laboratory, which houses up to 4,000 caterpillars. An opportunity to view first-hand the breeding laboratory through special viewing windows, where you will see the caterpillars in their varying stages of development. Watch as the laboratory staff collects eggs daily and “hand-raise” the caterpillars right through to the chrysalis stage, until they are released as beautiful butterflies into the sanctuary.

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What people are saying about Kuranda

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 146 reviews

Overall the trip was excellent and kids enjoyed a lot both train and sky rail. Kudos to the entire team of Kuranda including who laid down their lives for the rail road.

This trip is 100% worth it. definitely our favourite thing we did at our stay in cairns. The transport there and back was perfect as well. Thank you

Great driver, fabulous trip and plenty of thrills. Worth a go

Amazing from start to finish. Enjoyed the whole experience

excellent family owned farm. Loved the fwd and the horses