Kuranda / Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Kuranda
The “village in the rainforest”. The classic way to visit is to take the scenic train up the mountain and the 7.5 km Skyrail cable car back down, with views of Barron Falls along the way.
Kuranda is a rainforest village on a mountain 25 km northwest of Cairns, at an elevation of 330 meters, surrounded by tropical rainforest that is part of a World Heritage Area. The classic one-day itinerary starts with the Kuranda Scenic Railway in the morning (built in 1891, 1 hour 55 minutes, passing through 15 tunnels and stopping at a viewpoint for Barron Falls). At midday, browse the Indigenous craft market (Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets), visit the butterfly sanctuary and the koala park (you can hold a koala for photos, about AUD 30). In the afternoon, take the Skyrail rainforest cableway down (7.5 km, around 1.5 hours). On the way, get off at the Red Peak and Barron Falls stations to walk the boardwalks for views of the canopy and waterfalls, then take a shuttle bus from the Smithfield terminal back to the city. A combined train and cable car ticket costs about AUD 130 to 150. The Skyrail can be upgraded to a glass-floor “Diamond Cabin”. There are also options to travel in reverse, or to use just one form of transport one way. The cable car may be suspended in thunderstorms or strong winds, so check the official website before setting out. Many restaurants in the village start closing after 3 pm, and the last train and cable car usually leave around 3:30 pm, so keep an eye on the time. It can be combined with a hot-air balloon flight from Mareeba (early-morning takeoff) to make a full day.
Opening hours
Train departs approx. 08:30/09:30; cable car 09:00–17:15
Nearby sights
- Barron Gorge & Barron Falls
- Rainforestation Nature Park
- Palm Cove
- Cairns Botanic Gardens
- Crystal Cascades
- Cairns Aquarium
- Cairns Night Markets
- Cairns Esplanade Lagoon