• Upgrade your wildlife experience and have your photo taken cuddling koala at Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park on our 2 day Cairns tour
• When snorkelling the Outer Great Barrier Reef, make sure to keep an eye out for the local Maori Wrasse, Wally. Sometimes he likes a pat and is always looking to be in your selfies!
• The Pamagirri Aboriginal Dancers in Kuranda treat guests with a spectacular and interactive performance

Cairns best tour deals are the combo deals with a Great Barrier Reef pontoon tour AND a Kuranda tour over 2 days.

What to Expect

Experience the magic of the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage rainforest on this 2 day Reef Magic and Kuranda package. Explore the stunning Great Barrier Reef from an Outer Barrier Reef pontoon with Reef Magic. Visit a pristine reef location that is renowned for its vibrant colourful corals, clear water and abundance of marine life. 

This action-packed Great Barrier Reef day tour has a myriad of inclusions, such as snorkel equipment, semi-submersible submarine tour, glass bottom boat tour, underwater observatory, buffet lunch and more. 

This Great Barrier Reef and Kuranda Combo Package tour includes the Grand Kuranda Experience, which incorporates the best of Kuranda and the rainforest.

Fly over the ancient rainforest canopy on Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and zoom through rainforest and past waterfalls on Kuranda Scenic Railway. Be immersed in a rainforest environment with 1500 free-flying butterflies at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Visit Rainforestation Nature Park and enjoy an Aussie BBQ lunch, Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience, Koala & Wildlife Park and Rainforest Army Duck Tour.

Features and Highlights

Day 1: Kuranda Train:

• Jump on board the coach and take a ride on one of the “Great Train Journeys of the World” on the Kuranda train up to the village of Kuranda.
• Spend some time exploring this quaint village, its shops and markets and then be taken to Rainforestation Nature Park for some Aboriginal Cultural experiences, animal antics and lunch.
• Skyrail: Board the multi award winning Skyrail Gondola Cableway for the ride down the mountainside over the tops of the rainforest trees below and view all the spectacular scenery around you. Board the coach back to your holiday accommodation. 

Day 2: Great Barrier Reef Tour:

• Take a morning Great  Barrier Reef tour boat ride from Cairns Marlin Marina to the interactive Reef Magic marine platform on the outer Great Barrier Reef and begin your day of wonder and amazement at the stunning underwater world.
• Snorkel or scuba dive around the coral bommies and you might just see a turtle or two, along with lots of other amazing colourful marine life such as finding Dory Fish (Blue Tang Fish) and Nemo Fish (Clown Fish).
• Upgrade to extra activities on the floating pontoon for a bigger Great Barrier Reef experience such as a helicopter ride.

Historic Kuranda Train Scenic Railway

This has been heralded as one of the most unique rail journeys in the whole country and was recently voted by tourism bodies and visitors as one of the “Great Train Journeys of the World”. 

A stunning journey not only for the views, but as a feat of engineering as the railway winds its way from Cairns up to the heady heights of Kuranda known as the “village in the rainforest”. 

Rising gradually from sea level the railway climbs to the Tablelands plateau at 328m (1076ft).

Gaze out of your restored carriage window at the unravelling of some of the most beautiful scenery in the world as you look upon cascading waterfalls and the dramatic waterfall of the Barron Gorge.

Your Kuranda Train journey will be accompanied by commentary (in English) to enlighten you on the sights you are seeing and the history of this amazing railway.

Travelling up to this World Heritage Rainforest is like a visit back in time to the jungles of some prehistoric age.  Under its auspices it boasts 1200 different types of flowering plants, 800 rainforest trees, from ancient palms to strangler figs and 100’s of unique creatures whose only home in the world is this last envelope of land that remains from the oldest rainforest in the world

Kuranda Village – ‘The Village in the Rainforest’

 “The Village in the Rainforest” (as known by locals) or Kuranda has been a tourist destination and a refuge for artists and artisans for over a century.  It was the Barron Falls that started to pull in the crowds and gradually this beautiful place became inhabited by people drawn to this unique environment. 

Nowadays it’s enjoyed equally by the locals and the visitors who come to explore its beauty.

Fuelled by such creative locals the Kuranda shops and the Kuranda markets here offer unique shopping opportunities, whether for a souvenir, something to wear, or just because it ‘took your fancy’ there is something everyone will love.

Today, Kuranda isn’t just about cooling off from the lowland’s tropical heat but is a real treat to visit somewhere so unique and memorable.

You will have time to soak up the markets and shops before meeting up to be taken to the highlight of this Cairns day tour.

Day 1 - Kuranda & Rainforestation Adventure Park Tour

Your visit to Kuranda, the ‘village in the rainforest’ is a day filled with the exploration of this amazing World Heritage Rainforest.

You will catch the historic Kuranda train as it takes you 545 metres (1788 ft) above sea level over the stunning Barron Falls and the dramatic cliff edifices of the Barron Gorge.

You will be taken on a guided tour on an amphibious army duck vehicle through the rainforest and rivers.  You can have your photo taken cuddling a koala (optional extra), hand feed wallabies and come face to face with rare animals from this area and learn more about the Aboriginal Culture.

Return down the mountainside by Skyrail cable car as you glide like a bird over the stunning scenery below.

These great value tours will be two days of fun and enjoyment that you and your family will never forget.

Children won’t know they are learning through their fun experience and adults will also understand more about the beautiful world of Tropical Far North Queensland.

Kuranda Train, Kuranda Village, Rainforestation and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Your one day tour to Kuranda Village begins with your tour vehicle picking up from your Cairns or Northern Beaches accommodation at approximately between 7:00am and 7:40am (you will be given more precise timings when you book).

• Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park

The Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park isn’t just a park, it’s a whole Aboriginal cultural experience, Australian wildlife experience and of course an army duck ride thru the 100 acres in the World Heritage Rainforest that will provide you with amazing insights and enjoyment for the day.

Everyone in the family will enjoy the activities provided at Rainforestation Nature Park.

• Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience

It’s not difficult to be in Australia and realise the great cultural heritage that the country has.  The local Indigenous tribes date back 50,000 years, making this Aboriginal culture one of the oldest surviving cultures in the world. 

You will join the local Indigenous Pamagarri Guides to discover how ancient traditions and customs are still alive today in the oldest rainforest in the world in Kuranda.

This will include the amazing Pamagirri Aboriginal Dance Show and the whole experience will take about 1 hour.  You will also go on a Dreamtime Walk and learn how the ancient beliefs of yesterday still are relevant to their culture today.

• Army Duck Rainforest Tour

No, this isn’t about herding many ducks at one time, but it does include an amphibious vehicle called a Duck that was used in World War II. 

Each Army Duck holds up to 30 passengers and with an amazing 6 wheels, a rudder and propeller can access most places on and off the land.

A major engineering feat in its day!

Your Army Duck tour through the Kuranda rainforest lasts 45 amazing minutes as your tour guide and Duck Captain will commentate throughout your trip, pointing out the flora and fauna of this verdant and fertile jungle.

As you go through your Army Duck amphibious journey you will be told about the prehistoric ferns (as old as the dinosaurs), rare exotic orchids, and stinging trees (and why they are called it!).

You’ll be in the depths of the jungle driving under hanging strangler figs and through trunks of trees as tall as the Statue of Liberty.  Then you will slide into the water and like a duck to water you will glide off to explore the jungle creek.

As you venture on down the creek you might see eels and fish or even turtle or a sunbathing python.

You might even discover a new species!  Many scientists visit here to explore and find new species, some are found on an almost daily basis. 

Sir David Attenborough stated that this area of the world was one of his personal favourites.  The rainforest has more species of beetles and moths than all life forms put together that live on the Great Barrier Reef.

For a unique and memorable tour for the whole family, (commentary sheet with 17 languages available) everyone should be able to enjoy this fun rainforest tour.

• Koala and Local Wildlife

Whilst walking around, the design of the boardwalks give you a chance to get close with uninterrupted views of the indigenous local animals that are kept here. 

There is a wide collection of all the animals from the local vicinity that include wombats, wallabies, snakes, turtles, frogs, lizards, quolls and the rare 1.8m (6ft) high Cassowary Bird whose existence is as old as the rainforest itself and whose numbers today are only around 1200.

The kids, gran and you will even be able to get up close and actually touch, smell and stand beside a cuddly koala. What a great souvenir to take back – a photo (extra cost) of you all with the most iconic animal in Australia!

A real hit for the young ones (and the old ones too!) is to handfeed the kangaroos and wallabies you’ll make furry friends fast!

Next stop is the crocs – or referred to by some locals as ‘snappy handbags’. You can have your photo (extra cost) taken with them (they will have their mouths taped shut).

Despite having the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom and exerting a massing 3000 psi on downwards pressure there is little strength for upward pressure, so no need to worry that the tape won’t hold.

The star of the Crocs is the ginormous “Jack the Ripper” who weighs in at a mega 650 kg and with a length of 5m (17ft) and you certainly wouldn’t want to come up close to him at night. He has reportedly gained his name from eating 12 of his last girlfriends so even more reason to steer clear!

• Pamagirri Rainforest Walkabout Walk

If you would like to know more about Aboriginal Culture you should try the new Bush Tucka Walk. The Pamagirri Rainforest Walkabout Walk explains more thoroughly the Pamagirri Aboriginal culture. 

You will be guided through the Rainforest by a Pamagirri Aboriginal Guide who will teach you the use of plants and fruits for traditional remedies and food as well as sharing with you everyday life tools and other objects.

• Lunch

Lunch is included and will be available to you as a BBQ buffet lunch.

• Skyrail – Gondola Ride Cableway

For your journey back you will be taken on the award winning Skyrail Rainforest Gondola Experience. This gondola cable car spans 7.5 kms over pristine rainforest and it really is a bird’s eye view over the jungle canopy.

You will glide in your cable car just metres above the rainforest canopy. As you get higher you will be transported in the pristine tropical rainforest and the amazing natural world around you. 

You will hear, smell and see the amazing world around you that has been like this for the last 200,000 years.

In the distance you will be able to see the shimmering aqua blue of the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef.

This Skyrail tour has won many national and international awards and rightly so.

Along the way there are some viewing stations that you can pop out and have a look at and soak up the amazing ambiance and sights of this amazing place:

Barron Falls Station

It’s easy access to walk along the walkways that lead to the viewing gallery with stunning views of the Barron Falls at this first station. This gives you literally Royal Circle seats to prime viewing of the Baron Falls. 

If you happen to visit in Green Season from Dec-March then you won’t be disappointed with the sight of the Barron Falls looking like a fireman’s hose. Water literally explodes out of the gaps in the rocks and you can feel the refreshing water mist settle on your eyelashes and lips.

Red Peak Station

This station is set at 545m (1788 ft) and is set amongst the fronds of the pristine rainforest with a 175 (574ft) metre boardwalk extending out so you can walk and explore along the length.

As you walk along you are able to talk to the qualified Rangers that are on-hand to give you information and answer any questions on the rainforest and the interesting eco-system that you are experiencing.  

They will help to point out native flora and fauna and give an entertaining and fun experience.

The boardwalk has its own interpretive signage if you wish to walk on a self-guided walk then you can relax and absorb the rainforest at your own pace.

If you wish to upgrade to Diamond View see the information further below.

Once back at Skyrail base station you will be met by your tour transport and taken back to your holiday accommodation in Cairns or Northern Beaches.

Itinerary

• 8:00am - Accommodation pickup 
• 8:30am - Kuranda Scenic Train departure
• 10:25am - Arrive in Kuranda
• 11:00am - Australian Butterfly Sanctuary
• 11:45am - Shuttle Bus to Rainforestation
• 12:00noon - Arrive at Rainforestation
• 12:00noon to 3:45pm - Rainforestation Nature Park time: enjoy Lunch, Army Duck Tour, Pamagirri Aboriginal Cultural Experience, Koala & Wildlife and the optional Bush Tucka Walk (departs at 1:00pm for 30 minutes). Please note 3:45pm is the latest time you can leave Rainforestation to catch the Skyrail Cableway, if you would like to spend some time in Kuranda Village itself you need to leave Rainforestation on an earlier shuttle and make your way to the Kuranda Skyrail terminal by 4:00pm.
• 4:00pm - Skyrail Rainforest Cableway departure
• 5:30pm - Arrive to Skyrail Rainforest Cableway terminal in Smithfield
• 5:45pm - Arrive back to your accommodation

Day 2 - Great Barrier Reef Pontoon

Join us on a Great Barrier Reef tour on an interactive floating platform in the middle of the reef.

It is here you can choose from a selection of in water and above water experiences to enable you to see the best there is on offer for the Great Barrier Reef.

This is you chance to experience scuba diving and helmet walking.

If you are not a swimmer and don’t want to get wet there is an underwater viewing observatory, a glass bottom boat and a semi-submersible submarine for you to also enjoy seeing the Great Barrier Reef.

This Great Barrier Reef platform is a secure standing structure so this is a great reef tour option for people that might be concerned about sea sickness or being on a tour boat all day.

Your Great Barrier Reef tours start when you check in at the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal, located at 1 Spence Street, between 8:15am and 8:30 am.

Your reef cruise will be a comfortable 90 minutes to get to the activity platform and snorkel pontoon and whilst underway the crew will advise you on the days activities and set you up for a day of adventure on Australia’s Great Barrier reef.

She has a length of 30m (90ft) so there is plenty of room to enjoy the scenery in air conditioned comfort.

Tea, coffee and pastries are served at the start of your trip on the tour boat.

Reef Magic Activity Platform - Great Barrier Reef Tour

There's so much to do and see when you get to the activity platform you won't know where to start!

• Snorkelling

The all-weather activity platform is ideally suited for activities for all levels and ages. You can snorkel in the sheltered coral lagoons or join one of the privately guided Marine Biologist tours as they take you out on a guided snorkelling safari (extra cost).

Plus a host of other activities that will ensure that young and old have a day packed with amazing sights and adventure.

Snorkel guides are there to help fit your snorkel equipment and to give you instructions if this is your first time in the water. 

Soon you’ll be snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef and seeing the amazing marine life that live on it.

Snorkel equipment and tuition is included in the price.

• Scuba Diving

If you have ever wondered what it is like to be the nearest thing to being like a fish then you can experience scuba diving with an introductory scuba dive (extra cost). 

For anyone over the age of 12 this is an amazing opportunity and it may just whet your appetite to take this activity further (check on scuba diving medical requirements) you’ll dive with an experienced diving instructor in a group of 4 learner divers and you will have the chance to experience at least 2 dives on this day if you have pre-booked your space.

Marvel at the amazing colourful fish life of darting angel fish and butterfly fish.  See giant clams, wonder at the amazing formations of coral and you might even get to swim with a passing turtle or see it feeding. 

• Semi-submersible Submarine and Glass Bottom Boat Tours

If you are not a confident swimmer or would rather be more sedate and stay dry then you can view the reef with a choice of a seat in a semi-submersible submarine or/and a glass bottom boat tour with interactive commentary by your reef tour guide and see all the things the snorkellers and divers are seeing without getting wet. Included in the price

• Underwater Observatory

You can stay dry and still see this amazing underwater world. Observe through the Perspex windows beneath the floating pontoon all the different types and colours of fish being fed as they go crazy swimming around to find the food, quite spectacular.

Take photos of loved ones as they snorkel and scuba dive in front of you. Included in the price

• Helmet Diving

There is also a chance to try helmet diving which is a scuba-style underwater experience, where you are able to walk rather than swim underwater (and you won’t even get your hair wet). Optional Extra

• Marine Naturalist Guided Snorkelling Tours 

It’s so wonderful to see all the fish and to become immersed in the underwater world.  It’s even better to see this world through the eyes of someone who understands it, so you can make the most of your underwater experience.

Your Marine Naturalist Guide will help you with your fish identification and you can interact by feeding the fish. It will bring to life your earlier Marine Biologist presentation and make learning for all ages such fun.

• Great Barrier Reef-Scenic Helicopter flights 

If you would like to see how spectacular the Great Barrier Reef really is from the air then you can also go on a Scenic Reef Helicopter Flight.  After exploring the corals up close snorkelling under the water it is quite something else to have a bird’s eye view of the Great Barrier Reef.

From the moment the helicopter rises up over the ocean you will see uninterrupted panoramic views giving you an absolutely stunning perspective on this World Heritage Listed wonder of the world. 

You’ll see the coral cays spotted around like leopard markings against the aqua bright blue crystal waters of the Coral Sea. 

You can spot turtles, rays, whales, reef sharks and schools of fish. For the absolute ultimate Great Barrier Reef tour we recommend you fly to or from (or both) the activity platform to Cairns to see the reef from above the surface as well as below the surface.

You will have 5 hours all together to spend exploring the Great Barrier Reef so there is plenty of time to do all the things you would like.

The activity platform has fresh water showers, a sundeck and changing rooms.

• Food & Beverage

Lunch is served on the platform and you can choose from hot (curries, lasagne, soups) or cold (meat platter, prawns, salads). There will be coffee and tea served on the return afternoon trip with cheese and crackers and a fruit platter. 

There is a licensed bar on the boat (it is advisable to drink alcohol only after partaking in your in-water activities).

Tour Languages Offered

• Chinese
• French
• German
• Korean
• Spanish

Departs From

Cairns

Departure Time

• Day 1 - Kuranda day: approx. 7:30am
• Day 2 - Great Barrier Reef: check in 8.15am, departs 9.00am returns 5.00pm

Pickup Locations

• Cairns
• Cairns Northern Beaches
• Palm Cove

Destinations

• Great Barrier Reef
• Kuranda
• Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Daily

Duration

Kuranda day: 9.5 hours
Great Barrier Reef Pontoon: 8 hours in total including 5 hours on the outer reef

Available for Purchase / Hire

• 10 minute helicopter reef scenic flight
• Introductory & Certified Diving
• Helemt Diving
• Snorkel Experience Tour - 35 minutes
• Snorkel Safari - 50 minutes

Fitness Level Required

Low, Medium

Restrictions

Scuba Diving – minimum age 12

IN-WATER RESTRICTIONS

Scuba Diving, Scuba Doo and Helmet Diving Restrictions

• Certain medical conditions and medications may preclude some people from scuba diving and helmet diving/scuba doo.
• Participation is subject to medical questionnaires completed on board with the tour operator.
• Minimum age for scuba diving and helmet diving/scuba doo is 12 years.
• Flying after scuba diving: a wait of 12 hours is recommended after one dive, 18 hour after 2 dives and at least 24 hours after multiple dives, before ascending to an altitude of 300 metres or greater.

Read more about Diving Safety on the Great Barrier Reef.

Additional Information

Multilingual staff: please note not all multilingual staff is avaialble daily - please enquire at time of booking if you require assistance in another language.

Eco Certifications

• Day 1: Comfortable shoes & clothing (if you decide to visit the Butterfly Sanctuary you should wear a bright colurful shirt to attract a maximum of butterflies), money for souvenirs, Koala or Croc photo, Hat & Sunglasses
• Day 2: Swimmers, Towel, Sun Protection, Hat, Sunglasses, Camera, Cash/Credit Card for Onboard Purchases, Certification Card/Scuba license if "Certified Diving"

Child price applies to children age 4 to 14 Years. Children 3 & under travel free.