Palm Cove Tours
Kuranda Scenic Railway Day Trip from Palm Cove
4.5

Kuranda Scenic Railway Day Trip from Palm Cove

By Down Under Tours - Day Tours
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About
Visit the rain forest village of Kuranda on this flexible tour from Palm Cove that allows travelers to choose from several different activities. Take the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway one way and ride the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway the other through the rain forest canopy. In Kuranda, see animals or focus on indigenous history based on your interests. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Palm Cove makes for a seamless, stress-free experience.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 60 per group
Duration: 7h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Written guide
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
: German, Chinese, Japanese, English, Italian, French, Spanish
More

Highlights
  • See Kuranda via Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
  • Choice of multiple itineraries in Kuranda tailors trip to your interests
  • Optional trip to Rainforestation Nature Park, with duck boat tour 
  • Optional trip to Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, with lunch upgrade

  • Kuranda Scenic Railway
  • Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
  • Hotel pickup and drop off
  • Entry/Admission - Kuranda Scenic Railway
  • Entry/Admission - Smithfield
What's not included
  • Food and drinks (unless specified)
  • Birdworld entrance (approx. AUD19.00/adult, AUD9.50/child)
  • Butterfly Sanctuary entrance (approx. AUD20.00/adult, AUD10.00/child)
  • Kuranda Koala Gardens entrance (approx. AUD19.00/adult and AUD9.50/child)
  • Entry/Admission - Australian Butterfly Sanctuary
  • Entry/Admission - Kuranda Koala Gardens
  • Entry/Admission - Birdworld Kuranda

Begin your day with pickup from your Palm Cove hotel, after which you board the Kuranda Scenic Railway or Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. If the railway is chosen to start,  you pass over Stoney Creek Bridge and Barron Gorge. If skyrail is chosen, soar above the rain forest canopy and soak up the views. In Kuranda, explore the area in various ways, depending your booking choice. Options include Rainforestation Nature Park for an amphibious duck boat tour, a stop at Koala and Wildlife Park, and a Dreamtime Walk to introduce you to Aboriginal culture. Or, choose to visit the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. All options include free time to explore Kuranda with its heritage markets. Upgrade your Tjapukai tour to include a buffet lunch. Return to Palm Cove via the either the scenic Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or the Railway and end the tour with drop-off in Palm Cove. For more detailed information, see the Itinerary.

Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
    Pickup details
    • Pickups are available from selected Northern Beaches hotels - please contact the operator after booking to confirm your closest pickup location and time.
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Not wheelchair accessible
        • Pushchair accessible
        • Infants must sit on laps
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2570KSQ

        • Most travellers can participate
        • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
        • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 60 travellers

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2570KSQ

        From
        AU$214.15
        per adult
        Select date and travellers
        Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

        Similar experiences

        Itinerary
        • Pass by
          Barron Falls
        • 1
        • 2
        • 3
        • 4
        • 5
        • 6
          Pass by
          Barron Gorge National Park
        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Down Under Tours - Day Tours
          2,776
          Australia
          Joined in October 2011
        • Q5815KNvictord
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Go ahead it’s great
          That was great to have someone with a lot of humor and so happy to explain, show everything !! All of this experience was amazing
          Written 17 September 2024
        • caitline271
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Daintree rainforest tour
          Scott is a great tour guide, very knowledgeable and funny. Made the experience wonderful and unforgettable. We witnessed beautiful scenery throughout the trip.
          Written 15 September 2024
        • Trip66949833026
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          The top highlights of TNQ in one day tour.
          I’d highly recommend that you do this day tour, to see of all of Tropical North Queensland’s main sightseeing highlights and attractions. As a travel agent, l’d recommend it to my travelling clients too. Scott, our tour guide, was friendly, knowledgeable, full of good stories & history, and the day tour’s itinerary was well planned, allowing sufficient time to be spent at each destination stop. A great day out.
          Written 14 September 2024
        • justinkT1105GZ
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Day trip to the Daintree
          Scott was a great, enthusiastic guide. Very relaxed and informative trip to the Daintree Rainforest, Mossman gorge and Cape Tribulation.
          Written 14 September 2024
        • marykJ5359EF
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great day and great guide.
          Daniel was fun and very informative. The whole tour was terriffic esp. the Mossman gorge. The icecream was a delicious treat! Fabulous day.
          Written 8 September 2024
        • R574DNalc
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Recommend
          Daniel was a fantastic guide with great knowledge and commentary even with a few laughs😁 Many great stops to see a variety of what tropical Queensland has to offer. The crocodiles are amazing!!!!!
          Written 8 September 2024
        • brenny
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          A very enjoyable day
          Unfortunately it was quite misty and cloudy so the view from the Skyrail was a bit disappointing, but the staff were so helpful and friendly, signage was very good, instructions for catching the train back were very clear. Kutandra was a cute place, the bird aviary was great. If you can, get the gold class on the train. The seats are comfortable and you drinks get nibblies and drinks. A very enjoyable day.
          Written 8 September 2024
        • kmY5610HN
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Must do tour!
          Had scott as our guide! OMGGG he was hilarious and so knowledgeable! all the stops were stunning and or delicious! definitely get your money worth just for his jokes!! but seriously the food was so yum and had a blast. Saw at least 5 crocs too. It was an honour to learn so much about the Kuku Yalanji people. big thanks to scott! (give him a raise
          Written 3 September 2024
        • Voyage66341598774
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Daintree rainforest Mossman Gorge and river with crocodiles. Lunch, morning tea and icecream!!
          Had a great day. Tour guide Adrian was really good. Knew his plants!! Very funny commentary. Nice food. Thanks for a fab tour.
          Written 3 September 2024
        • flirtygerty2022
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Lovely trip up the mountain
          Loved the trip up on this old train! Had few stops along the way to take photos then at the top there were lots of shops,koala gardens,butterfly/bird gardens etc before returning tho we opted for the glass bottom gondola on the skyrail
          Written 27 August 2024
        • jansawyer212
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great day out!
          Great trip, very well organised. Saw all the main places of interest. Daniel, our guide for the day, was absolutely fabulous. He was extremely knowledgeable and made everything very interesting. Fascinating to listen to!
          Written 24 August 2024
        • 493ianl
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          A snapshot of the Daintree National Park
          Pick up from hotel was smooth as was travel to Mossman Gorge. Shuttle bus from Information Centre into the Gorge then walk along reasonably accessible raised boardwalk with our driver/guide providing interesting information on the fauna, dangers and history etc. unable to purchase anything in the shop on return as it is cashless! Lovely tea break with massive scones, lashings of jam and cream. Next stop was the Daintree River trip. The river is very broad and our pilot was very informative. However, this leg would have been a serious challenge to anyone with mobility restrictions. Crocs seen. Lunch was enjoyable but short, due to unexpected delays with rebuilding repairs to the main road. Reached Cape Tribulation but, again barely half an hour on the beach, just enough time to dip one’s feet into the water (keeping an eye out for saltwater crocs!). On the return we had a stop for some delicious Daintree ice cream before catching the cable vehicle ferry across the Daintree River. Learnt a lot on this trip.
          Written 21 August 2024
        • Margaret W
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          A Day in the Tropics
          A wonderful day touring this area. Daniel our driver and guide was courteous and informative throughout the journey. Mossman Gorge, Daintree and Mt Tribulation. The cruise on the Daintree River was interesting and we saw crocodiles
          Written 21 August 2024
        • snehaa551
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Amazing tour experience. Highly recommended.
          Amazing experience very experience and friendly tour guides. On time service. Very informative trip. Great experience 👍 highly recommended
          Written 17 August 2024
        • 89fleura
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Really fantastic! The whole family loved it!
          What a great day! Scott is an amazing driver and host and knows so much about so many things; history, flora & fauna, the indiginous people and the do’s and don’t’s for daders. What an amazingly nice guy with a great sense of humor! The tour was very informative, the destinations amazing and even the weather was fantastic! Oh, the damper, lunch and Icecream were so good too! We are from Holland and were on the tour woth our boys aged 12, 14 and 16 and they also loved it and had a very memorable day! The crocs made our hearts skip a beat. Such beautiful creatures who deserve everyones respect. It’s their environment. We are just visitors. Don’t be afrais but be in awe! Would recommend this great day with Down Under Tours to all our friends! Thank’s again Scott!
          Written 16 August 2024
        See all 2,776 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


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        4.5
        4.5 of 5 bubbles9 reviews
        Excellent
        5
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        2
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        Jane M
        Clapham, UK155 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Had a fun day out really enjoyed our train trip beautiful coach’s . We had a upgrade & a glass or two of wine plus a platter of cheeses & biscuits.
        Good views plus a few stops to get off the train and enjoy them
        Written 25 April 2018
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi Jane M, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review - we are so glad to hear that you had a great trip to Kuranda! The Gold Class certainly is a great way to relax and enjoy the views on the Railway journey. Thank you again, and we hope you enjoyed the remainder of your holiday! Safe travels, Kirby #downundertours
        Written 12 June 2018
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Blockeract
        Australian Capital Territory, Australia13 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fantastic day. Collected from Palm Cove and taken to railway. Train to Kuranda, walk around then skyrail back. Then dropped back to our resort. All like clockwork and a fantastic day.
        Written 3 July 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi Blockeract, Thank you for your review - we are so glad to hear that you had an awesome day visiting Kuranda with us! The trip via the Scenic Rail and Skyrail really is a must do in Cairns, and we strive to ensure our passengers enjoy a smooth, stress free travel experience with all tickets prebooked- the way holidays are meant to be! Thank you for your wonderful feedback, and we hope that you enjoyed the remainder of your holiday! Safe travels, The DUT Team #downundertours
        Written 26 July 2019
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Mitchcolin1
        15 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        May 2019 • Couples
        Our resort in Palm Cove booked us on a Down Under Tour. Everything ran perfectly, it was all explained clearly which is often not the case when there’s numerous changeovers in transport. We had bus transfers to and from hotel, the train up and then the Skyrail back down.
        The train was fantastic, so beautiful. And I fell in love with the town of Kuranda. I would incorporate an overnight stay up there next time I holiday. Skyrail was also good, although the weather had turned pretty cloudy and wet by then, which hindered the view a little bit.
        I would highly recommend doing this tour, it’s probably the highlight of my holiday. A great day out.
        Written 24 May 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        DEastLothian
        Edinburgh, UK183 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Apr 2019 • Couples
        Fabulous whole day out. Excellent transfers, superb train journey with tremendous views, great history, interesting village Kuranda, a bit touristy but what do you expect? Spectacular return via the Skyrail which also allowed stops in parts of the rain forest and spectacular views of the Barron river and falls. Couldn't fault this trip. Thoroughly recommended!
        Written 10 May 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi DEastLothian, Thank you for your review - we are thrilled to hear that you had a fabulous day visiting Kuranda with us via the Scenic Rail and Skyrail, and would recommend the tour to others! It is the perfect choice to explore the history, culture and rainforest of the region - while also seeing some spectacular views! Thank you again, and we hope that you enjoyed the remainder of your holiday! Safe travels, The DUT Team #downundertours
        Written 13 May 2019
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Leigh G
        Rugby, UK31 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        My wife made a booking for us and our 4yr old daughter to go on the Scenic Railway trip and Skyrail return with pick up. This was from our pick up at Cnr of Moore /Trinity St.

        We were really impressed with the kind and friendly approach of Neil, the driver. He was methodical and clear and very helpful.

        His service, which we found to be followed up by the representatives of Down Under Tours was an absolute pleasure and bonus. We had no real idea who was picking us up but it was great value for money.

        Finally to top it off the coach was on top and very high spec/modern/comfortable.

        We didn't use Down Under Tours for our principal activities today (20/11/18) but even so I felt compelled to highlight a positive experience.

        We will certainly recommend you to others without any hesitation.
        Written 20 November 2018
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi 425leighg, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for us - we are so glad that you had such a wonderful experience with us and your driver, Neil! As a company, we pride ourselves on our people and service, so it is fantastic to hear that we were able to provide such a positive and memorable experience for your pick up service. Thank you again, and I hope that you and your family enjoy the remainder of your holiday! Safe travels, Kirby #downundertours
        Written 21 November 2018
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        KATHY O
        Melbourne, Australia4 contributions
        3.0 of 5 bubbles
        Oct 2018
        My experience on the Kuranda Scenic Railway is sort of "mixed". The station is lovely and has heaps of character. We were crammed into a carriage with lots of people, it was really hot and uncomfortable. A little way into the journey a staff member came and offered a couple of us to move to other carriages that were not as full, which was greatly appreciated. The journey was pleasant enough and got to see some lovely scenery and hear the history of the railway which was amazing . Overall I rated the entire experience as average.
        Written 5 November 2018
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        mkayd
        Chattanooga, TN142 contributions
        3.0 of 5 bubbles
        It's a nice ride up but if you are riding the skyway you will have better views. You can take the us to Kuranda for around $6. The cars are not air conditioned so if you go in the afternoon it will be quite warm.
        Written 7 March 2018
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Serena Y
        Sydney, Australia61 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Dec 2017 • Family
        The train ride goes past beautiful views of waterfalls and bushland. The train itself doesn't have aircon so it can get a little hot! Bring a fan! Lovely trip for the family, definitely recommend
        Written 8 February 2018
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Hi Serena Y, Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your experience with us. We are so glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed the day together! The photos you posted are beautiful- the rainforest is very green at the moment! Being a heritage train, the Kuranda Scenic Rail doesn't have air conditioning, so your tip to bring a fan is great! It certainly can be very hot in Cairns in the summer months. Thank you again, and we hope that you and your family enjoyed the remainder of your holiday. Safe travels, Kirby #DownUnderTours
        Written 13 February 2018
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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