Cairns Skyrail and Kuranda Scenic Railway Day Trip

The Cairns Skyrail and Kuranda Scenic Railway is the number one, must-visit tour when visiting Cairns and Tropical North Queensland and I can fully see why. The Sky Rail is an incredible, educational journey over an emerald green rainforest canopy up to the magical Kuranda Village.

The Sky Rail and Kuranda Railway can be done as two separate tours, but, the best way to experience the true amazement is to combine the two into one epic day away from Cairns City.

Starting with the Skyrail, float above the canopy of the epic Wet Tropics World Heritage Area of Barron Gorge National Park. Slowly, venturing up into the eclectic colourful village of Kuranda. 

If you can pull yourself away from the special rainforest village, you can catch the train from Kuranda Station and board the enchanting Kuranda Scenic Railway back to Cairns again. 

Discover everything there is to know about the skyrail & scenic railway through the comfort of your own headphones and their informative audio tour guide app. I loved the educational aspect of the tour and spent many minutes walking around the information centres between each ascent, looking up at the ceilings and following the visual timelines whilst reading the fun facts.

Cains Skyrail and Kuranda Scenic Railway

Skyrail + Kuranda Scenic Railway price

Adult $117.00 

For an additional $10 added with ticket purchase, you can arrange for the Skyrail experience minibus to pick you up from your Hotel or Hostel. 

There are also family booking deals, along with the option to purchase individual tickets for each tour separately. 

This can be booked online via the website.

Skyrail Kuranda Terminal

The gondola takes you all the way up to the Skyrail Kuranda terminal at the top of the rainforest. Depending on your ticket type, you will either leave Kuranda Village via the Scenic Railway. Or, depart back down from the Skyrail terminal back to the Cairns Skyrail Terminal.

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Skyrail – Gondola Cableway 

A one-way gondola cableway journey takes about 1.5 hours. You can do a return journey back down again, but, when you have the scenic railway as an alternative option and you don’t have to worry about a car, it makes for a much better ending! 

Rainforest stations Discovery Zones 

Educational interactive boardwalks and viewpoints in between ascending cableways. It’s a great way to learn the science and history behind the forming of these incredible ecosystems over Millenium.

Barron Falls & The Edge Lookout  

Barron Falls is a magnificent tiered cascading waterfall (the one waterfall you will not want to swim around, unlike the rest of Queensland Waterfalls and swimming Spots). 

In the rainy season, it’s an insane floodgate of powerful water gushing down from the Atherton tablelands (think Niagara Falls).

Barron Gorge National Park

In summer if you are mad enough you could go for a dip or climb up its many levels to swim in the pools as the waterfall is slightly more survival. There were some brave people doing just this when I stopped on the lookout point to take in the view!

One of the Skyrail stations allows you to get off, follow the signs and take a walk to The Edge Lookout point. A slight nerve inducing glass bridge structure that juts out of the mountainside, overlooking Barron Falls and the river below. 

Kuranda Village

The only way I can describe Kuranda is an epic hippie village full of vibrant colours, locally crafted goods and a stunning art scene. All at the top of a rainforest! 

Kuranda Village is a mix of classic stilted Queensland architecture, merged with Australian outback wild west saloon bars & a romantic quaint wooden train station of the early 1900s.

You are transported to a town that doesn’t quite fit with the modern world of Cairns city below, but that’s what makes it so magical in the first place. 

There are plenty of restaurants and a pub or two to choose from if you get hungry & the markets also offer amazing food stall options for every cuisine. 

Kuranda Markets

Kuranda Village and market lanes can only be described as a colourful, hippie village! Get lost amongst the colourful winding pathways, with the air thick with insense and browse around the fairy shops, trinket stalls and various other wooden shops.

Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets

Kuranda Heritage Markets 

There are two markets within Kuranda and both are full with local supplies, art, handmade crafts, jewellery and souveneers. The markets also have a strong eco-conscious ethic with alot of organic, recycled, and natural holistic products on sale.

The Kuranda Heritage Market is open Thursday to Sunday 10:00am to 3:00pm

Kuranda Scenic Railway 

Kuranda Railway Station

Embark on a 90-minute train journey through history, starting at the Kuranda Railway Station. The journey back in time starts at this picturesque railway station.

Surrounded by hanging pot plants and fauna trellises, sit amongst the plants on a cast iron, white painted bench as you wait for the whistle of the approaching or disembarking train.

The building of this railway line 120 years ago was an unbelievable task and engineering feat. The fact that it stands to this day is a monument to the many men who lost their lives whilst constructing this renowned historic railway.  

Journey 34 Kilometers, 328 meters above sea level and pass through some of the oldest and conserved tropical wetlands in the world. 

Venture past beautiful tropical scenery and through 15 tunnels carved out of the monstrous mountains. Pass cascading waterfalls and cross 40 precarious bridges above dangerously steep gorges. 

The Journey is entirely awe-inspiring & breathtaking as your face is glued to the open carriage windows of this epic steam train. 

There are points along the journey that the train pulls over for you to disembark and look out over the large viewing platforms to the gorges below & its a great time to grab a picture of you and the train! 

At the end of the train line you arrive back in Cairns city and about a 10 minute walk to the centre. This excursion was a highlight of my time in Cairns and it is also a great day to spend by yourself if you are travelling solo!