Kuranda 🌳 Explore the Rainforest: Free and Easy Day Trip Essentials

No guide, no pre-booked tickets on 🍑🐷, and a leisurely sleep until I naturally woke up.
Left the hotel at 9:30, hopped into a taxi to Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, a quick 17-minute ride for AUD20.
Purchased tickets on-site for the cable car and return train for AUD123 (despite many guides claiming tickets would be unavailable, there were still plenty when I arrived).

The cable car is always ready, and after buying the ticket, I waited in line for a short while before boarding at 10:20.
📍To Kuranda
The cable car journey includes four stops: Smithfield, Red Peak, Barron Falls, and Kuranda. You can hop off at the two middle stops, which don’t take much time. I took the opportunity to step out and breathe in the fresh, crisp air.

📍To Rainforeststation Natural Park
After arriving in Kuranda, follow the signs to the Butterfly Garden, where a shuttle bus awaits at the entrance to take you to the park.
We didn’t have a reservation, but simply informed the staff, who provided us with a slip of paper. We paid for the return ticket, which was AUD14, at the ticket office upon arrival.

📍Amphibious vehicle/Koala Park/Taking photos with koalas
Bought tickets on-site and decided to skip the Aboriginal dance, as it didn’t pique my interest.
The Army Duck ride lasted about 45 minutes, with a knowledgeable guide explaining the rainforest flora. If your English isn’t great, this might not be the best choice, and it costs AUD21 (I almost forgot the price!

).
The wildlife area is small but charming, with friendly kangaroos, adorable, plump koalas, and sunbathing crocodiles, all for AUD21.
For those wanting to take photos with the koalas, reservations are required on-site. Photos are taken once an hour, but there’s a limit to the number of people, so it’s best to book in advance.

The cost is AUD33.
By the way, the koalas are just irresistibly cute with their chubby, cuddly appearance [色色R].

📍Return trip, last train back to the city center at 3:30 pm.