Kuranda is a beautiful tropical village tucked away in the hilltops above the coastal fringe, just north of the city. There are lots of ways to Kuranda winding roads and railway tracks but only one offers a straight pathway right to the top and that’s the Skyrail cableway. Tracing the rainforest canopy up the mountainside, the views are something out of this world, with the beautiful fringing reefs of the Coral Sea to the east and a coastline north and south for as far as the eye can see. Once at the top, you can spend hours foraging through the market stalls for unique mementoes, sampling delicious local foods and doing more rainforest adventures before heading back by road or the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway.
The Kuranda Scenic Railway is listed as one of Queensland’s most iconic experiences. So, as a must do adventure, you know your gift receiver will be in good hands for the entire trip. The train winds through the mountains taking in spectacular of the valleys and waterways below. It stops along the way to give time for passengers to soak up the stunning scenery and waterfalls from unique vantage points.
There is a range of packages on offer, including mix and match travel journeys to get up and down the mountain. If you want to give your gift recipient a double-whammy surprise, you can top and tail a full day trip to with a Kuranda Scenic Railway journey up and Skyrail tour down or vice versa. Or include an experience that will show them more of the rainforest and the river reaches. There are river cruises and quad bike adventures that will take them off the beaten track and deep into the tropical jungle. Places where the speckled light of the sun squeezes through the thick rainforest canopy and the haunting sounds of exotic birds carry through the dense air. The undergrowth is green and lush and even more beautiful in the rain.
If your gift recipient is in Cairns or travelling to Cairns, a traditional cultural experience with Tjapukai will stay with them forever. Yes, this region has the world’s oldest rainforest, one of its greatest natural wonders in the Great Barrier Reef and an Indigenous culture that belongs to one of the world’s oldest living cultures - the First Peoples of Australia. Yep, as far as experiences go, history doesn't get any richer than this! Tjapukai is world renowned for its cultural performances and introduction to the region’s traditional culture, food, dance and storytelling. The troupe opens the door to cultural insights that have been passed down through the generations for 65,000 years.
Head north from Cairns and you’ll pass beachside neighbourhoods. At Palm Cove, your giftee can try their hand at kite surfing, stand up paddle boarding or spotting turtles while on a kayak tour before winding their way along one of the most scenic coastal roads in Australia. Kilometres of coastal foreshore give way to bush forests and cane fields as they head towards the luxury seaside resort town of Port Douglas. Along the road, one unmissable stop is Hartley’s Crocodile Adventure Park, where saltwater the crocs snap, cockatoos chat and koalas snooze in the trees all day long. Hartley's is a great introduction to the wildlife of tropical north Queensland and will get your giftee in the mood for more top-end Aussie adventure as they head to Mossman Gorge, and the famous Daintree Rainforest and its beaches - Cow Bay, Thornton Beach and Cape Tribulation.
Great Barrier Reef adventures are usually top of the list of must-do experiences while in Cairns. There are some awesome 2-day reef and cultural packaged tours that are great gift ideas. If your giftee has a couple of days to devote to more in-depth experiences of the region, these are deeply enriching adventures, not just for what your gift receiver will learn but also for the relaxation and rejuvenation that comes with whiling away the days on tropical waters, snorkelling the coral reefs and surrounded by the vibrant colours of nature.
Give yourself or gift recipient time to lap it all up and soak it all in. Cairns and Tropical North Queensland are heaven-sent.
