Kuranda Skyrail from Cairns in Our 60s: Rainforest, Souvenirs & DiDi Tips

On the second day of our Cairns trip in Australia, we headed to

Kuranda Village!

Kuranda is one of the best-known sightseeing destinations near Cairns.

It is surrounded by the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics rainforest, and visitors can also enjoy Australian wildlife such as koalas, kangaroos and colorful birds.

This time, I want to share our experience riding the

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

to Kuranda.

We traveled to Kuranda by Skyrail and returned on the Kuranda Scenic Railway in Gold Class.

It was a great combination because the scenery and experience were completely different in each direction.

For our 2024 trip, the Skyrail journey plus Gold Class on the Kuranda Scenic Railway cost

AUD 364 for two people.

Prices can change, so check current rates when booking.

We Took DiDi from Our Cairns Hotel to Smithfield Terminal

From Shangri-La The Marina, where we were staying in Cairns,

we took DiDi to the Skyrail terminal at Smithfield.

There were also packages that included hotel transfers,

but we thought arranging our own ride would save time and let us leave when we wanted.

And for us,

it was absolutely the right choice!

When we compared fares during our 2024 stay,

DiDi was sometimes cheaper than Uber for the rides we checked.

There was also a new-user promotion available at the time,

so our ride ended up being quite inexpensive.

Rideshare prices and promotions change,

so it is worth checking both Uber and DiDi before booking your ride.

Cute Souvenirs at Smithfield Terminal — Bird Lovers, Look Here!

We arrived at Smithfield Terminal smoothly.

Because we were a little earlier than planned,

we had time to look around the souvenir shop beside the ticket area.

There were lots of souvenirs with a very Kuranda and Australian feel.

We also visited the Cairns Night Markets and other souvenir shops during our trip,

but there were several things here that we did not notice elsewhere.

So if you find something you really like,

I would consider buying it while you are there.

And look at all these bird plush toys!

There were so many different kinds.

I rarely see a souvenir shop with this many different Australian birds.

If you love birds — or spot a plush version of a favorite species —

this shop is definitely worth a look.

The stitching and overall quality also felt quite good.

There were plenty of koalas too!

During our trip, we also found some less expensive koala plush toys at the Cairns Night Markets.

But

the selection at Smithfield Terminal was much more memorable.

They also had cute T-shirts.

I especially liked this one because the sleeves had a floral lace design.

We later saw the same style in another souvenir shop too.

Taking the Skyrail from Smithfield to Kuranda

After looking around the souvenir shop,

it was finally time for the

Skyrail!

When we visited in 2024,

passengers boarded the gondolas group by group.

There were two of us,

and we did not have to share our gondola with another group.

Boarding arrangements can vary, so this may not always be the case.

Once we started moving,

the Skyrail felt faster than I had expected.

The weather was cloudy at first,

so the scenery looked a little darker than I had hoped.

But there was one advantage:

it was cool and comfortable inside the gondola.

On a hot day,

I would bring water, a small towel and anything else you normally use to stay comfortable in the heat.

Below us was rainforest in every direction.

The scale of it was incredible!

I had never seen so many trees stretching out below me like this before!

And they were enormous.

Even from high above,

the rainforest was impressive.

And then came one of the biggest highlights:

Barron Falls!

Just as we approached the waterfall,

the weather started to brighten,

so we were able to take much clearer photos.

The waterfall looked much bigger in person than I had imagined.

It was spectacular!

Getting Off the Skyrail to Explore the Rainforest

During normal operations in 2024,

we did not simply remain in the gondola all the way to Kuranda.

There were two stops:

Red Peak and Barron Falls.

We got out and explored at both.

There were also restroom facilities at the stations,

which I found reassuring because you are not stuck inside a gondola for the entire journey.

We took some time to walk through the rainforest.

The weather changed quickly that day,

and by the time we got off,

mist had appeared.

But the rainforest in the mist had its own mysterious atmosphere.

The trees had looked huge from above.

They looked just as huge from below!

Standing among them made the scale of the rainforest feel even more real.

It was peaceful simply walking beneath the trees.

At one of the stops,

we were able to see the waterfall we had just viewed from the air,

this time from ground level.

An Australian traveler who happened to be nearby kindly took this photo for us.

I was very happy with how it turned out.

The World Heritage rainforest really impressed me.

Even in your 60s, this is a landscape I think is worth seeing at least once.

More Souvenirs at Kuranda Terminal — So Many Bird Designs!

There was another souvenir shop when we arrived at Kuranda Terminal.

Again,

there were plenty of bird-themed items,

including tumblers and glasses cases.

So cute!

Bird lovers could easily spend a while looking around here.

There are also souvenir shops throughout Kuranda Village,

but when we visited, some shops closed fairly early.

If you want to spend most of your time with the koalas, kangaroos and other animals,

buying something you like at the station first can save time later.

Australia had so many cute designs that

I kept finding things I wanted to buy.

This glass was adorable too.

I also liked these glasses and vases.

There were lots of products that felt very

distinctly Kuranda and Australian.

These mugs came in lots of different designs too.

We later spotted some of them at another souvenir store.

So if you enjoy shopping,

leave yourself a little time to browse the souvenirs in Kuranda as well.

Our Thoughts After Riding the Kuranda Skyrail

After experiencing the Skyrail for the first time,

the thing that stayed with me most was

the enormous scale of the rainforest seen from above.

And I liked that we did not only look at it from the gondola.

Being able to get off,

walk among the trees and then see Barron Falls from a different perspective made the experience much more interesting.

And Barron Falls itself?

It was much more impressive in person than in photos!

If you are planning a day in Kuranda,

combining Skyrail with the Kuranda Scenic Railway lets you enjoy two completely different journeys.

For us,

Skyrail to Kuranda and Gold Class on the scenic railway back

was a combination we were very happy with.

If you are visiting Cairns in your 60s and wondering whether the Skyrail is worth doing,

I think the rainforest views alone make it a memorable experience.

Please note: Skyrail is undergoing upgrade works in 2026, and some travel dates have modified operations. Always check the latest schedule before booking.