Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

Discover some of the finest scenery and fascinating culture of the Kuranda Rainforest on a guided tour. Visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, a Koala and Wildlife Park, and learn about about Aboriginal culture at the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience. Start your immersion into the culture and nature of the Kuranda Rainforest with a ride aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway. Wind through the mountains and rainforest to the village of Kuranda.  Upon arrival, experience Australia's largest butterfly aviary at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary with 1,500 tropical butterflies, including the vibrant green Cairns Birdwing. Next, travel by shuttle to the Rainforestation Nature Park for a barbecue buffet lunch.  After lunch, explore the rainforest by 6WD amphibious vehicle as you climb aboard a World War II Army Duck that can drive over land and in water. Search for wildlife as you learn about the plants and trees of the surrounding rainforest. Then, sample some exotic fruits and locally-made ice cream at the Tropical Treats fruit orchard.  Find out more about Aboriginal culture at the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and watch spear-throwing demonstrations and traditional dances. Try your hand at throwing a boomerang, and hear all about the didgeridoo. Then, get up close to Australian animals including koalas, dingoes and the endangered Cassowary and Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo. See typical Australian critters including wombats, crocodiles, lizards and birds. Feed the kangaroos and wallabies by hand. Then, travel back to Cairns on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and ride over the canopy of the pristine rainforest. Transfer back to your accommodation at the end of the tour services.

Experience this enchanting region of Australia and see its wildlife, lush scenery, and aboriginal culture. Explore the rainforest on a 6-wheel-drive World War II Army Duck amphibious vehicle. Your experienced Duck Driver will help you search for wildlife, and teach you about the plants and trees that make up the surrounding rainforest. After your tour, you can sample exotic fruits and locally made ice cream at the Tropical Treats fruit orchard. The Koala & Wildlife Park offers the opportunity to get up close with native Australian wildlife, including wombats, crocodiles, lizards and birds. You can hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies. Enjoy emission-free travel on the first 100% electric bus in the Australian tourism industry  The Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience is unforgettable. Follow your Pamagirri Guide along the Dreamtime Walk down the Rainbow Serpent pathway and learn how to throw a traditional boomerang. Your Pamagirri guide will demonstrate traditional spear throwing as well as a didgeridoo presentation, followed by an energetic and interactive traditional Aboriginal dance performance in our Rainforest Amphitheatre.  Catch our shuttle to the Kuranda Village where you can visit Kuranda's markets and art galleries, or even the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Return coach transfers to and from Cairns hotels.

Explore the depths of the Kuranda Rainforest with rides on the railway, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, and 6-wheel-drive amphibious Army Duck vehicle! Experience this enchanting region of Australia and see its wildlife, lush scenery, and aboriginal culture. Board the Kuranda Scenic Railway for a spectacular journey with stunning views of the Coral Sea, Cairns City, and more. Take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway over the pristine rainforest and skim the forest canopy just beneath you! See kangaroos, wombats, koalas, and crocodiles up close and personal. Explore the rainforest on a 6-wheel-drive World War II Army Duck amphibious vehicle, over land and water. Your experienced Duck Driver will help you search for wildlife and teach you about the plants and trees that make up the surrounding rainforest. After your Duck tour, you can sample exotic fruits and locally made ice cream at the Tropical Treats fruit orchard. The Koala & Wildlife Park offers the opportunity to get up close with native Australian wildlife including wombats, crocodiles, lizards, and birds. You can hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies. Included also is the world-famous BBQ lunch. Go for a walk and learn about Aboriginal culture with spear-throwing demonstrations and ritualistic dances. Take the opportunity to try your hand at boomerang throwing, then visit Kuranda's markets and art galleries, or even the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Optional extra: For your Kuranda Scenic Railway journey, you are able to upgrade from Heritage Class to Gold Class. Gold Class includes the following: Dedicated host service, souvenir trip guide, a moist towelette, individual seating, lounge-style chairs, ambient, historical décor, including timber look flooring, historical photographs, and cedar interior. Kuranda Scenic Railway gift pack including Kuranda Scenic Railway badge, pen, and postcard. Queensland and local Tablelands produce such as Gallo Dairyland Cheese, Skybury Coffee, Wondaree Macadamias, Mango to Go (100% pure mango treat), freshly-baked muffins with local fruit, Sirromet wines, and Great Northern Brewing Company Super Crisp Lager.

Experience an unforgettable day with fantastic wildlife such as koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, rare birds, and colorful butterflies, as you enjoy access to three wonderful attractions. Find yourself among kangaroos and wallabies roaming around a free-range enclosure at Kuranda Koala Gardens, and take the opportunity to hand-feed them yourself! Marvel at the spectacle of tropical birds flying through their natural rainforest habitat at Birdworld, home to some of Australia's most precious bird species. Enjoy the magic of over 1500 magnificent butterflies fluttering above you in the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Learn fascinating information about the wildlife as you benefit from a guided tour at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, and a complimentary bird spotter's guide at Birdworld.

The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary provides a world-class wildlife experience in the heart of Kuranda. The all-weather experience is home to over 1,500 magnificent tropical butterflies. All butterflies in the sanctuary are local rainforest species, while the undisputed stars are the fluoro green Cairns Birdwings. Wear something bright (red, white, or hot pink are best) and let these beautiful creatures flutter all over you. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the aviary. Learn to identify each of the butterfly species, as the guides explain a butterfly’s life cycle and its behavior.  Visit the breeding laboratory, which houses up to 4,000 caterpillars. An opportunity to view first-hand the breeding laboratory through special viewing windows, where you will see the caterpillars in their varying stages of development. Watch as the laboratory staff collects eggs daily and “hand-raise” the caterpillars right through to the chrysalis stage, until they are released as beautiful butterflies into the sanctuary.

Once you visit the first park of your choice, you will be given your physical pass which can be used over a 6 month period at all of the following parks. The award-winning Rainforestation Nature Park is a 100 acre (40-hectare) property located in the middle of Kuranda’s World Heritage Rainforest. This locally owned and operated park offers three unique experiences to visitors. Board an amphibious World War II Army Duck for a land and water adventure through the rainforest, as your Duck Captain identifies and explains fascinating plants including ferns, orchids, strangler figs, and the infamous stinging tree. As you move through the water, keep an eye out for turtles, fish, eels, and water birds, or for birds, pythons, and other reptiles on land. Rainforestation has 12 of the historic Army Ducks (officially spelled DUKW) which hold up to 30 passengers and have a combination of 6-wheel drive, a propeller, and a rudder. The Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience offers the opportunity to see traditional dance performances in the setting of the beautiful Rainforest Amphitheatre. You can also take part in the Dreamtime Walk along the Rainbow Serpent walkway, then watch a display of traditional spear throwing and didgeridoo playing. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn the art of throwing a boomerang, and try it out for yourself – can you get your boomerang to come back to you? Enjoy a self-guided tour in the Koala & Wildlife Park with experienced Wildlife Keepers and see crocodiles, kangaroos, wallabies, snakes, dingoes, a cassowary and the only Tasmanian Devils in North Queensland. There is also a barramundi lake where you can see the region’s most famous (and tastiest) fish. They grow up to 2 meters in length and can weigh up to 60kg! Don’t miss Jack the Ripper, one of the largest crocodiles in captivity. Coming in at over 5 meters in length and weighing almost a tonne, you can view him from the safety of our elevated boardwalks. Explore the park at your own pace and hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies as they roam freely through the park. Australian  Butterfly  Sanctuary is the largest butterfly flight aviary and exhibit in Australia and prides itself on providing a world-class wildlife experience in the heart of Kuranda. The all-weather experience is home to over 1,500 magnificent tropical butterflies. The combination of a rainforest understory and canopy, along with a running stream and waterfalls, results in a natural-looking and feeling rainforest. All butterflies in the sanctuary are local rainforest species, and all are hand-reared on the premises. The undisputed stars of the sanctuary are the fluoro green Cairns Birdwings. Both these and the smaller but equally colorful species in the sanctuary provide visitors with the super experience of being surrounded by these habitually elusive wonders of nature. We recommend that visitors to the sanctuary wear something bright (red, white or hot pink are best) and let these beautiful creatures flutter all over you. Guests are welcome to stay as long as they like with their entry ticket allowing them the flexibility to return for up to 5 days. The award-winning Wildlife Habitat, located in Port Douglas, is a wildlife immersion exhibit providing visitors with a chance to experience the Wetlands, Rainforest, and Grasslands in an open and interactive setting. As you make your way along the boardwalks of the Rainforest environment, you can fully immerse yourself in the different levels of the rainforest, from the forest floor to the canopy, and the wildlife which occupies it. Follow the Cassowary Walk to view local species such as the Cass and Airlie, our resident southern cassowaries, as well as Boyd’s forest dragon and the colorful Eclectus parrots. In the Wetlands, look out for the range of birds and other wildlife that call the area home, including the Black-Necked Storks. Wildlife Habitat is the only park in the world successfully breeding the Storks. Over in the Grasslands exhibit, you will have the opportunity to hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies and admire the endangered Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroos. A host of wild native birdlife uses the billabong in this area as a sanctuary. Boardwalks overlook tropical lagoons where both the estuarine and freshwater crocodiles lurk beneath the water or bask on banks in the sunshine. Walk the world's first Predator Plank over these apex predators. Watch as our experienced Wildlife Keepers demonstrate the sheer power of the saltwater crocodile during feeding time – an impressive display not to be missed. Guests are welcome to stay as long as they like with their entry ticket allowing them the flexibility to return for up to 5 days.