Is Kuranda Cooler Than Cairns?

Kuranda and Cairns are very famous locations within Australia – each for their own reasons. Kuranda is a mountain village that is located within close proximity to Cairns, in Queensland, Australia. It’s known for the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway – both of which offer phenomenal views of the tropical rainforest and mountain landscape.

Guests to Kuranda can find pure joy in exploring this stunning mountain village, as well as the Red Peak and Barron Falls. Cairns is considered to be the gateway to Australia’s immaculate Great Barrier Reef, sitting in the tropical North Queensland. This gorgeous city offers a plentiful amount of stunning landscape, culture, history, and entertainment for any visitor.

As a whole due to the sheer altitude of the village of Kuranda, it is often much cooler than the coastal city of Cairns. The difference in elevation often causes a lesser amount of humidity in Kuranda, which contributes to the temperature falling anywhere from 3-5 degrees lesser than Cairns.

Kuranda’s elevation sits at approximately 330 meters above sea level, while Cairns’ elevation sits at approximately 7 meters above sea level. This makes an excursion to Kuranda a lovely way to take a break from the heat and humidity in Cairns.

What Is The Best Time Of Year To Visit Cairns and Kuranda?

A massively popular opinion is that the month of March is the best time to visit Cairns and Kuranda. This is due to the fact the month of March brings cooler, more tolerable weather to the region. The average temperatures in Cairns range from 23 – 30 degrees Celsius, which contributes to a slight reduction in the usual humidity levels.

Kuranda’s temperature generally falls between 3-5 degrees lesser than that of Cairns, making it an even more enjoyable time to trek around the mountain top village. In addition to Cairns and Kuranda, this month is also a fabulous time to consider an expedition to the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, or even Mossman Gorge!

However, this should not discourage travellers from visiting Cairns and Kuranda in other months of the year, as April through September is also considered excellent times to travel throughout the region.

Is Kuranda A Rainforest?

The village of Kuranda is a picturesque mountain village, that lies approximately 25km northwest of Cairns. It is surrounded by the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest Area – Barron Gorge National Park. This vibrant rainforest is thought to be approximately 120 million years old, making it the oldest continually surviving and thriving tropical rainforest on earth.

Aside from playing host to some of the world’s first flowering plant species, this rainforest was once home to dinosaurs and prehistoric species alike. Visitors will love to see this Jurassic Park-style rainforest, which brings you the feeling of walking through the movie set itself!

Is Kuranda In The Daintree Rainforest?

Although Kuranda and the Daintree Rainforest are both located within Tropical North Queensland, they are two separate places. The travelling distance between these two locations is about 85-100km (taking approximately an hour and a half) making any North Queensland traveller able to easily visit both locations.

Considering the fact that there is an abundance to see and do in both locations, it’s recommended that travellers carve out time in their itinerary to visit each location on a separate day.

What Is The Difference Between Visiting Kuranda or Visiting Daintree?

As mentioned, Kuranda and the Daintree Rainforest are both located in Tropical North Queensland, however, they each offer very unique and different experiences for travellers. In terms of Kuranda, it is a mixture of a fantastic nature adventure and slightly more commercial activities.

Guests can look forward to taking the Skyrail and Scenic Railway, visiting the Red Peak and Barron Falls, or even taking a visit to the butterfly house or bird sanctuary. At the same time, there are also options like souvenir shopping, cafes, and markets, within the actual village of Kuranda.

On the other hand, Daintree offers a more natural and cultural-based experience, in one of Australia’s most cherished and protected places. With less focus on anything kitschy or commercial, guests can delve deep into the rich Aboriginal history of the land, enjoy the hikes and nature walks, and even enjoy searching for glorious wildlife to photograph on tours.

There are a variety of cultural activities that guests may take part in, led by the Aboriginal communities that caretake over the land. Aside from this, there is even a beautiful nature spa that is available to any traveller.

What Mountain Is Kuranda Village Located On?

The village of Kuranda is nestled on the Macalister Mountain Range, in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest. The north portion of this mountain range extends all the way to the Coral Sea, however, the bulk of the range sits as a beautiful backdrop to Cairns, on the coastal plains.

The Macalister Range is very interesting, as it has points of elevation that are 0m, which is directly at sea level – while other sections can reach points of elevation anywhere from 200m-600m. The highest point of this mountain range is Saddle Mountain, which is another excellent option for a hike or day excursion.

Is The Daintree Rainforest In Close Proximity To Cairns?

Yes, the Daintree Rainforest (or Daintree National Park) is in close proximity to the coastal city, Cairns. So much so, in fact, that there are plentiful options for travellers to look into, in regards to visiting Daintree from Cairns. There are many tour companies that offer day trips from Cairns to Daintree – with most including transportation to and from Cairns! Because of this, it makes the trip to Daintree relatively painless and stress-free, even to the newest of Queensland travellers.

What Is The Best Time Of Year To Visit Daintree?

The popular opinion for the best time of year to visit the Daintree Rainforest is in the cooler, drier months of the year – from around May to September. This is because the other months of the year, particularly December to April, are known for having frequent and torrential downpours in this region.

From the months of May to September, the weather is pleasantly warm, with a major reduction in the humidity of the rainforest.

Generally speaking, the maximum temperature that travellers will have to deal with is approximately 25 degrees Celsius. However, temperatures in the rainforest are surprisingly mild due to the protective canopy of the trees and foliage, making other months suitable for travel as well!