Paronella Park: Day Trips and Tours from Cairns

The stunning sights and sounds of Queensland aren’t just restricted to one area, because pretty much every spot you could hope to uncover down, there is as beautiful as the last. Sure, it may seem like the Great Barrier Reef takes priority over just about everything else, but we can assure you there’s a lot out there just waiting to be explored.

Join a day trip to Paronella Park from Cairns to get a taste of one of Australia's finest parks. This heritage-listed tourist attraction feels like something straight out of a big-screen movie, but as the soul of Mena Creek, its history means an awful lot more to people than that.

Here's everything you need to know about Paronella Park tours, one of the most enchanting day trips from Cairns.

How long does it take to reach Paronella Park from Cairns?

Instead of heading north or east, as so often we do through these day trips, it’s instead time to hop in a bus or a car and venture down south where things could be a little bit warmer or a little bit cooler - depending on when the adventure takes place, of course.

The windy roads take us all the way through some big local heritage spots on a ride that lasts between 110 and 120 kilometers. In total, it should take around 1 hour 30 minutes to complete the journey, but it’s not unheard of to stop off and embrace some of the scenery that you’ll be greeted by.

After all, this is Australia we’re talking about here.

What is the typical itinerary of a day tour to Paronella Park?

A lot of folks actually choose self-drive options for these tours because the route is so nice, but if you do want a pick-up, which is available from the majority of big hotels in Cairns, make sure you leave early. That’s because there are often so many options regarding staying late and experiencing this place in the dark.

Every single corner you turn offers up a new possibility in the Park, which is why people need so long to take it all in, as there could be a castle, bridge or foundation just waiting to be investigated.

There are multiple tour options available that we’ll touch on shortly, with restaurants or picnic locations being designated, but trust us when we tell you this is an incredibly unique place.

What are the most popular tours at Paronella Park?

Paronella Park tours from Cairns may be few and far between when compared to bigger locations within a wider radius, but don’t let that fool you. Paronella is home to some truly magnificent wonders of the world and we’re here to explain why.

Dream Continues Tour

Great name, great activity. The Dream Continues tour is a 45-minute guided walk that takes visitors through the very best parts of the park and also provides some more information on Jose Paronella and his overall vision for what he wanted his namesake park to be.

Darkness Falls Tour

Getting into the heart of everything this place has the potential to be is quite a moving experience, which is why it’s often reserved for the Darkness Falls tour. Here, you’ll have an hour to really dive into the secrets and lesser-known facts of the true Paronella legacy.

Mamu Tropical Skywalk

It’s always essential to reflect on what makes life so special, and we aren’t exaggerating when saying places like the Mamu Tropical Skywalk are perfect for that. Take one look out into the open wilderness of Australia and tell us there isn’t an epiphany in there somewhere.

Are there any combo tours including other places to visit?

As part of a wider community, it should come as no surprise to learn Paronella Park is often paired together with other destinations for really fun combo tours. It’s obviously wonderful to just pop to Paronella Park and back in one day, but Cairns is the perfect gateway city to utilize for a plethora of different reasons.

Herberton Village

Heberton Village is incredibly historic and gives an insight into this great country that few other places do. It’s almost as if travelers are stepping into a time machine and stepping back out somewhere that is so out of this world breathtaking that it goes beyond words.

Millaa Millaa Falls

Peace and tranquility are so often hard to come by in this era of travel and yet, at the Millaa Milla Falls, the sound of the water crashing down below suddenly makes everything feel very “still”. It’s one of the grandest waterfalls in the land and we highly recommend a visit.

Daintree, Reefs & Kuranda

On this unbelievable four-day ultimate combo tour, tourists and locals alike can spend the majority of the week hopping around Paronella, Daintree Rainforest, Kuranda and the Great Barrier Reef. If that doesn’t give you everything needed for a good time, we don’t know what will.

Travel tips

• This is considered by some to be one of Queensland’s top tourist destinations, and with that in mind, it makes sense to get this booked as quickly as you possibly can. Sign up for price alerts, hit that refresh button or, in a more efficient idea, just book far enough in advance to ensure there are no disappointments.
• There’s an awful lot to take in here, which is why you should allow a minimum of three to four hours just to see everything the Park has in store for tourists. We’d even suggest it should be longer than that, but because getting there yourself is so often a requirement, it needs to be said that you should be making the most of this excursion.
• Bringing your own picnic is one way to go, but many don’t realize just how many food and drink options there are at Paronella Park. From the open air café to the hotel just down the road, this is one of those days when it’s okay not to plan ahead for food, because you should be pretty well covered.