toothmom

Any suggestions which tour outfit would be best and most cost effective to see the Blue Mtns? I'm looking at Australian Wild Escapes, oztrails or Pacific Touring. The differences? I see a big differential in the prices, just wondering if it's worth it. Same goes for the Kuranda/Skyrail and Tjapukai Theatre Tours-big price differential-any preferences or knowledge of these operators and their tours? One last question re: GBR tours-anyone been on the MV Osprey? Down Under Helicopters offer a heli-cruise option going to Hastings Reef and either Norman or Saxon Reef. Any feedback as to how these reefs are and the boat/tour is? THANK you ALL for your help!

myaustralia

Hi,
I went to the Blue Mountains with the Wonderbus. No luxury, but fun and good tour at a good price (http://www.wonderbus.com.au/).
For Kuranda, you don't really need a tour to go there, you can book the train and Skyrail yourself. The tours usually drop you off at one end and pick you up at the other end. In Kuranda you are usually on your own (shopping, sight seeing..). Tjapukai is located right next to the Skyrail, so you could go up by train, spend time in Kuranda, come back on Skyrail and visit Tjapukai. You can book a package that includes all 3 in one. You can book this with your accommodation or directly with the Skyrail.
For the reef, it really depends on what you want to do out there. Will you be staying in Cairns? If you are staying in Port Douglas, there is a great boat for snorkellers only called the Wavelength. Goes to the best snorkel sites (3 per day). If you want to do also some diving, there are other boats like the Poseidon, Haba or Calypso. Quicksilver is a great option if you want to see the reef without actually getting into the water (glass bottom boat). So, it really depends on what you are planning to do out there.
For more info and links, just visit www.wonderfulaustralia.com

Hope this will help

sharon815

We went to the blue mtns last january from sydney. You can take the train on your own - just a couple of hour ride. When you arrive, there are hop on-hop off trolleys that you can use on a day pass. They stop at a lot of the major attractions so you can get off, hike, eat, explore and get back on when they pass the next time. We didn't really need a guide, just a good tourbook. We stayed over at the Hostel which was friendly, clean, well located and the starting point for a number of side trips. We did a guided night hike to the Three Sisters which was really great since we wouldn't otherwise have been likely to do anything like this at night on our own.

wlzmatilida

Hi Tooth!

This really depends on what type of tour you're interested in and what suits your particular lifestyle.

Basically 3 choices:

1. Do it yourself by train, as other posters have suggested. Economical; no commentary, etc.

2. Go with one of the large touring groups, such as APT (you can get a pass and incorporate other tours as well. You buy the pass and get 4 "coupons" or 4 tours in different areas, so again, economical). This will be the 50 passenger motorcoach type "Gray Line" sort of tour.

3. Australian Wild Escapes. This is the small, hands-on, "we go where the rest of the tourists don't" type of tour, which is what I prefer, and I like to book for my clients who want the personalized type tour. When you're at the clearing and see tons of kangaroos in the wild, you'll be looking down on all those large tour buses that are too large to fit where you are!

You can email Grant or Jo at [email protected] for further details. Tell them Melodie sent you. You can ask for additional details (if you haven't already been to their website). If you book more than one of their tours, you may be able to get a discount as well -- honestly, I don't know if they do that for everyone, but I can get it for my clients. So don't quote me on that, I don't know what his criteria is for individual passengers booking independently.

Hope this is helpful!

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

pat_woolford

If you do book direct with Skyrail for Kuranda train/Skyrail and optional Tjakupai be aware that Skyrail uses the Freshwater Connection railway station about 15 mins north of Cairns for train departure, not Cairns city railway station. However, if you're staying in Cairns city, Skyrail has a shuttle to take you to Freshwater. As my australia says you do not need to take this as a tour, where often expensive lunches are included, there's plenty of quick meal opportunities in Kuranda. There is no commentary on Skyrail, but you can catch a free guide at Red Peak Station and at Barron Falls station there's a Rainforest Interpretive Centre. There is recorded commentary on Kuranda Scenic Railway giving history of the immense difficulties suffered by workers in putting the railway through in the late 1800's.

MV Osprey is on the budget end of reef daytrips, good value for the price.

pat_woolford

PS - one way train and return Skyrail (or vice versa) is AU$71, AU$101 to include Tkjakupai if you book through Skyrail. Return transfers from Cairns city and Northern Beaches are AU$19pp, AU$33pp from Port Douglas. If you self drive you will still need a Skyrail transfer from Skyrail's bottom station to Freshwater station to retrieve your car, or vice versa as they're some 5km apart.

toothmom

Thank you ALL for your wonderful advice!
It is really appreciated!

I'm thinking of going for it and booking with Daintree Air for their Heli trip to Lizard Island (splurge!), so I was trying to keep cost down where I can, but it sounds like going with Aust Wild Escapes, while rather high $, may be my best bet, as I'd rather not have to think and try to get us everywhere, easily! I'll let you all know bout the trip once I return. Who knows, perhaps my posts may help another too!!!
Did I mention, thanks again and again!

pat_woolford

toothmom, just so you know, its not a helicopter with Daintree Air, its a light aircraft which can carry 10 passengers. There's an airstrip on Lizard Island.

toothmom

Thanks Pat!
Am I correct about seeing the reef from Lizard Island as being one of the better options since we are staying in Cairns? I only have 2 days and will probably never get this chance again, so I want to make it the most beautiful area (in terms of seeing fish and coral) accessible given my time constraints. If not, how/where else should I consider?

endlessvacation

We currently have booked through quantas vacation the delux blue mountain tour Kuranda tour. Reading these posts it seems that it may be better to do by ourselves. WE are a family of 4. Cost is a factor but ease and convience is more important. Both of these tours are around 8-10 hours. Do we really need to spend all that time.
Thanks
Karen