Cairns

Cairns is the capital of Far North Queensland, and its east coastal cities rest along the Great Barrier Reef. The state of Queensland occupies a vast 667,000 square miles and much of the land remains uninhabited, covered with miles of rainforest where Australian teak, hopp, pine and fig trees abound. Before 1879, when the city of Cairns was established, the only inhabitants of this region were the Aborigines, the culture for which Australia is perhaps best known.

The following Shore Excursions are available for this port on this cruise, and may be reserved beginning 180 days before the cruise begins.

Butterfly Sanctuary & Aussie Wildlife
Tour Code: CNS-001
Duration: 3 hours
Retail Value: $119.00
Price: Free

Departing by coach from the ship, you'll drive to Kuranda, a small township nestled in the majestic rainforest that borders Cairns. Upon arrival, enjoy a brief orientation tour of this charming village before visiting the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary.

This aviary is home to over 1,500 magnificent tropical butterflies, all local to the area, including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly. As the butterflies are all rainforest species, the aviary is designed to re-create their natural habitat, complete with a running stream. Here, you will have a chance to learn about the many interesting behavioral patterns and the life cycle of these winsome insects. This includes egg laying, courtship dances, and butterfly battles over territory to name just a few.

Following your time at the Butterfly Sanctuary, you will re-board your coach and proceed to the Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary, which forms part of this vast 100-acre park. Here, you can see koalas, wander amongst free-roaming kangaroos and wallabies, and visit an exciting nocturnal display. The Wildlife Sanctuary also gives visitors the chance to have a keepsake photo taken while holding an adorable koala. This photo is optional and not included in your tour cost.

At the conclusion of your tour, your coach will travel back down the mountain, affording you further scenic views of the Cairns region, the Coral Sea and Green Island before you are returned to the ship.

Please note: This tour includes approximately 1 1/2 hours of walking and/or standing, and those with mobility concerns are cautioned to evaluate their personal level of ability and stamina. Comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are recommended. The order of sights visited may vary and the itinerary may be reversed. This tour does not operate with a separate guide, but rather with a driver/guide.

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Terms & Conditions:

Free Unlimited Shore Excursions are for full fare guests only, capacity controlled and subject to availability. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking. Supplement will apply on Regent Choice excursions (indicated by the above) and excludes Private Arrangements and all Adventures Ashore programs. In order to ensure quality guides and sufficient transportation, we must provide the tour operator with passenger counts at least 36 hours in advance. Therefore no refunds will be given within 36 hours of tour departure for cancellations or no-shows. Please pay special attention to scheduling and tour lengths when booking your shore excursions. In many cases, it is not possible to participate in more than one tour per day in a given port. Tours operate rain or shine. Tours require minimum participation levels to operate so please sign up as early as possible. Tours may be cancelled if minimum participation levels are not met. Prices, Itineraries and General Information shore excursion prices are subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases or currency fluctuations. Please consult the Destination Services Desk onboard for information. During local or national holidays, access to certain facilities (such as museums or archaeological sites) may be limited or denied. In such instances, adjustments will be made to minimize inconvenience to guests. Some tours have limited availability. Tours are generally available for reserving 180 days prior to the beginning of a cruise. Please sign up early to avoid disappointment. Regent Seven Seas Cruises reserves the right to require guests to complete a liability waiver for select shore excursions. For more information, please visit the Destination Services Desk onboard.