The Blue Mountains; a stunning natural beauty, making this World Heritage region a true Australian highlight. A day trip to this region is one of the most popular from Sydney and for good reason!
The slate-coloured haze gives the mountains their name and with a blue horizon of eucalyptus trees that seem to stretch forever you will be be enchanted by the setting.
The Blue Mountains World Heritage area is about two hours drive west from the city of Sydney. It can be reached by car, train, coach or via a tour group.
If you wish to reach The Blue Mountains yourself from Sydney without having to spend a fortune on a tour group then you can.
The easiest way is to travel via train from Sydney Central Station to Katoomba, a return ticket cost us around $16.
Board the Blue Mountain Line train from Central and be whisked into the mountains in 2 hours.
From Katoomba, its roughly a 30 minute walk to the Three Sisters Visitor's Centre, which is pretty much all downhill. The area is well marked so don't worry about getting lost, just follow down the road opposite the Katoomba Station which has all the shops and cafes on and follow the signs for Echo Point and The Three Sisters.
I would highly recommend leaving Sydney as early as possible to avoid the crowds and the the heat if travelling in summer. It also give you plenty of time to enjoy your hikes or time round the area and not have to rush.
The Three Sisters
Probably the most prominent natural wonder in this region, The Three Sisters is a unique rock formation located at Echo Point in Katoomba. They represent three sisters who were turned to stone in a famous aboriginal legend.
Wonder round the view-points to stare at the formations and enjoy the view of the lush green eucalyptus that stretch the miles.
You can take the "Great Stairway" walk down to the Three Sisters, which, I must warn you, isn't great on the knees or legs if you have issues.
I have perfectly fine knees and legs (or so I though) but I could not walk properly after the stairs and they kept having spasms!
Hikes
I was visiting with friends who had been to the Blue Mountains before so they opted not to take the popular trail to Wentworth Falls, and instead we choose a new trail which went from the Three Sisters and ended in Leura.
The hike itself was a mix of lush forest, rock pools, waterfalls and so many bloody steps!
It was overcast but warm so you could really feel the humidity under the canopy.
We followed the signs along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk and ended up at some incredible cliff-look outs which blew my mind, Bridal Veil Viewpoint definitely being my favourite of the day!
Leura
I recommend a visit to Leura, its a lovely little town in the middle of the Blue Mountains. You can pop into the different antique shops, old-fashioned sweet stores and have lunch at one of the many cafes or restaurants.
Scenic World
Another option whilst in the area is the best-loved Scenic World which boasts a number of rides that take you up the mountain to different viewpoints. Theres a few to choose from and each offers different perspectives of the Mountains and the Jamison Valley below.
I unfortunately didn't get the chance to try this but from reading others reviews it sounds like a worthwhile activity.
Spending a day there was a fantastic introduction to the area, I would love to go back in the next year and would choose to stay overnight so that I have chance to explore more areas on my own at my own pace. A hike on my to-do-list is to the Ruined Castle!
If you liked reading about The Blue Mountains then check-out my GoPro video below on my time in Sydney & The Blue Mountains.
Similar posts you might enjoy:
- My Top 10 Things to do in Sydney - CLICK HERE
- My Guide to Travelling the East Coast - Cairns to Sydney - CLICK HERE
- Roadtrip from Sydney to Melbourne - CLICK HERE
- My Top 10 Things to do in Sydney - CLICK HERE
- My Guide to Travelling the East Coast - Cairns to Sydney - CLICK HERE
- Roadtrip from Sydney to Melbourne - CLICK HERE
I'd love to hear your thoughts on visiting The Blue Mountains, or if you have some tips of your own to share!
Thank you for reading & happy travels
♡ G
Join me on Instagram @gemwills
& follow me on my Australia Adventure! ☀
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