Blue Mountains, Sydney

Has anyone taken a day excursion to the Blue Mountains in Sydney? If so, I'd appreciate feedback.

Has anyone taken a day excursion to the Blue Mountains in Sydney? If so, I'd appreciate feedback.

The Blue Mtns are, in my opinion, well worth a visit, some spectacular scenery, and if you can get one that at a animal park (probably Featherdale) for un "up close with some Kangaroos and Koalas.

We did a week in the Blue Mountains last fall after circumnavigating Australia on the Maasdam. While it's technically possible to visit the Blue Mountains in a day, multiple days are far better. Chose lodging at Katoomba or near the Sisters and use the Hop On Hop Off bus to get around with. Your ticket can be valid for up to 7 days.

If you want lots of detail, my blog is found at http://www.timmer2016downunder.blogspot.com.

The animal park is wonderful and we visited it on a separate trip.

Let me know if you have other questions.

Tim

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Late April we did a pre-cruise day trip with a private company with some cruise critic friends as a group of approx 12 people in a Mercedes van to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves. We loved it, saw a lot (including the three sisters, and did the cable car and the train and boardwalk bushwalk) and had plenty of time to see what we set out to see, and still were able to drive and spend a good few hours at the Jenolan Caves as well. It was a full day but well worth it.

If you only have a day, Blue Mountains can be easily done.

Late April we did a pre-cruise day trip with a private company with some cruise critic friends as a group of approx 12 people in a Mercedes van to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves. We loved it, saw a lot (including the three sisters, and did the cable car and the train and boardwalk bushwalk) and had plenty of time to see what we set out to see, and still were able to drive and spend a good few hours at the Jenolan Caves as well. It was a full day but well worth it.

 

If you only have a day, Blue Mountains can be easily done.

I agree with your comments. The main features of the area can be seen in one day if you have limited time. :)

Thank you so very much for all your replies. We are hoping to spend a day there and I appreciate the positive feedback. Any companies you would recommend would be appreciated.

Late April we did a pre-cruise day trip with a private company with some cruise critic friends as a group of approx 12 people in a Mercedes van to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves. We loved it, saw a lot (including the three sisters, and did the cable car and the train and boardwalk bushwalk) and had plenty of time to see what we set out to see, and still were able to drive and spend a good few hours at the Jenolan Caves as well. It was a full day but well worth it.

 

If you only have a day, Blue Mountains can be easily done.

Do you remember the name of the company?

Another option would be to catch the train from central station to Katoomba and use the HOHO bus to go down to scenic world and the three sisters. This is an option we are looking at when we have a day pre cruise in Sydney later in the year.

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Thank you, but we are looking towards a tour company for this day trip.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thank you so very much for all your replies. We are hoping to spend a day there and I appreciate the positive feedback. Any companies you would recommend would be appreciated.

Last time I was in Sydney I had a chat to a concierge I've become friendly with and got his opinion on tour companies guests have used. I then collected some brochures just for such questions.

Just found out Mrs Gut had no idea why I collected them all and tossed them.

Thank you so very much for all your replies. We are hoping to spend a day there and I appreciate the positive feedback. Any companies you would recommend would be appreciated.

Do you remember the name of the company?

Thank you' date=' but we are looking towards a tour company for this day trip.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.[/quote']

 

Sorry I could not respond sooner - Blue Diamond Tours were who we used. We found them to be excellent.

Sorry I could not respond sooner - Blue Diamond Tours were who we used. We found them to be excellent.

Thank you. I sent them an email!

Thank you. I sent them an email!

Your welcome :). Enjoy your trip - which ever way you decide to see the Blue Mountains. It is beautiful and well worth the visit on a day trip.

We did a week in the Blue Mountains last fall after circumnavigating Australia on the Maasdam. While it's technically possible to visit the Blue Mountains in a day, multiple days are far better. Chose lodging at Katoomba or near the Sisters and use the Hop On Hop Off bus to get around with. Your ticket can be valid for up to 7 days.

 

If you want lots of detail, my blog is found at www.timmer2016downunder.blogspot.com.

 

The animal park is wonderful and we visited it on a separate trip.

 

Let me know if you have other questions.

 

Tim

 

 

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Thanks for sharing your blog. Sounds like you really took advantage of the beautiful scenery. After our cruise in Oct, RT Sydney, we plan on hiring a car and driving to Katoomba for a couple of days. So, your blog was interesting. Didn't see much mention of wildlife, though. Did you encounter any?

After reading your blog, I'm wondering if we need to hire a car. How did you get from the cruise terminal to the Central station and how was it on the train with your luggage?

Thanks for sharing your blog. Sounds like you really took advantage of the beautiful scenery. After our cruise in Oct, RT Sydney, we plan on hiring a car and driving to Katoomba for a couple of days. So, your blog was interesting. Didn't see much mention of wildlife, though. Did you encounter any?

 

 

 

After reading your blog, I'm wondering if we need to hire a car. How did you get from the cruise terminal to the Central station and how was it on the train with your luggage?

All the luggage we had was a backpack and a small roller suitcase each. You catch the light rail near the end of the pier (an easy walk if the ship docks near Circular Quay and the Aquarium), take it to Central Station and transfer to the Katoomba train. The fare is under $10 Australian. The luggage was no issue on the train. The train ride is really scenic.

The only reason I would consider a car is if one wanted to visit Featherstone wildlife park which we did on a HAL shore excursion. There are non HAL tours which do the same thing. Apart from that, the HOHO bus was perfect for getting around the sights of the Blue Mountains. But I have to say we are in excellent shape and weren't afraid to walk several mile stretches.

Re: wildlife, birds were in abundance (primarily white cockatoos). We saw several small lizards and one pretty good sized one.

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All the luggage we had was a backpack and a small roller suitcase each. You catch the light rail near the end of the pier (an easy walk if the ship docks near Circular Quay and the Aquarium), take it to Central Station

This isn't correct. The light rail heads west to Pyrmont, then Lilyfield. To get it to it from Circular Quay you would have to get to Central anyway, as the closest station on the light rail to Central.

I think you are thinking of the (heavy) rail or train aka underground/metro and similar names overseas. The closest station for it is at Circular Quay, and it is then 3 stops to Central.

This isn't correct. The light rail heads west to Pyrmont, then Lilyfield. To get it to it from Circular Quay you would have to get to Central anyway, as the closest station on the light rail to Central.

 

I think you are thinking of the (heavy) rail or train aka underground/metro and similar names overseas. The closest station for it is at Circular Quay, and it is then 3 stops to Central.

My terminology may be incorrect, but our descriptions of the process and locations is correct. Take the train to Central from Circular Quay and transfer to the Katoomba train. It's very simple to do.

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My terminology may be incorrect, but our descriptions of the process and locations is correct. Take the train to Central from Circular Quay and transfer to the Katoomba train. It's very simple to do.

The problem is if you look up, or ask anyone about where the light rail is you will get a very different answer to the best or sensible way to get there. The response I gave clarifies what to look or ask for.

My terminology may be incorrect, but our descriptions of the process and locations is correct. Take the train to Central from Circular Quay and transfer to the Katoomba train. It's very simple to do.

 

 

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The problem is if you look up, or ask anyone about where the light rail is you will get a very different answer to the best or sensible way to get there. The response I gave clarifies what to look or ask for.

More importantly there IS alight rail system, that if you ask for directions to it, won't get you where you need to go.

The blue mountains are definitely worth a visit - I've lived here for around 20 years and it's just spectacular. If you only have a day, I think you're right that a private tour company is the best option especially if you want to get out to something like Jenolean caves as part of the trip. There's no public transport at all out there and it's very far removed from the city.

My only advice would be to see if there is a way to see some of the less touristy places even though you're traveling with a tour company. I don't know if there are options for that, but ALL the tourist buses seem to go to Katoomba, Scenic world, etc and therefore you kind of get a cookie cutter version of what the blue mountains are. I lived in Katoomba for a year, it was a great spot, but it does cater to the tourist crowd and for really experiencing the scenery and beauty of the area you're actually better to hit some of the places that locals mainly seem to visit. The lookouts and walks at the end of Falls road in Wentworth Falls, Hassens Walls in Lithgow, Pulpit Rock or Govetts Leap in Blackheath, all of those are just as spectacular as Katoomba's Echo Point but you don't have to share them with three busloads of other tourists.

One problem with Sydney is that there are far too many places to visit all within a few hours drive...

Blue Mts

Hunter Valley and surrounds

Canberra

You need to pick what your preferences are.

That is the tricky part - the diversity within a few hours of Sydney is stunning. We just recently spent some time in the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle area for the first time and were surprised we'd not taken the time before. Then again, there's so much to see in the Hunter, south coast, mountains, Mudgee, Bathurst, Orange etc that it's no wonder we'd not gotten around to it before.

That is the tricky part - the diversity within a few hours of Sydney is stunning. We just recently spent some time in the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle area for the first time and were surprised we'd not taken the time before. Then again, there's so much to see in the Hunter, south coast, mountains, Mudgee, Bathurst, Orange etc that it's no wonder we'd not gotten around to it before.

Now Lake Macquarie,,,,, home sweet home.

The blue mountains are definitely worth a visit - I've lived here for around 20 years and it's just spectacular. If you only have a day, I think you're right that a private tour company is the best option especially if you want to get out to something like Jenolean caves as part of the trip. There's no public transport at all out there and it's very far removed from the city.

 

My only advice would be to see if there is a way to see some of the less touristy places even though you're traveling with a tour company. I don't know if there are options for that, but ALL the tourist buses seem to go to Katoomba, Scenic world, etc and therefore you kind of get a cookie cutter version of what the blue mountains are. I lived in Katoomba for a year, it was a great spot, but it does cater to the tourist crowd and for really experiencing the scenery and beauty of the area you're actually better to hit some of the places that locals mainly seem to visit. The lookouts and walks at the end of Falls road in Wentworth Falls, Hassens Walls in Lithgow, Pulpit Rock or Govetts Leap in Blackheath, all of those are just as spectacular as Katoomba's Echo Point but you don't have to share them with three busloads of other tourists.

That's absolutely gold information from a local - thanks for posting that recommendation. If I ever go back, I'll consider including that in my visit. Luckily for us our tour guide was aware of tour buses and purposely planned an early departure from Sydney so that we were always ahead of the tour buses:) We did echo point, and we were pretty much the only ones there apart from a few self drive tourists and we did include Scenic World, spent a good amount of time there - did gondola, the bush board walk, and the train. Took the steep train back up to the top - that was cool doing that backwards - especially sitting in the front of the train looking down at the drop! We were leaving just as all the tour buses were arriving. Our tour guide planned it so well.