The Blue Mountains is an iconic spot for people who wants to explore the nature and wilderness just a short trip from Sydney, Australia. Whether you’re into adventure, relaxation, or cultural experiences, this stunning region has something for everyone. From hiking, to caving, visiting the town and coffee shops to learn about aborigine culture and spot wildlife and even have a wellness spa day. The Blue Mountains has a lot to offer for locals and tourist alike.
Here are the top things to do:
- Visit the Three Sisters: The most popular rock formation in the Blue Mountains.
- Scenic World: Ride the world’s steepest railway and enjoy breathtaking views.
- Wentworth Falls : It is a must do because of its stunning waterfall and scenic walks.
- Leura Village: A charming town with cafes, boutique shops, and art galleries.
- Aboriginal Cultural Experiences: Learn about the rich Indigenous heritage of the area.
- Recovery spa day and luxury accommodation
- Camping and wild life
How to Get to the Blue Mountains from Sydney
The Blue Mountains are easily accessible from Sydney, making it a perfect day trip or weekend getaway. Here are the best ways to get there:
- By Train: Take the Blue Mountains Line from Sydney’s Central Station to Katoomba. The trip is about 2 hours and the price of the ticket can range from $20 to $28 AUD.
- By Car: Drive via the Great Western Highway, the trip might be around 1.5 hours.
- By Tour: Many tour companies offer day trips that include transportation and guided activities. The prices rage from $190aud to $250aud, depending on what is included. The tour includes picking up and drop off and also a visit to the most iconic landmarks in the mountains with a tour guide.
Our Food in the Blue Mountains
The best items you should pack to cook and eat in your camping are items that do not require a long time to cook or lots of ingredients. There are so many simple foods and snacks you can prepare in one pot or just eat raw.
We decided to take a small BBQ with us and had meat, burgers and sausages, if you are going camping we suggest you to buy the following.
- Bread buns or hot dogs
- Ketchup or your favourite sauce
- Butter
- Salt and peper
- Meat (steak), chicken, prawns, sausages eggs.
- Wraps
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Protein bars
- Fruits, nuts and veggies like carrots for snacks.
These ingredients can be useful when keeping you full, high nutritional value, easy to preserve and fast cooking times. in addition, they are all delicious. If you are vegan or vegetarian you can take tofu, eggs, haloumi and Tempe instead.
Tea Rooms
We also wanted to visit one of the most famous tea rooms and try the great scones so a friend recommend the Megalon Valley Tea Rooms. What a surprise, we give this tea room a 10/10. Staff was friendly, service was fast, high quality coffee and teas, and giants scones. We hope you can visit it soon, we are sure you will enjoy it as much as we did.
What we did in the Blue Mountains
Set of on our van on a Friday afternoon, after a 3 hour drive and some breaks we finally got to Katoomba and decided to stay in a camping site called Megalong Velley Camp Farm, this campsite has amazing facilities such as potable water, fire pits, toilets and hot showers, a little sink where you can do the washing up and stunning views. The price of the night is $36 dollars per guest and you can book online if you want to bring a big group.
We highly recommend this campsite to spend some days, it was very clean, the views were stunning and the facilities were really clean. If you want to stay there, you should arrive before 5:30 because there is not lighting and it might disturb the wildlife and the other campers.
We set up our tent and our firepit. once we got settle and it was getting dark we were amazed with the amount of wallabies jumping around our tents. the other campers were quite respectful and there was not noise after 9 pm. we simply lied down on our mattress by the fire and enjoy the night sky, the connection with nature and the escape from the busy city was very fulfilling and relaxing.
We love this campsite, however, there are lots of more options that we are sure you will enjoy. We have created a list of our favorites in Best Accommodation in the Blue Mountains. Find out more and enjoy your visit.
Blue Mountains Bush Walks
There is a range of options of things to do when visiting the Blue Mountains, from relaxing spa visits to more active sports. among the most popular experiences are the Bush walks, camping and visiting the the little villages.
If you love hiking, the Blue Mountains offer a variety of trails for all fitness levels, we did a long walk per day and had spotted the black cockatoos, which are very rare, we also got infected with the magic energy of the forest and the nice fresh air of the mountains.
Day 1: The Six foot track
we decided to do a part of the Six Foot walk. Although we know the full walk is a challenging 3 day walk. We decided to do just a small part and return. The walk had a lots of steps and some steep areas as well as few areas without any marking, we rely on the tracks that we saw on the ground but people can easily get lots if they are not familiar with tracking. along the hike was spotted a group of kangaroos hoping together, they were very shy and hopped away as soon as the saw us. We also saw lots of eucalyptus trees, birds and fungi.
We then got to a lookout where we decided to relax, have some snacks and return to the original point close to the camping site.
Day 2: Great Canyon Track
this was a 6 km loop and took us about 4 hours to complete, we had to left the valley and drive to the Blackheath area. we went down the canyon and had great views of the the nature and cascades. the temperature was lower over there and there was lots o little waterfalls. the vegetation was thicker but the tracks were very well signalized and there were more people along the way. these two are just some of the many amazing walks you can do in the Blue Mountains, here there is more information about exciting hikes and our list of our Top 5 Hikes in the Blue Mountains.
Visiting The Blue Mountains Villages
The Blue Mountains are home to many charming villages, each with its own unique vibe:
- Katoomba: The main hub with plenty of cafes, shops, and attractions. You can have a nice coffee and buy some of the supplies before going to the campsites
- Leura: Known for its boutique stores and gardens.
- Blackheath: Great for food lovers and nature walks.
What we are going to do next when we go back to the Blue Mountains
There are lots of more things we wish we had experienced in the blue mountains, starting from luxury spa days, recovery and Japanese baths as well as extreme sports like Canyoning and Rock Climbing. these are some of the things we wish to do on our way back to the Blue Mountains. We hope you get to do them and enjoy the magic of this region.
Blue Mountains Wellness & Spa Experiences
If what you want after having a great day in the mountains is to take care of yourself and have some indulgence time you can book a spa day at some of the amazing locations at the Blue Mountains. There is lots of packages and places to treat yourself the way you deserve.
The Spa at Lilianfels
this is a hotel and Spa where you can have lots of options of facial and body treatments. The timetable is from Monday – Thursday: 9:00 – 18:00 and Friday – Sunday: 08:00 – 19:00. They also offer special packages for people with dogs. among the best featured packages you can find The Baby moon package, Gentelman’s oasis, Cocoon Bliss and organic stone. for bookings and more information click on the following link https://www.lilianfels.com.au/spa
The Mountain Cottage Spa
The mountain Cottage spa offers body and face treatments including some ayurvedic massages and techniques. their opening hours are Monday through to Saturday 9am-5pm and late opening hours are: Tuesday and Thursday 9am-8pm. Allow enough time to arrive to your treatment, since it is important to respect your time and the time of other customers as well.
Blue Mountains Recovery: Cold & Sauna Therapy
Try Blue Mountains Sauna & Ice Bath in Katoomba is a great place to recover and enjoy of the health benefits of the sauna and cold plunge. The casual entry is $45aud per person and you have the opportunity to experience the recovery for 2 hours. There are sessions for Males only and Females only where clothing is optional, and there are combined sessions where clothing is mandatory. It is preferable if everyone brings their own towel and robe, however you can hire a towel at the Sauna.
This is an amazing opportunity to slow down and allow your body to detoxify whilst making friends or maybe having a moment of silence.
Blue Mountains Bath House
Indulge in a rejuvenating soak at a Japanese-style bath house like Blue Mountains paradise in South Bowenfels. This is a unwinding experience to take care of yourself and rejuvenate. There is a public bath room as well as private baths where you can receive a mix of Japanese and Thai massage and acupressure. You can also enjoy of a nice tea whilst looking out the amazing views of the forest.
Prices depend on the type of package you are going to choose, this is a luxury experience you can miss out
Blue Mountains Sports & Adventure
Rock Climbing
The Blue Mountains are one of Australia’s top climbing destinations. Popular spots include:
- Mount York – Great for beginners.
- Bell Supercrag – A mix of sport and trad climbing.
- Shipley Upper – Perfect for experienced climbers.
Canyoning
For an adrenaline rush, explore the Blue Mountains’ canyons with experienced guides. Top spots include:
- Empress Canyon – A great intro to canyoning with abseiling and water jumps.
- Claustral Canyon – A challenging but rewarding adventure.
Final Thoughts
The Blue Mountains offer an incredible mix of adventure, relaxation, and culture. Whether you’re hiking through the lush trails, soaking in a luxurious spa, or tackling an adrenaline-pumping canyoning experience, there’s something for everyone. Start planning your trip today!
