Blue Mountains – Sheer Magnificence

A mysterious haze spread around in the air smelling of eucalyptus oil, sounds of birds, muddy trails taking you to quaint destinations, and all this jungle affair blended with modern restaurants, fine infrastructure, and everything that can ensure an avid tourist of encountering with something very special, very unique – can you guess what it is? It’s the Blue Mountains!

Where are the Blue Mountains?

The Blue Mountains are in Australia, not far from the very fashionable Australian capital, Sydney – just 65 km! It’s a sandstone plateau rising 1100 meters above the sea level and is made of rocky valleys that are wearing away since thousands of years.

Made of eight consecutive preserved areas interconnected and including the famous Blue Mountains National Park, the Blue Mountains are always covered by a bluish mist which has earned the name Blue Mountains for it. The mist is formed of the oil exuding from the eucalyptus trees that are prevalent in the area, forming dense, mysterious jungles on the mountains, along with other vegetation.

The Blue Mountains have been declared a World Heritage Area by the UNESCO.

What to See and Do

The Blue Mountains have so much to see that you just can’t devote just one day for a Blue Mountains tour. There are natural wonders, mountains, valleys, waterfalls, trails, adventures, cultural expeditions and so much more.

The Three Sisters: The most outstanding landmark of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters are located just 2.5 km from the Great Western Highway, at Echo Point Katoomba. This is a unique rock formation symbolising the three sisters in the aboriginal legends. It’s a jaw-dropping experience to watch the changing colors of these three rocks throughout the day with the changing sunlight.

Bushwalks: Bushwalking is perhaps the most interesting activity during the Blue Mountains adventure tours. There are hundreds of beautiful trails all through the region ranging from 2 to 8 km in length. And all are just amazing. You will be stunned with the changing scenery, vegetation and birds on the way. Keep an eye on Lyre Bird while it mimics voices of other birds!

Blue Mountains Open Gardens: The Blue Mountains are famous for its cool exotic gardens spread throughout the region. Especially, in autumn and spring they become just amazing! These gardens are privately owned and therefore you should inquire about opening days and times beforehand. Of course, if at all, you find a garden closed, you don’t have to be disappointed because the village streets will offer you the same riot of colours!

Govetts Leap: Blackheath: If you are fond of breathtaking views from the heights, head towards Govetts Leap, Blackheath, and you will get one of the most stunning views in the area. The vantage point is easily accessible by car and along the road you will also meet with the National Parks and Wildlife Service Heritage Centre where there is the starting point of the wheelchair-friendly Fairfax Heritage Track.

Towns: There are several tiny towns in the Blue Mountains including Katoomba, Leura, Wentworth, Blackheath, Medlow, Springwood, Glenbrook and more. Visiting them is sheer pleasure. Each of them has some or the other speciality, e.g. Katoomba has the famous Echo Point, Leura has the fantastic Cascades, Wentworth has its famous Falls, and so on.

Blue Mountains National Park & Zig Zag Railway: Don’t forget to visit the Blue Mountains National Park and the century-old iconic Zig Zag Railway. Do bushwalking in the national park and take an enchanting ride on the Zig Zag Railway, which still serves tourists fine despite being built in the 19th century.

Visit SydneyAdventureTours.com for exciting Blue Mountains tours of various types which you can choose according to your preference. Pictures in this article are their courtesy.