Last updated: May 19, 2021
One of the most popular tourist and weekend-getaway destinations in Sydney and New South Wales is of course the Blue Mountains, a World Heritage listed area less than two hours away from Sydney.
One of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of this popular national park is by booking a professional Blue Mountains tour.
A day tour to the Blue Mountains is a great way to see all the highlights in comfort and style. This is especially true if you’ve never been there before and you don’t have your own transport.
What to Look for in a Blue Mountains Tour?
If you’re interested in booking a Blue Mountains tour, please keep the following criteria in mind for guidance.
1. Price and Inclusions
Prices can vary between tours. Make sure you check the inclusions as sometimes an expensive lunch is included which can inflate the price. Also check whether any entry tickets are included or if you need to purchase these yourself.
2. Featherdale Wildlife Park
Some tours include entrance to Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside, east of the Blue Mountains. This is a great little park but if you’ve already seen Australian wildlife from close-by or if you’re simply not interested, find a tour that doesn’t include this destination.
3. Reviews
The best way to determine whether a specific tour is suitable for you is by reading the reviews. Tour websites like GetYourGuide and Viator usually have a good amount of reviews per tour which often reveal more details.
4. Transport and Duration
While most day tours take around 8-10 hours, make sure that you’re happy with the advertised duration. Also check what type of vehicle is used to get you to the Blue Mountains. A big coach typically means that the hotel pick-up process in the morning can take quite some time, whereas a small van is much quicker.
Also note that some Blue Mountains tours use a ferry to bring you back to the city, which is a nice way to see more parts of Sydney that you would otherwise not see.
Top 7 Blue Mountains Tours
We have selected 7 of the best Blue Mountains tours departing from Sydney.
This selection is based on value for money, destinations along the way, duration, transport, inclusions and general quality and reputation of the tour operator.
1. Blue Mountains All Inclusive Tour
Managed by Diamond Tours, this popular Blue Mountains day tour includes a visit to Featherdale Wildlife Park, all rides at Scenic World, Echo Point and the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls and an excellent lunch with drinks.
What’s great about this particular tour is that you’ll be transported in a mini-van with a maximum of 4 people, which makes the whole experience very enjoyable. A comfortable private water taxi brings you back to Darling Harbour and Circular Quay on the Parramatta River.
Tour inclusions:
- Transport by air-conditioned mini van (max 14 people)
- Three rides at Scenic World
- Lunch with 6 menu options
- Admission to Featherdale Wildlife Park
- Private water taxi back to Sydney
2. All Inclusive Blue Mountains Small-Group Day Trip
This well organised and comfortable all-inclusive tour brings you to Featherdale, Scenic World, Echo Point and the Three Sisters. It also includes an easy-guided walk to a spectacular cliff lookout off the beaten track.
A comfortable and air-conditioned 20-seater mini bus and a knowledgeable tour guide make for a very personalised experience. A varied lunch including freshly made dessert is organised at one of the golf clubs. A comfortable ferry ride brings you back to Sydney from Homebush Bay.
Tour inclusions:
- Transport by air-conditioned mini van (max 20 people)
- Three rides at Scenic World
- Lunch at golf club
- Admission to Featherdale Wildlife Park
- Ferry ride back to Circular Quay
3. Blue Mountains Day Trip and River Cruise
This small-group Blue Mountains day tour takes in highlights such as the Three Sisters, Jamison Valley, the Scenic World rides, a complementary lunch at Wentworth Falls and a visit to Featherdale Wildlife Park. A comfortable boat cruise on the Parramatta River brings you back to Circular Quay.
The first stop of this tour is at Leura where you can have a wander around and visit the many shops, boutiques and art galleries. A complimentary morning tea will prepare you for the big day ahead.
Tour inclusions:
- Transport by air-conditioned mini coach
- Three rides at Scenic World
- Lunch at Wentworth Falls
- Admission to Featherdale Wildlife Park
- River cruise back to Circular Quay
4. Small-Group Blue Mountains Tour With River Cruise
This small group Blue Mountains tour includes a guided walk to Wentworth Falls, the second most popular sight in the area. It also includes a visit to Featherdale in the morning, followed by Echo Point, Three Sisters and Scenic World. The rides at Scenic World are not included in this tour.
Before heading back to Circular Quay in the city, you’ll be visiting Katoomba as the final destination in the Blue Mountains where you can enjoy lunch at one of the many cafes (not included).
Tour inclusions:
- Transport by air-conditioned coach
- Guided walk to Wentworth Falls
- Admission to Featherdale Wildlife Park
- River cruise back to Sydney Harbour
5. Blue Mountains Day Trip Including Aussie BBQ Lunch
This fun Blue Mountains day tour from Sydney stands out in that it’s a highly informal tour suitable for travelers between the ages of 18 and mid-30’s. It’s a very affordable tour where you get to see all the highlights in a very friendly atmosphere.
The tour includes a visit to Wentworth Falls, Three Sisters, Echo Point and a local and secluded waterhole where you can go for a swim or just lay around and relax.
The guides are local Aussies who put a lot of passion into what they do. They are knowledgeable and want to make sure that you have the best day of your holiday with them. And what’s better than a real, authentic Aussie style BBQ for lunch?
Try this tour out if you’re looking to spend a fun and exciting day out in the Blue Mountains with like-minded people.
Tour inclusions:
- Transport by air-conditioned mini van (max 20 people)
- Authentic Aussie BBQ
6. Ultimate Blue Mountains Private Tour
If you prefer a luxury private tour for just you and your group, this Ultimate Blue Mountains tour may just be the perfect choice. Operated by Sydney Private Day Tours, you will be transported to the Blue Mountains in a luxury minivan or SUV, driven by a professional driver and guide.
You will be picked up from your hotel (or any requested location), and be taken to the major highlights in the Blue Mountains, including Scenic World, Echo Point, the Three Sisters, and Leura. The trip also includes an off the beaten track section, plus a trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park.
Tour inclusions:
- Private transport by minivan or SUV
- Admission to Featherdale Wildlife Park
- All Scenic World rides
- Complimentary morning tea
7. Blue Mountains Day Tour With Scenic World Rides
This tour, offered by FJ Tours, is very similar to the one offered by Diamond Tours but doesn’t include lunch. It also doesn’t include the little trip to Katoomba Falls, but still includes the must-see highlights such as Echo Point, Three Sisters and the Jamison Valley.
The rides at Scenic World are also complementary and add great value to this trip to the Blue Mountains. A pleasant river cruise with Fantasea Cruises – including commentary – takes you back to the city in pure comfort.
Tour inclusions:
- Transport by air-conditioned coach
- Three rides at Scenic World
- Admission to Featherdale Wildlife Park
- River cruise back to Sydney
Alternative: Blue Mountains Explorer Bus
If you want to go a little more DIY and make your own itinerary, the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus is the perfect solution. This classic Hop-On-Hop-Off bus gives you the freedom to spend as much time as you like at the most popular spots.
It’s incredibly easy to travel to the Blue Mountains by train, and once you arrive at Katoomba train station, you can jump straight on the Explorer Bus to get to all the highlights.
When you’re ready to go to the next highlight, simply wait for the bus to arrive and hop on. The bus drivers are super friendly and provide excellent and useful background information about the different highlights.
You can purchase two different types of tickets. One option is to buy a ticket just for the bus, and the other option is to include a full-day pass to all attractions at Scenic World at a discounted price.
Who Should Book a Blue Mountains Tour?
Most Sydney-siders know their city quite well and most likely will have visited the Blue Mountains several times.
But if you’re a tourist from overseas or interstate coming to visit Sydney for a week or so, you may not know how to get around and which highlights to visit. In that case, a day tour to the Blue Mountains is highly recommended.
Focus on Highlights
One could literally spend a whole week in the Blue Mountains and still not see all the highlights. The Blue Mountains region is huge, with just so much to see and do.
So if you only have one, or perhaps two days to spend in the Blue Mountains, then it’s best to focus on the absolute highlights.
Save Your Time
And that’s exactly what most Blue Mountains tours involve. Doing a tour means you don’t have to waste time researching where to go, how to get there, and so forth.
If you book a good quality Blue Mountains tour, you can simply relax and let the professionals take you to these highlights, often complemented with excellent background information.
Or Do It Yourself
You could also catch a train or rent a car to explore the Blue Mountains by yourself. As long as you do your own research and you know where to go, this is in fact a very good idea.
The benefit of doing it this way is that you’re in full control and you can decide yourself where to go and where not to go.
Final Thoughts on Blue Mountains Day Tours
Hopefully this guide to the best Blue Mountains tours departing from Sydney has given you some good insights around what to expect if you book a tour instead of going DIY.
Tours are great, but if you do have your own transport and you have some spare time to prepare yourself, it may be good idea to plan a visit to the Blue Mountains yourself. This way you can do everything at your own pace and you have more freedom around which sites you would like to visit.
But otherwise, a Blue Mountains day tour works really well for those that are short on time and don’t have their own transport. The tours listed above all offer great value for money and are run by reputable tour operators.
Keep in mind that if you are visiting Sydney in the November to February summer season, it is worth booking your Blue Mountains tour well in advance. The summer season is quite a busy time of the year, so make sure you don’t have to miss out.
Enjoy your day out in the Blue Mountains!
