The Blue Mountains is a million hectares of natural wilderness playground
There are not many major cities in the world which have a World Heritage listed wilderness practically in their own backyard, but that’s precisely what Sydney, Australia has in the magnificent Blue Mountains. Among the Blue Mountains and another national parks that adjoin them, you will find over a million hectares of natural wilderness to explore, all within an hour’s commuter train ride of Australia’s biggest city. As soon as you travel from Sydney to the Blue Mountains, you feel as is you have been teleported to a different world, one where there isn’t any sign of the hustle and bustle of the city you left behind. In its place, you find yourself gazing across an infinite landscape of rising and falling hills covered in blue-green eucalypts. As you step into this stunning landscape, you peer over sheer rock faces, lookup at spectacular waterfalls and into the eyes of Australia’s unique animal life. If you are an outside lover, you will truly fall madly in love with the Blue Mountains. If you like putting on your hiking boots and exploring, it is easy to spend weeks in Katoomba or Leura, two of the main cities, hiking a new trail every day. If the thrill of rock climbing or mountain biking is to your liking, then you will be in paradise. If you have never been to the Blue Mountains before, you can see the best of them from Katoomba. Just walk or drive down the main street of town until you come to Echo Point and the famed Three Sisters. You could have probably seen these Sisters in pictures, since they’ve been photographed thousands of times before and been featured in countless ad campaigns. You will not be disappointed, though, when you “meet” the Sisters face to face for the very first time. Only then will you actually appreciate the sheer extent of the cliff faces and breadth of the scenery. If you’re a climber, you will head straight for the Giant Staircase that leads to the valley floor and head to the cliff faces, where it is possible to tackle a number of the countless classic climbing routes that dot the area. Hikers, too, love to take this staircase and “go bush.” If you are looking to get away from it all but have only a day to do it in, when you’ve reached the bottom of the stairs you actually have gotten away from it all. Surrounded by nature at its finest, from the valley floor the only signs of civilization you see are the helpful signs which are posted discreetly along Federal Pass, which skirts the edge of the cliffs between Katoomba and nearby Leura. After a day of hiking or climbing, the lazy or the exhausted can take the world’s steepest railway line up to the top of the cliffs and back to civilization. Incredibly, it is possible to come to the Blue Mountains, do all of these things and still be back home in Sydney in time for dinner. But, you probably won’t be in a rush to leave. That will not be an issue, since finding a cozy Blue Mountains resorts is stress-free. Aside from the numerous camping grounds in the area, you will find B&Bs, backpackers accommodations, hotels and motels to choose from. After you’ve checked in, step outside and check out the many great restaurants and cafes along Katoomba Street. Being Blue Mountains locals, they know you’ll be hungry and in search of a hearty meal. They won’t disappoint you, either!