Blue Mountains Tour from Sydney with an Aboriginal Experience

I went with my 8-year-old daughter. Both of us are experienced travelers with reasonable fitness and no dietary restrictions. This was the finale on our first trip to Australia and our only time spent out of Sydney proper. Both of us loved the full day, are very happy we went and would recommend. Our group was 9 tourists, plus tour leader Lloyd, and tour leader Yamandiira joining us for the time in the Blue Mountains proper. My daughter was the only child on board. We went on Good Friday - part of local school break and a 4-day weekend for everyone - so crowds and traffic and other wrenches were significant possibilities. ---------- The Great: - Lloyd arrived exactly on schedule for pickup and kept things moving throughout the day, adjusting things on the fly as needed. - The early start meant when we arrived at the morning destinations, they were not crowded despite the holiday weekend. Significantly more crowds arrived as we departed. As we departed, I could see that had we arrived later, I would not have enjoyed the feeling as much - it would have gone from calm to a bit frustrating as crowds arrived. - The vehicle was comfortable and sized to the group. - The express breakfast/snack (scones and hot beverage) was tasty. Lunch, despite being adjusted last-minute, was also tasty and was filling. In both cases, the kid found something she wanted to eat/drink. As noted, I did supplement her with snacks (which I expect to do since she's a kid). - Yamandira made the rainforest walk significantly more meaningful - pointing out different plants and how they can be/were/are used in daily life, whether for eating or aromatics or brushing hair. He pointed out animals and evidence of animals, showed painting with clay, and even had some bird seed at the end to feed the cockatoos while we waited a few minutes for the rest of our group to rejoin. - We did feed and pet a kangaroo in the afternoon; never thought it would be quite that soft but Maple the kangaroo was very sweet. - The weather was completely in our favor! Not within anyone's control, but definitely added to the enjoyment. The views were amazing. ---------- The Imperfect: - Pickup time was assigned the night before. They adjusted pickups to make it as easy/comfortable as possible (we were not staying at one of the pre-defined hotels but they picked us up from our doorstep anyway). However, I was not completely sure the ballpark start time (it ended up being around 6:30am) until I was in the hotel room for the night - which meant I had some snacks for the kid for the day but she didn't have a real breakfast (hotel breakfast started at 7am that day because of the holiday, but the kitchen let me grab a couple fresh pastries as we walked out - it was fine but not particularly nutritious/good for a long day). Knowing the ballpark start time earlier, I would have stocked up on a couple additional snacks. - I am unsure why we visited Sydney Zoo instead of the Wildlife Park; for all I know it's because it's way better; the fact of that lingering question is a slight drawback. I haven't been to the Wildlife Park, so I'm not sure how they compare and contrast. We did have an experience (kangaroo feeding), and the Zoo was nice. I believe they switch between the two locations, but not sure why or when. - Our initial lunch stop was a restaurant that is open every day, including Easter and Christmas ... but not Good Friday. Lloyd handled it well, finding an alternative place that was tasty - but we were hungry and this added a bit of time (extending our return, not cutting anything short). This shouldn't be a problem for at least a year! - The drive to the Blue Mountains from Sydney takes about 1.5-2 hours. Not within anyone's control, but it does eat into part of the day when considering day trips.

I can recommend the tour without reservation. The communication and pick-up went smoothly. We drove to Featherdale Wildlife Park first thing in the morning where we were among the first guests to have the chance to take photos with the koalas. There were lots of informative stories on the drive. In Katoomba we picked up our Aboriginal guide Yamandirra and drove to the Blue Mountains National Park. There we first got an overview of the different tribes and Aboriginal areas as well as an introduction to the traditions of the Aborigines. After a cleansing ritual, we walked through the park and learned all about the animals and plants, spirits, stories and legends. The respect and passion that Yamandirra conveyed left a lasting impression and will stay with me forever.

If you’re looking for a tour of the Blue Mountains, choose this one! Tour operator Menashe and aboriginal guide Yamandirra (sp?) gave us a wonderful experience in the Blue Mountains. Yamandirra was a highly engaging and knowledgeable teacher generously sharing a passion for his culture. There’s another tour option where you can view the canyon by gondola rather than participating in the aboriginal experience, but unless you have mobility issues that prevent you from doing some walking on stairs and inclines, I recommend choosing this special opportunity.