Visiting the Blue Mountains during winter
Avoid the crowds and heat for an atmospheric experience
We all know visiting Sydney’s spectacular beaches during summer is on most people’s bucket list, but have you ever thought about going on a private tour of the Blue Mountains during winter? Only an hour west of Sydney, the Blue Mountains shines its true personality in our colder months - and remember Australia’s winter is June, July and August.
Visiting in winter will greet you with eerie thick pockets of fog in Katoomba, low lying pillows of cloud over the Jamison Valley and haunting black skies over Echo Point, followed by not just a single rainbow, but a perfect double rainbow in full, arching across the entire horizon. Experiencing this added natural beauty makes for incredible photography of the UNESCO world heritage listed canyons and forests.
The Australian winter is Sydney’s wet season so going on a few easy walks traversing alongside and to areas overlooking the waterfalls is a must. You will be greeted by torrents of cascading water plummeting hundreds of metres below plus smaller cascades that are non existent in summer. The best viewing waterfalls after heavy rain are: Wentworth Falls, Weeping Rock, Gordon Falls, Govetts Leap, Leura Cascades, Katoomba Falls and Bridal Falls, plus a few other falls off the beaten path.
Australia’s national flower - the golden wattle also shows it’s pretty dress during the colder months. Their bright yellow cylindrical or spherical flowers add a flourescent back drop.
Spotting a mimicking lyrebird foraging for underground insects is also best during winter. These intellectual birds will copy the calls of a parrot, lorikeet, cockatoo, kookaburra, or even the wailing siren of a police car or a ringtone on your mobile phone. They’re incredible.
The video below shows a lyrebird scavenging for insects and worms at Wentworth Falls.
What should I wear on a Blue Mountains tour? Winter in the mountains can get very cold yet quite often i am up there and notice many tourists wearing a pair of shorts with just a cotton hoodie jumping off a bus complaining that “it’s freezing.”
To make the day enjoyable and to thrive in the extremely cold conditions, I recommend leg thermals. The cold really goes through your legs so a double layer is essential if the temperature isn’t exceeding 10 degrees celsius or 50 degrees fahrenheit. Layers on top is the wisest way rather than thick heavy coats so you can take one or two light sweaters off depending on your level of activity. Gortex wind cheaters from North Face, Kathmandu or Columbia are great to block out the wind as well. You can normally get a full rain proof jacket that doesn’t let the water in even at the seams and zip.
Many of the beautiful walks in the Blue Mountains National Park consist of hundreds, if not thousands of steps which will gather water in the middle of the step. So purchasing full water proof hiking shoes is a big recommendation. The mesh covered trainers/ tennis shoes/ running shoes will have your socks wet after the first decline.
Contact me, for the numerous ways to experience a private Blue Mountains tour in winter, and take advantage of Personalised Sydney Tours $150 discount when touring in July and August.
Embrace Australia.
Ben Barry - Owner Personalised Sydney Tours