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Explore the Blue Mountains with Beyond the Blacktop Adventure Tours
There are countless places to explore in this beautiful and vast country, but among the most iconic – particularly in NSW – is the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. Home to the Three Sisters and plenty of natural wonders, this region holds plenty of draw cards for visitors. Paul Davies, the founder of Beyond the Blacktop Adventure Tours, was able to shed some insight on some of the main attractions and appeal of the Blue Mountains and why it should be on everyone’s bucket list.
About Beyond the Blacktop Adventure Tours
Paul founded Beyond the Blacktop Adventure Tours to demonstrate Australia's beauty and share some of its iconic tracks so that all can appreciate the wonders of this land we live in. “[The Blue Mountains is] famous for its sheer cliff faces and amazing views, the blue haze from the eucalyptus trees and the number of outdoor activities [that] make it the perfect destination,” Paul explains.
Beyond the Blacktop Adventure Tours has several tours that allow visitors to appreciate the raw beauty of the Blue Mountains. Ranging from tag-along tours where you can follow the experienced guides, to being toured in the company’s Landcruiser or open-air army Land Rover, there is something to appeal to every kind of adventurer – even those who don’t have their own 4WD.
For visitors planning to join a tag-along tour, Paul recommends that “you should always have a UHF radio and full recovery gear”.
Tours can be booked for a minimum of two people and are limited to a maximum of four people in the Landcruiser, and eight in the army Land Rover, and vary from a half day to multiple days.
For the more adventurous at heart who are after a rougher road, Beyond the Blacktop Adventure Tours offers 4WD tours around Australia.
The appeal factor
Plenty of activities throughout the Blue Mountains keep the whole family entertained. “There are many bushwalks, rock climbing, and Scenic World for the families. Solo or older travellers would be able to do some of the extended hikes in the Blue Mountains,” Paul recommends.
Unlike many destinations – particularly Australia’s northern states and territories – the Blue Mountains aren’t seasonal, and visitors can enjoy its attractions all year round. “Some people love the cold crisp air during winter, some love the extraordinary array of flowers during the spring, others love the abundance of colour we have in autumn and the rest like the warmer weather.”
The Blue Mountains has plenty to offer in terms of bucket-list attractions, but if you’re looking for something truly unique, Paul would recommend Beyond the Blacktop Adventure Tours’ open-air army truck tour. Seating up to eight at a time, this tour will take you to places you might not otherwise have been able to reach or know about. And with an experienced and knowledgeable guide driving, you can sit back and focus on the beautiful natural surroundings of the Blue Mountains.
Where to stay
Only a 90-minute drive from Sydney, the Blue Mountains are in a prime location, whether you’re looking for a short trip or a detour as you head towards or from the coast. The lovely mountain town of Katoomba is the main centre for the region and offers plenty of accommodation options for camping, caravans and motorhomes.
And for those heading through and needing to stock up on supplies, there are plenty of towns throughout the Blue Mountains – although the size or number of shops usually correlates to the town so Katoomba is always a safe bet if you’re after anything specific.
Next steps
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