Tips on how to spend a day in the Blue Mountains while traveling near Sydney, Australia.
The Blue Mountains is one of the best day trips from Sydney. Personally, it’s my favorite one!
This gorgeous mountain range lies just west of the city and is full of rich green forests, towering sandstone cliffs, and scenic waterfalls.
With so much natural beauty sprawled over the landscape, it can be overwhelming to try and plan what to do in just one day.
I definitely felt overwhelmed while trying to plan our first trip to the Blue Mountains in 2018. I read so many articles, looked at countless maps, and did lots of research. All of this sent my brain into information overload.
When the time came to begin our adventure, we ended up just picking a few random attractions from my messy notes and taking it one step at a time.
We had a great time hiking through the wilderness, sleeping overnight in a cozy little tent, photographing some amazing sights, and driving through the pure, vast landscape.
Now that I’ve visited the Blue Mountains many times after living around Sydney for 4 years, I have a better idea of how to spend a day in the Blue Mountains.
How to spend a day in the Blue Mountains
If you only have one day in the Blue Mountains, you should definitely include a few lookouts, a hike, and a waterfall. These are all the best parts of the Blue Mountains, so this will give you a well-rounded day trip from Sydney.
Though there are countless epic lookouts, hikes, and waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, I’ll highlight my absolute favorites.
If I had visitors in Sydney, and only one day to show them the Blue Mountains, this is probably how I would plan the day!
Find more ideas with my complete list of 42 Best Things To Do In The Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia
How To Spend A Day In The Blue Mountains
The perfect, one day itinerary in the Blue Mountains will bring you to Govetts Leap Lookout, Pulpit Rock, Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters, and Sublime Point Lookout. These natural wonders provide an excellent introduction to the beauty of the Blue Mountains in one day!
How To Get To The Blue Mountains
The best way to do this epic day trip to the Blue Mountains is with your own car or campervan. You can take public transport to the Blue Mountains from Sydney, but you’ll waste a bit of time getting to and from the train stations.
I would recommend hiring a car for the day if you don’t have your own.
And if you need a cheap, easy way to get data for your trip to Australia, I recommend an eSIM with Saily.
Check prices for car hire in Sydney!
Day Tours to the Blue Mountains from Sydney
A guided day trip is another option. It won’t follow this exact itinerary and it will probably visit just the more touristy spots. But if you are a solo traveller in Sydney, this can be a more fun and affordable option.
East Coast Tours is a great resource for planning your adventures around Sydney and Australia. They offer a Blue Mountains sunset tour without the crowds or a more classic Blue Mountains day trip.
Read my complete guide: How To Get To The Blue Mountains From Sydney
Blue Mountains One Day Itinerary
Here is your one day itinerary for the Blue Mountains! Depart Sydney as early as you can so you have plenty of time throughout the day.
If you can try to make it to Govetts Leap Lookout at sunrise, do it! Sunrise over the mountains is magical.
Take In The View At Govetts Leap Lookout
Your first stop is Govetts Leap Lookout, one of the best and most accessible lookouts from the town of Blackheath. From the Blackheath town centre, it’s just a 5-minute drive to this stunning viewpoint at the edge of the Grose Valley.
From the lookout, you can see miles of sloping greenery creating deep valleys surrounded by powerful cliff walls. The scene resembles something out of a dinosaur movie, as the dense landscape appears to be untouched by man.
Hike To Pulpit Rock
It’s time to embark on your first hike in the Blue Mountains! No day trip to the Blue Mountains is complete without at least one hike.
I chose the Pulpit Rock hike because it’s about 3 hours round trip and it’s not too difficult. It also departs right from Govetts Leap, making it a convenient hike for one day in the Blue Mountains.
From the lookout, head to the trailhead located just north of the viewpoint. You’ll see signs that outline the walking trail to Pulpit Rock. It’s a moderate trail that hugs the edge of the cliffs surrounding the valley.
There are amazing views, little waterfalls and streams, wildflowers, cool rock formations, and a majestic view at the end. What more could you want in a hike?
The trail ends at Pulpit Rock, a unique rock formation that juts out from the cliffside. It’s super cool, and completely fenced in so don’t worry!
Consider another hike on my list of the 10 Amazing Day Hikes in the Blue Mountains
Get lunch in Blackheath or Katoomba
After your hike, grab some lunch at an adorable cafe in Blackheath or Katoomba. Blackheath is right next to the hiking trail and Katoomba is just 15 minutes down the road.
The next adventure on your Blue Mountains one day itinerary is near Katoomba, so neither town will be out of the way.
Blackheath is a much smaller and less touristy town, so stop here if you want a quiet lunch. Katoomba has a lot more options in terms of dining, so head there if you want more of a vibe.
Read next: How To Spend A Weekend In Blackheath, Blue Mountains
Hike to Katoomba Falls
The Blue Mountains are home to so many amazing waterfalls, so it would be a shame to miss one on your day trip. However, most of the bigger, more powerful waterfalls require a pretty grueling hike as you have to climb down the cliff faces to reach the bottom!
Katoomba Falls, Wentworth Falls, and Empress Falls are some of the best Blue Mountains waterfalls. All are accessible via a short but steep hike near Katoomba.
I recommend Katoomba Falls just because it’s the closest to town and the Three Sisters, which you’ll check out next. The trail to the falls begins right at Echo Point, which is also where you’ll find the Three Sisters.
The hike to Katoomba Falls from Echo Point is around 1.5 hours.
Check out my list of 23 Stunning Waterfalls Near Sydney for more ideas!
Echo Point and the Three Sisters
Located right next to Katoomba, Echo Point Lookout is the most famous and touristy of all the Blue Mountains lookouts. But it’s incredible, that’s why it’s so popular! It’s definitely worth seeing Echo Point and the Three Sisters on a Blue Mountains day trip.
Three Sisters refers to the rugged, three rock pillars that extend from the cliffside. It’s one of the best photo spots in the Blue Mountains. If you visit after your hike as the day gets later, there might not be as many crowds there!
Budget travel tip: Park at the nearby Blue Mountains Chocolate Company parking lot to avoid paying the Echo Point parking fee. Then walk about ten minutes to the Three Sisters Lookout and the Katoomba Falls hiking trail.
Sublime Point Lookout
If you’re not already exhausted, I recommend stopping at one more lookout to finish off your day in the Blue Mountains. Sublime Point Lookout is located just south of the town of Leura, which is on the way back to Sydney from Katoomba.
It’s just a 15 minute drive from Echo Point Lookout to Sublime Point Lookout.
I personally just love Sublime Point Lookout, so I think it’s worth a stop. It’s a quick, 10-minute walk from the car park to the lookout, which is situated on a rocky headland. It provides stunning views of the Jamison Valley.
Once you’ve soaked in all the views, you can drive home!
Thanks for reading my recommendations for how to spend a day in the Blue Mountains!
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If you’re looking for other fun things to do in Sydney and all around Australia, I also highly recommend checking out East Coast Tours! They have the best itineraries, day trips, and travel advice.
To read about more of my adventures in Australia, check out these articles:
25 Best Things To Do In Sydney
15 Best Things To Do In Wollongong
Best Things To Do In The Royal National Park
23 Amazing Waterfalls Near Sydney
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I’m going to take your advice and do your one day trip through the Blue Mountains in a hire car.
I just wondered after the first part having left the car at Govetts leap look out and doing the hike. You say to go and have lunch in Blackheath or katoomba . Then go to Katoomba water falls
How do we get to the car
Do we have to walk back to Govetts leap first
Thank you
Amber
Yes you would have to walk back to Govett’s Leap Lookout and get the car! It’s about an hour and 15 minutes walk from Govetts Leap Lookout to Pulpit Rock, so the entire hike is just under 3 hours return. If you want a shorter hike, you could also try the Clifftop Track from Govetts to Evans Lookout, which is only about 2 hours return. There are plenty of signs at the lookout to point you in the right direction!
Hi. I’m planning a trip to Sydney next winter in early June with my family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids age 8 and 10). Can we visit the Blue Mountains on our own without engaging any of the guided tours? If so, how many hours is sufficient to cover the visit to Blue Mountains? We are looking at a more leisure pace visit, and likely not going onto any of the hikes, but more to the various scenic lookout points. Also, we are probably going to drive our way there instead of taking the train / bus. Appreciate if you can advise. Much thanks.
Hello! Yes you could definitely visit without a tour, exploring with a car is the best way! And it just depends on your schedule, as you could easily spend a whole week in the Blue Mountains if you want as there is lots to do. If you just want to check out the lookouts, 1-2 days would be plenty. If you wanted to stay overnight there are lots of cool places in Katoomba or Blackheath. My favorite lookouts in the Blue Mountains are these ones: https://budgettravelwithgabby.com/best-lookouts-in-the-blue-mountains-australia/
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