I have been lucky enough to visit the Blue Mountains twice in the last six months so I thought it was high time I wrote a blog about this stunning part of New South Wales, Australia. I recently got to spend two days here with some awesome photographers thanks to Visit NSW. There are still so many awesome places to experience and photograph as it is one massive area but these are my top 7 favourite must see spots. Lets get started…
7. Mt Portal, Blue Mountains
Mt Portal is a lookout perched a top the lower ridge of Blue Mountains National Park. It offers magical views over the Nepean River and Glenbrook Gorge. Its a great base for thrill seekers who love abseiling or climbing. It is a long dirt road to get to the lookout but nothing a decent car can’t handle.
6. Princes Rock Lookout, Blue Mountains National Park
If you head towards Wentworth Falls and park in the car park, halfway along the sidewalk there is a track to Princes Rock Lookout. You can get spectacular views of Wentworth Falls from here including stunning views over the valley floor. This whole area is filled with gorgeous walks to a lot of different sections of the Blue Mountains National Park. You could literally spend a week exploring this amazing part of the Blue Mountains.
5. Sylvia Falls, The Valley of the Waters
Sylvia Falls located in The Valley of the Waters is one stunningly beautiful waterfall that you find after walking down what feels like a thousands steps. After passing by Empress Falls you will come across Sylvia Falls. You can keep exploring further passed Sylvia Falls to find some more waterfalls but I didn’t have time to check those out. I will just have to make another trip back to this beautiful part of Australia again soon. The walk back up is not for the faint hearted either. I was a bit sore the next day to be honest but it was so worth it to see this gorgeous area.
4. Empress Falls, The Valley of the Waters
Empress Falls is the first waterfall that you come across on The Valley of the Waters walk. A majestic 30 metre cascade of water that flows though a canyon and out into the Jamison Valley. This is a great place to do some canyoning if you are into that sort of thing. If not, its great just to watch people canyoning down the face of the waterfall. I really thought Queensland had all the best waterfalls in Australia but these two are right up there with the best of them!
3. Three Sisters, Blue Mountains
The iconic three sisters can be viewed from a few different places throughout the Blue Mountains. I even sat on one of them when I was on a school excursion at age 11. A great way to view them is from the Scenic Skyway at Scenic World. Suspended 270 metres above ancient ravines, the Skyway provides a unique thrill as breathtaking views are revealed beneath your feet through the electro-glass cabin floor. With 360° views, the 720 metre journey provides the best views of Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters, and Jamison Valley stretching to the horizon.
Another great viewpoint of the Three Sisters is from Echo Point. Unfortunately they were covered in fog the day I was there so I have re-added it to the list of places to go back and see!
2. Lincolns Rock, Blue Mountains
Lincolns Rock is a gigantic flat rock (also known as flat rock) hanging over the Jamieson Valley. It is a stunning place to watch the sun go down and watch the ever changing colours of the rocks and valley below. There is also a really cool cave below the main shelf that faces West. There is a track down and around the side of the shelf though so please don’t attempt to climb down the face of the cliff.
1. Govetts Leap Lookout, Blue Mountains National Park
Govetts Leap Lookout is my Number 1 favourite spot in the Blue Mountains. Especially at sunrise. If you are lucky enough, the Grose valley will be filled with fog as the sun rises over the ancient mountains. Once the sun hits the cliffs you see the beautiful colours of the sandstone appear. And if you look to your right you get views of the 180 metre Bridal Veil Falls (also known as Govetts Leap Falls). It really is a beautiful way to bring in the morning. There are plenty of walks that you can do from Govetts Leap Lookout including Evans Lookout and Pulpit Rock. Bear in mind these walks can take 2-3 hours one way. There is a shorter walk to Bridal Veil Falls which takes about an hour.
And that concludes the 7 must see spots in the Blue Mountains. I still have so much more to see and explore in this stunning part of Australia. I look forward to the next time I visit and what other gems I will discover.
Big thanks to Visit NSW for having me. This was a sponsored stay but as always, all opinions are my own.
NOTE: Visit NSW does not condone or encourage sitting or standing on the edge of cliffs. Any photos depicting this was at the risk of Larissa Dening.
Have you been to the Blue Mountains? What were your favourite places to visit? I would love to know, so leave a comment below.
I think the last time I visited the Blue Mountains was in high school… which is a long time ago!!! Definitely time to revisit and you’ve given me 7 great reasons to do so! Fantastic collections of photos Larissa! Very inspiring!
Thanks so much Steve. You definitely should visit again soon. Its such a beautiful and photogenic part of Australia. 🙂
Stunning Larissa! Going to have to head to the Blue Mountains now!! All the spots look amazing but Mt Portal in particular looks epic! Did you have a favourite spot? Great shots as always!! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Andrew. I think my favourite spot was watching sunrise from Govetts Leap. I would love to go back and do some walks around there! 🙂
Whoa what an amazing place Larissa, those views are stunning! Going to have to add the Blue Mountains to my bucket list! The Valley of the Waters walk looks like a must do!!
P.S Beautiful shots!!!
Thanks so much for reading Ella. I hope you get to visit the Blue Mountains real soon. It’s such a beautiful part of Australia and yes you will love the Valley of the Waters! 🙂
There are so many places in this amazing country of ours that I have visited many times as a child, one of them being the Blue Mountains, and I was never able to truly appreciate their beauty and immense wonder….After seeing such spectacular and awesomely beautiful images like yours I need to get out there are see these places once more, through the eyes of adult, filled with the inspiration and visions of beauty created by you Larissa. Your images of this amazing part of our country are beyond incredible and I’m blessed to see them, and so thankful to have this opportunity to see such beauty. Thank you once again
Aww, thanks so much for the lovely comment Anthony. Im so glad that you enjoyed the blog and I renewed your inspiration to discover all these amazing places as an adult. You wont be disappointed by visiting the Blue Mountains. I feel like I only just scratched the surface of this vast expanse of beauty! I hope you get the chance to visit it really soon! 🙂
I love these phenomenal photos! I’ll be visiting the Blue Mountains this Saturday and it was super helpful! What time did you go at? I love the sunset photos. Stunning!
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Aww, thanks so much for the kind words Riley. I was in the Blue Mountains at the end of April. Its such a stunning place any time of year though. I hope you get some fantastic light and shots! 🙂
Hello, just wondering how you get to the cave at Lincolns rock? Is it near the brick wall cave? Thank you!
Hi, If you walk straight across the rock from the car park and down to the left almost at the end you will come around to the front of rock at the front. If you look up you will see the cave. You have to climb up into it! 🙂
Hey Larissa, thanks for showing me these wonderful spots! I’m a traveller from Germany and I will definitely visit the blue mountains this Sunday. Do you think 1 day is enough to see all these spots you mentioned?
Hi Amir, You should be able to see most of them in 1 day! Its such beautiful place and there is so much too see. I hope you have a great time! 🙂
Hi Larissa, My last disappointing trip to Blue Mountain was 27 years ago, it was fog everywhere, my family and me could not see anything..I have been in Sydney- Horsley Park in last 35 days, I wanted to take beautiful pictures of the mountain on Sun Rise and Sun Set..It is raining last few days, I hope to do it on coming Friday- 8th July 2022 driving from North Ryde at 4am..Where is the best spots that I can take beautiful Pictures on Sun Rise and Sun Set…Thank You Very much, Appreciate!
Hi Allen, sorry for the delayed reply on this. You have most likely done you’re trip by now! As I wrote in my blog Govetts Leap lookout for sunrise and sunset at Lincoln rock I think are the best places.