Spend a weekend exploring the Blue Mountains
Baltzer Lookout
The Blue Mountains, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area covers over a million hectares. Importantly, it’s land that is deeply significant to the Gundungurra and Darug peoples, who have lived here for tens of thousands of years. You can still see rock art, engravings, and sacred sites scattered throughout the region.
Just a couple hours outside of Sydney, the Blue Mountains feel like a whole different world — think dramatic cliffs, eucalyptus forests that go on forever, and that dreamy blue haze that gives the region its name. Whether you’re into hiking, chasing waterfalls, or just want a cozy weekend getaway with mountain views and good coffee, the Blue Mountains pretty much has it all. It’s the kind of place that makes you slow down, breathe a little deeper, and remember how good it feels to be surrounded by nature.
It’s the ideal place to go offline. Here’s our weekend itinerary as first-timers exploring the Blue Mountains…
Cahill’s Lookout / Boar’s Head Lookout
5:35pm - Late Arrival
So we drove 10 hours from Melbourne to spend the Easter long weekend here - dedication, I know. The moment we drove into Katoomba, I was struck by how civilised the town was - restaurants, shops, cafes, beautiful houses in streets lined with Autumn colours. This is comparing to Halls Gap in Victoria which is beautiful, just feels more regional, versus Katoomba as well as the surrounding towns, Leura and Blackheath, that felt like another metro suburb in Sydney.
We rushed through the town to Cahill’s Lookout / Boar’s Head Lookout just in time for sunset. The lookout is a short walk from the roadside parking. I always appreciate the collective hush of people who are gathering for a sunset, like a mutual agreement between strangers to “stfu and enjoy this peace”. The sun melted and soon we were wrapped by the dreamy blue haze spreading across the mountain silhouettes. It was a stunning intro for us first-timers!
DAY ONE
11:30am - Wentworth Falls Track
Unfortunately, we are just not morning people and despite knowing the Easter weekend crowds, we could not get up for a sunrise hike as planned. We left Sinofield Edu Retreat, our affordable stay for the 3 nights, and headed for our first destination.
As a first-time explorer in the Blue Mountains, Wentworth Falls track is an absolute must. It's one of those hikes that ticks all the boxes—epic views, lush rainforest vibes, and the reward of a massive waterfall. We started at the Wentworth Falls picnic area, passing lookouts with sweeping views over the Jamison Valley, before descending down a series of steep steps carved into the cliffside.
1:30pm - Base of Wentworth Falls
The actual Wentworth Falls cascades over 100 meters into the valley below 📸 watch the Reel here. You can either stop at the top for the view or go down 200 steep steps to the base via the National Pass. The stairs were challenging, but doable for most people with a moderate level of fitness. It was pretty much a month’s worth of leg day for us.
My first sighting of the waterfall honestly took my breath away. It was so majestic, especially in the way that the sunlight was hitting the waterfall, it looked like a thousand diamond droplets gushing down. The photos and videos could not do it justice.
3:00pm - Katoomba Falls
Onto the next waterfall! Katoomba Falls is a super accessible spot just a short walk from the Three Sisters. Unfortunately, it was absolutely packed with tourists (Easter Saturday). When a destination gets like this, we usually lose motivation to take any photos and just embrace the place for what it is.
3:45pm - Minehaha Falls
At this point, we have obviously committed to a full day of waterfall chasing in the Blue Mountains. I mean, the destination is described as a waterfall lover’s dream so we thought to best pack in what we could in our 2 days here.
We headed for Minnehaha Falls (what a cute name!), a picturesque hidden gem that cascades over sandstone cliffs into a serene, emerald-green pool. In the summer, it’s supposed to be a popular spot for a refreshing swim.
The trail to Minnehaha Falls is approximately 2.5 km return and is considered an easy to moderate walk. It meanders through native bushland along Yosemite Creek and the final stretch includes a descent via steep staircases, equipped with handrails for safety, leading to the base of the falls.
Spot Minehaha Falls in the backgroud?
5:15pm - Mount Victoria
I was definitely looking forward to this one. Sunset Rock Lookout in Mount Victoria is a hidden gem that offers sweeping views over the Kanimbla Valley and Victoria Pass, making it an ideal spot to catch the sun dipping below the horizon.
The lookout is accessible via a short walking track from the end of Beaufort Avenue. Just be very mindful of the residents here as most had bins out on their driveways to prevent tourists from backing in or parking. It's best to park at the top of Beaufort Avenue where it joins Grand View Road, then walk down to the end of the street where the track begins.
The trail is super easy and takes about 4 minutes to get to the lookout. A tranquil setting to end our long day, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Blue Mountains.
DAY TWO
10:15am - Elysian Rock
Another sunrise call that we never got up for. Nevertheless, we headed out to Elysian Rock Lookout, another hidden gem in Leura, right next to Katoomba, offering some of the most breathtaking views in the Blue Mountains. From here, you can get panoramic vistas over the Jamison Valley, with sights stretching out to Mount Solitary, Narrow Neck, and even the back of the Three Sisters. It's an ideal location for both sunrise and sunset.
Accessing Elysian Rock is relatively straightforward. The lookout is part of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk and can be reached via a short 200-meter return walk from Olympian Parade. The trail leads you through native bushland and across the charming Buttenshaw Bridge.
Buttonshaw Bridge
Spot the back of the Three Sisters?
11:30am - Leura and Mountain High Pies
We were still quite exhausted from the previous day so headed to Leura to rest our legs and get lunch before our next big hike in the afternoon. Leura is the kind of town that feels like stepping into a charming storybook - tree-lined streets, historic cottages, and beautiful gardens, with a mix of old-world charm and a touch of modern flair.
The main street, Leura Mall, is lined with boutique shops and cozy cafés, great for a leisurely stroll. There is also Everglades Gardens, an Italian-style garden which we missed visiting.
After wandering in and out of the boutiques on Leura Mall, we headed to Mountain High Pies for lunch, courtesy of Les’ thorough TikTok research suggesting that it was the best pies you could get in the Blue Mountains. Sold, of course. We filled up on three delicious flaky pies (Lamb, Beef & Guinness, Chicken & Mushroom) and headed off, bellies satisfied.
1:30pm - Three Sisters via Echo Point
According to Aboriginal Dreamtime legend, the Three Sisters—named Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo—were three sisters from the Katoomba tribe who fell in love with three brothers from a neighboring tribe. But tribal law forbade them from marrying, which led to a fierce battle between the two groups.
To protect the sisters, a tribal elder turned them into stone using a magical bone. But before he could reverse the spell, he was killed in the battle, and the bone was lost—leaving the sisters frozen in stone forever. Today, they stand as the iconic sandstone formations overlooking the Jamison Valley.
Beyond the legend, the Three Sisters are a symbol of the deep connection that Aboriginal people have with the land. The story reflects themes of love, loss, protection, and the powerful forces of nature—core elements of Aboriginal spirituality and storytelling.
The site itself is sacred, a place of ancestral memory and cultural significance. When visiting, be mindful to approach with respect, acknowledging the Traditional Owners and their ongoing connection to Country.
For such an iconic location, we sadly spent about 5 minutes here which basically involved walking up to the lookout platform, admiring the sisters, snapped a photo and onto the next. Echo Point was packed with tourists and tour busses.
2:30pm - Burramoko Ridge (Hanging Rock) trail / Baltzer Lookout
Burramoko Ridge (Hanging Rock) Trail is a scenic 10 km return hike or mountain bike ride located in the Blackheath area of the Blue Mountains. This trail is a moderately challenging journey through heathland and open forest, culminating in breathtaking views of the Grose Valley and the iconic Hanging Rock.
It’s safe to say that we were hardly prepared for this 3 hour return hike, but it happened and we have zero regrets. The views were absolutely incredible.
The actual Hanging Rock is quite sketchy to access so please do this at your own risk. Akin to its name, the ridge literally hangs off the main cliffside where you need to jump over a sizeable gap to get onto the ridge. If you lost your footing, you would literally fall to your death or get seriously injured with little hope of rescue. It is dangerous and many hikers turned around to stay on the main cliffside. Les was extremely confident that he would make it across so here are the snaps.
11:00am - Driving home…
Not exactly… we had one more stop! Back to Boar’s Head Lookout to catch the view in daylight and get a few more snaps. There is much, much more to do in the Blue Mountains and regrettably, this was all we could fit into our 2 day itinerary. Until next time, Blue Mountains!
