Located less than two hours drive from Sydney, the Blue Mountains offers spectacular views of untouched natural bushland as well as fascinating rock formations and an abundance of native wildlife. The region is truly a natural wonderland of waterfalls, valleys and indescribable views that stretch to the horizon. There is numerous lookouts, walking tracks and picnic spots where you can just sit and be one with nature or explore the natural beauty of the Australian bush.

Along with the natural beauty of the Blue Mountains, there is also the beauty of country towns and the opportunity to experience many cultural and historic areas. There are many towns you could visit on your visit to the Blue Mountains but the most interesting towns are Katoomba, Blackheath and Leura. There are also plenty of activities for all ages found throughout the Blue Mountains, which include abseiling and mountain bike riding for the adventurous or bushwalking and horse-riding for those who prefer to go a little slower.

As mentioned before Katoomba is a main tourist destination in the Blue Mountains combining spectacular views with a wide variety of accommodation. It is the heart of the Blue Mountains and is where the main attractions of the Blue Mountains are, such as the Scenic Railway, Scenic Skyway, the famous Three Sisters and "The Edge" 3D Maxvision Cinema.

South west of Katoomba on the north western fringe of the National Park are the Jenolan Caves. The nine limestone caves are known as some of the best naturally decorated caves in the world, and you can view the stunning limestone stalagmites and stalactites on several tours of the caves, which run daily.

The little town of Blackheath is the highest point in the Blue Mountains and is a great base for visiting the Grose and Megalong valleys, where there are some superb bushwalks through the National Park as well as magnificent cliff lookouts.

The town of Leura is a charming and picturesque town full of cafes and country stores. Nearby is Gordon Falls Reserve and from here you can take the Cliff Drive between Katoomba and Leura. This is the highlight of any visit to the area and the range of lookouts and views across the Megalong and Jamieson Valleys make this a must see for anyone wanting to experience the full beauty of the area.

New South Wales lies in the temperate zone and the climate is generally free from extremes of heat and cold. The greatest heat is usually experienced in the north west and out back regions of NSW. The coldest region is the Snowy Mountains, where winter frosts and snow are experienced over long periods. Rainfall varies widely over the state, gradually diminishing to an annual average of 180 mm in the far north west.

The climate along the coast is temperate and slightly humid in NSW and the temperatures get cooler the further south you travel along the coast. The deserts of the outback regions experience hot days and cold nights. Irregular floods and droughts occur in the north and western regions, some times due to the El Nino effect.