Blue Mountains sunset tours leave at ten in winter and noon in summer and finish in the last hour of light, from $113 a person. Below is what each one covers; underneath, why the timing works and who it does not suit.
Ten in winter, noon in summer, from the kerb outside the Mercure on George Street. Guided bushwalks at Wentworth Falls, then the last hour of light at Lincoln's Rock. Park fees and a nine-language audio guide are in the fare.
From $113 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Two to four kilometres of guided walking including the descent to Wentworth Falls, then the Three Sisters at golden hour. Refunds in full if a road or track closure cancels a core part of the day.
From $129 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Ten travellers at most in a twelve-seater, looking for wild kangaroos in the Megalong Valley rather than in a park, and finishing on cheese and wine at a sunset spot. Lunch and every park fee are covered.
From $155 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Free cancellation up to twenty-four hours ahead on all three.
Compare every Blue Mountains tourA day trip that leaves late on purpose. Where the standard coaches depart central Sydney between half past six and half past seven, these leave at ten in winter and noon in summer, and they finish on a west-facing lookout in the last of the light rather than in the Sydney traffic.
That is not a scheduling preference, it is a geographical one. Echo Point faces south. Lincoln's Rock, Sublime Point and Cahill's Lookout face west, and they are the only ones that do anything at sunset. A coach that started at seven in the morning is home before the light is worth having.
The westbound run out of Sydney is at its worst between seven and nine. Leaving at ten or noon removes that entirely, along with the part of a day trip people complain about most.
Every coach reaches Echo Point between ten and midday. These arrive after that, so the Three Sisters come with room at the railing rather than a queue for it.
Each of these holds forty-five minutes or more for the last of the light at a west-facing shelf, which is the one thing on the sheet that cannot be bought any other way.
All three include guided bushwalking rather than lookout stops alone: two to four kilometres on formed trail, including the descent at Wentworth Falls on two of them.
| Late departure | Early coach | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 10am winter, noon summer | 6:30–7:30am |
| Returns | After dark; up to 10pm in high summer | About 6pm |
| Echo Point | Mid-afternoon, quiet | Late morning, busiest hour |
| Scenic World | Not on any of them | Included on several |
| Wildlife park | Not on any of them | Included on several |
| Walking | 2–4km guided, on all three | Varies; one has none at all |
| From | From $113 | From $86 |
The trade is stark and worth stating: you are swapping the paid attractions for the light and the quiet. If Scenic World and a koala are why you are coming, this is the wrong kind of day.
Compare Blue Mountains sunset tours and early day trips
The start time moves with daylight saving, because the whole day is built backwards from sunset. Take it from your confirmation rather than from memory, and expect it to change between the month you book and the month you travel.
Plan the evening loosely. In high summer one of these returns as late as ten at night, and the operator warns cruise passengers specifically to check their ship's departure first. Bring a warm layer for the lookout: Katoomba runs about five degrees below Sydney by day and closer to six after dark — the weather page has the monthly figures.
Anyone with a child under six, on all three. Anyone who needs step-free access, since none of these three states it and one rules out wheelchair users outright. And anyone whose evening is spoken for, because the return time is the least predictable thing here.
If you want the rides and the animals, the all-inclusive coach day carries a full Scenic World pass, a wildlife park and lunch and is back in Sydney by six. If you want the walking without the late finish, the waterfall walk day leaves at half past seven and does the descent properly. A sunset departure is for people who want the light more than the list.
The three late tours, side by side with the early coach days. Free cancellation up to twenty-four hours ahead.
See all Blue Mountains tours