BLUE MOUNTAINS Nov 2021

S t u n n i n g T racks and Trail s

The Blue Mountains - an Iconic Australian Destination Just a stone’s throw from bustling , this stunning region is a day-tripper’s paradise for good reason, but let us take you beyond the main tourist spots and viewing platforms. Let us take you into the forests, immersed in the beauty that others look at from afar. Let us lead you to the lookouts with no crowds and the views accessible only by bike, foot and local knowledge. Let us take you on a tour with achievable distances, measured terrain and solid surfaces. With great accommodation and food in villages dwarfed by the grandeur of their surroundings. Let us take you on the AllTrails Blue Mountains Tracks & Trails Tour.

The Tour at a Glance Dates: 13-20 Nov 2021 (7 nights) Difficulty Rating: 6/10 Distance: 250 km approx Average Daily: 50km Bike Type: Mountain Bike E-bike: Welcome. A great ride for a MTB e-bike Terrain: Undulating, some hills, no extreme MTB terrain Surface: Varies per trail from packed gravel to single track Group Size: Small group tour, approx 15 Accom: Heritage listed, elegant Grand Hotels Meals: 7 bfast, 3 m/tea, 1 lunch, 6 dinners Weather: November monthly average is 20 degrees

Don’t have a mountain bike? No problem – we can source a hire bike for you (including pickup and return). No MTB experience required for this tour, just a bit of training in the lead-up (ask us for the training plan).

Highlights • A cycling experience with full comfort & support • Grand, heritage-listed accommodation • Spectacular iconic Australian landscapes and scenery • Famous tourist attractions and hidden gems • Cycling guide with maps and directions • Transfers to each trail with full time support vehicle • ‘’ entry included • entry included • Extensive coverage of Blue Mountains cycling trails • Plenty of time to enjoy short walks and other attractions • Longer and shorter ride options (or take a day off) • Small group camaraderie with like-minded people

Let us take care of everything so you can relax, ride and soak up the beauty of the surroundings. Join AllTrails in 2021 on a new tour to the Blue Mountains

With our two accommodation bases at Katoomba and Jenolan, the AllTrails crew will take cyclists out each day to a new trail, exploring every corner of the Blue Mountains region. We make the experience as smooth as possible, allowing cyclists to enjoy unsurpassed scenery and charming townships by day, with quality food and grand accommodation by night. This trip is sure to create long-lasting memories of your time in this incredibly special place.

Heritage Listed Accommodation Jenolan Caves

Pricing AUD Until 13 Jun 2021 Until 13 Sep 2021 After 13 Sep 2021 Twin share $3670 pp $3770 pp $3870 pp Single room $4330 $4430 $4530 Included: • All accommodation (7 nights) • Transfers from/to Sydney • Snacks, water and fruit on the trails • Support & safety vehicles • Cycling guide and driver guides • Daily maps & directions • Bike mechanical assistance • Rider Pack: jersey, bottle, bag • Jenolan Caves entry & tour • Scenic World entry • All National Park and trail entry fees • Meals: 7 bfast, 3 m/tea, 1 lunch, 6 dinners

Payment Schedule: • Deposit on booking ($400) • Progress Payment 30 days after deposit (40% of package cost less deposit paid) • Balance 13 Sep 2021 (2 months before the tours begin) Travelling on your own Early bookers can book a twin share package and we will partner you up with somebody else of the same gender travelling on their own. This offer closes on 13 Aug 2021 – after this date contact us to see if we can match you, if not the single room price will apply. Travelling with friends $60 pp discount for groups of 3 or more cyclists.

Optional Extras Bike hire: We can arrange bike hire including collection and return. Indicative pricing: Hardtail MTB approx. $350-450; E-MTB approx. $700 Bike transport from/to Melbourne: We can take your bike from our office in Melbourne to the start of the ride and back to our office again after the ride to save you travelling with it. $60 per bike. Bike packaging carriage: Most local cyclists bring their bikes not packaged, those travelling on a plane generally bring their bike in a cardboard bike carton. There is no charge for either of these options. If you have a soft bike bag or hard case, we can carry them in our vehicles for the duration of the tour for the following fees: • Collapsible cardboard carton $0 (no charge) • Soft foldable bike bag ($3/day) $21 • Hard case or unfoldable bag/carton ($5/day) $35

Terms and Conditions. Full terms and conditions for each ride are available by clicking the ‘Book This Tour’ button on our website page for this tour. These terms and conditions will also be sent to you with your confirmation email after booking. Getting to and from the tour Getting there AllTrails transfer (included in tour price). Get yourself to Sydney on Friday 12 Nov and find a hotel near to Sydney Central Station, near the end of Pitt St & George St. (Mercure, Rendezvous, Novotel). We have a bus leaving early Saturday morning approx 7:30am (1.5 hr drive). Drive your own car. You may want to drive your own car to Katoomba and meet us there. Coming Home AllTrails transfer (included in tour price). Our bus transfer will head back to Sydney Central Station after a late breakfast on Saturday 20 Nov, via Katoomba and Glenwood. Approx 3 hour drive, arriving Sydney 2pm approx. It is possible to fly out of Sydney that evening however we suggest evening flights after 5pm (and make sure that you have travel insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances). Drive your own car. If you drove your own car to Katoomba you can also drive it to Jenolan or leave it in Katoomba and we will drop you back to your car on the way through to Sydney.

Training for the tour For this tour you need to be a reasonably regular cyclist – not necessarily fast, but consistent. You certainly don’t need to be a MTB specialist or have much MTB experience, although you will need to be comfortable riding on uneven gravel surfaces. We do suggest that road centric cyclists make an effort to do some training off-road. Aim to build your kilometres in training to be on the bike for several hours for two days straight, covering approximately 40-50km each day (off-road). We have a training schedule specific to this tour which we send to you after you place your deposit, however we are more than happy to send this to you earlier when you are considering the tour – just ask us for a copy and we will get it out to you straight away.

Training Locations: If you haven’t done much MTB cycling in the past (or even if you have), here are a few places you can go to get in some practice before coming along on our tour. Melbourne: You Yangs, Lysterfield Park Sydney: Wylde MTB Trail, Westleigh / H2O MTB Trails, Canberra: Mt Majura Brisbane: Mt Coot-tha (and more) Adelaide: Belair NP (and more) Perth: Goat Farm (and more) Hobart/TAS: Maydena Bike Park, Blue Derby

Itinerary Daily distances are set out below. Shorter distances and support vehicle also available. Meals and Accommodation inclusions. Breakfast = B, Lunch = L, Dinner = D, Accommodation = A

Location Distance Date Overnight B L D A

Hanging Rock Trail & Great Blue Mtns Trail 41km Sat 13 November 2021 Katoomba - - D A Mt Hay Rd & Great Blue Mtns Trail 45km Sun 14 November 2021 Katoomba B - D A Wentworth Falls to Woodford & Oaks Trail 51km Mon 15 November 2021 Katoomba B - D A Narrow Neck Trail & Anderson Trail 60km Tue 16 November 2021 Katoomba B - - A Visit Scenic World, transfer to Jenolan NA Wed 17 November 2021 Jenolan B - D A Rest day in Jenolan, caves visit NA Thu 18 November 2021 Jenolan B - D A Boyd River Loop & Mt Emperor Loop 53km Fri 19 November 2021 Jenolan B L D A Transfer back to Sydney NA Sat 20 November 2021 B - - -

Total Distance Cycled 250km 7 1 6 7 Average Daily Distance 50km Itinerary cont. Hanging Rock Trail & Great Blue Mtns Trail 41km Saturday Day 1. We will be taking a bus transfer this morning from Sydney Central Station. It’s an early start (approx 7:30am) so for those from outside Sydney, we suggest staying in a hotel on Friday night within easy walking distance. If you prefer to drive your car, we can meet you in Katoomba. After arriving at our impressive Katoomba accommodation we hold an orientation & safety briefing and head out for our first day of cycling to the Hanging Rock Trail, just out of town. Enjoy a day of fantastic gorge views with multiple lookouts and viewing areas across the ‘Grose Wilderness’ area of the National Park. The trail follows a ridge leading to a dramatic rocky bluff - you will not be disappointed with the scenery on Day 1! After lunch at Blackheath we take the Great Blue Mountains Trail back to Katoomba town, check in to the hotel and relax for the afternoon. Dinner tonight will be a great chance to get to know the crew and your fellow cyclists as we share our first group dinner together in the Grand Dining Room at our hotel. Welcome to the Blue Mountains.

Mt Hay Rd & Great Blue Mtns Trail 45km Sunday Day 2. This morning after a hearty breakfast (included daily), we ride out from the hotel via Leura, up the scenic, unsealed Mount Hay Rd which hugs the National Park Boundary. It’s not just the stunning views to look out for today - keep an eye out for the flora and fauna including the magnificent wildflowers. At the end of the road we park up the bikes for the short hike to the summit, offering more spectacular views out to . We return via Leura for lunch, then stop by the world famous ‘Three Sisters’ and ‘Echo Point’ before arriving back at the hotel. Our second group dinner tonight is at a quirky and unique restaurant in town.

Wentworth Falls to Woodford & Oaks Trail 51km Monday Day 3. Today begins with a short transfer to Wentworth Falls and a brisk morning walk around the beautiful falls. It’s a great way to start the day and prepare you for another magnificent day on the bike. The Ingar trail undulates through heath and open forest as it winds its way to Ingar Campground then further on to Woodford where we break for lunch. After refuelling we take the Woodford-Oaks Trail through a woodland canopy that opens up regularly revealing dazzling views across the landscape. At the end of the ride we arrive in Glenbrook and we still feel like we are in the middle of the forest, but actually we are just 10km from central Penrith and 60km from central Sydney. From here AllTrails will transfer you back to Katoomba where we have another group dinner, this time in the award-winning Old City Bank Brasserie.

Narrow Neck Trail & Anderson Trail 60km Tuesday Day 4. This morning, we again set out directly from the hotel to Narrow Neck Trail. Here we have another stunning trail with spectacular views across the landscape, complete with beautiful wildflowers and native birdlife. At its narrowest section, cliffs fall away on either side of the trail with on one side and the on the other. The end of the trail offers up vast views once again - this time out to the Wild Dog Mountains. After heading back to Katoomba for lunch, we transfer cyclists out to Queen Victoria Sanitarium to ride Andersons Trail to Woodford. This track is rated more difficult than other trails in the area so feel free to hang out in Katoomba after lunch if you would prefer an easier, relaxed afternoon. Tonight is our last night in Katoomba. Now that you are armed with local knowledge and a plethora of good restaurants to choose from, it’s time for you to explore town at your own discretion and expense. Have a great night out!

Visit Scenic World, transfer to Jenolan Wednesday Day 5. There is no official cycling today (although you can if you prefer) as we pay a visit to ‘Scenic World’ which has a range of experiences found nowhere else on Earth. We will take in panoramic views with a return trip between clifftops on the Scenic Skyway and descend into the Jamison Valley on the Scenic Railway, the world’s steepest train. We will stroll under the canopy of an extraordinary temperate rainforest on the Scenic Walkway, and glide past ancient sandstone cliffs, the Three Sisters & Orphan Rock on the Scenic Cableway. Either relax over an extended long lunch or tick off the last local walks or rides on your list before we head for Jenolan. Arriving in the picturesque mountain hamlet via the immensely impressive Grand Archway, we will have time to settle into our new rooms, perhaps take a short stroll, then convene at the bar for drinks before dinner in the Grand Dining room. Wow, what a day!

Rest day in Jenolan, caves visit Thursday Day 6. Today is set aside for enjoying our historic hotel - one of the icons of the Blue Mountains - and exploring Jenolan, with many great short walks to enjoy along with the famous caves. Try the scenic Track, a gorgeous riverside amble through pristine wilderness passing by the surreal Blue Lake, a waterhole beneath the Grand Arch that is famous for its vibrant colour and resident platypus. A visit to the Imperial Caves is included in the cost of our tour and we will take that visit this morning. The fantastic caves include large chambers and a wide variety of colourful features, including underground rivers. Plenty of time is available in the afternoon to relax or choose your own further adventures. Dinner together again tonight after a magnificent day exploring an incredibly special place.

Boyd River Loop & Mt Emperor Loop 41km or 53km Friday Day 7. After two days exploring the villages of the Blue Mountains, today we are back on the bike! The Boyd River Loop is a gently rolling circuit including the stunning Kanangra Walls Lookout, the beautiful Morong Falls (with natural swimming hole) and plenty of wildlife to keep an eye out for. For those who are keen for a bigger challenge today, there is an extra circuit around the scenic 12km Mount Emperor Loop trail, but either way we all end up back at the Boyd River Campground for a well-deserved, traditional Aussie bush BBQ lunch to wrap up our cycling for the week. Back to Jenolan this evening for one final celebration dinner to toast the week in the Blue Mountains.

Transfer back to Sydney Saturday Day 8. After our final breakfast you’ll have time for one last stroll through town - perhaps pick up a coffee and read the paper in the morning sun - before we head back to Sydney via Katoomba and Glenwood, where we will stop for lunch. Final arrival time in Sydney approx 2pm. What a week and what a spectacular part of the country.

Frequently asked Questions

Feel free to contact us at any time through our website ‘Contact Us’ page, phone or email. We love what we do and want to get you on the best bike ride for you. Speak to us about what’s on your mind and we’ll help you make your decision.

What sort of bike do I need? Just a regular hardtail mountain bike is best for this tour. The terrain and surface will vary from trail to trail, but a hardtail MTB will cover them all.

Do I need to be an experienced mountain bike rider? You don’t need to be a MTB specialist or have much MTB experience, although you will need to be comfortable riding on uneven gravel surfaces. We do suggest that road centric cyclists make an effort to do some training off-road (see ‘training’ information). There are some varied levels of difficulty over the week on the trails, however the vast majority are easy to medium grade and any that are more difficult are optional.

Sharing rooms – how does it work On the online entry form you can nominate any travelling companions who you would like to share a room with. This can be in a double bed or twin beds. If you are travelling alone like many of our riders, a Single Supplement price is available for those who would like their own room for the whole trip. On some tours you can also choose to ‘twin share’ where solo riders are paired with other riders of the same gender (often changed during the tour to allow solo travellers to meet other solo travellers). If you are a snorer, early riser, or have other habits that may affect your fellow roommates we ask that you book your own room at the Single Supplement price. If you are coming on your own and have booked in as twin share, this usually means that you will share a room with one other solo twin share cyclist or crew member, however in some cases we may have larger rooms (eg. two-bedroom apartment or a B&B/house with multiple bathrooms) where we may have 3 or more solo twin share travellers together.

Snorers can enjoy their own room If you are a chronic snorer, early riser or have other habits that may affect your fellow roommates we suggest booking your own room (single supplement cost). This is not just a courtesy to your fellow travelling companions but will also give you the space and privacy you need to enjoy your sleep after a long day on the bike.

Carrying personal items on the bike We suggest you carry a spare tube, a full water bottle and your own personal goods such as phone, money and rain gear, on your bike with you. We transport your luggage, drawstring day bags, food & extra water. A more detailed list of things to bring and not bring is on our ‘Tour Preparation Guide’ which is sent out to you before the ride.

Meals and food Always a big part of any cycling holiday! Check tour details for meal inclusions on your ride. Our emphasis is on fresh food and balanced diet with plenty of carbohydrates, proteins, fruit and vegies catering for a cycling holiday. We successfully cater to most dietary requirements, however feel free to contact us with any questions. Most meals are included as part of our tours; however you may be required to purchase some meals.

Speak to a past client We are happy to give you the names and telephone numbers of people who have participated in the ride or a similar ride to the one which you are considering. Where possible we will provide you with the details of someone within your state. Another good place to look is our ‘Testimonials’ page.

Changing or cancelling a tour Should you wish to change your booking with AllTrails to a different tour, there will be a very reasonable service charge. We try to keep this figure as low as possible to allow flexibility where we can as we want to make sure that you get on the right tour for you. If you need to cancel your tour, a travel insurance policy will cover cancellation fees due to most unforeseen events. This is why we provide links to travel insurance options and highly recommend that you investigate and purchase travel insurance for all our rides (including Australian domestic tours) at the time of deposit and ensure that it includes coverage for cancellation fees if for some reason you are not able to travel (see Travel Insurance FAQ). For our international tours we require all participants to have Travel Insurance to assist you in the event of a medical emergency, lost baggage, personal liability, cancelled tour or other trip-related issues. For cancellation and refund policies for your tour click the ‘Book This Tour’ button on the relevant tour page of our website.

What sorts of people join our tours? People from all parts of Australia and some overseas guests. Ages generally range from 35-85 with the average age about 50-65 years old. Adventurous cyclists usually about 40% women & 60% men with a mix of singles, friends and couples.

Non-riding partners and part-time cyclists We realise that often our riders want to spend their holidays with loved ones who may not be a keen cyclist as they are - we are happy to accommodate non-riding partners and part-timers who only want to ride part of each day, or only certain days. We will generally try to allocate pickup points along the route every day. The entry price will be the same for part-time riders, while non-rider prices will be dependent on their tour plan.

Frequently asked Questions cont.

Support vehicle Our support vehicle is there to support the tour and to pick up riders who need to jump in for any reason. The bus is also sometimes used for part-time riders who only ride certain sections of each day – these are often partners of someone else on the ride. This vehicle can be quite popular on some days – especially long days or days with big hills! There is no shame in riding in this bus so if you are considering a tour and are ‘in the ball-park’ in terms of your fitness and preparedness, but not 100% sure if you will be up to it on the toughest days, just go for it – our vehicle and staff will be there to help out. It’s better to give it a try than to miss out altogether. If you feel that you are extremely far off the fitness level required and cannot commit to the training that will get you fit in time then you may be better off booking a later ride or a different type of tour – just give us a call or email to discuss.

Bike mechanical assistance provided A staff member with good bike mechanical knowledge will be part of our crew and will have a stand pump for different valves. We will have limited parts available for replacement which will be charged at shop prices. Labour is free for the first fifteen minutes, there after costs may be incurred at the mechanic’s discretion. Cyclists with rare or different bikes are asked to contact us at AllTrails as parts can often be difficult to obtain.

Packing tips We recommend you bring a soft bag or backpack if possible, rather than a suitcase which can be bulky, difficult to stow on board vehicles and heavy. You may be required to lift or carry your own luggage from time to time, e.g. into accommodation. We expect your bag to be no heavier than 15kg, making it easy to manage for you and the staff. Any excess luggage may need to be stored or forwarded on to your destination at your own expense. Information about what to pack is included as part of your pre-departure information. Generally, we advise that you pack as light as possible.

Weather We can’t control the weather of course, however, our tours have been specifically scheduled to take into consideration the best time of year to travel to each destination. This considers the temperate range, possible rainfall, and the prevailing winds. For more specific weather and climate information visit the bureau of meteorology or for our international tours visit world weather.

IMPORTANT - Insurance Obtaining appropriate insurance is your (very important) responsibility. Travel Insurance, even for trips within Australia • When you consider the cost of cancelling your tour if something goes wrong before or during your travel, insurance is good protection. • International travellers should always have a comprehensive travel insurance. • You should also have travel insurance for domestic travel - usually considerably cheaper than international. • Purchase your travel insurance as soon as you have booked your tour and your travel – don’t wait until just before you go. • Some credit card travel insurances do not apply to domestic Australian travel – check with your provider. • There are lots of travel insurance providers – cyclists should do their own research to ensure they are covered adequately. • Here are two options as an example: travelinsurancedirect.com.au/ 1cover.com.au/ Cyclist insurance for accidents and medical Cyclist Insurance is different to Travel Insurance and is often included as part of cycling memberships such as Bicycle Network or Bicycle Queensland or can be bought separately. Cycling can be a dangerous activity and you should be prepared for the worst. If you have an accident in training for the tour or on the tour itself cyclist insurance can help with medical, income protection and third-party coverage.

Why book with us? We only run 10-15 tours per year, always adding fresh destinations each year. This makes every tour as special to us as it is to you because we are not operating the same rides repeatedly week-in week-out and we are just as excited to be there as you. On most occasions the owner-operators of the business will be on tour with you and the reassurance that comes with that is one of many great reasons to have confidence in booking your cycling holiday with us.

We are a proud Australian-owned company, with the privilege of taking cyclists to the small towns and communities all over the country, supporting regional economies and offering cyclists the opportunity to experience the hospitality of Australia outside the big cities. We have earned a top reputation in the cycle tour industry through hard work, dedication and genuine care for every person on every tour. Our longevity in the industry and large community of loyal AllTrails clients who keep coming back year after year are testament to the high standard of tours that we provide. We consider ourselves the best in the business and we always make sure that our tours represent a high-quality product at a fair price.