NATURE AND WILDLIFE IN SYDNEY AND NSW With an impressive list of vital statistics that include stunning natural attractions and plenty of ways to enjoy them, NSW is well placed to attract nature-based visitors from around the world. Multi-region AEA Luxury Tours AEA Luxury Tours offers luxury, full-day charter tours of Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley. Designed and personalised for small groups, the flexible itineraries include breathtaking scenery combined with superb fine dining. Overnight and longer charter tours of regional NSW are also available. A new optional activity, breakfast with the koalas is available on any Blue Mountains day tour. Tel: +61 2 9971 2402 www.aealuxury.com.au Breakfast with the koalas Image courtesy of AEA Luxury Tours Australian Luxury Escapes Australian Luxury Escapes offer small group and private touring of Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley. Tailored luxury charters can also be arranged with sailing, fine dining and wildlife options. New to Australian Luxury Escapes is their range of Sydney walking tours. Tel: +61 2 9980 8799 www.australianluxuryescapes.com Australian Wilderness Tours Australian Wilderness Tours operate a collection of extended touring options travelling the NSW North Coast and the Snowy Mountains. These small group tours travel through spectacular landscapes visiting national parks and providing opportunities for short bushwalks and wildlife spotting enroute. Australian Luxury Escapes walking tour Tel: +61 2 6587 7188 Image courtesy of Australian Luxury Escapes www.awtours.com.au Auswalk Walking Holidays Guided itineraries of varying length are available for the novice through to experienced walkers in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Lord Howe Island and the Snowy Mountains, incorporating hiking, snowshoeing and canoeing. Self-guided itineraries are also available. Tel. +61 3 9530 8800 www.auswalk.com.au Kanangra Falls, Blue Mountains Current as at 1 April 2017 Barefoot Downunder Two new tours offer visitors a different perspective on Sydney and beyond. Figure 8 Pools Coastal Adventure Tour travels to the Royal National Park, 45 minutes’-drive south of Sydney. This day tour includes a coastal hike, swimming in natural rock pools and lagoons, visiting beautiful beaches, spotting wildlife and a delicious picnic lunch. Guests require a medium to high level of fitness and tours only operate during low tide, low swell and safe weather conditions. The Blue Mountains Adventure and Hike Tour includes a full day of hiking, sightseeing and animal spotting. Tel: +61 2 9664 8868 Barefoot Downunder www.barefootdownunder.com.au Image courtesy of Barefoot Downunder Beautiful Tours Australia Beautiful Tours Australia specialise in private tours and small charter groups, and offer services for visitors with disabilities and their escorts. Cruise ship visitors are also catered for. The Nature Experience Tour has three options - Hunter Valley wine tasting, Port Stephens dolphin cruise and Jervis Bay dolphin cruise. Sydney tours include a Highlights Tour and various Sydney Walks. Overland tours from Sydney are also available. Tel: +61 447 250 355 www.beautifultoursaustralia.com Coastal Walk, Bondi Boutique Tours Australia & Activity Tours Australia Boutique Tours Australia is a small, family owned tour company based in Sydney. Their experienced and expert guides help visitors uncover regional NSW from a local's perspective whether it is food and wine, spectacular nature, the iconic wildlife or history. Activity Tours Australia offer flexible, great-value, small-group tours (max. 20). Discover the beauty of the Blue Mountains with guided bushwalks and a visit to the Three Sisters. Tel: +61 2 9436 1333 www.activitytours.com.au The Three Sisters, Blue Mountains www.boutiquetoursaustralia.com.au Coast Warriors This Sydney-based tour company, owned and operated by three young Australians, guides visitors to uncover some of Australia’s hidden gems. Travelling in ‘Trudy’, a retro, 22-seater bus, Coast Warriors operates day tours to the Blue Mountains and Port Stephens on a weekly basis. Tel: +61 432 652 845 www.coastwarriors.com.au Coast Warriors Colourful Trips Image courtesy of Coast Warriors Colourful Trips is a Sydney-based tour operator offering scheduled day trips and charters from Sydney. The small-group, active nature-based itineraries are designed and priced to appeal to inbound experience-seekers, including young professionals, international students and working holiday-makers on a low- to mid-range budget. Tel: + 61 2 9318 0853 www.colourfultrips.com Colourful Trips Image courtesy of Colourful Trips Current as at 1 April 2017 Gang Gang Tours Gang Gang Tours offers small-group, multi-day outdoor touring in the Snowy Mountains and along the NSW Sapphire Coast. Hike in spectacular national parks, sample local cuisine, see wildlife unique to the area, and explore the wilderness on foot, by bike or from the water. Optional activities include stand-up paddle-boarding, kayaking or mountain biking. In this family-owned business, the owners are the tour guides and with a maximum of 10 on each tour, they can offer personal service and attention to detail. Lake Albina, Kosciuszko National Park Tel: +61 412 173 430 Image courtesy of Gang Gang Tours www.ganggangtours.com.au Life’s an Adventure Life’s an Adventure offer a range of active guided touring including mountain biking, bushwalking, 4WD tours and kayaking. All equipment is provided. Tel: +61 2 9975 4553 www.lifesanadventure.com.au Mount ’N Beach Safaris Mount ’N Beach Safaris is a small group 4WD touring specialist with Kayaking Sydney Harbour itineraries that include Sydney, the Hunter Valley and Blue Mountains. Tel: +61 2 9972 0899 www.mountnbeach.com.au Nurtured Tours These unique tours focus on health, well being and beauty in nature. A range of options include Nature Tours, Food and Wine Tours, Spa and Wellness Retreats, plus technical visits to educational institutions, companies and local government areas. Tours can be conducted in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. Tel: + 61 2 9552 9967 Nurtured Tours www.nurturedtours.com.au Image courtesy of Nurtured Tours Oz Trails Oz Trails specialises in personalised day tours in and around Sydney, the Blue Mountains, South Coast and Hunter Valley. Tours are also available at charter rates for groups. Key features of the tours include small groups (max. 24), new, air-conditioned buses and complimentary hotel pickup from most accommodation locations in the city centre. Pickups are also available from central points in Kings Cross, Coogee, Bondi and Manly. Tel: +61 411 288 805 www.oztrails.com.au Lincoln Rock Via Travel Image courtesy of Oz Trails Via Travel specialise in small group tours, offering authentic, immersive experiences to international travellers visiting Australia’s East Coast. Including must-sees like Sydney and Byron Bay, guests can enjoy family-run hospitality, locally-produced food and wine, and a variety of down-to-earth nature experiences. Tel: +61 477 538 741 www.viatravel.com.au Dorrigo National Park Image courtesy of Via Travel Current as at 1 April 2017 Waratah Adventure Tours Waratah Adventure Tours is based in Sydney and has been organising small-group tour modules of Sydney and the Blue Mountains for over 30 years. A modern fleet of mini-coaches and 4WD vehicles are operated by German- and English-speaking driver/guides. Tel: +61 2 9908 4697 www.waratahadventures.com.au Waratah Adventure Tours Sydney Image courtesy of Waratah Adventure Tours EcoTreasures EcoTreasures offers visitors the chance to come face-to-face with Australia’s stunning marine life on its Manly Snorkelling Tour. Tours range from beginner to experienced and operate twice daily. Private tours are also available. EcoTreasures also operates a range of private day tours departing from Sydney to the Northern Beaches (from Sydney Harbour to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park) and to the Blue Mountains. Tel: +61 415 121 648 www.ecotreasures.com.au EcoTreasures Fantasea Cruising Image courtesy of EcoTreasures The Whale Watching Cruise takes visitors to the best spots to see and photograph whales as they travel along the NSW coast during the annual humpback migration (May to November) with departures from Darling Harbour, Circular Quay or Palm Beach. The Taronga Zoo package offers visitors flexibility combining Sydney Harbour with Sydney's biggest wildlife attraction. Visitors can choose to hop-on and hop-off at Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, Watsons Bay and Taronga Zoo. Tel: +61 2 9556 9200 www.fantasea.com.au Fantasea Cruising Featherdale Wildlife Park Image courtesy of Fantasea Cruising Located 45 minutes’ drive from Sydney and enroute to the Blue Mountains National Park, Featherdale Wildlife Park offers the ultimate hands-on wildlife experience in an outdoor bush setting. Hand feed kangaroos and wallabies, enjoy a close encounter with koalas and view one of Australia's largest private collections of native animals and birds. New experiences include daily zookeeper walkabouts, private animal encounters, breakfast with the koalas and a nature-inspired walk through the Koala Sanctuary. Tel: +61 2 9622 1644 www.featherdale.com.au Featherdale Wildlife Park Local Eyes Sydney Image courtesy of Featherdale Wildlife Park Local Eyes Sydney offers a collection of personalised private charter experiential touring options that introduce visitors to Sydney’s natural beauty and enviable coastal lifestyle. Touring options include harbour lookouts, beaches and waterways, harbourside bush walks, snorkelling, kayaking and surfing as well as luxury boating experiences. Tel: + 61 2 9907 6620 www.localeyessydney.com.au Local Eyes Sydney Image courtesy of Local Eyes Sydney Current as at 1 April 2017 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service – Ultimate Sydney Harbour Nature Tour NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) provide Australia’s largest range of nature-based experiences. With stunning World Heritage listed rainforests, sandy beaches and rugged outback expanses the NSW national parks offer boundless activities to explore. In Sydney, visitors board a vintage ferry for the Ultimate Sydney Harbour Nature Tour visiting Clark Island with a private NPWS guide.