This was a first class day. I would have thought it was a great value at twice the cost. Blue Mountain & Animal Park & River/Harbor boat ride back to Sydney.

What to expect - They picked me up from my hotel at 6:30am, which was pretty early, so I'm very glad we stopped at a coffee shop after an hour. Maybe I should have taken a takeaway cup. We tried to see Olympic park, but it was mostly closed for a special event; I didn't care. Once we got up to the park for our destination, our group split into those who went up a gondola and those who went with the aboriginal guide. Yamandirra was my aboriginal guide, and he's one of the most amazing people I've ever met. It was a cloudy/foggy day up in the mountains. We stopped to look at a waterfall and the rock formations known as the Three Sisters, which he showed us as seven sisters. He told their story, and how other stories branch off from that story, and the fundamental values they teach. He stopped to scratch some stones to reveal the pigments they use to paint their skin, and gives each of us a stripe on the cheek. We hiked then, and he showed us various important plants, and we smelled and tasted several of them. There was a stop at a particularly reverent place that affected me strongly. We climbed back up the path and had a view back. It was stunning. The trail is very steep, with a few steps being high steps, but it's not especially challenging or long. We then got back in the van and drove into town for a short stop at what was clearly a tourist photo op (just so we didn't miss the critical stop), and then into town for a surprisingly good lunch at a funky, charming restaurant. We then drove back and got dropped off at the ferry terminal near the Olympic stadium, and they made sure we had ferry tickets back to the right places. The ferry was a nice ride I hadn't already done, and it was good enough that I used it for another excursion the next day. Anyone with the slightest woo should absolutely do this tour, with an Aboriginal guide.

I would like to start of saying Tony our company/primary tour guide and Yamandirra (Aboriginal tour guide) were very knowledgeable, funny and professional. My review will focus on the content/layout of the tour itself and in no way reflects anything on Tony or Yamandirra. Tour Title: Full-day tour to Blue Mountains with river cruise, from Sydney with Aboriginal experience Pick up was at the pre-determined time of 6:30AM.; after another pick up we began our tour at 7:00AM. The tour was mostly driving in city and surrounding small town areas. There was very little to no countryside views during the drive. This review is referring to the main guide (Tony), who is driving the van and providing local information about the towns and area, and the Aboriginal guide, who we spent 2 hours with. Yamandirra (Aboriginal guide was very knowledgeable, professional and funny. Do not expect a painted face and skin clothing, he looks like a typical Australian. The Aboriginal part of the tour: The tour guide (Tony) picked up the Aboriginal guide (Yamandirra) after making our way into the Blue Mountains where we stopped in a local park and he welcomed us to the land. There was supposed to be a “smoking ceremony”, but due to fire bans he was unable to do the smoking ceremony. The smoking ceremony is where they burn some plants to cleanse your “spirit”. So don’t worry you will not smoking anything (pipe, cigar, etc.). Due to the burn ban, our Aboriginal guide picked some native plants and patted the plants over our body while ‘chanting’ in his language. After this we went to the Blue Mountains scenic look our area which is a public park area with all kinds of facilities including a souvenir shop. Our group split at this point. Our group took the Aboriginal experience tour and the other took the gondola ride and a small trail walk. On this specific tour you will do either the Aboriginal experience or the gondola ride and walk, not both. Our guide took us on the Blue Mountains nature trail, which is accessible to everyone, and shared stories about his heritage. This is a hike and you walk (many stairs) to the bottom of the hill area and then walk back up (many stairs). He talked to us about the native plants and shared about how the Aboriginal people used the plants for various healing and other various uses. He picked certain vegetation for us to taste. He was very knowledgeable. I wish we could have spent more time with him learning about the Aboriginal culture, their customs, family/group dynamics, history, art etc. Time spent with Yamndirra was more pleasurable than the rest of the tour (nothing against Tony, just the tour content). After finishing the hike, we met up with the other group and continued our with our tour Tony - Blue Mountains – This is a public park and I did not see any place to pay to enter. We stopped at two places to view opposing sides of the three sisters’ rock formation. It was nice to see but did not feel that it was as beautiful as everyone says it is. - Katoomba Falls– This is a public park and I did not see a place to pay to get into the park. We stopped here for about 15 minutes. It was pretty, but not really a vast amount of water fall pouring over. More like a small stream trickling over a cliff. - Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum –I do not remember stopping at any gallery or museum - Featherdale Wildlife Park and “Visit Featherdale home to over 1,700 native animals”– This did require an admission fee, which was paid for by our guide. This park is like a small zoo which has many different native Australian animals. However, you are only given 1 hour here and you do not have time to listen to any animal talks, pet the animals, or do any activities. - Sydney Olympic Park - This is not a park (as in a place with grass/trees, picnic table, etc.). This is the area of town in which the Olympics were held in 2000. I would call it a town. There is nothing to do here on the tour; it’s just were you catch the ferry back to downtown Sydney. -Regarding pick and drop off: The description says two things about drop off. It says “Hotel pickup and drop-off” and “Sydney Olympic Park a ferry journey into Sydney Harbor. You do not have an option, which was not a problem for us. The return trip is by Sydney Harbor Ferry to either Circular Quay or Darling Harbor. You can take a cab, bus, uber or walk back to your hotel from the harbor. We were picked up from our hotel in a timely manner. -Morning Tea/ coffee, homemade scones”: we were driven to a little restaurant in a town and were given a scone (it is much like an American biscuit), jam and cream. It was tasty; just know it is not a full breakfast. -Lunch: Seven options “Fresh hot”, “2 course”: Lunch was at small restaurant in a cute, secluded area on the grounds of Norman Lindsay estate. Options are provided, you must pre-order. My wife had the Sourdough Chicken Sandwich and I had fish and chips. My wife said her sandwich was delicious and my fish and chips were good. A drink and dessert was included. We were told the dessert changes all the time. We had half of a large cream filled donut. In my opinion, Tony and Yamandirra were e great. Recommendation: If you want to save some money, look up and plan the trip on your own. You can take a bus or rental car and drive to the Blue Mountains Park and do the activities of your choice, ride the gondola, hike, or other things that may be available, all in your own time line. Another option is to take the ferry to Sydney Olympic Park either from Circular Quay or Darling Harbor ($9.40 Australian dollars) each way. I think you could also take a bus to the Featherdale Wildlife Park and have time to do the activities.

First, let me say that the company tour guide and the Aboriginal tour guide were both very nice. My (seemingly negative) review has nothing to do with them. Here is my take on the tour, organized by the description titles of the tour: 1. “Full-day tour to Blue Mountains with river cruise, from Sydney”: We were picked up at our hotel at 6:30am and departed for the tour, after other pick-ups, at about 7am. This tour is mostly driving in city and small-town areas. There was very little to no countryside views during the drive. I would say that other than walking the Blue Mountains trail, this tour mostly covered city/town area. • “2 guides, incl local Aboriginal guide” and “Aboriginal smoking ceremony” – This description is referring to the main guide, who is driving the van, and the Aboriginal guide, who we spent 2 hours with. Please note that the Aboriginal Tour does not have anything to do with a museum, art, artifacts, cultural ceremonies, history, food, etc. The tour takes place outside on walking path, not in any cultural buildings. The Aboriginal guide was very nice and funny and speaks English; he looks like a typical Australian, so do not expect a painted face and animal skin clothing. I want to share what to expect in terms of the Aboriginal part of the tour. The tour guide picked up the Aboriginal guide after making our way toward the Blue Mountains. We stopped at a local park and the Aboriginal guide welcomed us to the land. This was supposed to be done via a “smoking ceremony”, but due to fire bans he was not able to do the smoking ceremony. We learned that the smoking ceremony is where they burn some native plants to cleanse our “spirit”. It has nothing to do with smoking anything (pipe, cigar, etc.). Because of the burn ban, our Aboriginal guide picked some native plants and patted the plants over our body (from head to toe) while ‘chanting’ something in his language, not sure what he was saying, but most likely he was welcoming us. After this we went to the Blue Mountains scenic look out area, which is a public park with all kinds of facilities including a souvenir shop. This is where we had the Aboriginal part of the tour. Our guide took us on the Blue Mountains nature trail, which is accessible to everyone, and shared some stories about his heritage. Please note that this is a hike and you walk to the bottom of the hill area and then walk back up. He talked to us about the native plants and shared about how the Aboriginal people used the plants for various health benefits. He picked stuff for us to taste or smell and shared the health benefits of these plants. He was very knowledgeable. After finishing the hike, we continued with the remained of the tour with the main tour guide. We were not able to visit any of the Blue Mountain facilities (Gondola ride, souvenir shop, etc.) we had to continue in the van to our next destination. • “Entry/Admission - Blue Mountains” – This is a public park and I did not see a place to pay to get into the park. We stopped at two places to view basically the same thing, the Three Sisters. The Three Sisters are three tall standing rock formations. Sadly, I did not feel that it was as beautiful as everyone says it is. Also note that this public area has some things to do that you cannot do while on this tour, such as riding the gondola that goes from one side to another side of the hills. The gondola actually rode over us on our Aboriginal walking tour. • “Entry/Admission - Katoomba Falls” – This is a public park and I did not see a place to pay to get into the park. We stopped here for about 15 minutes. It was pretty, but not really a water fall. More like a small stream trickling over a cliff. • “Entry/Admission - Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum” – If we stopped here, I do not remember. I do not remember stopping at any gallery or museum. • “Entry/Admission - Featherdale Wildlife Park” and “Visit Featherdale home to over 1,700 native animals”– This did require an admission fee, which was paid for by our guide. This park is like a small zoo which has many different native Australian animals. However, you are only given 1 hour here and you do not have time to listen to any animal talks, pet the animals, or do any activities. • Entry/Admission - Sydney Olympic Park - This is not a park (as in a place with grass/trees, picnic tables, etc.). This is the area of town in which the Olympics were held many years ago. I would call it a town. There is nothing to do here on the tour, it’s just were you catch the ferry back to downtown Sydney. 2. The description says two things about drop off. It says “Hotel pickup and drop-off” and “Sydney Olympic Park a ferry journey into Sydney Harbou” (exact spelling – no ‘r’ in description). You do not have an option, which was not a problem for us. The return trip is by Sydney Harbor Ferry to either Circular Quay or Darling Harbor. We were picked up from our hotel in a timely manner. 3. “Morning Tea/ coffee, Homemade scones”: we were driven to a little restaurant in a town and were given a scone (more like an American biscuit) and some jam and whipped cream. It was tasty, just know it is not a full breakfast. 4. “Lunch, 7 choices Fresh hot 2 course”: Lunch was at small restaurant in a cute, secluded area. I think it was the part that had to do with Norman Lindsay. You do have some options, that you must pre-order. I had the Sourdough Chicken Sandwich and my husband had fish and chips. The sandwich was delicious but my husband said the fish and chips were good but not the best he has had. You get also get a drink and dessert. We were told the dessert changes all the time. Our dessert was half of a fairly large cream filled donut. MY OPINION: I was shocked to see so many glowing reviews about this tour. While the tour guides were great, the tour just lacked in scenery and intrigue. My recommendation would be to take a bus or drive to the Blue Mountains park and do the activities of your choice, ride the gondola, hike, or other things that may be available (we don’t know all of what was available as we didn’t get to look around), all in your own time line. You can also take the ferry to and from Sydney Olympic Park either from Circular Quay or Darling Harbor for about $9.40 (Australian dollars) each way. I think you could also take a bus to the Featherdale Wildlife Park and have time to do the activities. I do recommend taking another tour, “Walking with Wombats”, as it takes you out of town to see several country views and to see Kangaroos and Wombats in their natural setting (in Kangaroo Valley). The Walking with Wombats tour also includes a stop for a beautiful view of the Blue Mountains in Leura, south of Katoomba.

After 5 weeks of scuba diving around the South Pacific, we stopped in Sydney for four nights and picked this trip for our first day because it looked interesting. I was a little hesitant because it was the end of the trip and the description said that you needed to have moderately good physical fitness. We felt we would be ok, but being in our 70's, we were a little concerned. The trip began at 7 am and our primary tour guide (and owner of Dingo travel), Menashe, was incredibly informed about the area and dedicated to helping people understand and appreciate the aboriginal culture. When we got to the Blue Mountains we were introduced to Yamandirra, our aboriginal guide, and my husband and I found we were the only ones who had opted for the aboriginal tour, rather than the other blue mountain options. We immediately began a most informative and inspirational trek. Yes, it was strenuous, but Yamandirra made it so interesting that we wished the trek could have lasted longer. There is no way I can rate this highly enough! The rest of the tour was very good, and the food at all of the stops was delicious, but the Blue Mountains trek was one of the best travel experiences (outside of scuba diving) we have ever had!

This tour was perfect! Highly recommended for those who wants to know more about the aboriginal culture and walk around the track with Yamandirrra! Have a blast time with him!!

Beautiful views of blue mountains. Aboriginal guide was very knowledgeable but was with us for too short a time. Expected more of an "Aboriginal Experience"

Don't think I could speak more highly of this tour. 4 of us joined the tour and we haven't stopped talking about it a month on. Really informative and engaging.

I took this tour with my parents in September. What can I say but what a lovely experience. Our tour guide Menashe picked us up and we were lucky that we were the only ones on the tour that day. Menashe was informative, friendly and fun. He answered all our questions and took us on a scenic route to the mountains. As the weather was rainy and cloudy that morning he went out of his way to show us another view point so we really could see the blue mountains. We then started the Aboriginal guided tour with Yamandirrra. This aspect of the tour was brilliant. Although I have lived in Australia for some time he taught me a lot about Aboriginal culture. His stories were so passionate and informative and really gave me a better perspective on Australian history. We also got a great walk in the blue mountains and seen the famous sites. Although there were so many aspects to the day the guides really made our tour so enjoyable. Would highly recommend.

Yamandirrra, our Aboriginal guide, took us on a mini hike at the mountains. He was very friendly and informative. He showed us the many different birds there as well as the plants and their usages during ancient times. He showed us the Seven Sisters (not just three!), the Young Man and most of all the Old Man. It was an eye-opener to be able to learn first hand information from Yamandirrra. He brought us to splendid, breathtakingly look-out points, usually not covered by other usual tours. A time very well spent!

Menashe is organized; he encouraged us in types of questions for Wurrumany before our nature walk, which gave us ample opportunity to come up with questions to ask while we listened. On the nature hike, Menashe and Wurrumany both pointed out features that gave good information to all, and Wurrumany "Blake" warmed up to our tour group and realized we were actually interested in the plants, trees, and birdlife, as well as the stories of the area. He was continually respectful in how he addressed the landscape and history of the people(s). He made it much more interesting to walk through the woods with a guide rather than by oneself. Overall, Menashe gave us plenty of time at each location so that we never felt at all rushed, and attempted to cater to the specific interests of our two family groups. Some were fascinated by the lorikeets and cockatoos flying around, others much more interested in legends and history. The wildlife sanctuary and the river ferry were very nice touches that added a fun relaxed element to the day. With this tour, everyone came away with something to remember for a lifetime.

This was an incredible trip and the proof being that both our teenagers raved about this saying it was the best day of the holidays. Menash is so kind and fills the driving part with interesting facts - the day is calm and you feel far from the madding crowds of the huge tour buses - Yamandirra was incredible the knowledge we learnt in our two hour walk was above and beyond our expectations. I could not recommend this tour more.

There are dozens of tour operators offering guided visits to many of the highlights of the Blue Mountains. Some travel in large coaches, which we experienced on different tours on a prior trip. I found that much of the time was spent herding visitors on and off the bus and continually reminding them about the time they needed to return (and there were always a fair number who returned late). So, I went in search of a smaller tour group, and found Dingo Travel. For the Blue Mountains, a popular option is to visit Scenic World, which offers three different ways to see the sights without having to do much walking. This was exactly the sort of thing that we did NOT want to do. Dingo Travel does offer this for those who are interested, but we wanted a different experience. Instead, we opted for the Aboriginal Experience. Our day started out with an early morning pickup at our hotel in The Rocks. There was already one group of guests aboard, and we had only one more stop before proceeding out of the city - a cozy group of only 9 visitors. Our guide talked about the city as we drove through it and the history and geology of the mountains as we approached. We stopped off along the way for mid-morning tea/coffee and scones, where the guests had an opportunity to get to know each other. After that, we met our Aboriginal guide, Yamandirrra, and continued on to the Narrow Neck lookout, which offered a stunning view of the mountains and valley below. We then made the short drive to Scenic World, where the part of the tour group split off. As it would turn out, it was just our family that opted for Yamandirrra's tour. He led us on a hike down into the valley, making many stops along the way to teach us about the plants and their uses. He pointed our where the deadly funnel web spider lurks and found a small patch of wild strawberries for us to sample. He talked about the mythology underlying the Three Sisters formation (actually, we learned that there are actually seven sisters) and the other rock formations that represent figures from Aboriginal lore. We had the trail to ourselves almost the entire time (he helped one clearly lost and hapless soul how to return to his group) and enjoyed gorgeous vistas along the way. The hike itself was slow-paced but there was a fair amount of descent, some of which was down steep and narrow steps, and subsequently an equal amount of ascent. I would say that hike would rate as moderate intensity because of the terrain, but the leisurely rate of walking with many stops made it feel quite easy. After rejoining the rest of the group, we took in a short little show at the Waradah Australian Centre which depicted some key aspects of Australian history, including an acknowledgment of European colonization's devastating effect on the native peoples. We made a stop for lunch at a quaint little cafe, the name of which I sadly have forgotten. We drove back into the city and made a stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park. I'll review that separately, but suffice it to say here that this was unexpectedly pleasant. We ended our day with a ferry ride down the Parramatta River and into Bangaroo. It would have been nicer to have sailed under the Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House and into Circular Quay, but it still was a nice way to see the city. All together, this Aboriginal Experience with Dingo Travel was more expensive than the typical Blue Mountains tour, but in our opinion was completely worth every penny. This is a well-run operation and the owners and his guides deserve high praise.

Guides were great! I only wish it would have included more Aborigines, their village, their culture, hunting, etc.

Menashe, our driver, and owner of Dingo Travel & Blue Mountains Tours has crafted a once in a lifetime tour. Pick-up and drop-off was a breeze. The information given while traveling from Sydney to the Blue Mountian area was very informative, The indigenous ceremony and stories shared by Gagamin were only two of the many great things that made this tour unique, exciting and a favorite. Any question asked was answered. I am so happy that my daughter and I were able to experience this tour while on holiday.

We absolutely loved Yamandirra and he educated us with all the small details which was awesome. I would suggest doing the Blue Mountains with an Aboriginal guide. No better way to learn and understand the culture.

Great tour. Tour guide was excellent especially discussing the history and traditions of the native peoples.

From our early morning pick-up; our delicious scone breakfast at Finn & Co; our informative time with First Nations' Elder Yamandirra, which was the highlight of our day because of his passionate commitment to sharing his authentic perspective. The great lunch at the Norma Lindsay gallery cafe; our encounter with indigenous species at Featherdale; ending with the highly recommended trip down the Paramatta to Circular Quay......a day that will be etched in our memories...pleasantly. Menashe, I will recommend your tours to anyone coming to Sydney. Jeff, Thank You for a such a great day. Please can you also convey our sincere gratitude to Brother Yamandirra.

My son and I had a wonderfull time and experience, Yamandirra was a great tour guide, full of wonderful stories. I would highly recommend this tour to future people looking to book, from a aborginal perspective was so informative, would love to do this tour again next time im in Sydney.10/10 the best tour

Dingo Travel run small group excursions in a comfortable minibus and unlike most other Blue Mountains day trips this version had a great aboriginal theme. Having been on a day trip 5 years ago and done the more commercial version in a big coach and with rides and busy viewpoints, we wanted to experience a more real, informative and cultural day. Menashe, our guide/driver ran an efficient and very well structured day, starting early so we were ahead of the tourist buses, despite a yummy and most welcome inclusive coffee stop with scones en route. This also enabled us to get to know our group of 8 who were an interesting mix of nationalities and people. Then we split up into two parallel groups with just 3 of us taking a two hour hike through quiet forest paths with our aboriginal guide Gagamin. He was excellent, showing us plants, birds and insects and telling us about traditions and modern day aboriginal life. We would strongly recommend this type of experience. Later we joined up both groups for the short dramatic show and then moved on for lunch - again included and tasty- before spending an hour at the Featherdale Wildlife Park to see native animals, a quick pop around the Sydney Olympics site before joining the river boat back along the Paramatta River back to Circular Quay. We really can’t rate this highly enough!

It was our pure honor to have experienced the Blue Mtns with Yamandirra our Aboriginal educator. Yam was a top rate guide and we relished the opportunity we had in gaining great insights into the his way of life, his beliefs and customs. This was a tour which will be remembered and never foegotten. We are so glad we found The Blue Mtns Tour from Dingo Travel. In addition our guide Adam was wonderful. He showed great attention to details. Adam went out of his way to show us much of the spectacular scenery of the area. His timing allowed us to enjoy The Theee Sisters minus any earlier fog. His persistence in finding the right place at the right time was truly commendable. We highly recommend this tour company!

Perfect tour for a solo traveler! I had no idea what to expect and was more than pleasantly surprised. My tour guide Menashe from Dingo Travel picked me up at my hotel as well as a family of three that included an eight year old boy. Once we arrived at the Blue Mountains we met our Aboriginal tour guide, the remarkable Yamandirra who taught us about his Aboriginal people, the land and the medicinal plants. We learned about traditional sacred ceremonies and aboriginal mythology. Yamandirra has an intelligent and relatable way of sharing his culture no matter your age or where you’re from. We hiked up and down winding paths while viewing beautiful waterfalls and historic rock formations. He’s a gifted storyteller, it was a privilege to be in his audience. Highly recommended.

Our family took the Aboriginal tour of the Blue Mountains and it was the highlight of our trip to Sydney! Our guide, Yamandirra, introduced us to his ancestors’ aboriginal culture and way of life. As we hiked in the Blue Mountains he showed us how the different plants, trees and animals play a role in aboriginal life. Our teenage daughters were particularly interested in this view of Australia and we were all happy to get a deeper understanding of the Aboriginal culture. We highly recommend this tour!

This is by far the highlight of my trip to Sydney ( and I climbed the harbour bridge lol). Upon coming to Sydney I was committed to learn about the Aboriginal culture through a lens that looks beyond the Westernization of Australia and this tor was perfect for that. Australian Museums do cover some topics surrounding Aboriginal Culture, but keep in mind that those, as another reviewer wrote here, are "written by the victor" Yamandirra ( the tour guide) was amazing, very kind, funny, knowledgeable beyond measure, and has some of the best energy/ vibes I've ever some across.