Discover Sydney national parks wildlife on this comprehensive 7-day exploration of New South Wales' most spectacular protected areas, all within easy reach of Australia's largest city. Journey from the world-famous Royal National Park south of Sydney through the stunning Blue Mountains to the biologically rich Capertee Valley, experiencing an extraordinary diversity of habitats from coastal heathlands and rainforest gullies to sandstone escarpments and inland valleys.
Target species include the spectacular Superb Lyrebird displaying in forested gullies, the NSW-endemic Rock Warbler inhabiting sandstone outcrops, the rare Eastern Bristlebird skulking in coastal heathlands, and the distinctive Gang-gang Cockatoo in mountain forests. Special activities include nocturnal spotlighting for Greater Glider and Sugar Glider, and a weather-permitting pelagic boat trip to the continental shelf for Wandering Albatross, Shy Albatross, and migrating Humpback Whales.
Explore iconic locations including Royal National Park, Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, Blue Mountains National Park, and the incomparable Capertee Valley. Led by Inala Nature Tours' expert guides with intimate knowledge of Sydney region wildlife, this tour provides exceptional opportunities to experience the remarkable biodiversity thriving around Australia's largest metropolis.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
THE INALA ADVANTAGE
This tour includes small group sizes (maximum 6-8 participants with one specialist guide), ensuring personalised attention across diverse habitats from coastal heathlands to mountain forests. All accommodation is carefully selected, featuring comfortable en-suite rooms. Inala Nature Tours provides expert specialist guides with extensive experience specifically in NSW birds and mammals, supported by comprehensive transport accessing multiple national parks and reserves. All meals are included (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), with packed lunches for field days. National park entry fees and the Kiama pelagic boat trip (weather permitting) are included.
With a wide variety of habitats on the city’s doorstep, this six-day tour of the Sydney area takes in the best of the region’s wildlife, from an abundance of birdlife through to various amazing mammals and reptiles
This tour has been designed to link with Inala's South East Australia Tour and Inala's South-eastern Queensland's Birds and Wildlife
Who is this tour for?
This tour is perfect for birders seeking NSW endemics, pelagic enthusiasts wanting albatross and whales, lyrebird admirers, photographers seeking iconic species in spectacular national park settings, and anyone surprised by the wildlife diversity near Sydney.
Temperature: 18-25°C (spring-autumn touring), mild temperate conditions with cooler temperatures in Blue Mountains, pleasant for walking
Rainfall: Moderate, occasional showers possible especially in mountains, generally favorable conditions for wildlife observation
Sunshine: 7-8 hours daily with variable cloud cover typical of coastal NSW, good conditions for pelagic birding
The following tour is designed to adjoin this tour:
Inala South East Queensland Birds & Wildlife
and/ or
Inala South East Australia Birds & Wildlife
The following tour is designed to adjoin this tour:
Inala South East Queensland Birds & Wildlife
and/ or
Inala South East Australia Birds & Wildlife
Birds: Superb Lyrebird, Eastern Bristlebird, Rockwarbler, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Pilotbird, Spotted Quail-thrush, Greater Sooty Owl and seabirds including Providence Petrel, White-faced Storm-Petrel, and Wandering Albatross.Â
Mammals: Short-beaked Echidna, Greater and Sugar Gliders. Â
Arrive in Sydney and check into your hotel. Meet your fellow guests and your guide for dinner at the hotel to get to know each other and discuss the plans for the upcoming tour.
Accommodation: Sydney Hotel
Meals included: D
An early morning will see us down on the docks at Double Bay, ready to board our charter for the day as we head out to the continental shelf to see a variety of pelagic seabirds. Species we will look for include Shy, Campbell & Buller’s Albatross, Grey-faced Petrel, Providence Petrel, Fairy Prion, Pomarine Jaeger, White-faced & Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, Australasian Gannet and hopefully Wandering Albatross. At this time of year, we will have an excellent chance of seeing migrating Humpback Whales, with some individuals often approaching the boat quite closely.
Other mammals include the chance of Common & Bottlenose Dolphins, and Short-finned Pilot Whales. We usually arrive back to shore mid-afternoon so if we’re up for it we can do some local birding or just have the rest of the afternoon off to relax.
Accommodation: Miranda- Metro Hotel
Meals included: B, L, D.
We will head just to the south of Sydney this morning and enter world-famous Royal NP (one of the world’s oldest national parks), focussing our attention on the riparian forests and woodland along the Hacking River where we will have a great chance of finding our first Superb Lyrebird, as well as Azure Kingfisher, Variegated Fairywren, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Gerygone, Green Catbird, Pacific Baza and Topknot Pigeon. Further into the park we will also search the open heathlands for birds like Southern Emu-wren, Beautiful Firetail, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren and Tawny-crowned Honeyeater. We may be lucky enough to see a Tiger Snake or Copper-tailed Skink as well. In the early afternoon we will make our way further south toward the Illawarra region, with the hamlet of Jamberoo our destination for two nights. In the local area can be found Eastern & Crimson Rosellas, Australian King-Parrot, Dusky Woodswallow and Red Wattlebird. There will also be another chance for Superb Lyrebird near our accommodation.
Accommodation: Jamberoo (en suite rooms) as for last night
Meals included: B L D
With an early rise in order, we make our way to Barren Grounds Nature Reserve where we commence our search for a few of the skulkers of the area. Tall forest and adjacent heathlands in this area are home to Eastern Bristlebird, Southern Emu-wren, Pilotbird, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Yellow-throated Scrub-wren, White-naped Honeyeater, Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo and the very uncommon Ground Parrot. Mammals here include Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Swamp Wallaby. After lunch and down along coastal areas we will look for Sooty Oystercatcher, Australian Pelican, Crested Tern, Australasian Figbird and Little Wattlebird. Possible reptiles include Eastern Water Skink, Water Dragon and Red-bellied Black Snake. In the evening and if energy levels allow, we can go out for a bit of nocturnal spotlighting, with the chance of Sooty Owl, Southern Boobook and Tawny Frogmouth, as well as mammals like Greater Glider, Sugar Glider and Common Ringtail Possum.
Accommodation: Jamberoo (en suite rooms) as for last night
Meals included: B L D
After a more leisurely breakfast this morning we will leave the Illawarra and make our way towards the Blue Mountains, necessitating a few hours of travel in the morning. Birding en route we hope to find Bell Miner, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Grey Butcherbird and Australian Hobby. In the afternoon we will concentrate our efforts on finding the enigmatic Rock Warbler amongst the tumbled and craggy sandstone outcrops of the Blue Mountains National Park. Other birds in the mountainous forests here can include Red-browed Treecreeper, Eastern Whipbird, Rose Robin, Common Koel and White-browed Scrubwren. If the sun is shining, we may find reptiles like Diamond Python or Jacky Dragon. We will then make our way to our base at Lithgow late afternoon.
Accommodation: Wallerawang (en suite rooms).
Meals included: B, L, D.
This morning we will make a final sojourn into the Capertee Valley to look for any birds we may be missing, and then after lunch will make our way back to Sydney where the tour will conclude.
Accommodation: none
Meals included: B L
Price includes: 6 nights’ accommodation, specialist guide and transport, meals, entrance fees and activities as mentioned in the itinerary.
Price does not include: Airfares, gratuities, alcoholic beverages, snacks, internet, laundry, or other items of a personal nature.
Discounts are available for joining two or more consecutive tours together (ie NSW and SE Queensland or SE Australia and NSW). Please contact us for details.
Pre and post tour accommodation: We would be pleased to arrange accommodation in Sydney before and after the tour if required.
Meals and drinks: Breakfast generally consists of a continental style breakfast with cereal, fruit and yoghurt and tea/coffee. Full cooked breakfast is not generally offered at most locations. Lunch will generally consist of a packed lunch style meal eaten in the field, with sandwich/filled roll, fruit, and a drink. Dinner usually consists of several options for main with the choice of either an appetiser or dessert. Drinks (soft and alcoholic) are generally not included but at lunches and breakfasts juice may be made available.
The itinerary: Whilst we aim to follow the itinerary as planned, please note that the itinerary provided should only be used as a guideline. Depending on individual trip circumstances, weather, and local information, the exact itinerary may not be strictly adhered to. The guides reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary as they see fit.
The pelagic: This activity is weather dependent. In the unlikely event that the pelagic is cancelled, some land-based touring will be available in the area that day.
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Inala Nature
320 Cloudy Bay Road, Lunawanna
South Bruny Island 7150
Tasmania, Australia
Phone:Â +61 3 6293 1217
Inala Nature acknowledge and pay respects to the palawa people as the traditional and original owners, and continuing custodians of this land, lutruwita, and acknowledges Elders - past and present. Inala Nature Tours and the Inala Foundation Inc are located on lunawanna- alonnah, also known as Bruny Island, the traditional land of the Nuenonne people.
