Hidden gems of The Blue Mountains

Covering more than a million hectares of national park and wilderness, the Greater Blue Mountains UNESCO World Heritage Area is one of Australia's most spectacular National Parks, and has now been stunningly captured in a new suite of aerial photography by Destination NSW.

The Blue Mountains is renowned for its Aboriginal heritage, exceptional biodiversity including a number of rare plants, and its outstanding geological formations including 300 metre high sandstone cliffs, slot canyons and waterfalls.

Within easy reach of Sydney by car or public transport, visitors to the Blue Mountains can take in the scenic views from lookouts, enjoy scenic drives and explore its pristine wilderness on hundreds of kilometres of hiking and cycling trails.

Here is just a small selection of what the Blue Mountains has to offer.

• Feel on top of the world, cycling or hiking the exhilarating Narrow Neck Plateau Trail in the world heritage listed Blue Mountains National. This challenging 9.5km one way trail through unspoilt wilderness offers breathtaking views, wildflowers and plenty of amazing photo opportunities. 
• On the western side of the Blue Mountains, heading towards Mudgee is the rugged Gardens of Stone National Park. Featuring stunning and varied rock pagodas, sandstone cliffs, canyons and breathtaking scenic views over the valleys it is a haven for adventurers, with excellent opportunities for canyoning, mountain-biking and serious bushwalking. 
• Surrounded by the Gardens of Stone National Park and Wollemi National Park is Wolgan Valley. Home to the luxury resort, Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley, the valley itself is also publically accessible. Journeying through the valley along Wolgan Road will bring you to Newnes, where you can camp along the Wolgan River in Wollemi National Park. Along the way you may also want to stop off and hike the Glow Worm Trail which leads to an old rail tunnel home to a colony of glow worms. 
• The lush villages of Mount Wilson and Mount Irvine are on the northern side of the Blue Mountains and accessible via the Bells Line of Road. Mount Wilson is a heritage garden village with historic houses and grand exotic gardens, while Mount Irvine features mountain farms with fine gardens. Nearby to these picturesque villages is magnificent bushland and rainforests with walks and canyons to explore. 
• The world’s second largest canyon, Capertee Valley is dominated by sandstone cliffs and is a popular bird watching destination. The impressive Pantoney’s Crown can’t be missed, rising majestically from the valley floor, it beckons keen hikers to climb its summit and take in the breathtaking views. 
• Criss-crossing the Grose Valley is a network of walking and mountain biking trails that take in scenic lookouts, sandstone escarpments and pristine wilderness. Enjoy some of the best scenic views in the Blue Mountains on the Mountain Banks Summit Walk, as part of the Mount Banks One Trail, in the Grose Valley. Access it off the Bells Line of Road near Mount Tomah. 
• Mount Victoria is the last mountain village heading west across the Blue Mountains along the Great Western Highway. A great starting point for many bushwalks, Mount Victoria has a train station and has a number of cosy cafes, restaurants and places to stay. 
• Journeying along the winding and scenic Bells Line of Road is the small village of Bell. A stop on the train and a lone café, Bell is a tiny hamlet surrounded by pristine wilderness, walking trails and scenic lookouts. The Bells Line of Roads is a stunning driving trail is great for a scenic road trip by car or motorbike.