Just finished a tour of Sydney Au with Jelly of Dingo. Scenic photo stops and history of Sydney…read more Almost 4 hours. A great experience and I highly recommend it Bess from Chicago

We were in Sydney for a two day business trip with a third day free. I found Dingo Tours online and…read morebased on reviews I found I selected Dingo for a 1-day excursion to the blue mountains. We had some specific time requests and also wanted a more intense and lightly bit of hiking. Our needs were well met and we had a great day. Jellen was a great host and guide from the start. He was prompt and friendly on pick up. He adjusted the day as it went based on our needs and timing. He was very friendly and knew a lot about the areas we visited including the bird and wildlife we saw. On my next trip to Syndey I will be planning ahead to do some more excursions with Jellen and Dingo Tours.

During our visit to Manly, since we thought it was a bit too chilly to hang out on the beach, we…read moretook a nice walk along the Manly Scenic Walkway from the corner of Manly Beach by the Manly Life Saving Club to Shelley Beach, and back again. It is a relatively safe, mostly fenced in path by the water. Basically, you would have to be taking some large risks to fall in, though there are places you may venture forth onto relatively flat rocks or around a neat outdoor swimming pool. With a leisurely pace and pauses for photos or just to sit back and relax, the round trip took us an hour and 15 minutes. I particularly enjoyed the metal sculptures set in the rocky ledges along the walkway leading towards Shelley Beach, known as the Cabbage Tree Bay Eco Sculpture Walk. Also outstanding, at Shelley Beach, there were quite a few wild turkeys wandering about.

The Manly to Shelly Beach Walk is located in an area known as the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve…read more The boundaries are from the south end of Manly Beach to the north end of Shelly Beach. This area is full of rocky shores which you see numerous people walking around in. The waters of the reserve is home to more than 160 species of fish along with kelp and seagrass. While the actual walkway on Marine Parade is a nice place for walker and joggers/runners to get some physical activity while being amidst some natural beauty. Along the walk you see a lot of waterfront houses. Saw a number of houses perched on top of rock formations and walls. It must be nice living in these homes as they are seaside, but in walking distance to the city portion of Manly. At the end of walk you arrive at Shelly Beach which is a pleasant beach that is more secluded than the larger Manly Beach. It is also covered in trees so it has an island paradise vibe to it. If you are looking for a relaxed beach, Shelly Beach is a good spot. While Manly Beach is the main attraction in the area, this beach walk is nice too as you can get an opposite side view of Manly Beach. The rocky shores and rock wall formations in the area also are reasons to take this walk.

"My baby gives it up every day My baby gives it, she gives…read moreit away My baby gives it up totally free" (Peter Townsend) The Sydney ferry workers are on strike, so the two ferry trips we enjoyed this week were free, since the government declared they would be for the duration of the strike. We saw no effect from the strike on service, because service was great on our trip to the Taronga Zoo and to Manly. The departure wharves are clearly marked with a visual posting of the next scheduled departure and a real-time countdown of remaining time. The ferries are clean and well maintained. The seats were comfortable, the rides were smooth and calm, and everything worked fine on our two round trips.

Our tour group recently took a beautiful ferry ride via Rose Bay back into Sydney cove. Circular…read moreQuay from Watson's Bay by ferry is one of Australia's great ferry trips. An unscheduled storm cloud had us all scrambling for cover but today the 125th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy featuring a fleet review of 30 ships from 19 countries right here in Sydney harbour meant we didn't really mind getting a tad wet. Our first ferry stop Rose Bay was once the home to Sydney's first international airport with amphibious aircraft taking the 30 stop kangaroo route from London to Sydney in 12 days commencing in 1938 and continuing right up to the 1950s. Passing the HMAS Sydney memorial Mast, Shark beach, Taronga Zoo, Garden Island (Royal Australian Navy) and the Prime Minister's house while also admiring some of the most expensive suburbs in the southern hemisphere, it was easy to see why this is such a well patronised ferry ride. Standing between Wharf 3 and 4 the RAAF roulettes then had us in awe at their 15 min display of raw energy and choreographed acrobatics.

An awesome experience of Sydney! You can either take the bus tour, which is $18 to cover the cost…read moreof the bus, or the walking tour which is free. At the end of both, you can choose to contribute any amount you like to your guide. This is the only money they make so you should definitely give some because they've worked hard! You meet at the Archibald fountain by 10:30 a.m. to get a spot and then go from there. Martin was my guide on the bus tour and he was informative and funny! I got to see so much of Sydney on the tour and also took some great photos. Don't think that you won't be tired if you do the bus tour cause you'll be hopping on and off a few times which will be tiring (but rewarding). I'd say this is a must do when visiting Sydney!

Didn't see any recent reviews so didn't know what to expect but we wanted to be able to see the…read morecity with somebody who knew something about it ... LeiLei was our tour guide (not sure I spelled her name right) and she was wonderful! She kept us on track, was exceptionally knowledgeable and we got to see and learn more about Sydney than we would have on our own. Tour ends in the Rocks area which was perfect.. plenty to do and see there ...tour is free but they do ask for gratuities based on your experience. Would recommend this tour for anybody who wants to get to know Sydney

I took the ferry as part of the organized tour for the Blue Mountains. The ride was a tad bit long…read more(~ an hour) from Olympic Park to Circular Quay so I got off at Darling Harbor (it is closer to my hotel anyway). It was around dusk and the day was perfect so I got some great sunset photos. It was too windy to enjoy the ride at the deck though. If you have plenty of time, I guess it's a good option. Otherwise, there is so much you can otherwise do in Sydney.

Don your sunglasses, shorts and cameras round the neck, exhausted expressions and sunburn optional…read more It's time to play 'pretend I'm a tourist in my own city'. Parramatta Rivercat. One of those things I'd never got around to. Don't think of Parramatta as a river kind of destination. Hopped on the 'Marjorie Jackson' (the specially designed rivercats are all named after female athletes) for a trip down river. Or up river. I don't know. It's a terribly smooth ride, with barely a wobble when you cross another boat's wake, and a lovely way to see parts of the harbour I never get to. If you can ignore the 'Life Jackets under the seat' signs that are EVERYWHERE. This cat had onboard wifi and was comfier than it looked. We drifted up/down river, and I got to shudder at some of the indescribably fugly foreshore architecture and play 'if I inherited the fortune of a benevolent millionaire which house would I buy.' (Victorian era, preferably with turret, or maybe art deco, smooth lines). There's all these little parks and wharves I had no idea were there, and although it was a bit of a stretch to imagine you're ferrying down the Seine, there's a point at which the highrises suddenly end, and it's nothing but mangroves. Feel free to indulge in Heart of Darkness heading to see Kurtz and my doom fantasies at that point. The 50 minutes flew by, and we were deposited on the little wharf at Parramatta, handing over the cat to a troop of schoolkids dressed up like urchins in mobcaps and backpacks. Reading the plaques on the wharf, just imagine what it was like in colonial days, the first boat built to navigate up there was called 'The Lump' by the convicts, and the round trip could take a week. The trip back I caught another Rivercat of older vintage, after hopping on a bus to Rydalmere as the tide was too low for the ferry to make it that far. There were no signs or anything that this was happening, so keep your eye on the busstop or call the info line.

Best way to see the magnificent Sydney unobstructed and use your own camera to capture the moments…read more Featuring a small museum, cafe and toilets on the way up to the best 360 view at the top of the pylon. It's $19!! (Better than climbing the bridge for hundreds) I even met a celebrity chef while there. The views are great for promo shots obviously. As you walk across the Harbour Bridge you will come to a small unassuming sign. At first I thought it was like an open tradie entrance and am I really allowed in. Lol What a great surprise. How could I not know if this place. It's a must for visitors and locals of this beautiful city and harbour.

A lot of steps, wind but incredible views of the city & harbor. There are restrooms, a gift shop &…read morelots of benches to sit & rest. Beautiful bridge beautiful views, friendly people & a little bridge history too.

I booked the twilight bridge climb and I am still not quite sure what possessed me. Let me explain,…read moreI am in my mid sixties, fat, out of shape and deadly afraid oof heights. It didn't look so bad on pictures, but once I saw the bridge in person and in particular how tiny the climbers looked on top of the bridge, that was the moment fear set in. And it got worse during the preparations. You don't just walk in and climb on up there. You need to have instructions, pass a breathalyzer test, change into a special suit, get a radio, headphones, attach your glasses, hat, jacket and whatnot all to your suit and step into a heavy harness. By that time you'll start to sweat because this suit is like a plastic bag and hold in the heat. You also get to practice a climb up some ladders... oh yay. As a scaredy cat in regards of heights, I was placed up front so our guide could keep an eye on me. Good thing too. The rest of my group consisted of 20-30 year old athletic types... great. So you step on out of the building onto a catwalk and get hooked onto the safety line. This already made me regret things as I looked down onto the street below. Then our guide starts to run, yes run on this narrow catwalk... aaarggghhh... I did finally catch up with her but only because she was waiting for our group. Surprise, let's climb up 4 ladders with 25 steps each back to back... man I was huffing and puffing. Thank goodness you get to wait until everybody is up. Then you climb and climb and climb on up the stairs. I did my best and did keep up, but I was really trying hard. I gave it my all. At about 3/4 of the way, my legs were turning into jello, almost to the summit I thought I was going to throw up, but luckily we stopped to take pictures as a group and then as individuals. I recovered during this little rest. We had climbed up during daylight, by the time we reached the summit the sun was setting and the the view was spectacular. Unforgettable. Recovered due to the short rest and with the promise of no further climbing, but rather descending from here on, I was feeling much better. Thirsty, drenched in sweat and wishing I had used the restroom before the climb, but otherwise ok. Well now we had to cross from one side of the bridge to the other... at the summit, over several lanes of traffic and railroad tracks, and you can see straight down... for me, the scariest part. Then finally the descent. By now it was getting quite dark and we needed to turn on our lamps. The descent was much quicker than the climb of course and I was eager to get out of this hot suit, get a drink of water and use the rest room... no such luck. Now one has to painstakingly unbuckle all the equipment from the suit. Eventually you get to change back into your regular clothes. And just when you think you are done, you have to stand in line for the photo purchases. I had prepaid for the pictures, but still had to wait because the staff will pick out the pictures that feature you and put those with the group and scenery pictures. I do have to say our guide took fabulous pictures and they were worth the wait. Yes, I know I don't describe this adventure as a wonderful experience, it was quite strenuous, but also exciting and the view alone is absolutely worth it. Also the staff was very encouraging and if you have fear or physical concerns let them know so they can help you along the way.

Review 900! I'm not…read morea huge thrill seeker, but multiple people encouraged me to do the BridgeClimb. I regret not climbing the O2 Arena in London a few years ago so I decided to seize this opportunity; I'm so happy that I did because it was one of the highlights of my trip! Tickets: Prices vary by day, time, and type. Additionally, the prices are dynamic and can change at any time. I bought a ticket through Trip Advisor with a discount code. I chose the Summit Climb and booked a twilight start time which is apparently the most popular time to book. Check In: Allow 10-15 minutes to check in. Since I booked through a third party, I wasn't able to fill out the paperwork ahead of time. The gentleman at the front desk was so nice and assisted me with the forms. The employee asked if I had eaten. They have a café if you need to fuel up before the climb. The employee also asked about medical history. I have asthma and couldn't find my inhaler so the employee gave me a single use inhaler to take with me. Pre Climb: After check in, we spent the first hour getting ready for the climb. The safety briefing was first and included a breathalyzer test. Everyone (including children) had to do the breathalyzer. If your BAC is over 0.05, you won't be able to climb. After the briefing, we changed into jump suits. They have changing rooms and lockers for your belongings. You can't bring cell phones or watches with you and even things like hair clips aren't allowed. If you have eye/sunglasses they will give you a lanyard so that you can wear them during the climb. We also received headphones and head lamps which came in handy after sunset. Once we suited up, we practiced climbing the ladders. The ladders were a little intimidating because they're quite steep, but having the opportunity to practice while wearing the harness eased my anxiety. Climb: Some sections of the base required stepping over and bending down below beams. There were quite a few stairs and a few sets of ladders. Staff members were posted throughout the bridge to provide assistance if needed. The climb leader took individual and group photos along the way and at the summit. The views of the Harbour were spectacular! Our climb leader was Shannon and she was wonderful! She was so personable, funny, and just an all around cool gal. She gave a lot of interesting fun facts about the bridge. We had a diverse group of both children and adults hailing from multiple countries. It was cool to meet people from all over the world. Shannon held on to the inhaler and would periodically check in with me to make sure I didn't need it. There were a few times when I had to stop to catch my breath, but luckily I didn't have to use it. Post Climb: Once the climb was over, we received a souvenir (baseball hat). We also had the opportunity to purchase photos. On my way out, I ran into the employee that checked me in. He addressed me by name and asked about my experience which was so nice! You don't have to be a dare devil to do the BridgeClimb. It was a little out of my comfort zone, but I'm glad that I did it! This was one of the pricier activities that I did in Sydney, but it was totally worth it! What a unique and amazing experience that I will never forget!

First time visitor to this awesome place where we decided to catchup over a bbq with friends…read more Access is by boat, ferry or water taxi. Unsure if you can drive here as I didn't see any cars. What struck me immediately is the local swamp wallabies that coexist with the visitors and rangers. Sightings on the day included kookaburras, various birds and reptiles. It is the only place in the Ku-ring-gai Chase where you can camp. Being part of a national park, ongoing conservation and preservation is by way of entrance fees ($3 per head), which is separate to camping fees. Restrictions applies to this beautiful place i.e. fires. The campsite is well maintained and very clean. Plenty of hiking opportunities for those who are keen as it is surrounded by hills and mountains There is a body of water that is safe for some water sports. Bbq facilities is also available which we took advantage of. Beechwood Cottage is a historical property which is available to hire for functions and events. This place is great if you want to get away for the weekends with or without the kids. It overlooks Pittwater and is just a beautiful place to hang and chill.

This is a great beach and camping area, with mountains all around. Access is by boat or trails…read more No vehicles allowed. It's not a pristine sand beach, more like sand based mud, but has nice calm clear water on the back harbour side. The place has lots of space to picnic and relax. Everything is clean. And the kids get to run after the wallaby(ies) when they hop by. We went in by boat, which is a great way to arrive. There are lots of tent campers, most of which seemed to arrive and bring their gear in by boat. Several ferries service the area.