I would give it a 4 out of 5 star rating and I would recommend it for tourists seeking a unique experience.
Pros - unique rides, beautiful scenery.
Cons - Expensive ($74 for 1 adult and 2 kids for 3 rides and the boardwalk), really crowded on the peak season weekend we were there.
A fun day for the whole family (perhaps not ideal for those with walking difficulties)!
Scenic world is a tourist destination located in Katoomba, NSW Australia - 60 miles from Sydney. The attraction consists of 5 activities - a Skyway, a Scenic "Train," a Cableway, a boardwalk nature trail, and a sculpture garden (which we did not visit)
The Skyway is 885 ft above the valley below and the "ride" travels over 2300ft from the entrance station to the other side. The scenery is quite spectacular with 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains, Katoomba Falls, and the Three Sisters. The glass floor in the center of the Tramway was a hit with the kids - try to look down just as you are leaving the west side entrance station; the gigantic ferns are really something special. You can go one way and meet a driver on the other side (if you have someone in your group who would rather drive than take the Tramway). You must disembark after going across the valley and line up again if you want to return. If you leave the Scenic World entrance and cross to the Three Sisters side, you can take a very short (perhaps 200ft) walk to lookout, a 20-30 min hike to Echo Point, or hike for 2 hours to return to the base of other Scenic World attractions. We opted for the short walk to the lookout. You cannot see the Three Sisters rock formation from the closest lookout but it is a nice view and you can watch the Tramway cross the valley.
After returning via the Tramway, you disembark back inside the main Scenic World building (and of course into the Gift Shop) where you can line up for the Scenic "Railway" or the Cableway. We opted for the Scenic Railway next. This was the favorite "ride" for the kids. It is a super steep (52 degrees) descent ("steepest passenger railway in the world," according to their website). While the whole ride is only about 1000 feet long, it is unique. The carriage you ride in has changed quite a bit in the 40 years since I first went there and it is now modern and holds 84 people. At the bottom you must disembark and line up again if you wish to ride it back up. I highly recommend that you don't ride it back up if you only have time to ride each ride one time because you could miss out of the spectacular boardwalk from the base of the Railway over to the Tramway (although you could ride the tramway down and walk to the base of the railway if you prefer).
You can choose from a 10, 25, or 50 minute walk along the boardwalk which offers nearly 8000 ft of walkway. It is worth every minute. Although it is hot and humid in the rainforest setting, it is beautiful. This was, perhaps, my favorite part of the day. There are some points of interest along the way - an old mine shaft, a ventilation shaft, a miner's hut, etc to add a little education to the hike. It is an easy walk and a "must-see" (IMO). We walked the 25 minute hike to the Cableway ate a picnic lunch in the rainforest.
We took the 1600 ft long Cableway back up the mountain and I was disappointed. There were too many people on the ride for me to see anything out of the window. All passengers stand and the vision was completely obscured for those passengers not next to a window. I much prefer the Tramway for scenic views.
TIPS
Book online if you can get there before 10am. They have an early bird special and not only do you save a little money ($15 for the 3 of us) but you also have a guaranteed time slot. If you show up later, you may need to wait for a time slot to open up. Even with the early start the lines were long (15-30 minutes for each leg of the rides) and I was told it gets much busier later.
There are no bathrooms anywhere except in the main building at the TOP of the mountain so plan ahead.
Pack a picnic lunch in a backpack (not a cooler) and enjoy it at a lookout or, better yet, in the rainforest.
Take water.
There are no stores, or food options anywhere except at the main building before you get on the rides.
You can get individual and one-way tickets for rides but the best value is an all day, unlimited pass.
Enjoy!
I am in no way compensated for this review.
Comments