The hustle and bustle of Sydney can become overwhelming to even the most hardened of city dwellers at times. If you feel like you’ve been abused by the city, your boss, or chewed up and spit out- maybe it is time to get out of town and see a bit more of this great land down under. I had one of those weekends this past one.
Just 2 hours south of Sydney is Kangaroo Valley, one of only 7 fully enclosed valleys in the world, or so they claim. Regardless of claims, it was gorgeous, calm, clean, and just what the doctor ordered. A bit of physical exercise and falling asleep to the sound of wombats thundering by can work magic on one’s outlook and help recharge those batteries.
Kangaroo Valley Safari’s is one of a couple of outfitters in the area. They provided efficient and organized service. Their equipment was in excellent shape, and were timely in their pick up. That is especially fantastic after you have been sans shower and toilet for two days.
They offer day hires and overnight trips. I took them up on the overnight option, packed up all of my camping gear, loaded it into the waterproof mini-barrels they provided, and paddled to my little hearts content until the city was only a fuzzy memory. Cool in the mornings and evenings, and lovely and sunny during the day, make sure you take along layers.
The Kangaroo Valley River feeds into Sydney’s water supply, so it is pretty clean as far as rivers go. For those science geeks out there- there is a dam at the end of the trip that you can check out. For you travellers and nature lovers out there- I saw majestic pelicans cruising along, water dragons sunning themselves, kangaroos lazily grazing and napping along the banks, and witnessed the thunder of wombats crashing through the underbrush at night. A fair dinkem Aussie experience that was well worth the money.
The Village of Kangaroo Valley is cute, tidy, and well set up to cater to travellers. B&Bs, Campgrounds, and the Friendly Hotel are complemented by craft shops, cafe’s, and milk bars. The roads to get there are winding and steep but well paved. Bring your A game when driving there.
