Barely two hours south of Sydney, Kangaroo Valley is a stunning slice of Eden that always puts a great big grin across my face. A weekend away here is a guaranteed way to soothe the soul before the next work week.

There’s something about the energy of this place that leaves me feeling a lot further than 150 clicks away from Sydney. The way that mystical river snakes its course through the rain-forested mountains… The way those meat pies dribble down my chin…

I love the place so bloody much, in fact, I even got married there and 5 years ago.

Kayak The Kangaroo River

As Kristen Wiig once so profoundly exclaimed, ‘And I’m gonna go down to the riiiiver!’

And so should you. 

The tranquil Kangaroo River is peaceful place for a dip, but if you really want to get to know it, hire yourself a kayak and head downstream.

Kangaroo Valley Canoes offers self-guided trips over multiple days, and it’s suitable for anyone that can pick up and hold a paddle. Our gang of adventure misfits had a blast on this river for a weekend.

 

Ride a Horse Through The Rainforest

With rolling hills and cascading gorges, horseback is a seriously cool (and bum-tingling) way to explore the valley. Kangaroo Valley Horses can organise trips a couple of hours long, or if you’re really champing at the bit, up to a couple of days!

Bike and Hike Through Morton National Park

Why not make an adventure of just getting to the Valley? Bike your way from Fitzroy Falls, through Morton National Park, down the mountain, to arrive at the luscious Kangaroo Valley. The 30km track will take you the best part of the day to complete, but with a pub and free campground waiting for you at the end, you get the best of both worlds.

Prefer to stretch the legs instead? Kangaroo River walking track and Griffins walking track are each a short drive out of town and deep into Morton National Park. Wombats and kangaroos saunter around here in abundance and native birds fill the treetops.

 

Find Your Food Fix

You can’t spend a weekend in Kangaroo Valley without taking a food tour of the town.

Kangaroo Valley Pie Shop boldly claims to produce the world’s best pies. Give them a test out for yourself and see if the claim stacks up!

The General Cafe is a gorgeous cafe and a great spot for a coffee on the go or to sit down for a wholesome meal.

The Friendly Inn has a beer garden which once you step into, will give you that slightly giddy summer feeling. You’ll almost certainly be ordering a refreshing cider to cleanse your cottonmouth.

There are also village markets every second Saturday which are well worth a visit for any bric-a-brac junkies out there.

Basecamp

You’re spending the night right? Of course you are!

Bendeela Recreation Area is the closest campground to town (and it’s free!). Less than a 15 minute drive from the main drag, Bendeela is a flat and open campground on the edge of the Kangaroo River. Popular with families and a dreamy spot for a flick of the rod, it’s a first come first serve kinda campground.

There’s no power here, but toilets and drinking water is available.

Essential Gear

  • Tent
  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping mat
  • Cooking equipment (or just eat in town!)
  • Fishing rod and tackle
  • Mountain bike
  • Hiking boots
  • Swimmers

How To Get There

Kangaroo Valley is about a 2hr drive south of Sydney. Follow the Hume Highway out of the city and turn off at Mittagong

Take Old South Road to avoid the towns and traffic of the Southern Highlands, before turning left onto Kangaloon Road and following it to Sheepwash Road. Turn left onto Nowra Road and following it down Barrengarry Mountain to Kangaroo Valley.

Activities

  • Camping
  • Hiking
  • Kayaking
  • Horse riding
  • Mountain biking
  • Fishing
  • River swimming
  • Drinking a beer at the pub!