A day tour by minibus is a different trip from a seat on a big coach tour. Your group sets the stops, the pace and the lunch booking, and the vehicle leaves when you are ready rather than when the timetable says. Sydney Bus Hire runs private day tours from Sydney with 12, 20 and 24 seat vehicles and a professional driver, so friends, families, clubs, visitors and work groups can see more without anyone needing to drive.
Popular day tours from Sydney
Hunter Valley
About two hours north of Sydney, the Hunter is the classic winery day: cellar doors, a long lunch, cheese and chocolate stops and a relaxed drive home with the whole group together. See our Hunter Valley minibus tours.
Blue Mountains
Lookouts over the Jamison Valley, the villages of Leura and Katoomba, short walks and gardens. The mountains are about one and a half to two hours west, which makes them an easy full day.
Canberra
Parliament House, the national galleries and museums, and Floriade if you travel in spring. It is a long day at about three hours each way, so a 24 seat mini coach with coach-style seats is worth considering.
Southern Highlands and the coast
Bowral, Berrima and the gardens of the Highlands, or the Grand Pacific Drive and the Sea Cliff Bridge south of Sydney.
Around Sydney
The harbour, the eastern beaches, the northern beaches and the city lookouts, a good choice for visitors from interstate or overseas.
A sample Blue Mountains day
- 8:00am: pickup from one or two meeting points in Sydney.
- 9:45am: morning tea in one of the mountain villages.
- 10:30am: the main lookouts, with time for photos and a short walk.
- 12:30pm: lunch at a cafe or restaurant you have booked.
- 2:00pm: a garden, gallery or second lookout, or time to browse the shops.
- 3:30pm: head back down the mountains, home before the worst of peak hour.
Times are a guide only. We adjust them for your pickup points, the season and the number of stops.
How we plan a tour
Tell us the places you would like to see, the size of your group, your start and finish points and any mobility needs. We suggest a running order, realistic travel times and where the vehicle can safely stop. You book the venues, tastings and lunch, or ask us for ideas. On the day, the driver keeps to the plan and waits at each stop.
Which vehicle?
Small groups of up to 12 fit our 12 seater. Groups of 13 to 20 suit the 20 seater minibus. For longer drives, the 24 seater mini coach has high back coach seats and large windows.
Good to know
- Drivers hold Working With Children Checks and know the routes.
- Seatbelt-equipped vehicles can be confirmed when you book.
- Bottled water is fine on board. Food and other drinks are not permitted.
- Allow for driver breaks on long days, which we build into the plan.
- Mountain and highland weather can change quickly, so bring a layer even in summer.
Request a tour quote through our online quote form or call 0452 104 173.
