A Family Abseiling Adventure in The Blue Mountains!

Have you got a head for heights? You’ll need one if you go abseiling in the Blue Mountains with your kids! My twins and I recently had a real adventure, we did a half-day abseiling course with High and Wild Mountain Adventures, a company based at the YHA in Katoomba.

Here’s the story of our abseiling adventures in pictures, you’ll see we felt very safe and well looked after… and that my twins are much braver than I am!!

blue mountains abseiling putting on gear — It was a misty mountain day in November, we joined the group at the YHA and were brought to an area called narrow Neck, fairly close to Katoomba. The first step was to climb into our harnesses, which we kept on all morning.

Quick facts about abseiling with kids in the Blue Mountains

High and Wild recommends abseiling for children aged 8 and over. They suggest giving the office a call to chat through your family’s needs. Many family groups go as a private group and that often works really well.

NB High and Wild also do full-day abseiling and canyoning courses and these are recommended for teenagers aged 14 and over.

Abseiling Blue Mountains 8 — Location one is a sloping 5-metre cliff. Our guides showed us the orange safety rope, managed by them. We did feel secure.

Abseiling Blue Mountains 10 — Twins went first, they took it well in their stride?

Abseiling Blue Mountains 11 — I didn’t look as confident as they did… it had been about 25 years (and four kids) since I’d stepped over a cliff!

Abseiling Blue Mountains 7 — On the next cliff, a 15-metre one, our guide showed us the safety rope again, instructions are given very clearly and there was never any feeling of haste.

Abseiling Blue Mountains 9 — Teen 13 steps into the clouds. I must admit that, when it was my turn, I didn’t dare look down and I focussed VERY hard on the encouraging words of the guide as she talked me through step-by-step.

Abseiling Blue Mountains 6 — On the second cliff there’s an overhang to gently lower yourself down. My daughter was very cheery as she did this!

Abseiling Blue Mountains 5 — Help! That’s my wee boy up there!

Abseiling Blue Mountains 1 — The third abseil is down a 30-metre cliff with a big overhang. The views as we walked along to the top were stunning when the mists occasionally parted.

Abseiling Blue Mountains 3 — My daughter loves this silhouette of herself slowly coming down the rope

Abseiling Blue Mountains 4 — My son grinning for the cameras

Abseiling Blue Mountains 2 — No worries, Mum!

Thanks to High and Wild for hosting us for this abseiling adventure in the beautiful Blue Mountains. We did enjoy ourselves and thanks for the excellent information emailed out before the trip too. We were very well prepared.

High and Wild Mountain Adventures

207 Katoomba St (Inside the YHA)
Katoomba , NSW 2780
Phone: 02 4782 6224

Find the High and Wild website here.

PS I must make a small confession… the hike up to the top after the 30-metre abseil is pretty rough and steep and it took me a while to get my breath. Whilst the kids went straight back to abseil down the cliff again, I chickened out and took more photos instead. It had taken an effort of will to step off that 30-metre cliff the first time, and the two guides were fantastic at keeping my confidence up as I went down. But in the end, the kids were FAR braver than me!