Sydney Coast Walks

The Sydney Walking People

Bradleys Head walking track

Best Sydney Walks

We’ve spent a lifetime enjoying Sydney's hiking trails and believe the best natural beauty can only be accessed on foot. So come with us as we share the best Sydney walks near the city and surrounds.

Best Walks in Sydney

It’s possible to walk from Barrenjoey Headland at the very northern tip of Sydney all the way down through the city centre to the eastern beaches of Bondi and on to Cronulla and Royal National Park in the south.

The entire Sydney Great Coastal Walk – or the newly launched Bondi to Manly Walk – from north to south is a challenge deserving to be on your wish-list, but we won't overwhelm you with every single Sydney walking track.

We've selected only the best Sydney walks ranging from several kilometres, to overnight hikes.

To make it easier for you to find the best walks in Sydney, they are divided into walking styles, location and distance.

While we're adding to these lists of Sydney hiking trails all the time, be assured that each featured is one of the best Sydney walks, absolutely worth your time.

Start exploring…

All Featured Walks in Sydney

Keeping it simple, here are all the best walks in Sydney in alphabetical order. Or read on to find a walk sorted by category or style.

 

Clontarf Reserve on the Spit to Manly walk
Walking along Clontarf Beach at low tide. Manly to Spit walk. Image: Tourism Australia

Beach Walks Sydney

With more than 100 beaches in Sydney, including surf beaches and sandy harbour coves, there are many beach walks to choose from. Here are some Sydney beach walks to get started.

  • Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk. While this walk traverses only a small sandy section of the beach to get to the track's start, the views from the lighthouse over Palm Beach are spectacular.
  • Bondi to Coogee Walk. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Bondi is one of Sydney's most popular and populous beaches. But somehow, this six beach walk makes Sydney feel fresh and new. You can also do the shorter Bondi to Bronte Walk, and still enjoy three beaches along the way.
  • Bondi to Manly Walk. From one iconic surf beach to another, there are small harbour beaches to discover too.
  • Figure 8 Pools. Once upon a time, only insiders knew to keep walking around the rocky headland of Burning Palms Beach in Royal National Park.
  • Jibbon Beach Walk. One of the few beaches in Sydney where it's possible to leave the first footprints each day. You'll walk the length of this quiet, sandy beach to get to the Jibbon Aboriginal engravings.
  • Manly to Bondi Walk. Why not walk between Sydney's two most famous beaches? You also have the added bonus of walking Sydney's entire harbour foreshore east of the bridge.
  • Mona Vale Beach to Narrabeen Beach Walk. Way up on the northern beaches, there's a slice of local beach life worth exploring.
  • Palm Beach to Manly Walk. Walk the full length of Sydney's northern beaches from Barrenjoey Headland to North Head. With over ten beaches to walk along you might like to take two or three days.
  • Royal National Park Coastal Walk. There are another 14 beaches to discover in Royal National Park, many of them only accessible by foot.
  • Sydney's Great Coastal Walk Why not walk along every one of Sydney's surf beaches and harbour beaches east of the bridge? It will take between a week or two, so plan it carefully.
  • The Spit to Manly Walk. This walk finishes at a popular beachside area – Manly – but along the way reveals hidden harbour beaches worth pausing at.
Jibbon Beach, Royal National Park
Jibbon Beach Walk

Short Walks in Sydney

Short Walks less than 2 hours

Short Walks less than 4 hours

 

Sydney Harbour Walks

  • Bradleys Head Walk. A ferry across Sydney Harbour gives access to a short walk with big views of iconic Sydney (Harbour Bridge and Opera House included).
  • Cahill Walk from Milsons Point to Circular Quay
  • Bondi to Manly Walk The ultimate Sydney Harbour walk (can also be walked in the opposite direction Manly to Bondi).
  • Spit Bridge to Manly Walk A great contrast of pristine harbourside bushland and multi-million dollar mansions.
  • Sydney City Walk The essential for walks around Sydney's green spaces.
  • Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk
  • Watsons Bay Walk For views of the ocean, harbour and the city skyline.
  • Sydney's Great Coastal Walk starts at Palm Beach in the north and walks the full length of Sydney's coastline south to Otford in Royal National Park. There are a couple of days walking the harbour from Manly to Bondi so why not do it all? It will take between a week or two, so plan it carefully.
  • Wendy's Secret Garden The genteel harbourside area of the north-western shore of the Harbour Bridge.
Bradleys Head walking track
View of Sydney Harbour from Bradleys Head

For Sydney Harbour walks, see also 24 Hours in Sydney's Outdoors for itinerary suggestions.

Bush Walks Sydney

Bradleys Head Bush walk Sydney
Ian Wells of Sydney Coast Walks at Bradleys Head.

Royal National Park Sydney Walks

Some of Sydney's best walks are in Royal National Park on Sydney's southern border. It's Australia's oldest national park, with more than 100km of walking tracks to explore.

The Best Royal National Park Walks includes a list of walks in Australia's oldest national park, as well as general information about the park, such as getting there, costs and parking.

If you're interested in doing a few Royal National Park walks, see also Royal National Park Accommodation.

Royal National Park Coastal Walk
The Coast Track, one of the best Sydney walks, found in Australia's oldest national park.

Self-Guided Sydney Walking Tours

Guidebook – including walking tour commentary and map – available for the Spit to Manly Walk (buy the guidebook now $5.99).

Map only available for:

See availability of all self-guided walking tours in Sydney.

Cliff Walk Sydney

You'll learn in our tips for whale watching season that the high vantage points from cliff walks also makes these some of the best whale watching places in Sydney.

 

Hiking Sydney (Long Day Walks or Overnight Walks)

Rather than list hiking places in Sydney in alphabetical order, we've listed these overnight Sydney hiking trails in order of time to complete. Starting with the two day or long one day hikes, through to the hiking tracks that will take you a couple of weeks to complete.

  • 2 day Coastal Track, Royal National Park, camping at North Era. See also The Coast Track One Day or Two? if you'd prefer one full, challenging day walk. If you love bushwalking (that's what Aussies call hiking) this is hiking Sydney at it's best. 27km (16 miles) of near pristine bush and coastal walking.
  • 2 day Karloo Pools circuit. An easy day walk becomes an even easier overnight loop.
  • 2 or 3 day Palm Beach to Manly Walk. Walk the full length of Sydney's northern beaches from Barrenjoey Headland to North Head. Although it can be walked in one long day, two or three days is much more chilled.
  • 2 or 3 day Six Foot Track (Katoomba to Jenolan Caves)
  • 2, 3 or 4 day The ‘must-do' Sydney Harbour walk. If you only have time for one harbour walk, make it this one (also ref.
  • 10 days Sydney's Great Coastal Walk Walk the length of Sydney's coastline over ten days – no camping required! Itinerary suggestions from as short as five days up to a leisurely fourteen days.

Walks to See Aboriginal Sites

aboriginal canoe tree
The Aboriginal canoe tree on the walk to Figure 8 Pools.

Walks with a Difference

royal national park walk
Interesting characters at the Royal National Park cabins.
 

Best Sydney Walks for Nature Lovers

Which walk is the best of the best Sydney walks?

Judging the best Sydney walks in is tricky because everyone has different views on what makes a great walk.

Sydney bush walks vary from a short stroll through the local patch of eucalypt to multi day walks through the Blue Mountains. Sydney coastal walks are equally varied; the Bondi to Coogee Walk is easily accessible and more crowded but the Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk is more challenging and therefore more quiet.

Let’s just say Royal National Park Coastal Walk is our favourite because it has everything that every other Sydney coastal walk has combined … except the crowds and other signs of human development. This stretch of coastline is nearly the same as it was for thousands of years before European arrival.

Sure there are day trippers at Wedding Cake Rock, Wattamolla, Garie Beach and Figure Eight Pools on sunny weekends, but the tracks between them are deserted. There are still some pristine beaches that you will have to yourself even after reading this blog post.

What Else You Need to Know About Sydney Walks

 

Explore more

Best Sydney Walks Best Royal National Park Walks The Bondi to Manly Walk Guidebook