WHO ARE RUNAWAY TOURS?
SYDNEY PRIVATE TOURS SPECIALIST
Runaway Tours is a dynamic local family owned and operated Australian business with over 20 years in the tourism industry. Since 2006, with our pool of over 20 English speaking and foreign language guides, luxury vehicles and vast tourism experience, we have become the Sydney Private Tours specialists.
The owners are husband and wife, dynamic duo, Steve Arnerich, originally from New Zealand, and Mandy Stewart, originally from Tasmania. Steve, our Operations Manager, cut his teeth on 3 day camping trips to the Blue Mountains way back in 1996 and has been leading tour groups there for nearly 30 years. He now has a rich knowledge of the Sydney Tourism industry and a wealth of customer focused expertise and can answer all of your questions and help you find the best of our Sydney Private Tours to suit your occasion.
Mandy provides a custom consultancy service for our clients and will help you plan exactly the tour you want. She runs the engine room of the business and, as Tours Manager, will handle all of your enquiries with the speed and efficiency of a fighter jet!
WHY CHOOSE US?
Runaway Tours are very happy to work with you to get the personalised experience you want. From the first contact to final drop off, we are focused on providing you with expert advice and professional guides, to ensure that you get the very best experience while visiting Sydney.
It is important to us that you have an enjoyable and rewarding time on our tours. We love Sydney and the surrounding region is a beautiful and exciting part of the world. We are excited to show it off to our national and international visitors!
We can also provide a specialised service for our foreign language visitors that makes us stand out from the rest. Runaway Tours has over 20 local guides who speak English, Italian, German, Polish, Korean, Chinese, Mandarin and more.
MEET OUR FLEET
"SYLVIE" and "FRANKIE"
For our small groups we use “Sylvie” or “Frankie”, our 2 luxury VW Caravelles. With seating for up to 8 passengers, you will travel in comfort on custom leather seats and be protected from the Australian sun with tinted windows and air conditioning.
"MIA"
For our small groups of 2 or 3 people, we use “Mia”, our luxury fitted SUV Kia Sorento Sports Plus. With all leather interior and superb comfort, you will tour in style in our newest vehicle to the fleet. With a third row of seats, this is perfect for families, or they fold down to provide ample luggage storage for your Airport or Cruise Port pickup.
"ROXANNE" AND "RENEE"
For slightly larger groups or if you need extra luggage space, you’ll travel in “Roxanne” or “Renee”, our premium Renault Master minibuses. With comfortable seating for up to 10 guests, you’ll enjoy plenty of space to relax as you explore Sydney and beyond. Fully air-conditioned and designed with your comfort in mind, these modern minibuses offer a smooth, enjoyable journey, making every kilometre part of the experience.
LARGER GROUPS
For midsize groups we use deluxe midi buses with 24 or 28 seats. We can also cater to larger groups with luxury 5 star coaches
MEET SOME OF OUR TEAM
Runaway Tours specialist local tour guides
Our friendly professional team of local tour guides ensure that your Sydney Private Tours are an enjoyable, relaxing and fun experience. Take a minute to meet some of our team.
GLENN
English speaking guide and conversational Spanish
Born and raised in Essex, England, Glenn has called Sydney home since 2011 and has over a decade of experience showcasing the city’s highlights. After running his own boutique tour company for seven years, he joined the Runaway Tours team.
Having travelled to more than 50 countries and lived in Asia teaching English for six years, Glenn loves sharing Sydney’s history, culture and hidden gems with guests. He’s also a keen food, wine and craft beer enthusiast and is always happy to recommend a great local spot
Specialties
Sydney, Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, South Coast, Southern Highlands
JEN
English speaking guide
Born and bred Australian, Jen is a descendant of a First Fleet mariner and a Second Fleet convict, giving her a genuine connection to Australia’s early history. She has been sharing her passion for tourism since 2014 and believes Sydney is simply “the bee’s knees.”
With a background in hospitality and a love of food and wine, Jen has spent time in South Australia’s renowned wine regions and enjoys introducing guests to Australia’s local flavours. She has also guided tours in the Kimberley, trained Indigenous guides in Purnululu National Park, and is a Western Australian Tourism Award winner. Her enthusiasm, local knowledge and storytelling makes every tour both engaging and memorable.
Specialties
Sydney, Hunter Valley, South Coast, Blue Mountains, Port Stephens
ANDREW
English, French and German speaking guide
Born and raised in Sydney, Andrew has been sharing his hometown with visitors since 2011. Before joining the tourism industry, he spent 22 years teaching French and German in Australia and the UK, giving him a lifelong passion for languages, history and culture.
An avid traveller, Andrew has explored much of Europe and has a particular appreciation for France, Germany and their renowned wine regions. His expertise has seen him assist with diplomatic visits, interpret for international events, and guide high-profile guests including royalty, world leaders and business executives. His warm personality, local knowledge and passion for wine make him a favourite with guests.
Specialties
Sydney, the Opera House, National Park and Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, Southern Highlands
BETTINA
English, German and Dutch speaking guide
Born in Germany, Bettina’s passion for travel has taken her around the world before she made Australia home in 2005. After earning a tourism diploma in the Netherlands and a Master’s in Tourism Management in Australia, she began guiding in 2013.
Bettina also teaches travel and tourism and was named Best Travel and Tourism Trainer in 2023. She loves introducing guests to Australia’s incredible destinations and believes the best part of every tour is seeing the smiles and lasting memories guests take home.
Specialties
Sydney City Sights, Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, South Coast, Southern Highlands
JOE
English and Italian speaking guide
Born and raised in Sydney to Italian migrant parents, Joe developed a passion for hospitality, travel and connecting with people from an early age. After a successful corporate career in IT and owning one of Sydney’s iconic hospitality venues, he followed his passion into tourism.
Bilingual in English and Italian, Joe became a full-time tour guide in 2024 after completing formal tour guiding studies. He loves bringing Sydney’s history, culture and hidden gems to life through engaging storytelling, ensuring every guest enjoys a warm, authentic and memorable experience.
Specialties
Sydney, Eastern Suburbs as well as the full day Sydney, North Shore and Blue Mountains tours
LIZ
English speaking guide
Originally from South Africa, Liz made Sydney home in 1999 and quickly fell in love with its spectacular harbour, beaches and vibrant lifestyle. After a successful career in graphic design, she discovered her true passion for tourism while leading overland adventures across Australia.
Today, Liz loves sharing Sydney’s iconic sights, hidden gems and fascinating stories with visitors from around the world. Her warm personality, enthusiasm and genuine love for the city ensure every guest enjoys a fun, relaxed and memorable private tour.
Specialties
Sydney, the city and its unique history. The North Shore, northern beaches and everything in between. Blue Mountains.
SCOTT
English speaking guide
Scott grew up on Sydney’s North Shore and is a proud fifth-generation Australian with convict ancestry. After studying International Affairs overseas, he spent 11 years living in New York, Dallas and Hong Kong before returning to Sydney to own and operate an independent bookshop for 25 years.
Scott first discovered his passion for tourism while living in New Caledonia in his early twenties, leading city tours of Nouméa for Australian visitors. A lifelong traveller and history enthusiast, returning to guiding was a natural next step.
Having visited more than 40 countries, some of his travel highlights include working as a United Nations intern in the Central African Republic, exploring Japan, Morocco, India and Israel, and tracing family connections in Fiji. Scott also speaks conversational French, along with some basic Japanese and Hebrew.
Specialties
Sydney City Tours and also specialist Jewish tours, for those interested in the history and demographics of that community.
Take a Private Sydney Day Tour and you too will be jumping for joy!
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Sustainability
We’re playing our part to make a positive difference to the planet. Our office is 100% powered by solar panels, our water bottles are 100% bio degradable, we also recycle all of our water bottles and supplies, our office is paperless, we bank with Bank Australia, one of the few Australian banks that does not finance fossil fuel companies and we strive to emphasise the importance of minimal impact on the places we travel.
Behind The Scenes
