More than 300 people have given the Dalai Lama a warm welcome at Sydney Airport where he touched down ahead of his 12-day tour of Australia.

The Tibetan spiritual leader headed straight to the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, for five days of teachings at a resort.

He will also speak at events in Brisbane to take part in a multi-faith service and then head to Uluru for the first time, before finishing his tour in Perth.

It is his 10th visit to Australia.

Asked why he decided to return, the Dalai Lama said he had been invited and would "feel rather silly" if he did not accept the invitation.

He said he was looking forward to some "serious teaching" with old friends.

Actor Richard Gere travelled with the Nobel Peace Laureate and said he would join him for his entire Australian tour.

"It's a very rare teaching, very experiential. [It's] something extraordinary, so it's worth coming this far [for]," he said.

The Dalai Lama said Australians, and others, should pay more attention to their inner values regardless of whether they are "believers" or not.

Sorry, this video has expired Dalai Lama arrives in Australia

"This inner value is the source of our calm mind," he said.

"Calm mind, very important for healthy body."

Many people in the crowd said they felt blessed to have met the Dalai Lama.

"He's a world symbol of peace. In this day and age of turmoil and conflict around the world, I think it is really important," one supporter said.

"So it's really special that all the Tibetans can come together and have a symbol of unity and love all together at the same time."

Another said: "I'm very proud to meet the Dalai Lama personally and I feel very blessed in this morning."

The Dalai Lama greets the crowd at Sydney Airport ahead of his 12-day Australian tour. ( ABC News: Rachel Pupazzoni )

Protests planned for Dalai Lama tour

In the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, the Dalai Lama was met by protesters.

A large group of Shugden Buddhists gathered at Leura this morning where the Dalai Lama was giving the opening talk of his Australian tour.

The protesters said they wanted the Dalai Lama to end a campaign of persecution against Shugden Buddhists.

They said he had forcefully imposed a ban on the traditional and mainstream Shugden Buddhist practice, resulting in suffering and human rights abuses for millions of people worldwide.

A spokesman for the International Shugden Community, Nicholas Pitts, said the Dalai Lama has encouraged Buddhists to shun the minority group.

Mr Pitts said his Holiness does not practice what he preaches.

"We've been calling for dialogue and he refuses to engage in dialogue with us, he refuses to compromise," Mr Pitts said at the protest.

"So even though he travels the world on this platform, this agenda, of promoting peace and harmony and tolerance and dialogue, he's not doing it himself."

Mr Pitts said the persecution has caused a rift in the Buddhist community.

"Even within families people, like parents, aunts have to make public declarations they won't talk to their children, children saying they won't talk to their parents," he said.

"He's divided families and communities, and he's created this atmosphere of religious hatred and segregation."

