Top Sydney Whale Watching

Enjoy a whale-watching cruise that begins with a breakfast or barbecue lunch onboard the boat while in the calm waters of Sydney Harbour.  After breakfast or lunch, your boat glides past Sydney Head into the Pacific Ocean in search of the humpback and southern right whales that migrate along this coast from May to November. Keep an eye out for whales and dolphins as you learn about them from your naturalist guide, who provides fascinating commentary about Australian marine life during your tour.

Experience a close encounter with humpback whales without having to leave the city on this thrilling 2-hour speedboat tour from Sydney. Hop on-board the city’s fastest commercial ship and blast off across Sydney Harbour, past iconic landmarks like Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. Leave the city behind and speed out into the Pacific Ocean, where you’ll have chance to spot majestic whales swimming and playing in their natural environment.

Cruise the ocean waters off of Sydney to look for humpback and southern right whales as they migrate between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef from May to November. Your whale-watching experience starts out of Sydney Harbour and heads to the open ocean on a custom-built catamaran with large viewing windows and spacious decks that provide excellent sightlines. Often, dolphins, sea birds and other marine animals make an appearance during the nearly 2.5-hour whale-watching tour.

Discover the joy of coming face to face with majestic humpback whales while cruising across the ocean on a sailing boat on this fun-filled tour from Sydney Harbour. Running between May and November, the annual whale migration is a sight to behold. This small-group sailing tour gives travelers the chance to cruise alongside these incredible creatures without noisy engines or megaphones, so you can enjoy an immersive and wild natural experience.

Combine three exhilarating activities into one tour on this full-day adventure from Sydney to Port Stephens. First, set sail across Nelson Bay to spot bottlenose dolphins or whales (depending on the season) swimming and playing in their natural environment. Then, head to Stockton Beach where you can choose to upgrade on a thrilling 4WD tour around the Stockton Dunes (payable direct), followed by the chance to zoom down the dunes on a sandboard. Finally, enjoy free time to swim, sunbathe and stroll along the sands.

Spot majestic humpback whales swimming and playing in their natural environment during this whale-watching cruise from Sydney. Sail across Sydney Harbour, past the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, to the open waters of the Pacific and get up close to the gentle giants. This seasonal tour runs between May and November, and cruises pick up from either Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.

Go behind the scenes at the Sydney Opera House for a fascinating look at this Sydney icon. Your knowledgeable guide leads you through the World Heritage–listed building on a walking tour, sharing entertaining stories about the revered performance center's history and providing access to off-limits parts of the house.

Enjoy an afternoon sail on Sydney Harbour aboard a historic tall ship. Learn about Sydney’s maritime roots and your ship’s sailing history during a cruise that provides close views of iconic sights including Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, and Fort Denison. Get great photo ops and soak up the spectacular scenery. You can even lend the crew a hand by steering the ship and hoisting the sails.

Nature enthusiasts will love getting out of Sydney for half a day on a whale-watching boat trip directly from Darling Harbour. Look out for migrating humpback whales and learn more about the marine environment around Sydney through live on-board commentary. The small vessel allows for a close-up look at the whales.

Get into the Sydney Harbour and look for whales on this two hour group tour, starting from Circular Quay. You’ll have onboard commentary by your captain and crew so you can learn all about the harbor and the wildlife within it. The boat itself has indoor and outdoor seating, and a licenced bar onboard, where you can purchase snacks and drinks. If you don’t see a whale, you get your money back.

Get out on Sydney Harbour in two different ways with this tour package that combines a 2-day hop-on hop-off cruise pass and a whale-watching cruise. The hop-on hop-off cruise provides flexibility to visit up to 4 of the city's harbor precincts and can be used over two consecutive days. The whale-watching tour must be taken on the first day. Booking this combo tour gives you two popular tours at one convenient price and saves you the hassle of figuring out how to travel the harbor by boat.

Spend some time out on Sydney Harbor in search of the majestic giants of the deep during this whale-watching excursion. Board your private vessel and sail past Sydney’s iconic beaches to the watching area. Then, keep your eyes peeled for the pods of whales out in the deep blue sea as well as bottle-nosed dolphins and fur seals that call the area home.