15 Whale Watching Trips in Sydney to Build a Day Around

1.Whale Watching Adventure Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,790 reviews · 2h 45m · from $63Our pick

Set out from Circular Quay for 165 minutes of whale watching aboard a spacious catamaran. Your English-speaking guide shares facts about humpbacks as you pass the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, then search the open water. Bring warm layers and seasickness tablets.

“We enjoyed our excursion. The naturalist was very interesting and we learned a few things we didn't know about humpback whales. The beautiful weather and scenery made it a lovely outing on its own, but seeing whales, including a mother and offspring, was wonderful.”

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2.Sydney Whale-Watching Cruise Including Lunch or Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 878 reviews · from $74

Spend about four hours on Sydney Harbour and the Pacific Ocean, pairing landmark views with whale watching from May to November. Your cruise includes breakfast or BBQ lunch, tea, coffee, live commentary, and a free return trip if no whales are found. Bring warm clothes and motion-sickness medicine.

“The waters outside of Sydney Harbour are known to be rough. At least 50% of the passengers were seasick. Unfortunately they did not follow the crew’s instructions and use the provided “barf” bags. Therefore the restrooms were a mess. Not the crew’s fault. The preliminary safety instructions were clear to those of us who are fluent in English. Perhaps the company could provide laminated written instructions for the non-English speakers. The Captain tried his best to locate and follow the whales we saw, but dang it, the whales were not cooperating with us! Be prepared for wind and swells …”

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3.2-hour Express Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 756 reviews · 2 hours · from $63

Board Fantasea Crystal at Circular Quay for a fast two-hour whale-watching trip. You get nearly 90 minutes in the open ocean, with an air-conditioned cabin, covered deck, and open sun deck. Guides such as Josh, Wayde, and Kate have helped make past cruises lively and informative.

“Perfect, the whales where around us all the time, beautiful spectacle, 100% recommended, only advice is to go with very warm clothes because is freezing outside the boat”

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4.Whale Watching Boat Trip in Sydney

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 571 reviews · from $99Top rated

Join Whale Tales from Darling Harbour for a 2.5-hour cruise beneath the Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House, then out beyond Sydney Heads to seek migrating humpback whales. Guides such as Rex, Mette, Alex, and Mawi share marine facts, while the small boat and onboard photos make the trip personal.

“It was awesome, ans i decommend it yku tontry it! All.the staffs were helpful and they even semt ua some pics after.”

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5.Discovery Whale Watching Tour by Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 402 reviews · 2h 30m · from $63

Board Fantasea Avalon at Aquarium Wharf in Darling Harbour for a 150-minute whale-watching cruise. The purpose-built catamaran reaches open water in about 30 minutes, with air-conditioned cabins, two viewing levels, complimentary hot drinks and water, and an onboard photographer.

“Service staff very patience and polite. Treat safety seriously.”

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6.Sydney Whale Watching Cruise with Breakfast or Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 340 reviews · 4 hours · from $70

From Circular Quay, cruise through Sydney Harbour and beyond Sydney Heads for four hours of humpback whale watching. Choose a weekday lunch cruise or weekend breakfast sailing, with live English commentary, open decks, and possible sightings of dolphins and seals. Guide Judy and Biggles have both earned praise for their spotting skills.

“Amazing whale watching, saw so many which was great, staff excellent, the swell was huge and I would say to others booking to check the weather forecast before you go, many were unwell which must have spoilt the whole experience. Big thank you to everyone”

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7.Scenic Whale Watching Cruise – Whales Guaranteed

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 318 reviews · 3 hours · from $45

Join Barefoot Whale Watching for a three-hour cruise from Circular Quay. Captain Dean and guide Tom lead the trip past Sydney Harbour and through the Heads, where you watch migrating humpback whales from a spacious catamaran with limited numbers, onboard photography, and live English commentary.

“It was a great trip. We saw 3 whales, dolphins, seals! Was fantastic! Highly recommend the crew to anyone interested in whale watching in sydney!”

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8.Sydney Whale-Watching by Speed Boat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 314 reviews · from $92

Join Ocean Extreme at Campbell’s Cove Pontoon for a two-hour speedboat ride from Circular Quay into the Tasman Sea. Guides such as Blake and Sean explain humpback behavior while the crew searches for whales, dolphins, breaches, and tail slaps. Jackets are supplied, and the boat holds up to 21 people.

“Absolutely amazing experience! We went on the 8am tour and almost immediately came up on a pod of whales! The whole tour we followed a few different groups of whales and while we didn't get to see a breach up close, seeing the whales up close was am incredible experience! Super friendly and knowledgeable guide as well. Would do it again!”

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9.Whale Watching & Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 300 reviews · 2h 30m · from $67

Cruise from Circular Quay with guides such as Paul and Captain Mark, watching humpback whales from May to November. You’ll have indoor seating, outdoor viewing, Sydney Harbour sights, live commentary, and a 95% whale sighting guarantee with a free standby return cruise if needed.

“We loved this trip! The guides were very knowledgeable, gave us a lot of great information. After the initial excitement of seeing the whales and everyone trying to capture a glimpse, we settled into a nice peaceful watching session following two or three whales. Very nice experience!”

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10.Ocean Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 240 reviews · 2h 30m · from $98

Set out from Darling Harbour on a small Whale Tales boat for 150 minutes of Sydney Harbour views and open-ocean whale watching. A marine guide such as Alex, Mette, or Sophia explains humpback behaviour and migration. Groups are limited, and free whale photos are sometimes sent after the trip.

“Great experience! I liked that it wasn’t a massive group, it meant that when whales appeared everyone had a good view. The team who was working was super friendly and knowledgeable and clearly knew what they were doing. And best of all, Whales definitely appeared! ❤️ My only recommendation would be for the team to get a louder microphone for when they are talking while the boat is moving as when not sat close to the person speaking it’s very hard to hear what the person is saying but only when the boat was fully moving, once it slowed or stopped could hear fine”

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11.Sydney Whale Watching Cruise from Circular Quay

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 207 reviews · from $68

From Circular Quay, Captain Cook Cruises takes you past the Opera House and harbor headlands into open water for 2.5 hours of whale watching. Look for humpbacks, dolphins, seabirds, and seals from spacious decks. Guides such as Gina and Kai add warm, informed commentary.

“This was an excellent boat tour. We had 3 sightings of whales flapping their tails at great proximity. Not sure why I was expecting humpback whales jumping out of the water 😂 but what we saw was still great. The boat ride was a thrill in itself if you don’t get sea sick. Multiple ppl were sea sick and bag were provided ahead of time so there were no accidents 🥴. The view leaving the city, or the landscape while looking for seals and back to the city was excellent. Saw Sydney Opera house from different view that on land. I mostly took videos.”

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12.Sydney Whale Watching – 2.5hr Discovery Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 120 reviews · from $57

Sail from Darling Harbour past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, reaching open water in about 25 minutes. Spend 2.5 hours looking for migrating humpback whales from outdoor decks or a climate-controlled cabin, with crew commentary, tea, coffee, and a photographer aboard.

“I wish I could write a review but when we arrived at the wharf we were told the tour had been cancelled over a month ago not that I had been told. Rather surprisingly payment was taken 48 hours before the trip was due to take place and I still receiving reminder notifications on the morning of the trip. Disappointing to say the least.”

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13.Whale Watching Adventure Cruise – Whales Guaranteed!

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 76 reviews · from $43Best value

Cruise from Circular Quay past Sydney Harbour icons and through Sydney Heads on a 3-hour catamaran trip. Barefoot Blue offers capped numbers, English commentary, onboard photography, sunset departures, and a whale guarantee during migration season.

“The boat was rocking quite a bit, so we didn't see many whales from inside. It took about an hour and a half to get to the destination, so there weren't many chances to spot whales.”

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14.Whale Watching Sydney 2-Hour Express Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 61 reviews · from $57

Join a large-group cruise from Circular Quay Wharf 6 aboard Ocean Dreaming II. Reach the open ocean in about 15 minutes, then watch for humpback whales from three viewing decks while the captain and crew explain Sydney Harbour and local wildlife. Indoor seating and a licensed bar are available.

“I went with my mother who is from overseas. We did not see any whales and I am not able to get a refund.”

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15.Port Stephens Private Tour From Sydney, with Dolphin/ Whale Cruise Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $340

Travel from Sydney to Port Stephens with a private driver-guide, stopping at Gan Gan Lookout, Little Beach, Nelson Bay, and Stockton Sand Dunes. Add a dolphin or whale cruise, sandboarding, or camel ride at your own cost. Guide James is named in one review.

“Love this experience! Saw many dolphins and they are spectacular. Sandboarding was fun. Unfortunately no camel rides available. The guide, James is really nice. The only thing that viator could improve is to let us know we could swim in the cruise (the guides may not know since they are not allowed on the cruise) so we could make preparations.”

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