SYDNEY
Sydney’s best days out.
The 15 most popular whale watching in Sydney. What each one actually involves, what it costs, and the operator who runs it.
Spend 2h45 on a catamaran whale-watching cruise from Circular Quay with live commentary, hot drinks, and Sydney Harbour views.
Most Popular“Fantastic! Some great facts about whales and information while we looked for the whales. The team were super respectful of the animals, and we had multiple sightings!”
Sydney Harbour whale-watching cruise with breakfast or BBQ lunch, Opera House views and guaranteed sightings during May–Nov. From $74.59.
“It will be cancelled due to inclement weather. Unfortunately we were not able to participate. Morning looked wonderful, but the wind was horrendous by noon.”
Express whale watching from Circular Quay on the Fantasea Crystal: 20 minutes to open ocean, air-conditioned comfort, free return if no whales.
“Out of this world!! On our cruise we saw about 10 whales, three of which we stayed close to for about an hour (of course, at a safe and respectable distance away from them!). The guides were incredibly knowledgeable about the whales and their habits, spotting whales after sailing for only 20 minutes! Would definitely…”
Small-group humpback whale cruise from Darling Harbour with onboard commentary, a whale sighting guarantee, and classic Opera House views.
“Experience of a lifetime! Friendly and informative staff on and off the boat. We saw dolphins and whales and I was lit up like a kid on Christmas morning! If you’re thinking about it, just do it! Absolutely worth it. I went solo and did the 12pm ride. Pack a rain jacket and a hat!”
Fast catamaran whale watching from Darling Harbour with a 30-minute open-ocean run, two-deck views, onboard photos, tea and coffee.
“Great whale watching experience - lots of active whales to be seen!”
Cruise past Sydney Heads to look for humpback whales, with expert commentary plus breakfast or lunch on board in a small-group boat.
“Great out on the ocean with the whales close by - wash, spouts and tails. Food, lunch, as expected, straightforward/basic, but tops; very comfortable and relaxed on board; willing and able crew; empathy for those who got seasick”
A 3-hour Sydney Harbour whale watching cruise on a spacious catamaran, with humpback whales and onboard commentary plus photos.
“I really liked the friendliness of the crew and great communication during the tour .. due to being at 2nd level badk of boat speaker muffled at times but no other critique to add”
Fast Sydney speedboat whale-watching from Circular Quay for humpbacks, with jackets, small groups, and expert skipper spotting.
“Wow! The experience of a lifetime! Whales breaching and tail slapping all around us and dolpins too. The speedboat was so much fun and Blake was very knowledgeable and friendly.”
Cruise Sydney Harbour looking for humpback whales in winter migration season, with live commentary, all-weather comfort, and a 95% sighting guarantee.
“we saw a whale right away and followed it for a while. While following we saw many more. Our guides were very knowledgeable and spotted the whales right away.”
Small-group humpback whale watching from Darling Harbour with close viewing, expert commentary, and a whale sighting guarantee.
“We saw whales almost as soon as we left the Heads. Boat was swift out to see. Being a small boat it was very easy to get excellent views all the time. Staff were knowledgeable and friendly. It was a no frills trip so far as the boat was concerned but the expertise of the…”
See humpback whales on a 2.5-hour Sydney Harbour cruise from Circular Quay, with open-air decks, live commentary, and a free re-cruise guarantee.
“The guide was quite nice and we managed to see a little group of whales and hang around them without rush. Very recommended!”
See humpback whales on a Circular Quay cruise, then spend the afternoon at Taronga Zoo on a convenient return ferry.
“We did not see any whales, which the commentator said was very unusual! We were told we could either re-book or get a refund. When we asked for a refund, we were told there were no refunds! We then received tickets for 2 day “hop on / hop off” ferries which we really couldn’t use!…”
Whale watching from Circular Quay on a spacious catamaran with Opera House and Harbour Bridge views, heading out to spot humpbacks.
“It was very few sightings of whales, wasn’t close up. And the kids struggled with how long it took to get out to the sightings and back again…”
Small-group sailing whale watching from Rose Bay. Sail past Sydney Harbour, follow humpbacks in the Tasman Sea, about 3 hours.
“What a wonderful whale watching experience we had with Captain Doug!! He was kind, friendly, knowledgeable, and we were able to catch about 10 whale sightings! His boat was clean and safe. We enjoyed his company, the tour and informRead more”
High-speed 2.5-hour whale watch in Sydney with open-deck views, speeds up to 80 km/h, and a free return if you don’t spot whales.
“The views of Sydney were nice and we got to see a few whales in the distance but unfortunately we got seasick 🤢 would have gone for the regular ferry instead, anyway puke bags were readily available on the boat”
The harbour, the headlands and the mountains beyond, and every way to get out into them.
