SYDNEY
Sydney’s best days out.
The 15 most popular whale watching cruises in Sydney. The ones locals send visitors to first, with prices, run times and who to book through.
2h45 humpback whale watching from Circular Quay. Live guide talk, warm drinks, landmark views, plus a free return if no whales.
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 cruise plus humpback whale watching with breakfast or BBQ lunch, live commentary, and a free return if no whales.
“Due to limited bookings, vendor used smaller ship. Still very nice. Staff friendly and professional. Food good, but could have done with more than 3 small bites of chicken. Unique experience. Would recommend.”
A 2-hour Sydney whale watching cruise from Circular Quay to the open ocean fast, with comfy decks, onboard guide help, and a free return if no whales.
“Absolutely loved this. So easy to access from circular quay. Friendly guides and great ship and really excellent value for money. Worth it just to be out on the ocean but also amazing to see whales and dolphins. Took 4 kids aged 9-13 and everyone loved it!”
Cruise from Darling Harbour out past the Heads for humpback whales, Harbour Bridge and Opera House views, live commentary, and a whale sighting guarantee.
“Awesomeness!!! This is a smaller boat making the experience more personal. We were able to see whales breaching and swimming close by. The captain..?( nice man who manouvered the boat) and the young lady who taught us about whales in general and humpbacks in particular loved these whales.”
Sydney whale watching on a custom catamaran: a 30-minute sprint to open ocean, two decks, air-conditioned cabins, onboard photos, drinks included.
“We saw whales and that's what we came for. So we were happy with the guide and the activity.”
4-hour Sydney Heads whale cruise with live commentary and an included breakfast or BBQ lunch, plus plenty of deck space to spot humpbacks.
“This was a very great trip. Everything was very organized and the experience was great. To improve have a have sign or flag to verify which dock is the correct location.”
3-hour Sydney Harbour whale-watching cruise with humpbacks guaranteed, expert commentary, and great views from a stable catamaran.
“Staff friendliness and welcoming. Knowledgeable people. Love the younger generation!”
Speedboat whale-watching from Circular Quay with a small group, included jackets, and real chances to see humpbacks close to shore.
“Ocean extreme was a great experience up close viewing of humpback whales and our guide was very knowledgeable”
150-minute Sydney Harbour whale cruise for humpback migration, dolphins and more, with outdoor viewing and a 95% whale guarantee.
“Brilliant value for money- an absolute must if you are staying in Sydney. A breathtaking and truly humbling experience.”
Small-group humpback whale watching from Darling Harbour with close open-ocean sightings, marine commentary, and a whale guarantee.
“The guide was amazing and just all round a great experience. Would 110% recommend these guys!”
See humpback and southern right whales on a 2.5-hour catamaran cruise from Circular Quay. Open-air decks, live commentary, May–Nov.
“We really enjoyed watching the whales. As soon as we left the harbour we saw whales. They were breaching and playing it was beautiful. The boat kept us on whales the entire time. I would definitely prepare for this trip with medicine or patchRead more”
Sydney whale watching from Circular Quay plus Taronga Zoo entry, all-weather lounge, whale commentary, and a return Rocket Ferry for $95.
“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!…”
Sydney Harbour and open-ocean catamaran cruise chasing humpback whales, with Opera House and Harbour Bridge views.
“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…”
Calm small-group sailing whale watching from Rose Bay to Port Jackson in Sydney. May–Nov humpbacks, max 12, 3 hours.
“My daughter and I had a great time Although the whales were a little elusive (some spouts, a tail) We had a lovely time sailing. We specifically chose a small charter to avoid too many tourists and it worked out perfectly. Thank you”
High-speed Sydney whale watching cruise from Darling Harbour or Circular Quay: up to 80 km/h, open deck views, whales guaranteed or free return.
“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 coast and the country beyond it, every way to see them.
