Whale Watching Boat Trip in Sydney
Recommended by 97% of travelers
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Sydney, Australia
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Escape the city and see Sydney’s marine life up close on a whale-watching cruise from Darling Harbour. Cruise through Sydney Harbour in search of migrating humpback whales, with live onboard commentary and insights into the local marine environment. A small vessel offers a more intimate experience and better viewing opportunities on the water.
- Whale sighting guarantee or enjoy a return cruise for free
- Enjoy fantastic views of Sydney Harbour along the way
- Maximize your chances of spotting whales
- Choose from morning or afternoon cruises to suit your schedule
What's Included
- All Fees and Taxes
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Whale Tales Whale Watching SydneyKing Street, Wharf #7/36 The Promenade, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
We depart from King Street Wharf #7 in Darling harbour. The boat will arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time. *Please arrive 20 minutes BEFORE your departure time*
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Sydney Harbour Bridge
2
Sydney Opera House
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Aleksandar_N
The tour was amazing . First of all the crew members were so nice and welcoming . Also we liked alle the stories about the ocean mammals our guide told us . We saw dolphins and two humpback whales . Is was an amazing experience and we would recommend it to everyone. Just make you can withstand motions sickness or prepare with some medication against it.
Reviews
4.9
based on 659 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Saravanan_K, Aug 2026
The boat depart on time and then crew did their best to allow us to observe the humpback actions. an overview explanation was provided.
Benjamin_F, Aug 2026
Small boat, friendly crew, extremely fun trip. Go out for about 2.5 hours, saw lots of whales including one jumping! Would highly recommend.
Louis_P, Aug 2026
That was so much better than I could have hoped for. We saw 5 humpbacks that pretty much stayed around the boat the whole time. I'll remember this experience for the rest of my life. So awesome!
Say_C, Aug 2026
Such an amazing whale-watching experience! The three crew members were absolutely wonderful, so sweet, friendly, and genuinely excited to make the experience special for everyone. One of them was a student, and she did such a great job!
We were incredibly lucky and found three whales, which was just magical. What I appreciated most was that the crew let us stay and enjoy the whales’ company for as long as we reasonably could. There was no feeling of being rushed they seemed just as happy and excited to watch them as we were.
Beautiful experience, fantastic crew, and three whales! We definitely got lucky that day. 🐋❤️ Highly recommend!
Rebecca_H, Aug 2026
Incredible experience; friendly, knowledgeable staff, small group with plenty of space to take photos. We got so close to the whales, it was unbelievable!
Zheng_W, Aug 2026
We had an amazing time out on the water with Whale Tales! The crew was professional from start to finish, opening with a clear, thorough safety briefing that made everyone feel comfortable and well cared for.
Throughout the tour, we saw many juvenile humpbacks, and the team shared fascinating, insightful knowledge about their behavior and biology. On our way back to the harbor, we spotted two more whales in the distance. Instead of rushing back, the captain thoughtfully circled back so we could enjoy one final, up-close encounter. Photos of the whales we saw were even sent to us after the cruise, and they were way better than what I managed to take myself!
While we didn't get to see any breaching this time, the overall experience was outstanding. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a memorable whale-watching trip!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the kind words and lovely recommendation. We are so pleased the crew looked after you from the safety briefing onwards, that you enjoyed the juvenile humpbacks, and that the captain circled back for one final close encounter. And we are glad the photos captured it all so well. Even without a breach this time, we are thrilled it was so memorable, and we would love to have you back on board again.
Jennifer_O, Aug 2026
This was truly one of the highlights of our time in Sydney and an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The crew was absolutely amazing—friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely excited to make the experience special for everyone on board. From beginning to end, everything was top notch.
We were incredibly lucky to come across two whales playing alongside two seals, and the crew spent nearly an hour following them and giving us the opportunity to just take it all in. Watching the whales and seals interact so freely in the wild was absolutely magical. It was one of those rare moments when you realize you’re experiencing something you’ll probably never see quite the same way again.
I went into this tour hoping to see whales, but the experience far exceeded anything I could have imagined. I will never forget that hour on the water or how incredible it felt to witness these beautiful animals in their natural environment.
If whale watching in Sydney is on your bucket list, book this tour. The crew, the experience, and the memories were all exceptional. Five stars doesn’t feel like enough!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for such a heartfelt review — it genuinely touched all of us. That hour watching two whales play alongside seals is the kind of moment even we treasure, and we are so pleased the crew could give you the space to soak it all in. To know it exceeded everything you hoped for, and that you will carry it with you, means the world. We would be honoured to welcome you back on the water again.
Craig_K, Aug 2026
Highly recommended! Rob and Katie runs a top notch tour, and they knew all the good places to go to observe the whales. A good value given our experience.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review and for recommending us so warmly. Rob and I take real pride in knowing where the whales are likely to be, so it's wonderful to hear that showed on your trip, and that it was good value for you. We'd love to have you back on the water with us again one day.
Samantha_M, Aug 2026
Whale Tales was an amazing whale watching trip. My husband and another friend and I had a wonderful time. The crew were very informative and we saw several whales. The 12 pm excursion is perfect as the sun was just warming up making the ride out and back perfect!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the kind words. We are delighted you all had a wonderful time with several whales and a great crew. And the 12pm really is a lovely one, with the sun warming up for the ride out and back. We hope to have you back on board again.
Melek_P, Aug 2026
Absolutely fantastic whale watching tour! Mette and Nat were great guides! We saw a group of three juvenile humpbacks and were able to observe them for over an hour. Definitely a highlight!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the kind words. We are delighted Mette and Nat guided you so well, and that you had over an hour observing three juvenile humpbacks. A real highlight. We will pass your lovely words on to them, and hope to have you back on board again.
Gordon_B, Aug 2026
Great trip. Lots of whale sightings and great staff. Great value for the money with smaller boats and less people
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review. We are delighted you enjoyed plenty of whale sightings, and that our smaller boats and smaller groups made for such a good experience. Keeping it personal is what we are all about. We hope to have you back on board again.
Renee_M, Aug 2026
Had the best time, The crew on board gave us so many facts throughout the trip and were open to questions, they were friendly and approachable and to top it off they had a photographer take pictures whilst we were out there of the Wales and we received a link at the end of the day of all the pictures which is handy as I didnt feel the need to pull my phone out and could really immerse myself in the activity.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the kind words. We are delighted our crew made your trip so enjoyable and answered all your questions. Having our photographer capture it all means you could truly immerse yourself rather than reach for your phone, which is just the idea. We hope to have you back on board again.
Zsuzsa_K, Jul 2026
Several whales were spotted there was a photographer on board and the pics were sent to us. This is a small boat, if you have motion sickness be aware of it.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the kind words. We are delighted you saw several whales and enjoyed the photos afterwards. And you are right to flag the small-boat movement for anyone prone to motion sickness, useful advice for future guests. We hope to have you back on board again.
Meghan_H, Jul 2026
Whale Tales was a fantastic tour on a small, but comfortable boat. The boat has a bathroom. The small boat allowed you to move around and get the most unobstructed views of the whales. Saw several whales and two breaches! The crew was friendly and informative. Be aware that you do move around a fair amount due to regular ocean swells and taking Dramamine is recommended (not provided). Had great views of the Harbor Bridge and Opera House. The crew was quick to direct you to the best position to see the whales but still from a safe distance. Also, the crew had a professional camera person on board and shared the photos with you later via email. Overall, excellent experience and would highly recommend.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for such a wonderful and detailed review, and the kind recommendation. We are delighted the small boat gave you those unobstructed views, with several whales, two breaches and the harbour icons to enjoy. Your note on the ocean swell is fair and helpful for others planning their trip. I will pass your lovely words on to the crew, and we would love to have you back on board again.
Rachelle_R, Jul 2026
This is a can’t-miss Sydney experience! The crew are friendly and super knowledgeable, and made sure we spotted several whales on our trip.!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the kind words. We are delighted our crew made your trip such a memorable one, with several whales to enjoy. We hope to have you back on board again.
Jeffrey_E, Jul 2026
Amazing experience! The crew were professional, friendly, knowledgeable, kind, and funny. We especially appreciated Alex taking photos with his high quality camera to share, Em’s commentary, and Jonno’s safe seamanship. Absolutely would go with them again!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Alex loves getting photos of everyone so you can put the phone away and just watch, Jeffrey. Thank you for the kind words about our crew — professional and funny is a good combination!
DrGaryWilliam_B, Jul 2026
Really accommodating crew on a once in a lifetime opportunity to see humpback whales migrate.
Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
The migration really is a once in a lifetime thing to witness, Gary. Thank you for the kind words about our crew and for the recommendation!
Jasmin_C, Jul 2026
The crew was very nice and informative. We did get pretty soaked but I was happy with it. It seemed to be more of a ocean cruise instead of seeing whales. We saw the spouts and the tales every once in awhile but definitely not what I was expecting. No the boats fault you can't really expect behavior from an animal. Im sure others will have better luck at diffrent time. Still nice I went at 3pm and got to see the sunset over sydney which was an unforgettable moment.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Sorry the whales were in a quiet mood that day, Jasmin — some trips turn into more of an ocean cruise than we'd like. Thank you for the kind words about our crew, and we'd love another chance to show you the whales at their best.
Enoch_N, Jul 2026
Saw lots of whales, the sun set and as a bonus, dolphins!! Maybe better luck next time to see the whales in an active phase, as they were in rest phase in preparation for an upcoming storm, explained by a sweet and knowledgeable tour guide 😊
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Whales, dolphins and a sunset is a pretty good haul, Enoch, even if the humpbacks were in a resting phase. Fingers crossed for a more active bunch next time — thank you for coming out!
Edward_O, Jul 2026
I highly recommend the Whale Tales Sydney Harbour whale watching experience. We went with the Cheeky Monkey boat crew of Jono (captain), Emily (whale biologist), and Alex (photographer extraordinaire). They were all very enthusiastic and we couldn't believe how many whales we saw. I would have been satisfied to see one or two. We saw several dozen – unusual, even for the expert crew. As part of the package, they send professional photos taken during the journey. It was a perfect memento from this once-in-a-lifetime memory!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Jono, Emily and the Cheeky Monkey crew will be delighted to read this, Edward. Thank you for the highly recommended — once in a lifetime is a wonderful thing to hear!
Brian_D, Jun 2026
This was an absolutely amazing experience and the crew that led us were fantastic. We struck gold and saw a group of “active” whales and my son and I will never forget the experience. Everyone aboard the boat was kind, knowledgeable, and provided, in my opinion, a once in a lifetime experience. Kudos to all of them. Would book with this group without hesitation.
For whatever it’s worth, one of my colleagues got sea sick about the boat and the staff took tremendous care of him. Most likely a curveball for the team, but they handled it really well.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Striking gold with a whole group of whales is the best kind of luck, Brian! Thank you for the kind words, our crew will be delighted.
Robin_N, Jun 2026
Fantastic experience. This is my second time on this tour. I went by myself last year when traveling. The staff is fantastic. The boat ride is great highly recommend.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Coming back a second time is the best compliment a small operator can get, Robin — thank you! Our staff will be thrilled you remembered them so fondly.
Raymond_R, Jun 2026
It's a very informative cruise sightseeing these beautiful creatures. The information provided during the cruise was excellent. We had a great time.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
They really are beautiful creatures, and we love that the commentary added to your appreciation of them, Raymond. Thank you for the kind feedback!
Ashleigh_C, Jun 2026
Beautiful day out, the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable and it was so nice seeing the whales up close.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Seeing whales up close on a beautiful day is hard to top, Ashleigh! Thank you for the kind words about our friendly crew.
Eroica_S, Jun 2026
What a fantastic crew that made sure we had an awesome view of the whales and they were all so knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Barnacles and all — you get to see every detail when they come in that close! Thank you, Eroica, our crew will be delighted they got you such a good view.
Andrew_K, Jun 2026
We didn’t know what to expect other than hopefully catching a glimpse of some fin and tail. We were overwhelmed by how close and how frequent the sightings were. The crew were professional and adept at safely getting amazingly close to the whales while providing interesting insight into the life and migratory cycles of the majestic beings. We were also very grateful to the care and concern shown by the crew in tending to one of our boys who was experiencing some mild seasickness. Truly a magical experience and highly recommended!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
A glimpse of fin and tail is the usual hope, so being overwhelmed by what you saw is the best possible outcome, Andrew! Thank you for the lovely review.
ONAM_K, Jun 2026
Great session, 3pm is a good time
Little expensive cpmpared to other tours but the guides make it worth!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Our guides are the reason we keep groups small, so it means a lot that you felt they were worth it. Thank you — the 3pm session with the afternoon light really is a good pick!
Daniele_J, Jun 2026
You’ll definitely see whales this time
Of the year! We got exactly what we came for!
Absolutely amazing!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
June really is prime time on the Humpback Highway, Daniele! So glad you got exactly what you came for — thank you for the great feedback.
Jacob_C, Jun 2026
We had a really great time during the experience and saw a lot of whales. The crew was knowledgeable and experienced
Response from Host, Jul 2026
A lot of whales and a crew who know what they're doing makes for a great day, Jacob. Thank you for the kind words — we hope to see you again!
Karina_P, Jun 2026
Whale tales are super friendly and knowledgeable. The small boat is no-frills but quick and able to get to the best spots for seeing the whales.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
No-frills but quick is a fair description, Karina — every dollar goes into getting you to the whales rather than fancy fit-outs! Thank you for the kind words about our crew.
From $108.63
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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