Sydney Whale-Watching on EXTREME Speed Boat
Recommended by 99% of travelers
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Sydney, Australia
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience a close encounter with humpback whales—without having to leave the city—on this thrilling speedboat tour from Sydney. Hop on board the city’s fastest commercial ship and set off across Sydney Harbour, past landmarks such as Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. Head out into the Tasman Sea, where you have the chance to spot whales swimming and playing in their natural habitat.
- Experience the thrill of Sydney’s fastest commercial boat
- Enjoy a close encounter with migrating whales in their natural environment
- Multiple departure times and locations available—pick the ones that suit you best
- Maximize your chance of spotting whales thanks to the crew's local knowledge
What's Included
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Driver/guide
- Wind/waterproof jackets
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Campbells Cove4 Circular Quay W, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
Campbells Cove Pontoon is located on the western side of Circular Quay. It is at the end of the Overseas Passenger Terminal and in front of the Squires Landing pub, You must arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Sydney Harbour Bridge
2
Sydney Opera House
3
Sydney Harbour
4
Ocean Extreme
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- 24 hour cancellation/rescheduling policy applies
- Passengers must be 12 years old
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Passengers with back, neck, shoulder injuries or heart conditions, or those who are pregnant or who have injuries/conditions that may cause a risk to their health are not permitted to ride on the boat
- For directions to the departure location; type "Campbell's Cove Pontoon" into google.
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 21 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
Absolutely brilliant! We were lucky enough to see a couple of whales that were pec and tail slapping. Blake is a great host and we can highly recommend this trip! Many thanks for a memorable experience on our 25th Wedding Anniversary 🥰
Reviews
4.9
based on 332 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Amazing tour. Blake was very knowledgeable and had a great eye for spotting whales. I was lucky enough to see a whale breach numerous times. Couldn’t recommend enough!
The speed boat ride itself was a lot of fun and definitely one of the best parts of the experience. It was fast, exciting and a really enjoyable way to get out onto the water.
The whale-watching part was a little more underwhelming, but I think that is simply the nature of this type of activity. Wildlife sightings always depend on luck, and although you may see whales, you should not necessarily expect the dramatic experience of seeing them jumping completely out of the water like in the promotional photos.
Overall, I still enjoyed the trip, especially the speed boat ride. I would recommend it, just with realistic expectations about the whale-watching part.
Bucketlist experience done right, we almost ticked all the whale watching bingo!!! Martin and Juan were exceptional in guiding us and educating us about the beautiful whales — and made sure we got front row seats with safe distance!! Very much recommended to go with these guys 🙌🏻
Exciting way to go whale watching! Was initially worried that I’d get sick (from someone with motion sickness) because of the speedboat’s bumpiness, but no one got ill. The guide was really keen to help us see the whales and was dedicated with sharing information about them. We got really close to the whales and they surfaced almost next to the boat! Overall would highly recommend!
The only way to whale watch!! They give you jackets and take photos of the wildlife just in case you don’t have the pro camera. Great friendly experience!!
Our skipper and whale guru Blake was an awesome guide. He is extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer any and all whale-related questions.
We were thrilled to see humpback whales breaching, blowing, tail slapping, and twisting-‘n-turning in the waters off Sydney Harbour. We were treated to amazing non-stop whale behavior from 2-3 different pods.
The speed boat ride was exhilarating and then we got to see whales in the wild just added to the experience. Watching whales breaching was breathtaking. Would definitely do this experience again.
We loved it! all staff was super friendly, totally worth it. it was a lil trip for my birthday amd at first im a bit worried but it turns out amazing!!!
So professionally done! Efficient load on and load out. Well communicated what the expectations were to be.
We had the pleasure of watching to separate pods of whales. The second was very active near the surface so we experienced a lot of tails, fins, humpback, blows and some belly rolls.
Captain Blake and his team were informative, good natured and professional. Boats were in good condition.
I would do it again!!!
Brilliant experience, we were lucky with whale sightings on the day but great work by the crew to ensure enjoyment for all
Our experience was cancelled last minute by operator, who said that it was raining with a large sea swell. So we got the Manley ferry and the weather was perfect with flat seas and loads of boats off shore
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Hi Anthony,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We understand how disappointing it must have been to have your tour canceled at the last minute, especially after making the trip out for what you hoped would be an exciting day on the water.
I was personally out at sea for both the 8am and 11am tours, and while conditions initially looked okay, they quickly worsened through the morning. By the time we returned from the 11am tour, it was clear that offshore conditions were too rough for the 2pm trip, so we made the difficult decision to cancel in the interest of everyone’s safety.
While the ferry inside the harbour may appear calm, conditions just beyond can vary significantly. If only the whales came inside the harbour on the rough days!
Canceling tours is never something we like to do, but safety is our top priority, and we felt it was the right call given the conditions. I’m glad to confirm that all affected guests received full refunds, and we truly hope we’ll have another opportunity to welcome you aboard for a smoother experience in the future.
Thank you again for your feedback; it’s always valuable as we work to provide the best experience possible.
Warm regards,
Blake
This has probably been the best experience of our travels around Australia, and is likely to stay that way.
We were lucky enough to see a large number of whales breaching and tail slapping with our guide giving the whales sufficient space, but with a curious two coming right up to (and under) our boat.
The speedboat really allows you to appreciate the size of the whales and far beats a catamaran experience which we’ve done in the past, whilst also allowing you to get out to sea or to sightings far quicker.
Cannot recommend enough!
One of the best experiences of my life, was a perfect day out. Great staff and crew, answered all my questions over the phone.
Great day on a boat viewing some small pods of whales as they traveled. They provided jackets, I recommend bringing a hat/gloves in the colder months. it is a speedboat so chilly weather becomes that much more fresh. Great couple of hours watching the whales, being on the water and getting a unique view of the harbor bridge and opera house from the boat.
Ocean extreme was a great experience up close viewing of humpback whales and our guide was very knowledgeable
We did the 8 am tour which was a great way to start the day. Saw whales breaching! Enjoyed being out on the water and seeing the harbor as well.
Such a cool boat and we were provided with rain coats, which was definitely appreciated.
But even more amazingly, we saw several whales and dolphins! The whales were showing all the typical behaviours from jumping out the water to flapping their wings. A truly amazing trip!
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.
Amazing experience watching 3 humpback whales play before our eyes on May 27th. Great photos of the whales breaching, seemed like they were performing in front of us. Sean was our guide, absolutely loves his job and his enthusiasm shows. Explained the whales behavior and the migration. Marcus was a great captain getting us to the whales. Can't recommend highly enough. The best 2 hours you can spend!
This was an absolute fun way to go whale-watching - so much adrenaline with the excitement of the speedboat, and anticipation of whale-watching.
Saw tons of whales!! Great trip! All on boat can see everything! Crew did a great job of making sure everyone get to see everything!
I went to Sydney for the marathon. Booked this whale watching trip. The guy is an expert, he knows where to spot the humpback. Totally recommend going on a speed boat! Btw, try to be at the dock early, so you get to sit on the left.
Absolutely brilliant! We were lucky enough to see a couple of whales that were pec and tail slapping. Blake is a great host and we can highly recommend this trip! Many thanks for a memorable experience on our 25th Wedding Anniversary 🥰
Great experience, leader made such an effort to follow the whales we sighted and get as close as possible, can’t recommend it enough!
This was a fantastic experience!! The ride to the ocean was so fast and smooth. The guide was able to spot a pod of whales almost right away and gave us loads of great information. It was incredible! The guide had a great camera and took shots of the sightings that then got emailed to us, so you don’t have to be super preoccupied with taking shots and can be present to enjoy the experience. Overall, I highly recommend it!
Blake was a great guide and informed us with many whale facts. They know where to find the whales, so you‘re almost sure to see one (we even saw some dolphins!). We saw a pod and followed them for a while and even saw one breach! Unforgettable experience.
Blake was a great guide. Boat ride was very enjoyable. The operator provided winter jackets which was unexpected and gratefully appreciated. We saw lots of whales and lucked out on weather. Would recommend
Incredible experience from start to finish. We were warned at the start that conditions were quite rough and that it would be a pretty bumpy ride - but that added to the adventure! We followed a pod of 3 humpback whales. Highly recommend!
Blake was a great guide and this was a fantastic experience -- I immediately wanted to go again the next morning once we arrived back (and would've gone if a slot was available). It's important to remember there's no controlling the whales so there is patience and some luck involved to see a breach or get really close -- and more luck to get it on camera. We followed a few different pods during the time and even got to see one breach as we headed back. Loved that Blake took pictures to share with as after and that special coats were provided. My only wishes were that it was a longer time and that I knew to always be filming to catch more of the action.
Blake was an incredible guide. We saw two gorgeous whales multiple times. It was a wonderful experience.
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per personWas $108.23(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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