Sydney Whale Watching Tours

Your Sydney whale-watching tour departure location will differ depending on your boat cruise or tour. Most boat tours start from King St wharf in Darling Harbour, but some pick up from closer to Circular Quay or around the Rocks. Please read the tour description and check your tickets for when to meet your boat and where. For a map of the most popular Sydney wharfs, you can visit this handy page here.

Whale-watching tours will depart from your pick-up location and head straight to sea. You’ll motor past the heads, exit Sydney Harbour into the open ocean, and start your tour to spot whales. The captain will know some great spots to go from earlier reports and keep an eye out for spurts of water coming from the whale as they surface.

In bad weather, boats still tend to go out. Boat cruise cancellations don’t occur in rainy weather unless deemed unsafe. For a complete list of cancellation policies, please read each whale-watching tour’s terms and conditions carefully.

The Sydney whale-watching tours typically for 2-4 hours. As these are sightseeing tours, the ticket price typically includes only the boat tour. If you would like water or snacks of food, please bring this along with you. Please read the product description carefully for a complete list of inclusions.

The whale-watching tours will have a bathroom on board.

Please remember that these are marine toilets for boats with bathrooms on board. Only put what comes out of you into the toilet. Make sure you read any instructions in the bathroom for how to properly operate the restroom or check with the crew on board.

Each cruise is different, so read the what to bring section in the boat cruise description.

Whale-watching tours go out of the harbour and onto the open sea. These tours operate from May to November in the winter months of Australia. Dress appropriately for the weather, as additional clothing likely won’t be available outside of what you bring on board. Wind and waterproof clothing is recommended.

Most boats will have an area inside for cover. Bring comfortable shoes and heels are typically not allowed on the ship for safety reasons and to make sure it doesn’t damage the floor.