A whale watching trip from Newcastle aboard CoastXP's custom-built adventure boat 'Atmos', following the annual humpback whale migration along the east coast (May to November).
Days
- 2 hours
Age
- From 3 years; children with an adult
Group size
- Small group, max 20
Start / finish
- Wickham, Newcastle / Wickham
Return
- See itinerary for details
Transport
- Custom-built adventure boat; make your own way to the departure point
Meals
- No meals are listed as included; water on board
Route
Included experiences
- Newcastle coast — humpback whale watching
- Dolphins and long-nosed fur seals — if they appear
- Guide commentary on wildlife, geology and history
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 11 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 11 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the guides' extensive knowledge of local marine life and Newcastle's history, combined with their welcoming and relaxed approach to the tour. The most striking aspect of the experience is the close encounters with whales, dolphins and seals, with multiple reviewers highlighting how near these animals came to the boat and the memorability of these moments. The boat itself receives regular commendation for its design, comfort and safety features, including low positioning in the water for better views and consideration for passenger comfort through shaded areas and proper equipment. A minor caveat that emerges is that whale sightings, whilst generally excellent, are not guaranteed, as the experience depends on weather conditions and marine life activity, though the guides' responsiveness—such as rescheduling trips to avoid bad weather—demonstrates a commitment to maximising the chances of a successful outing.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
A fun two hours on the water with Dom, who filled us in on Newcastle's history and the marine life. We saw long-nosed dolphins and, the stars of the show, humpback whales.
A great whale watching trip on a perfect Newcastle day, with an excellent team and a tidy boat. We found a pod of whales just outside the harbour, then saw seals sunbaking and dolphins on the way back in.
Dom and the team kept in touch beforehand and moved our group a day earlier to dodge bad weather. The open boat felt secure and the all-round views were spectacular, and a very curious whale came right up to us, something my family will never forget.
The Newcastle humpback tour was unforgettable. We saw far more whales than we expected and they came remarkably close, and our guides were relaxed, knowledgeable and clearly loving it.
A great afternoon out with Dom, who knows a huge amount about the local sea life and Newcastle's history. We spotted several humpbacks and dolphins, and the small boat let us get up close.
A lifelong local, I'd never been out through the harbour and along Newcastle's coast before. Dom was a welcoming host full of knowledge, we got close to whales, dolphins and seals, and the shaded boat had great views all round.
