Whale watching at speed: a two-hour run from Circular Quay out through Sydney Heads on Extreme, an open, 850-horsepower rigid inflatable built to military spec. If you don't see a whale, you can come back free later in the season.
Days
- About 2 hours
Age
- 12 years and over
Group size
- Shared boat tour
Start / finish
- Circular Quay / Sydney Heads / Circular Quay
Return
- See itinerary for details
Transport
- Open high-speed rigid inflatable boat (RIB)
Meals
- No meals are listed as included
Route
Included experiences
- Sydney Harbour — high-speed crossing from Circular Quay via Manly
- Sydney Heads — out into the Tasman Sea
- Whale watching — humpbacks on their migration, May to November
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 40 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 40 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the close proximity to whales and the thrilling small-boat experience, with many reporting memorable sightings including breaches, calves, and curious whales swimming near the vessel. Guides are widely recognised for their knowledge about whale behaviour and migration, their ability to locate pods, and their welcoming, personable approach to sharing information. The speedboat itself receives praise for being fast, clean and providing an exciting ride, whilst warm jackets are noted as essential gear. Most reviews mention specific whale sightings such as breaches, tail slaps and mothers with calves, suggesting consistent wildlife encounters. The primary caveat mentioned is occasional rough sea conditions and seasickness, though reviewers note this did not diminish their overall experience.
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.
Being so close to the water and the animals is incredible, with great customer service too. A great whale watching trip.
The boat is fast and you sit close to the water, which is very cool. Our guide was knowledgeable and we learned heaps about the whales.
Martin explained everything in detail and got us as close to the whales as possible while respecting them.
Martin knew lots about whales and shared plenty of facts. We saw two separate groups, and the speedboat ride was great fun.
We picked up at Manly Wharf and headed north, spotting the first blow within minutes. Our guide Martin found a mother and calf breaching and slapping their fins, and shared stories about migration and behaviour.
