Up to three hours paddling the sheltered mangrove creeks of Adelaide's Dolphin Sanctuary with a qualified guide, looking for the Port River dolphins and weaving past more than 20 old wrecks in the Ships Graveyard. Stable two-person kayaks and a dry-foot launch make it an easy first paddle, just 30 minutes from the city.
Days
- Up to 3 hours
Age
- 8 years and over
Group size
- Up to 10
Start / finish
- Garden Island Boat Ramp, Gillman / same
Return
- See itinerary for details
Transport
- Two-person sit-in kayaks; make your own way to the ramp
Meals
- No meals are listed as included
Route
Included experiences
- Dolphin Sanctuary — guided paddle looking for the Port River dolphins
- Mangrove creeks — sheltered water with birds and marine life
- Ships Graveyard — more than 20 wrecks along the heritage trail
- Boat ramp — basic kayaking lesson and a dry-foot launch
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 20 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 20 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the guides for their knowledge, engagement and ability to accommodate different abilities and ages, with particular appreciation for clear safety briefings and informative commentary about the sanctuary's history, mangroves and shipwrecks. The most striking aspect of the tours is the combination of seeing wild dolphins, exploring the historic ship graveyard and paddling through peaceful mangrove trails, often with good opportunities for photography and wildlife spotting including seabirds. The most common caveat is that dolphin sightings are not guaranteed, though some travellers highlight that the tour remains worthwhile regardless; additionally, some paddlers note that the current in places can be strong and the kayak seats may become uncomfortable, with one group suggesting beginners should be aware of the strength of the current in the shipwreck section before booking, and insect repellent being recommended for the mangrove areas.
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.
We did the three hour shipwreck tour with Kane, who set an easy pace that suited everyone and let keener paddlers go ahead. The first timers in our group loved it thanks to his intro, we learnt a lot, saw dolphins as we set off, and the wrecks were really interesting.
My wife and I did this tour for our first wedding anniversary and had it all to ourselves. We saw dolphins, learnt about the history of the shipwrecks and paddled through the mangroves, and Kane was amazing.
A gloomy winter sky couldn't dampen our spirits or Kane's passion for the estuary, its plants and animals and its shipwrecks. We paddled a mangrove creek and saw five dolphins in just over two hours, a lovely father and daughter outing.
A relaxing paddle around the Garden Island mangroves and shipwrecks, with great views and close encounters with dolphins. Kane was calm, knowledgeable and engaging and made everyone feel safe and welcome, so don't let a cool winter morning put you off.
Luke was a terrific guide, clear, friendly and easy going, and put everyone at ease. The paddle was peaceful with time to take it all in, and we saw a dolphin, lots of birds, the mangrove creek and the shipwreck. I'm a local and loved it, and so did the tourists and first timers in our group.
It was great to do this kind of tour in our home state and learn the history of the wrecks and the mangroves. Very peaceful, we saw dolphins feeding, and the guides were informative and it all ran smoothly.
