Port Stephens Private Tour From Sydney, with Dolphin/ Whale Cruise Options
- Duration
- 10 hours
- Group
- Private, your group only
- Guide
- English
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Our take
This is the private day trip on our Port Stephens tours page, for families or small groups who want their own pace rather than a 57-seat coach. A guide collects you from your city accommodation, or from 140 George Street in The Rocks, in an air-conditioned minivan. The listing's day includes the view from Gan Gan Hill, a drive around the foreshore to Little Beach, a lunch stop at a restaurant over the water, and the option of a dolphin or whale cruise and sandboarding on the Stockton dunes.
Read the inclusions carefully. Only the guide, transport and bottled water are included. The listing marks lunch, the dolphin or whale cruise, sandboard hire and camel riding as not included, at your own cost. It also has no koala sanctuary stop. The record is small, 5.0 from about 8 reviews. At the end you are dropped at your door, or you can take a ferry from Homebush back to the city.
Good for
- Families or small groups who want a private day
- Travellers who want to choose which activities to add
Think twice if
- You want everything in the price. The group coach day includes the cruise, koalas and dunes
- You are on a budget
Written by SydneySide Tours from the listing, traveller reviews and the videos behind our comparison pages. Checked October 2026. How we review tours.
From the operator
Go Beyond Tours will let you experience the wonderful beaches and beautiful sheltered bays, perfect spot to be relaxed, exhilarated, enchanted and amazed all in one day! With its idyllic golden beaches, a vast blue bay and many sublime beautiful inlets welcome to paradise.
Sandy beaches, national parklands and rugged coastlines.
Port Stephens is the perfect place to get in touch with nature.
The region is home to around 150 bottlenose dolphins, and you can choose to join a tour departing from Nelson Bay which offers dolphin watching opportunities.
Choose to view the magnificent creatures from the viewing deck, or in summer for the more adventurous you can also get even closer via the boom net attached to the back of the boat.
See majestic Whales on a cruise during their annual migration season, between June and November. .
Other outdoor activity include the option of the not to be missed fun activity of Sand boarding down the huge Sand Dunes at Anna Bay or ride a Aussie camel
From the listing by Go Beyond Tours on Viator.
The tour, stop by stop
- Go Beyond Tours will pick you up from your City Accomodation. About 5 min.
- Meet the resident dolphins and ride the boom net on the daily dolphin watching cruise , with a 99 per cent success rate in dolphin sightings! (Option at own cost.) Get up close and personal with friendly giants on a whale watching cruise (May to November). About 60 min.
- Enjoy the spectacular views of beautiful Port Stephens and beyond from iconic Gan Gan Hill, one of the highest points in the area The top attractions you’ll see include the vast blue bay, the striking Yacabba and Tomaree headlands, the magnificent Tomaree National Park and the towering Stockton Bight sand dunes. You can gaze as far north as Hawks Nest and south along NSW’s longest beach to Newcastle. About 20 min.
- We stop for a delicious lunch at the restaurant with its large views over Port Stephens Waterway. About 45 min.
- We drive around the foreshore of gorgeous Port Stephens to Little Beach for some ideal photo opportunities. The Little Beach foreshore has both a grassed area and beach area ideal place for a quick dip if you bring some swimmers! The beach is ideal for young children with its sandy expanse and gentle waters and is also popular with local pelicans. About 20 min.
- Enjoy your unique Sand Boarding Adventure (Option at own cost) Board custom-built off-road vehicles for the short, bouncy ride into the largest moving sand mass in the southern hemisphere. The dunes stretch 32 kilometres, that’s the entire length of Stockton Beach and can reach over 40-50 metres high, that’s like a 10 storey building. The views alone are spectacular. Get full instructions and transport. Use hand made custom designed boards that are made for maximum speed. Then climb to the top of the dunes, jump on your sand board, slide on down, and repeat! About 50 min.
- Amazing experience finishes with a drop- off back to the door of your city accomodation (if you choose not to take the ferry from Homebush back to the city centre).
What's included
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- Hotel/port pickup
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Not included
- Lunch
- Dolphin or Whale Watching Cruise
- Sand Boarding Hire
- Camel Riding Fee
Meeting point
Pick up from: 140 George Street, The Rocks
Can pick up from most hotels or other accomodation all around Sydney!
Can also pickup at the shared meeting point at George Street, The Rocks, for those who are travelling in from outside the city centre.
Checking in
Exact pick up time from your hotel will be confirmed by email
Where it ends
Pick up from: 140 George Street, The Rocks
Your Viator voucher confirms the exact spot and time.
Good to know
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- If a Cruise pickup is required please enter those details, if NOT type in "n/a"
- Mandatory temperature checks
- Hand sanitiser available
- Protective face masks provided
- Social distancing maintained in vehicle
- Touch points within the van are frequently cleaned
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
How refunds and weather cancellations work is on our booking help page.
How it compares
We compare this tour with the other options on our port stephens tours page, with what each one includes and where it leaves from. How we choose tours.
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