Top Sydney Outdoor Activities

Blast off from Circular Quay on a jet boat ride that provides a super-fun 30-minute adrenaline-fueled ride along with a new perspective on Sydney's most iconic waterside sights. Your expert captain slows down to give you a close up look at the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and other landmarks, then before zooming off again. Hang on as your jet boat executes 270-degree spins, power slides and other breathtaking maneuvers at high speed. Tours depart throughout the day, every hour.

Cycling around Sydney is the perfect way to sightsee in this gorgeous harborside city. Join your expert guide for a fun and fascinating look at up to 30 top sights, including the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, along with many others. As you pedal around the city, learn about the history, culture and favorite local spots on your choice of four cycling routes. Choose from various tour durations depending on your schedule.

Experience the thrill of tandem skydiving with a professional instructor over North Wollongong Beach beach, located just south of Sydney. Safely attached to your skydiving instructor, jump at 14,000 feet (4,267 meters). Feel the adrenaline rush of a 60-second free fall at speeds of up to 120 mph (193 kph) before the parachute opens and you glide down to earth. This small-group experience limits the numbers to eight people, ensuring customized attention from your instructor. Round-trip transportation from Sydney CBD to the drop zone is included.

Experience Sydney Harbour in a unique way: during a 30-minute wild ride on 'Thunder', a jet boat capable of slides, twists, wave riding, and fishtails. Enjoy some sightseeing between tricks with views of Luna Park, Taronga Zoo, Sydney Opera House, Rose Bay and other famous Harbour landmarks.

Join your choice of a morning or afternoon excursion to Manly to snorkel in the clear calm waters of Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. Just a short hop from Sydney, see some of Australia's diverse marine life on this guided snorkeling tour. Your expert guide leads your small group of beginning and experienced snorkelers into the water from the beach. With group numbers limited to 10 participants, enjoy customized attention from your guide. Also, take a short guided walk on the headlands for fantastic views of the Northern Beaches.

Experience Blue Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, while supporting literacy among Australia’s Aboriginal youth. Explore the Australian bush with a small group on a train journey from Sydney, and a four-six-hour hike. Trek through Wentworth Falls, down the tallest outdoor staircase in Australia, and into the Jamison valley. Stop for lunch surrounded by waterfalls and treat yourself to something cold at the conservation hut. All proceeds support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Explore the tropical rain forest around the Illawarra Escaprment on this full-day adventure tour from Sydney. Learn about Australia's flora and fauna, including water dragons, echidnas, wombats, and swamp wallabies. Trek though the rain forest and go canyoning around waterfalls. This tour is suitable for those with a moderate level of fitness.

Learn the art of surfing with a lesson from a qualified instructor at the world-famous Bondi Beach, just a short hop from central Sydney. Get an informative and fun surfing lesson with your expert instructor, who shows you the basics, including getting up on the board, reading the surf and catching waves. If you want advanced instruction, private lessons accommodate all levels of expertise. Add a great workout and some waterside excitement to your vacation with a private or small-group surfing lesson in the heart of Australia’s surf culture.

Escape the city for a full-day cycling adventure and pedal your way along the soaring sea cliffs, golden beaches and tree-lined promenades of Manly. Hop on your rental bike and set out on a self-guided route, passing landmarks like Manly Corso, Manly Lagoon and Cabbage Tree Bay. Stop along the way to take a dip at Shelly Beach, see the Collins waterfall or admire the scenery of Sydney Harbour National Park.

Get your thrills with this immersive virtual reality experience. Assemble your group (up to 12 players can be hosted at one time), get outfitted with the latest VR gear, and embark on a time-traveling mission to keep humanity from vanishing. With your trusted companions, jump from the future to ancient Egypt to medieval times—and save the world during this fun and affordable VR adventure.

See Australia's most famous native animals in their natural habitat on a full-day tour from Sydney. In a comfortable 4WD, explore the Southern Highlands with a naturalist guide to look for koalas, kangaroos, platypus, emus, wombats and other critters in the wild. Your small-group tour includes refreshments and dinner in a classic pub, and you stay out after dark in order to view nocturnal animals in action. With numbers limited to 11 people, enjoy a more customized experience.

Enjoy a fun-filled family day out at the Featherdale Wildlife Park near Sydney, and see some of Australia’s most iconic native animals. Learn more about endangered species like Tasmanian devils; spot adorable koalas, wallabies and wombats; or brave a peek at dingoes, deadly snakes and crocodiles. That’s not all: Make the most of the varied keeper talks, watch feeding demonstrations, and enjoy hand-feeding kangaroos and emus under supervision. You also have the option to experience a up close and personal Koala Encounter!!

Enjoy a whale-watching cruise that begins with a breakfast or barbecue lunch onboard the boat while in the calm waters of Sydney Harbour.  After breakfast or lunch, your boat glides past Sydney Head into the Pacific Ocean in search of the humpback and southern right whales that migrate along this coast from May to November. Keep an eye out for whales and dolphins as you learn about them from your naturalist guide, who provides fascinating commentary about Australian marine life during your tour.

Take to the waves at one of Sydney’s top surf spots with a surf class at the beautiful Maroubra Beach. Choose from a 2-hour group lesson with a maximum of 6 people and master the basics, or opt for a 1-hour private lesson and hone your skills with one-to-one tuition. Whichever option you choose, your expert instructors will have you standing up and catching waves in no time.

Enjoy sweeping views of Sydney Harbour and beyond during a scenic helicopter flight over Sydney. Take to the skies for a quick flight that provides stunning panoramic views of Sydney’s eastern coastline including Coogee Beach, Bondi Beach, Manly Cove, Sydney’s spectacular Harbor and city skyline, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Sydney Opera House. Learn about the city’s history from your knowledgeable pilot as you fly along the coast of the Pacific Ocean before your pilot whirs over Sydney Head marking the harbor’s entrance.

Experience a close encounter with humpback whales without having to leave the city on this thrilling 2-hour speedboat tour from Sydney. Hop on-board the city’s fastest commercial ship and blast off across Sydney Harbour, past iconic landmarks like Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. Leave the city behind and speed out into the Pacific Ocean, where you’ll have chance to spot majestic whales swimming and playing in their natural environment.

Experience wine and wildlife on this comprehensive day trip from Sydney. Admire gorgeous coastal views on a scenic drive to Royal National Park, snap a selfie with a koala in Symbio Wildlife Park, and hike to a waterfall lookout in Morton National Park. Plus, enjoy a seaside lunch and boutique wine tasting—all included in the tour price. Enjoy a more personal experience with a small-group maximum of 11.

Wake up early for a kayak tour from Rose Bay with sunrise views of Sydney Harbour. Paddle with a friend on a double sit-on-top kayak and get a good look at landmarks like Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, and Shark Island. The kayaks are stable and easy to use, and the tour is suitable for all levels of experience. Paddling instruction and use of equipment are provided.

Explore the Blue Mountains the easy way on an all-inclusive, full-day tour from Sydney. Receive personalized service from your guide on a small-group tour with a maximum of 16 participants. It’s an action-packed trip with spectacular views, railway and cable car rides, forest walks, wildlife encounters, and more. See much more than touring independently on this thorough tour that appeals to many interests

Cruise the ocean waters off of Sydney to look for humpback and southern right whales as they migrate between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef from May to November. Your whale-watching experience starts out of Sydney Harbour and heads to the open ocean on a custom-built catamaran with large viewing windows and spacious decks that provide excellent sightlines. Often, dolphins, sea birds and other marine animals make an appearance during the nearly 2.5-hour whale-watching tour.

Explore the beautiful Blue Mountains on this small-group excursion with a local guide. After a convenient hotel pickup, watch for koalas, wombats, and crocodiles at Featherdale Wildlife Park. Then, take an optional cable car ride with amazing views of Katoomba Falls, visit Australia’s Grand Canyon, and enjoy a relaxing cruise back to Sydney on the Parramatta River.

Come & explore the unspoilt wilderness on Sydney's northern doorstep, just 45 minutes from the CBD - The mighty Lower Hawkesbury. See shipwrecks and waterfalls, hear the Indigenous heritage and settlers’ history – all from our stable and stylish double sit-on top kayaks. The perfect way to experience this incredible Country. Paddle past the towering sandstone cliffs, and pull in to untouched beaches for a tea or a coffee. Take a short hike to a clifftop lookout with breathtaking views over the meeting of the 3 great waterways: Berowra, Marramarra, and the Hawkesbury. All food and equipment provided, no experience required. Tea, coffee, and snacks also provided. Kayaking is easy and fun for everyone, we welcome all ages, just bring a sense of adventure! Come by train: A scenic one hour ride from Central, with trains leaving each way every hour. Or drive a car 45 minutes north from the CBD to Deerubbun Reserve boat ramp. Pick ups also available if you're staying on the river.

Leave the bustle of Sydney behind during a full-day tour of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. Enjoy a picturesque morning tea picnic at Calmsley Hill before seeing the highlights of Blue Mountains National Park including the Three Sisters rock formation and Govetts Leap. Have the option to include a 2-course lunch at the elegant Hydro Majestic Hotel. This is a small-group tour, with numbers limited to 17 people, for a more intimate experience.

Spot majestic humpback whales swimming and playing in their natural environment during this whale-watching cruise from Sydney. Sail across Sydney Harbour, past the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, to the open waters of the Pacific and get up close to the gentle giants. This seasonal tour runs between May and November, and cruises pick up from either Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.