The 8 Best Tour Activities We Did in Australia

Teresa and I recently returned from five amazing weeks in Australia. It was our first visit, but not our last. Given Australia's size, we realized we could only see part of it. We chose to drive the east coast, starting in the northeast, Cairns/Cape Tribulation, and finishing at the Great Ocean Road/Melbourne. I have posted three articles about our adventure on my blog. Our Amazing 5-Week Itinerary in Australia - click here for an overview of our trip. I hope it will give you a sense of why Eastern Australia is a must-see destination. If you are planning a similar trip, I have posted another article with reviews of all the different services we used (campervan, campsites, restaurants, etc). This one will focus on the organized activities/tours we did. I will say up front that normally, Teresa and I don't book many tours while on vacation. We prefer to venture out on our own and explore. For hiking, we love to use AllTrails, find a hike and set off. In cities, we enjoy walking (and walking and walking) or renting bikes to uncover small out-of-the-way places. However, when planning our Australian vacation, I realized that many of the more interesting and exciting activities were difficult to do on our own. What follows is a list of activities we booked, starting with our favourites, my rating out of 5, and comments. Here goes:

Cape Tribulation Ocean Safari Tour - 5+ stars - 4.5 hours - $180 per person -https://oceansafari.com.au/

The Great Barrier Reef is the star of this tour. We did the half-day morning tour that included a stop at 2 different reef sites, the snorkelling equipment, a swimming vest and an option to rent a wetsuit. Teresa and I are reasonably strong swimmers, but took both the vest and wet wetsuit. The water temperature was 20-21 degrees Celsius, but you are in the water for 1.5-2 hours at a time, and the ocean waves are sometimes big. The vest and wetsuit allow you to relax, float around comfortably and enjoy the reef. The guide on the boat gets in the water with you, pointing out the most beautiful spots on the reef, the different fish, turtles, and coral. There were about 30 people on the board; it was crowded, but not a problem. The captain of the boat and the diver made the tour a pleasant experience and were very knowledgeable about the area. It is truly breathtaking, and I will say it is the most beautiful and spectacular natural wonder I have ever seen. Highly recommended!

I hesitated to post both of these photos. This one because I look so goofy and the one below because it does not do justice to how vibrant the colours were on the Great Barrier Reef.

Cooper Creek Wilderness – Great Wilderness Experience

5+ stars | 4 hours | $130 per person

🔗 coopercreek.com.au

Cape Tribulation is worth a few days on its own, especially to explore the Daintree Rainforest — the oldest (and most toxic) rainforest in the world. While self-guided boardwalks give you a glimpse, they only touch the edges. To go deeper, you need a guide.

We were fortunate to have Neil Hewett, the owner, lead our tour. He’s a passionate protector of the rainforest with deep knowledge of its history, ecology, and challenges. This wasn’t a touristy walk but an informative, thought-provoking, and fascinating four hours.

It wasn’t overly strenuous, though there were a few tricky spots (including wading through water). Dress accordingly. Highly recommended!

Vinetrekker – Yarra Valley Day Tour

5 stars | 10 hours | $275 per person🔗 vinetrekker.com.au

We love southern Australian wines, so a Yarra Valley wine tour was a must while in Melbourne. After a last-minute cancellation from another company, we booked with Vinetrekker and lucked out: our guide was Paul Robinson, the owner.

We visited five wineries, enjoyed a delicious lunch, and had private tastings with just six people on the tour. The small group made it flexible, easy, and personal. A fun, informative, and relaxing day. Perfect for wine lovers.

Enjoying wine, food, new friends and beautiful views in the Yarra Valley

Sydney by Kayak – Sunrise Kayak and Coffee

⭐ 5 stars | 2 hours | $175 per person

🔗 sydneybykayak.com.au

This tour is very weather-dependent, but we had a perfect morning. Starting at 5:30 a.m., we paddled Sydney Harbour while watching the sunrise behind the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Your coffee order is taken in advance and served in a thermos you can take on the kayak — a fun touch. The kayaks are stable and beginner-friendly, and the guides make sure you stay safe from ferry traffic.

We even had the chance to kayak under the Harbour Bridge, a bonus not always possible. Afterwards, we walked across the bridge and had breakfast in The Rocks. A unique and memorable experience.

Kayaking the Sydney Harbour at sunrise on a perfect day was amazing!

Sydney Opera House – La Clique

4 stars | 1.5 hours | $110 per person🔗 sydneyoperahouse.com | lacliquetheshow.com

The Opera House is iconic, and we thought we’d outsmart the system by buying show tickets instead of a tour, hoping to wander the building beforehand. Unfortunately, our tickets were for a ground-floor venue, so we weren’t allowed into the main areas.

That said, the show — La Clique — was phenomenal: a mix of burlesque, circus, comedy, and daring acts (some with nudity). Non-stop entertainment for 90 minutes.

So, the Opera House “tour” idea: 2 stars, but La Clique itself: 5 stars

The iconic Sydney Opera House along with nudity and circus acts made for a very fun evening

Fraser Experience Tours – K’Gari (Fraser Island) Exclusive Tour

⭐ 4 stars | 11 hours | $395 per person🔗 fraserexperiencetours.com.au

Fraser Island (K’Gari) is the world’s largest sand island, with rainforest growing on top. There are no roads, so guided tours are essential. We chose the small four-person exclusive tour, which included meals, drinks, and a knowledgeable guide.

Highlights included seeing wild dingoes up close. It was a long day but worthwhile — one of those “see it once” experiences.

The dingos were the main attraction on K'gari (Fraser Island) but the whole experience on the world's largest all sand island was great

Adventure Tribe – Noosa Everglades Guided Kayak Tour

4 stars | 3.5 hours | $155 per person🔗 outdooradventureaustralia.com

One of only two Everglades in the world (the other is in Florida), this was a fun half-day paddle. The double kayaks were trickier to handle than Sydney’s, but manageable. The guide was engaging and knowledgeable.

We didn’t see as much of the Everglades as expected — perhaps the full-day tour covers more — but still an enjoyable morning.

Kayaking the Noosa everglades (one of only two everglades in the world)

Ocean Rafting – Whitsundays Snorkel, Walk & Whitehaven

3 stars | 6.5 hours | $180 per person🔗 oceanrafting.com.au

Our least favourite. The 2 hours of snorkelling were fantastic (5 stars), but the rest of the day felt like filler. Whitehaven Beach is beautiful, but we had already seen plenty of gorgeous beaches elsewhere.

Airlie Beach, the base town, was disappointing. If I could redo it, I’d book a dedicated snorkelling trip elsewhere.

Not our favourite activity but Whitsunday was beautiful

Final Thoughts

In total, we booked eight organized activities. Seven were excellent, which I’d call a pretty good success rate. Even the one I didn’t enjoy still had highlights.

I hope this helps if you’re planning a trip to Australia! Feel free to reach out with any questions at thethirdperiod.ca@gmail.com.