Yes, I assured my Australian mates, you really can kayak Sydney Harbour! For safety reasons, outfitters can’t rent out kayaks for self-guided trips in the heart of Sydney Harbour. But active travelers have a few options for guided kayak tours in Sydney Harbour.

Sydney kayak tours

If you’re interested in kayaking Sydney Harbour, let me save you some time. After heaps of online research, we narrowed our options to two established tour operators: OzPaddle and Natural Wanders. 

Beginning paddlers should probably opt for Oz Paddle’s Sydney Harbour Kayak Tours. Oz Paddle is conveniently located near the Royal Botanic Garden (next to the Opera House). Their tours are supported by certified guides and use stable, sit-on-top kayaks that require little paddling experience. Their guided trips limit dangerous harbour crossings and center on the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge. This would be your easiest and most accessible option for kayaking Sydney Harbour.

We opted for a half-day trip with Natural Wanders. Natural Wanders hosts guided kayak tours in tandem, fiberglass sea kayaks–faster boats that might appeal to more experienced paddlers. The company offers three regular paddles and customizable private tours that leave early in the morning to minimize wind and boat traffic. The business is based out of a boat locker in North Sydney. It’s not centrally located, like Oz Paddle. But Natural Wanders is just 10-15 minutes from the city by train, ferry, or car.  

the Balmain Paddle

Our Friday booking for the Bridge Paddle was cancelled (and refunded) due to high winds. We then joined guide Patrick and a family of five for an alternative trip the next morning: the 10 km Balmain Paddle. 

This half-day tour launches from Lavendar Bay in North Sydney. The Balmain trip warms up with a quick paddle for obligatory photos of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. (Our preferred paddle, the Bridge Paddle, would have passed under the Bridge and explored bays across from the Opera House.) Paddlers can take their own photos. But the guide takes excellent pictures and emails a (free) link to access them after the trip. (All images in this post are courtesy of Natural Wanders.)  

The Balmain Paddle then explores a series of bays west of the Harbour Bridge through a 10 km route that includes two harbour crossings:

This route captures the variety of Sydney Harbour, including industrial areas and docks:

And upscale waterfront neighbourhoods:

And harbourside bushland. Our tour stopped for lunch and a short bushwalk at Berry Island. Here, the track walks by shell middens and axe grindings which mark remnants of an Aboriginal fishing, hunting and camping site.

Of course, the paddle offers prime views of Sydney’s skyline:

honest review: kayaking Sydney 

Kayaking definitively offers tourists (and Australians) unique views of Sydney Harbour. Views that millions have missed. If you’ve got some kayaking experience and a day in downtown Sydney, it’s definitely worth touring the harbour with one of these recommended guides. 

For me, your choice in tours comes down to two preferences: (1) Would you prefer a stable, sit-on-top kayak (Oz Paddle) or sharing a tandem touring kayak (Natural Wanders)? (2) Would you prefer a shorter, more protected paddle highlighted by killer pictures of Sydney Opera House (Oz Paddle)? Or a more involved paddle (with good pictures) that takes you into the bustle of the harbour and the backwaters that tourists don’t reach (Natural Wanders)? 

Tandem paddling is not for everybody. But we wanted the upgrade to sea kayaks and a more extended tour of the harbour. (My wife also felt more confident sharing a tandem kayak with me instead of paddling her own boat.) The waves, wind, big boats, and current can toss you around a bit in the open water. But the experienced guide will help you navigate the shipping channel and potentially tricky waves from passing ships. Also, the back bays offer a quieter experience that takes travelers away from the concrete and crowds of Sydney’s CBD. 

This is moderate paddling–not beginning or advanced paddling. It will appeal to advanced beginners, intermediate paddlers, and experienced paddlers interested in a relaxed morning on a busy yet scenic waterway.

Kayaking Sydney Harbour is a good way to sneak the outdoors into a stylish city like Sydney. To get off the pavement, get a little wet, and see the city from sea level. Most tourists will take a harbour ferry. However, surveying one of the world’s most beautiful harbours from a kayak is a unique experience that most people miss in one of the world’s most scenic cities.