The 15 Best Adelaide Dolphin Tours

1.Adelaide: Dolphin Sanctuary Eco Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 560 reviews · 3 hours · from $55Our pick

Join a marine biologist guide such as Alex, Paddy, Mark, or Kendall for a three-hour paddle through Adelaide’s Dolphin Sanctuary. You’ll learn basic kayaking, explore 10,000-year-old mangroves, look for dolphins and birds, and may reach old shipwrecks. No kayaking experience is required.

“We had an amazing kayaking experience. It is a wonderfull place full of birds and other animals. We also did see dolphins. Paddy was our fantastic guide who made the experience even better. I would highly recommend this trip!”

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2.Adelaide: 4-Hour Swimming with Dolphins Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 439 reviews · 3h 30m · from $105

Join Temptation Sailing at Glenelg for a 3.5-hour cruise aboard the 58-foot catamaran Temptation. Marine biologist guides help you spot wild dolphins, explain their behavior, and arrange time in the water using wetsuits, masks, and snorkels. Bring a towel, food, sunscreen, and swimwear already on.

“Wouldn't call it 'swimming' as you are either laying in the front of the boat in a net or dragged on a rope behind the boat. But nevertheless the encounter with wild dolphins is just an incredible experience. Watching them swim and play so close to you created unforgetable memories.”

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3.Port Adelaide: Dolphin and Ships Graveyard Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 375 reviews · 1h 30m · from $62

Join an English-speaking skipper such as Jim, Jason, Chris or Alex for a 90-minute Port River cruise. Expect half-submerged shipwrecks, city-dwelling dolphins, birdlife and clear stories about Adelaide’s working waterfront. Drinks are available on board, but food is not included.

“Fantastic. Jim the skipper knew about absolutely everything along the river, be it geography, history, industry, ecology… It was amazing to see the dolphins, and the ship graveyard was really cool too!”

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4.Dolphin Sanctuary Kayak Tour Adelaide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 355 reviews · from $56

Spend about three hours kayaking from Garden Island through Adelaide’s Dolphin Sanctuary. Guides such as Alex, Paddy, Fiona, and Lewis provide safety help and nature commentary while you look for wild dolphins, birds, fish, mangroves, and shipwrecks. No experience is needed, but you should be reasonably fit.

“Organized crew with getting everyone set up and out on the kayaks. Our guide, Brayden was safety conscious, friendly and knowledgeable. All the traits one wants in a guide for this kind of tour. This tour is great for kayaks of any level. And the location offered so many things to see and explore.”

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5.Adelaide: 4-Hour Guaranteed Wild Dolphin Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 349 reviews · 3h 30m · from $63

Join Temptation Sailing at Glenelg’s Marina Pier for a 3.5-hour catamaran cruise in search of wild bottlenose and common dolphins. The English-speaking crew, including guides such as Elle and Quinn, explains dolphin behavior while you watch pods play beside the boat. A swim-with-dolphins option is also available when booked separately.

“It was an incredible experience. One advice: take a thick jacket with you as it’s quite windy and chilly on the boat.”

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6.90 Minute Port River Dolphin & Ships Graveyard Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 321 reviews · from $63

Cruise Port Adelaide with a small group of up to 15 people, watching for bottlenose dolphins, half-submerged wrecks, and coastal birds. Skippers such as Alex, Jim, Naomi, and Jacob add live local insight. The boat has a bathroom, but only water is provided, so bring snacks.

“I had wonderful time was a great experience knowing history and geography about Adelaide. Lots of historical knowledge by crew. members I fully enjoyed this trip looking forward again.”

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7.Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · from $55Top rated

Set out from Garden Island with a guide such as Luke, Phil, or Pippa for a three-hour paddle through Adelaide’s Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard. Learn basic kayaking, watch for Port River dolphins and birds, and explore mangrove creeks and abandoned ships in a small group.

“Loved going through mangroves high light off the trip if I had time would do again excellent value for money the guide was brilliant Thanks for a great morning”

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8.Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 143 reviews · 3 hours · from $55

Paddle the Port River with an English-speaking guide such as Aaron, Tom, or Oliver, passing mangroves, old shipwrecks, and dolphin habitat. The pace suits beginners, but you need moderate fitness and comfortable wet-weather clothing. Bring insect repellent and arrange transport to remote Garden Island.

“Aaron & Chelsea were good guides. It was a little hard for everyone to hear the spiel from the guides but I think this is the nature of the activity. They were good at keeping track of everyone but didn't have us too crowded up, we could enjoy the experience. We were lucky to see heaps of dolphins before we left the boat ramp and while paddling.”

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9.Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Mangroves Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 59 reviews · from $39

Meet Adventure Kayaking SA at Garden Island, suit up, and paddle sheltered mangrove creeks in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. Your guide, sometimes Lydia, shares local wildlife stories while you look for Port River dolphins. The tour suits ages eight and up, with safety gear provided.

“Was very good we had a great time -the weather was good and the view of the mangroves was nice - sad we didn’t see any dolphins”

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10.Wild Dolphin Swim Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews

Meet Temptation Sailing at Glenelg Marina Pier for a four-hour catamaran cruise into the gulf. Marine biologists guide you toward wild dolphins, then fit you with a wetsuit, mask, and snorkel for front-net and back-line swims. Dolphins choose the encounter, with no touching or feeding.

“Unique experience getting close up to wild dolphins. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend.”

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11.Adelaide: Dolphin Sanctuary Mangroves Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 54 reviews · 1h 30m · from $38

Meet Adventure Kayaking SA on Garden Island for a 90-minute guided paddle through Adelaide’s Dolphin Sanctuary. You’ll receive a safety lesson, kayak through sheltered mangrove creeks, look for Port River Dolphins and other wildlife, and hear local stories from guides such as Keenan, Darla, Keilan, and Will.

“Great experience, great for kids and adults, Keenan and Darla were fantastic. Overall we would do it again - remember water bottles and a hat”

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12.Adelaide: Dolphin Sanctuary Single or Double Kayak Rental

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 51 reviews · 2 hours · from $27Best value

Meet Adventure Kayaking SA at Garden Island Boat Ramp for a safety briefing, map, life vest, and two-hour kayak hire. Choose a single or double kayak, paddle through mangrove creeks, and search for dolphins independently. The area is limited, and sightings are never guaranteed.

“good although i didn’t see any dolphins as there was only 13 in the whole lake”

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13.Wild Dolphin Watch in Glenelg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $63

Cruise Holdfast Bay from Glenelg aboard Temptation Sailing’s catamaran, watching wild dolphins from the bow and 360-degree deck. Marine biologists explain dolphin behavior as you search the bay. Choose the sightseeing cruise, or select the separate swim-with-dolphins option if you want to enter the water.

“Amazing experience Saw lots of dolphins who swam so closely round the boat Crew extremely passionate and knowledgeable A great trip”

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14.2-Hour Dolphin and Maritime Cruise in Port Adelaide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · from $63

Cruise the Port Adelaide River with your skipper as guide. See historic ships, working harbor activity, the City of Adelaide clipper, Osborne Naval Shipyard, and the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, where about 30 resident bottlenose dolphins live.

“We had a great time. very informative. the crew was fantastic. Great Boat that was easy to get on and off. It was great to see the Dolphins”

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15.Port Adelaide: Dolphin and Maritime Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · 2 hours · from $62

Join an English-speaking skipper for a two-hour cruise from Port Adelaide’s red and white lighthouse. You’ll pass working ships, restored vessels, the submarine dry dock, and the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, with live commentary, onboard toilets, and a chance to spot wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins.

“It was Amazing and we enjoyed alot specially Jiya there she made us day memorable all staff members were with humble nature….. 5+Staarsssss thanks alot”

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