Perth Tours & Day Trips

Perth tours cover the island, the vineyards, the desert and the coast, and most of them collect or depart from central Perth. Rottnest Island is the first stop for many visitors, and there are also Swan Valley winery days, Pinnacles trips, wildlife encounters and guided city tours. This page sorts them by what you want to do, and the things to do in Perth page shows how they fit with cruises and attractions.

Rottnest Island tours and ferry transfers

Rottnest day tours from Perth leave Barrack Street Jetty at 8.45am and the return ferry leaves the island at 5pm, while Fremantle departures leave B Shed at 9.30am. The Rottnest Island tours and transfers page sorts them by style: a 90-minute guided bus tour past Wadjemup Lighthouse and the West End lookouts, bike hire to ride at your own pace, an adventure boat tour that circles the island, or a ferry-only ticket.

The Rottnest bike and snorkel day tour from Fremantle is a popular choice, with snorkel gear, bike hire, the island admission fee and return ferry included. For the evening, a West End sunset and seals tour visits the Cape Vlamingh lookouts and Cathedral Rocks on a 1.75-hour coach trip.

Swan Valley winery tours from Perth

The Swan Valley is the easy wine day from Perth. The Swan Valley wineries full-day tour picks up at Barrack Street at 9.45am, Crown Burswood at 10am and the Swan Valley Visitor Centre at 10.25am, with a vineyard lunch, a cheese platter, a beer sample and a chocolate tasting before returning around 5pm.

If you want to start on the water, the Swan Valley winery tour with a morning river cruise leaves Barrack Street Jetty at 10.30am and covers the first leg by boat.

Pinnacles, dunes and stargazing day trips

North of Perth, Pinnacles day trips include a Pinnacles sunset and stargazing tour and a Pinnacles, Lobster and Lavender day tour, both running from the city. At Lancelin, the 4WD sand dunes and sandboarding tour is a 45-minute run over a 200-hectare dune area that only 4WDs can reach. Inland at Yeal, the Gravity Discovery Centre runs a 2-hour observatory and stargazing session.

Wildlife tours: dolphins, sea lions and penguins

South of the city at Rockingham, the Shoalwater swim with dolphins cruise leaves Val Street Jetty at 8am on a 3 to 6-hour cruise, with wetsuits, snorkels and lessons included. A version with return coach transfers collects from Crown Perth and the Bell Tower. For something quieter, a full-day sea kayak tour paddles out to the Seal and Penguin Islands, and a Dryandra wildlife tour combines animal spotting with dinner and stargazing.

Guided hikes and kayak tours

Off the Beaten Track WA runs guided hikes, including a full-day Hidden Gems of Perth hike with lunch, an 8-hour Perth Hills hike with lunch and wine, and a 6-hour Dwellingup hike with a train ride and pizza. On the water, River Gods runs half-day kayak tours on the Swan and Canning rivers.

City tours, Segway rides and scenic flights

In the city, the Optus Stadium guided tour runs behind the scenes through the change rooms, and a guided city lights night tour finishes with dessert and a drink. Kings Park has a 90-minute guided Segway tour, and helicopter flights along the coast from Cottesloe to Fremantle give a different view of the same stretch.

Longer trips from Perth

For more than a day, a 6-day Esperance and Margaret River adventure tour runs from Perth, which suits visitors with a week to spend outside the city.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Perth?

Day trips from Perth include Rottnest Island by ferry, a Swan Valley winery tour, Pinnacles stargazing tours, the Lancelin sand dunes and swimming with wild dolphins at Rockingham.

Can you do Perth tours without a car?

Yes. Rottnest ferries leave from Barrack Street Jetty, Swan Valley tours collect from Barrack Street, Crown Burswood and the Swan Valley Visitor Centre, and the dolphin swim with transfers collects from Crown Perth and the Bell Tower.

What time do Rottnest day tours leave Perth?

Rottnest Island day tours from Perth leave Barrack Street Jetty at 8.45am and the return ferry leaves the island at 5pm. Fremantle departures leave B Shed at 9.30am.

What does a Swan Valley tour from Perth include?

The Swan Valley wineries full-day tour includes wine tastings, a vineyard lunch, a cheese platter, a beer sample and a chocolate tasting, and returns to Perth at about 5pm.

How long does the swim with dolphins tour take?

The Shoalwater swim with dolphins cruise is a 3 to 6-hour trip that varies with dolphin sightings. It leaves Val Street Jetty at 8am and returns between 11.30am and 2.30pm.

Choose the tour that matches the day you have, whether that means the island, the vineyards or the desert, and book it from the list above.