About this tour
This 10–12 hour adventure from Sydney heads north to Port Stephens, where you'll tackle the Southern Hemisphere's largest moving sand dunes in a 4WD safari and try sandboarding down golden slopes. After lunch in Nelson Bay, pick your own finale: a dolphin-watching cruise with marine expert commentary, or a guided 25–30 minute summit push up Mount Tomaree for sweeping 360° views across the harbour and headlands. Small groups, licensed operators, return transport included.
Highlights
- 4WD sand safari across massive shifting dunes
- Sandboarding instruction and equipment provided
- Bottlenose dolphins in open water, expert marine guide
- Mount Tomaree summit walk with panoramic harbour views
- Nelson Bay waterfront lunch stop (self-funded)
- Licensed Eco Pass operator, small group sizes
- All park entry fees and vehicle transport included
What to expect
After pickup from Sydney Central, expect a 2.5-hour drive north to Port Stephens. Once there, you'll board a 4WD for an exhilarating dune run—feel the vehicle climb and descend towering sand walls, then either strap in for sandboarding lessons or simply soak in the landscape and snap photos. Mid-tour, Nelson Bay offers a genuine working harbour: grab fish and chips from a café, browse local shops, or bring your own lunch. Finally, commit to either a cruise where dolphins surface naturally around the boat (crew explains behaviour and ecology) or hike Mount Tomaree's steep but manageable track for vantage-point views of the same coastline from above.
Good to know
Five-hour round-trip drive from Sydney—plan for fatigue. Bring sunscreen, hat, water bottle. Lunch is not included; budget for Nelson Bay cafés or pack supplies. Sandboarding and hiking both suit most fitness levels, though summit involves some uphill scrambling. Infants sit on adult laps.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.