There’s no better way to get up close and personal to the beauty, culture, wildlife, history and adventure of Rottnest Island than by going on a tour.
A Rottnest Island tour means you don’t have to worry about any of the logistics – plus you benefit from expert inside knowledge to discover hidden gems and fascinating insights of this coastal paradise.
Whether you prefer travelling on foot, on a bike, boat or bus, whether you’d like to be on the water, under it or just looking at it, whether you’d like to keep your feet on the ground or are keen for an aerial view, this comprehensive guide to Rottnest Island tours covers all options.
We’ve categorised the various tours by mode of transport, so you can first choose the ‘how’ and then decide on the ‘where’ and ‘when’. There are also tours that only operate at certain times of the year plus there are new ones popping up all the time, so even if you’re a seasoned visitor, you’ll always find something exciting to do on Rottnest.
Sea-based Rottnest tours
The island life is as much about water-based experiences as it is about activities on terra firma.
With plenty of different boat tours to choose from, each of which offers something extraordinary, you’re sure to find one that whets your appetite for adventure and fun!
Rottnest Seafood Cruise
Trust us, this award-winning half-day Luxe Island Seafood Cruise is a must.
It’s a seven-course culinary extravaganza designed by Executive Chef, Tony Howell which showcases the very best of fresh seafood delicacies and quality local produce.
Yes, it’s an indulgent long table lunch cooked by a private chef, with crisp white linen and silver service from a friendly crew. Yes, the luxury vessel is a 69-foot purpose-built charter boat with all the bells and whistles. Yes, all drinks including premium Australian wines and bubbles, imported beers and local craft gins are part of the package. Yes, there’s also plenty of time to unwind, marvel at the spectacular colours and contours of the Rottnest coastline, have a refreshing ocean dip, drift on a float mat and catch up with friends, old and new. But this seafood cruise is much more than that.
It’s a lifetime experience, unique and interactive, where you get to haul up your own Western Rock Lobster and see it being prepared to perfection by your private chef in the boat’s open kitchen.
Guest numbers are limited to just 30, so this Rottnest Island tour is the perfect combination of exclusivity, fun and adventure – and of course, there’s a premium seafood feast to be savoured and lifetime memories to be made. Book your seafood cruise today!
Rottnest Island Sunset Sail
This relaxing sunset cruise is a great way to experience the vivid hues of a Rottnest sunset with the Bathurst Lighthouse and the magnificent Indian Ocean as your backdrop. Enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles and shared antipasto as the skipper hoists the sails of your 12.5m luxury catamaran, sit back on deck or in Capella’s comfortable indoor lounge or head to the cargo net for a refreshing saltwater spritz! You can BYO extra drinks and remember to look out for friendly dolphins frolicking in the bows.
Adventure Boat Tour
This exhilarating 90-minute circumnavigation of Rottnest aboard a high-powered Eco Express gives passengers an unforgettable close-up experience of the island’s craggy wild side and its fascinating wildlife. Expertly piloted by an experienced skipper, the adventure boat tour takes you around the island’s spectacular coastline, including the colony of New Zealand fur seals at Cathedral Rocks. It’s the ultimate thrill ride for nature lovers, with expert commentary along the way.
Snorkel Experience
This guided Rottnest snorkel tour is the perfect way to get up close to the extraordinary underwater world around the island. The boat tour also offers fantastic sightseeing opportunities as you make your way to some of Rottnest’s most remarkable snorkeling spots. Insightful commentary and guidance from professional crew elevate your experience, with over 400 species of fish, 20 types of coral and multiple shipwrecks to discover in the warm, crystal waters of the Indian Ocean.
Passengers can choose to start the tour from Fremantle or from the main jetty at Thomson Bay on Rottnest.
Boat Dive Day Trip
This diving and snorkelling day trip explores the colourful coral reefs, amazing marine life and incredible limestone caves around Rottnest. It leaves from Fremantle and while it doesn’t stop on the island, you can be dropped off there for an extra fee. The package includes two dives (one air cylinder supplied), lunch, soft drinks and snacks on the tour, plus there’s a tender boat for snorkeling adventures.
Land-based Rottnest Tours
Rottnest is a car-free paradise, so it’s heaven for anyone wanting to safely explore all that this captivating island has to offer. Choose from bike tours, bus tours, walking tours, segway tours and combination tours – all of which offer fascinating insights into Rottnest’s rich heritage and spectacular environment.
Two-wheel tours
There are more than 22 km of cycle paths across the island, so hop on a bike for a pedal-powered journey of discovery of some of the island’s most beautiful beaches, historical sites and natural attractions.
Rottnest cycle tour
Your experienced guide on this full-day bike tour will take you to some of Rottnest’s best spots, including Lomas Cottage, the Basin, Bathhurst Lighthouse and the salt lakes, providing fascinating insights and information about life on the island in the past and in the present.
Electric bike tour
An e-bike is a great way to cover a lot of ground with minimal effort!
Choose from a four-hour eco electric bike tour which takes you on a fascinating 35km trip around the island or a two-hour guided sunset bike tour. Learn about Rottnest’s intriguing history and ecology from your entertaining and knowledgeable guide, with a range of fitness levels catered for. Note that these tours are seasonal.
Rottnest Segway Tours
If you’ve always wanted to ride a segway but been a bit reluctant to set off in the city, the peaceful paths of Rottnest Island are the perfect place to experience the fun and freedom of these motorised scooters.
Segway tours
Choose from a range of customised Segway tours on Rottnest including a one-hour Settlement Explorer tour, a two-hour Coastal Explorer tour and a 1½ hour Fortress Adventure which includes some exciting offroad fun. You’ll be entertained by a knowledgeable and experienced guide as you glide along, with plenty of opportunities to soak up the scenery and perhaps get a quokka selfie!
These scenic and off-road segway tours can also be customised for private groups and corporate get-togethers.
Walking tours
With its well-maintained network of trails and tracks which make up the Wadjemup Bidi, Rottnest Island is hikers’ heaven. The trails meander across panoramic coastal headlands, past the stunning inland salt lakes taking in both the extraordinary natural attractions and the man-made ones. But why not leave the map-reading to the experts and join one of the many guided walking tours on offer?
Free guided walking tours
Free walks with friendly and knowledgeable Rottnest Volunteer Guides leave daily from the Salt Store building. Your guide will share curious stories of the island’s past and provide fascinating insights about island life in the present day.
Hiking tours
The Hike Collective runs relaxed guided hiking tours around the island, suitable for all levels from beginners to seasoned hiking enthusiasts. These walking tours will inspire and enthral you and enhance your experience of the great outdoors.
Guided hike times run from a few hours to all-day treks, so there’s something for everyone. Activities are designed to cater for a range of fitness and experience levels, and each tour has a knowledgeable guide who will share stories of the heritage, culture, people, flora and fauna of Rottnest.
Look out for their seasonal specials like the Walk Wadjemup series where you can hear the stories of the land through Welcome to Country ceremonies, sand rituals, and shared yarns led by a Nyoongar Elder.
Lighthouse tours
If you’ve got an enquiring mind and a head for heights, why not join a guided tour of Wadjemup Lighthouse? Climb the tight spiralling staircase of this 38-metre construction marvel and learn about its inner workings and history from your enthusiastic volunteer guide.
Once you’ve ascended to the top, you’ll enjoy a rare 3600 birds’ eye view over the island and the shimmering Indian Ocean – plus you’ll have plenty of tales to tell from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Adventure tours
One of the many reasons why ‘Rotto’ is such a special place is that it offers something for everyone.
Whether you’re after a peaceful escape, an action-packed getaway or a fun-filled social gathering, you’ll find it on Rottnest. And if an adrenalin-fuelled adventure is on your bucket-list, here’s the perfect Rottnest tour for you!
Skydiving tours
Attention all thrill seekers and high fliers…If jumping from a plane at 15 000 feet is on your bucket list, why not do it over one of the most iconic and spectacular skydiving locations?
Experience the magic of freefall with a tandem skydive over Rottnest. Skydive Geronimo is the only provider licensed to provide tandem skydives over this world-famous destination, and with a wide range of packages and experiences on offer, there’s an adrenalin rush to suit everyone.
Bus tours
A bus tour is a great way to see all of Rottnest’s attractions, both natural and man-made, in a relatively short timeframe. It’s ideal for people with mobility challenges as well as for anyone simply wanting to reach the island’s key attractions in less time and in air-conditioned comfort.
Bus tours
Several different bus tours are available, such as the 90-minute Discover Rottnest Bus Tour which departs twice daily and which visits all of the most iconic locations on the island. This spacious bus is one of the few vehicles permitted on the island and is a comfortable way to experience the beautiful scenery. During the 90-minute tour, you’ll visit the island’s most iconic locations with a single stop at the rugged West End – a haven for unique wildlife.
Another Rottnest bus tour option is to explore the island at your own pace on a scenic bus ride with Quokka Coaches, jumping on and off at 19 different stops. They also offer a guided 1.75 hour Bayseeker Island Tour, ideal for nature-lovers who like to stay comfortable while still getting a culture fix.
Grand Island Tour
This 3.5-hour bus tour takes in Rottnest’s must-see locations including the Wadjemup lighthouse, Henrietta Rocks, Cape Vlamingh and the seal colony in the West End. It also includes a tour of the Oliver Hill Gun Fortification and tunnels. Expert commentary reveals fascinating insights about the island’s habitats, intriguing wildlife and indigenous history, as well as its maritime, colonial and military heritage, plus there’s ample time for exploration.
Train/trolley tour
Who knew you could ride a train on Rottnest?
This unique train tour aboard the Captain Hussey is a fun way to learn the island’s history of Aboriginal colonisation and military defence during World War II. It’s unique and different – much like Rottnest itself – and with the expert commentary, you’ll discover unknown secrets about Oliver Hill Guns and Tunnel Fortification and other significant landmarks. The tour blends enjoyment and education, and when you reach Oliver Hill, you can either explore further on your own or join the Oliver Hill Gun and Tunnel Tour.
Package tours
Remember, you don’t need to be staying on Rottnest to enjoy one of the many tours on offer. You can just as easily do a day trip and start and finish your tour in Perth. With several ferry operators offering a comprehensive sailing schedule, you’ll always find a travel time- and a day package deal – that suits you.
Here are some great ideas for Rottnest tours from Perth:
Rottnest Island Grand Tour
This tour includes same-day return ferry transfers from Fremantle or Perth with SeaLink and a Grand Island Tour which takes in all of Rottnest Island’s natural attractions and historical landmarks. It also includes the Oliver Guns and Tunnel Tour with Quokka Coaches, plus you’ll enjoy a light sandwich lunch along the way.
Full-Day Bike and Ferry Trip
This bike and ferry tour includes a round trip ferry transfer from Hillary’s Boat Harbour or Fremantle plus all-day bike and helmet rental. Saddle up and explore the beautiful sights of Rottnest Island at your own pace using pedal power.
A last word on Rottnest tours
It’s no surprise that Rottnest is one of the best-loved destinations in Australia.
Perth locals flock there, plus it attracts interstate and foreign visitors who’re drawn to its shimmering blue seas, pearly sands, alluring bays and beaches, intriguing heritage, extraordinary natural beauty and wildlife and its laid-back island lifestyle. A plethora of casually stylish food and wine choices and accommodation options to suit all tastes complete a very pretty picture!
And with a diverse range of Rottnest tours on offer, anyone can get to experience the very best that this island paradise has to offer. From a luxury seafood cruise to bus tours, from self-guided hikes to segway trips, from bikes to boats and everything in between, now’s the time to book your Rottnest tour and see what all the fuss is about!
