24 of the best walking tours in Sydney

For history & heritage  

The first European settlement in Sydney, The Rocks holds many stories. Which your guide will bring to life when you sign up with The Rocks Walking Tours. Spend 90 minutes exploring the cobbled alleys of the neighbourhood, while discovering the significance of buildings – and learning about Aboriginal history. I'm Free Walking Tours also explore this neighbourhood (as well as the city’s CBD) – there’s no upfront charge, but you can tip your guide at the end of the experience to show your appreciation. 

The Rocks Walking Tour

The city’s Indigenous history is also the highlight of tours with Dreamtime Southern X, established by legendary tourism leader Aunty Margret Campbell. Dreamtime’s experiences also meander through The Rocks, with Margret and her guides revealing the Dreamtime stories that shaped this pocket of the city.

The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour by Dreamtime Southern X with Margret Campbell

Journey Walks uncover a different side of The Rocks, operating tours that reveal Sydney's criminal (and historic) secrets. Walks have been carefully researched, written and curated by historians and script-writers to scratch below the city's surface and uncover the quirky characters, hidden histories and underworld aspects of Sydney's notorious heritage. 

Journey Walks: History Crime and Culture Tours of Sydney - Credit: Jocelyn Gulliver | Journey Walks Pty Ltd

Nearby in the harbourside Barangaroo precinct, Aboriginal educators host Cultural Tours that extend throughout the six-hectare headland of Barangaroo Reserve, taking in the 75,000 native Australian trees and shrubs that are a feature here. Bush tucker and medicine and Indigenous heritage are all in the spotlight. If the weather is warm, you can even take a dip in the harbour after your tour. 

Aboriginal Cultural Tours, Barangaroo

Bondi may be known for its beach culture, but the suburb also has a long Aboriginal history, as you’ll discover in the company of First Nations' artist, educator and performer Walangari Karntawarra on his Bondi Aboriginal Walking Tours. You’ll see ancient Aboriginal rock carvings and sample traditional bush foods and medicines still growing wild in this beautiful coastal locale. Aunty Donna Ingram is your host on the Redfern and Aboriginal History Walking Tours, taking you through one of the most thriving, diverse and active urban Aboriginal communities in Australia.    

For the city’s highlights 

There’s no need to open your wallet (unless you want to) when you join a free Locl Tour of Sydney. While you’ll take a deep dive into the city’s history while exploring The Rocks, Circular Quay and the CBD, you’ll also have a lot of fun. And get your step-count up. Ultimately Sydney offers a range of experiences that explore Sydney’s highlights. ‘The Story of Sydney’ uncovers the city’s history and evolution; ‘The Art of Sydney’ is dedicated to galleries and alfresco art; and ‘The Taste of Sydney’ gives you the chance to sample some of the city’s tastiest food and wine. Bring your appetite.  

Ultimately Sydney

Sydney Incognita walking tours explore the city, but can also take you further afield to Watsons Bay and South Head – places of notable colonial history. Bring your swimsuit to take a dip after your tour.  

For outdoor adventures 

There’s no denying the natural beauty of Sydney Harbour. And with EcoWalks Tours, this is your dazzling backdrop. Explore Sydney Harbour National Park on an educational and scenic wander while learning about local flora and fauna as well as the historic relics located in the areas. There are a number of walks to choose from, depending on your interests.  

Obelisk Bay Battery Lookout with EcoWalks Tours - Credit: Alan Toner

Lace-up your sneakers and get set for a fast-paced adventure with Fit City Tours. Running, walking and hiking itineraries are all on offer, taking in iconic landmarks, impressive natural beauty and countless hidden gems. Meanwhile, Sydney Guided Tours hosts a range of private walking experiences that can last from a few hours to multiple days. Itineraries are fully customisable, but take in some of the city’s most dramatic landscapes as well as giving you the chance to witness iconic native wildlife.

Running through Sydney with Fit City Tours Sydney - Credit: Fit City Tours Sydney

For hidden foodie gems 

Sometimes, the best way to take the pulse of a city is through its food. And there are a number of tours where you can walk up an appetite before indulging. Taste Cultural Food Tours is all about uncovering amazing places to eat, but is just as dedicated to revealing the talented producers and chefs behind the delicacies you experience. Sydney is incredibly diverse, so expect to taste a melting pot of cuisines. This company is a charity and social enterprise, and all profits are invested into supporting new and young Australians (including migrants and refugees) via training and employment as tour guides.

The Taste of Afghanistan and Syria tour with Taste Cultural Food Tours, Sydney West

I Ate My Way Through takes you on a culinary adventure through some of Sydney’s most vibrant foodie neighbourhoods, including Cabramatta, Granville, Harris Park and Chinatown, just to name a few. Visit some of the city’s dining institutions, then walk with a local to a hidden gem for a delightful bite. There are plenty of bites to be had on a tour with The Sydney Connection, which sees you wander between restaurants and bars across the inner-city precincts of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Potts Point. And while no restaurants are involved on a Royal Botanic Garden Bush Tucker Tour, you will get the chance to sample native Australian bush tucker – you’d be surprised just how many plants are edible.  

Aboriginal Tour in the Royal Botanic Garden

Diego Bonnetto also likes to surprise guests on his Seaside Foraging tours, where you get hands-on collecting wild foods in coastal areas of Sydney. Seaweed, sea urchins, sea cucumbers… it all adds up to a salty feast.  

For a good time 

As its name suggests, Local Sauce Tours are all about revealing Sydney’s secrets – from the perspective of someone who knows the city inside out. Think, hidden bar crawls, street-art walks and cultural history experiences. There’s even a tour focusing on the city’s coffee scene. 

Credit: Local Sauce Tours

Swap coffee for beer (or whatever tipple tickles your fancy) on one of Dave’s Pub Tours. Guides are self-confessed history and beer nerds, which means your day out will be as fun as it is informative. Explore some of Sydney’s most historic neighbourhoods, including The Rocks, Balmain and Surry Hills, and make a few new friends in the process. Still thirsty? 24 Hours in Sydney is all about walking a little, eating a bit, then taking a few sips of something delicious. Discover Sydney’s small bar scene visiting tucked-away bars hidden in basements, back alleys and old loading docks. 

For the niche & quirky 

Sydney has its fair share of secrets – you’ll discover some of them on a tour with Murders Most Foul. Each experience has been researched and designed by a Sydney-based historian and archaeologist, and each takes you into back streets and hidden lanes to explore atmospheric neighbourhoods and learn about the characters who made them what they are today. 

Murders Most Foul: True Crime Walking Tours - Credit: Bright Corner Pty Ltd

Love photography? Picture Me Sydney tours are led by guides who are talented with a camera and have an intimate knowledge of the city. This is your chance to get active and see (and capture) Sydney from a different perspective. You’ll see the city from an equally unique perspective with Sydney Architecture Walks, designed to reveal the various styles of (and the architects behind) the city’s most amazing landmarks, from the Opera House to jaw-dropping modern structures. 

Picture Me Sydney - Credit: National Photo Training College