An exhilarating wildlife encounter that will stay with you forever
Perth Wildlife Encounters can make your dolphin dream come true! Located just 50 minutes south of Perth, Western Australia. Perth Wildlife Encounters has been operating the multi award winning Swim with Wild Dolphins Cruise since 1989. There are over 200 local bottlenose dolphins that live amongst the sheltered waters of Rockingham’s bays & islands that we’ve come to know as friends. They don’t perform tricks and we don’t feed them, we simply spend some time enjoying each other’s company!
Your day with the dolphins
The Adventure begins with boarding our boat in Rockingham where our friendly crew will fit you out with a wetsuit, mask and snorkel. After an introductory briefing from the skipper, we depart the jetty and the search for wild dolphins commences!
It usually takes between 20 to 60 minutes to locate the first group of dolphins. During the search, your guides conduct snorkelling lessons and ensure you’re prepared for the amazing experience to come!
Once the skipper locates some dolphins, it’s time to zip up your wetsuit, put your mask and snorkel on and head down to the swim deck where your guide will be waiting to accompany you into the water. We enter the water in small groups of up to 7 people. Each group is led by a guide using an aqua scooter to tow your group right amongst the dolphins!
This is the easiest snorkelling you will ever do, simply float, put your face down and enjoy the dolphin show going off below! Underneath will be our lead guide riding solo on an aqua scooter who will be playfully looping and spinning the dolphins within inches of where you’re peacefully floating at the surface.
Interacting with these fascinating animals in their natural environment is exhilarating and we are dedicated to providing the best experience for both dolphins and our guests. They are intelligent, social creatures and most days it’s clear they’re having as much fun as us! We may also have the privilege of observing some fascinating natural behaviours along the way such as hunting, mating and even sleeping! We ask you to please remember that we’re visiting wild animals and that we can’t control the dolphin’s natural behaviours or appearance. In the unlikely event that you don’t get to swim with the dolphins, we offer you the opportunity to come again free of charge (conditions apply*).
Inclusions
Return coach transfers from Perth (optional).
3 to 6 hour Swim with with Wild Dolphins Cruise.
Full length wetsuits, mask and snorkel.
Bottomless coffee, tea, hot chocolate & fresh water.
Gourmet platters including a seasonal fruit, antipasto and gourmet sandwich platter + more all served on board.
Free photos of your experience to download and share.
Costs & Times
(Available late September to early June- please contact us)
$299 per person if you meet the boat in Rockingham at 8am. Cruise returns between 12.00pm to 2.30pm.
$40 per person Bus transfer from Perth to the cruise departure point at Val St Jetty, Rockingham:
Bell Tower (outside Captain Cook Cruises) – 6:40am
The return bus to Perth will depart soon after your tour concludes and will drop off at the same pick up location. Please let us know if you do not require the return transfer back to Perth. Please visit ‘How to Get Here’ for further information.
Frequently asked Questions
Where do I meet the boat in Rockingham?
Where does the coach from Perth depart from?
Is this cruise suitable for me?
I’d like to bring a friend who just wants to watch from the boat, does it cost the same price?
What age do you need to be?
I’m a nervous swimmer- can I still join the cruise?
What to Wear
What to Bring
Checking in and Waiver of Liability
What if the weather is bad?
How to Prevent Sea Sickness
Do you ever not see or swim with the dolphins?
Can we touch the dolphins & how close will they come?
Can we feed the dolphins?
Are we likely to see any sharks?
Will we see any other marine wildlife?
What’s the water temperature like?
What are the minimum passenger numbers required for the Swim with Wild Dolphins cruise to operate?
WHY CHOOSE Perth Wildlife ENCOUNTERS?
Our longstanding friendship with the dolphins is built on trust and mutual curiosity, not food! Perth Wildlife Encounters founder Terry Howson believed that the dolphins should never be offered food as an incentive to ensure natural behaviors were not compromised. Read more about how he established the friendship with the dolphins here.
Wild dolphin guarantee. If you don’t see dolphins on your cruise, come again free! See Cancellations & Conditions for full details.
Only one cruise per day and we don’t set a scheduled finish time. So there’s no hurry to get back to the jetty. We’re working with wild animals who don’t always follow the schedule so, if we need to stay out a bit longer to deliver a quality experience then that’s what we do.
We’re only 50 minutes south of Perth so getting here is easy! You can even catch our coach transfer which departs from the Bell Tower, Elizabeth Quay; otherwise easy public transport method on the Mandurah line!
Our modern and comfortable boat. It was purpose built for dolphin swimming and yes it has hot showers on board!
Anyone can do it! You don’t need to be a strong swimmer or experienced snorkeler. Our expert guides will be right there with you and use underwater aqua scooters to tow you right amongst the action.