Swan Valley Wine Cruise from Perth: River to Vineyard

Wine tasting at a working vineyard reached by boat from the city center

The Swan Valley Wine Cruise is a seven-hour round-trip boat tour from Perth that takes you downstream along the Swan River to Mandoon Estate, an award-winning winery in the Swan Valley. You taste wine and macaron pairings at the estate, enjoy a shared platter lunch and wine on the outbound journey, and return to Perth with live entertainment and desserts on board. A live English-speaking guide provides commentary throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Swan Valley Wine Cruise Experience

• Cruise downstream on Swan River
• Enjoy shared platter lunch and wine
• Wine tasting at Mandoon Estate
• Return cruise with live entertainment
• Enjoy desserts and all-inclusive wines

The experience

You board in Perth and cruise downstream for roughly three and a half hours, moving through the city skyline and into the upper Swan Valley. The boat carries you past the landscape most visitors see only from a car or a plane. Along the way, you taste wines and eat from a shared platter lunch on deck, with the river and the valley walls as your backdrop. The pace is leisurely. This is not a sightseeing sprint, but a slow passage that lets the geography unfold.

At Mandoon Estate, you disembark for a wine and macaron pairing experience at the vineyard itself. The estate is one of the region's established producers, and the tasting happens on the property rather than in a tasting room miles from the vines. After an hour or so at the winery, you reboard the boat for the return journey to Perth. The return cruise includes live entertainment and desserts, with all-inclusive wine available throughout. The boat reaches the city by late afternoon.

High water levels or high tides on the Swan River can force a coach substitution for part or all of the journey without advance notice. Parking near the departure point is limited and paid. Public transport or a ride-share is recommended. The tour is adults only: minimum age 18 to consume alcohol, and bookings for anyone under 18 will not be accepted.

What’s included

• Round-trip cruise on the Swan River from Perth to the Swan Valley.
• wine and macaron pairing experience at Mandoon Estate.
• shared platter lunch on board with wine tastings.
• live entertainment and desserts on the return cruise.
• all-inclusive wine throughout the day.
• live English-language commentary on board.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Tuesday and ThursdayDeparts at 10:30

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Captain Cook Cruises (WA)

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and provides live commentary throughout, so you follow the journey without effort. This suits anyone arriving in Perth with a free afternoon and no rental car. The boat leaves the city and brings you back to it, with the wine region and the winery visit built into the same day.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I book this cruise if I'm visiting Perth for just one afternoon?

Yes. The Swan Valley Wine Cruise departs and returns to Perth the same day, so you can spend a free afternoon on the water and in the vineyard without traveling inland or staying overnight.

What exactly happens at Mandoon Estate?

Mandoon Estate is where you taste wine paired with macarons at the working vineyard itself. The experience takes place on the property, not in a separate tasting room, so you're tasting among the vines.

Is lunch included on the boat?

Yes. A shared platter lunch is served on board during the downstream cruise, along with wine tastings. The return journey includes desserts and all-inclusive wine.

What if the Swan River water level is too high?

If rainfall or high tides raise the water level, a coach may substitute for part or all of the journey without advance notice. Captain Cook Cruises will make that decision based on river conditions at the time.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the boat?

Yes. The tour does not include hotel pickup. Limited paid parking is available near the departure point, but public transport or a ride-share is recommended to avoid parking delays.

Is this tour suitable for someone who doesn't drink wine?

The tour centers on wine tasting and includes wine with lunch and on the return cruise. If you prefer not to drink, you can still join (the boat journey, the Mandoon Estate visit, the shared meal and the live entertainment are part of the day regardless), but the wine component is central to the experience.