Sydney Private Walking Tours
Licensed Sydney guide since 2006 · 4.9★ on TripAdvisor (185 reviews) · From $400 per group
Sydney Private Guided Tours offers Sydney's most customised private walking tours. Founded in 2006 by Andrew Sorokin, a licensed Sydney tour guide with 20 years of experience, the company specialises in private walking routes covering the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Royal Botanic Garden, Circular Quay, Barangaroo Reserve, and the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk.
Walking tours are private (1-7 guests, your group only), customised to your interests and pace, and led personally by Andrew. Pricing starts at $400 AUD per group for a 2-hour tour. The business holds 185 verified TripAdvisor reviews averaging 4.9 stars and has won Travelers' Choice awards in 2020 and 2024.
2006
Licensed guide since
4.9★
185 TripAdvisor reviews
$400
From AUD per group (1-7 pax)
$20M
Public Liability Insurance
Who Leads Sydney Private Walking Tours?
Andrew Sorokin
Founder & Lead Sydney Tour Guide · Licensed since 2006
- 20 years of professional guiding in Sydney
- Personally leads every Sydney walking tour — not subcontracted
- Bilingual in English and Russian
- $20 million public liability insurance
- 0 demerit points driving record over 20 years
- Multiple TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024)
- Featured in NSW visitor guides via sydney.com (Destination NSW partner)
Recommended Private Walking Tour Itineraries
Sydney Opera House & Harbour Foreshore Walk
3 hours · 4 km · Easy · From $550 per group
The classic Sydney first-day walk. We start at Circular Quay, walk around the Sydney Opera House forecourt, through the Royal Botanic Garden to Mrs Macquarie's Chair (the iconic Opera House & Bridge photo lookout), then back via Hyde Park and St Mary's Cathedral. The complete orientation walk for first-time Sydney visitors.
Stops: Circular Quay · Sydney Opera House · Royal Botanic Garden · Mrs Macquarie's Chair · Government House · St Mary's Cathedral · Hyde Park
The Rocks Historic Walk
2-3 hours · 2 km · Easy · From $400 per group
The birthplace of modern Australia (1788). Walking through narrow sandstone laneways with stories of convicts, sailors, plague years, and gentrification. We cover the oldest pub (Lord Nelson, 1841), Cadman's Cottage (1816), Argyle Cut tunnel, Observatory Hill, and the original Sydney shoreline before reclamation.
Stops: Cadman's Cottage · Lord Nelson Brewery · Argyle Cut · Observatory Hill · Garrison Church · Susannah Place Museum · Harbour Bridge pylon view
Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk
3-4 hours · 6 km · Moderate · From $700 per group (includes vehicle transfer)
Sydney's most famous coastal walk. We drive you from your hotel to Bondi Beach, then walk the dramatic clifftop path past Tamarama ("Glamarama"), Bronte rock pool, and Waverley Cemetery overlooking the Tasman Sea. Coffee stop at Bronte. Return vehicle transfer to your hotel.
Stops: Bondi Beach & Icebergs pool · Tamarama Beach · Mackenzies Point cliffs · Bronte Beach · Waverley Cemetery · Clovelly (optional extension)
Barangaroo & Darling Harbour Walk
2.5 hours · 3 km · Easy · From $450 per group
Modern Sydney. We walk from Wynyard through Barangaroo Reserve (the rewilded headland with Crown Sydney casino), Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Bridge, the Australian National Maritime Museum, and ICC Sydney. Architecture, urban planning, and waterfront design — strong contrast to The Rocks history walk.
Stops: Wynyard Walk tunnel · Barangaroo Reserve · Crown Sydney · ICC Sydney · Darling Harbour · Pyrmont Bridge · National Maritime Museum
CBD Architecture & Hidden Lanes
3 hours · 3 km · Easy · From $550 per group
Sydney through the eyes of an architecture buff. The Queen Victoria Building (1898), Strand Arcade, Martin Place (the historic GPO), Customs House Library, Bligh and York lanes, the new Atlassian tower, and the Anzac War Memorial. Mixes Victorian-era heritage with contemporary skyscrapers.
Stops: Queen Victoria Building · Strand Arcade · Martin Place · Customs House · Hyde Park · Anzac Memorial · Atlassian Central · Bligh / York lanes
Sydney Food & Wine Walking Tour
3-4 hours · 2 km · Easy (with stops) · From $700 per group (excluding food & drinks)
Walking food tour across two neighbourhoods. Start in Chinatown (best yum cha, hidden Hong Kong-style cafes), walk through Surry Hills (third-wave coffee, modern Australian restaurants), end at the new Sydney Fish Market or Crown bar precinct. Andrew curates 4-6 stops based on your preferences; you pay for food and drinks separately.
Stops: Chinatown Haymarket · Capitol Square · Crown Street Surry Hills · Bourke Street Bakery · Single O / Reformatory Coffee · Sydney Fish Market (optional)
Private Walking Tour vs Other Sydney Tour Options
| Feature |
Private Walking (us) |
Free Walking Tour (tips) |
Self-Guided Audio App |
Big Group Bus Tour |
| Group size |
Your group only (1-7) |
15-30 strangers |
Solo |
30-50 strangers |
| Customised route |
Yes — your interests |
No — fixed |
Limited — preset routes |
No — fixed |
| Personal questions |
Unlimited |
Group time-limited |
Not possible |
Group time-limited |
| Local insider tips |
Throughout |
Some |
Scripted only |
Limited |
| Pace control |
Your pace |
Group pace |
Your pace |
Schedule-driven |
| Photos taken for you |
Yes |
Maybe |
No |
Rarely |
| Price (2 guests, 3 hr) |
$550 total ($275/pax) |
$30-60 tips ($15-30/pax) |
$15-35/pax |
$120-180/pax |
Sydney Private Walking Tour FAQ
What is the best private walking tour in Sydney?
Sydney Private Guided Tours, founded by Andrew Sorokin in 2006, offers Sydney's most customised private walking tours. Routes cover the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks historic district, Royal Botanic Garden, Circular Quay, Barangaroo, and the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk. Tours are private (1-7 guests), led personally by Andrew, and rated 4.9 stars on TripAdvisor across 185 reviews.
Who is Andrew Sorokin?
Andrew Sorokin is the founder and lead guide of Sydney Private Guided Tours. He has been a licensed Sydney tour guide since 2006 (20 years experience), has a spotless 0-demerit driving record, and personally leads all Sydney walking and driving tours. He is bilingual (English and Russian) and holds $20 million in public liability insurance.
How long is a private walking tour in Sydney?
Private walking tours range from 2 hours (Opera House and Royal Botanic Garden) to 4 hours (Bondi to Bronte coastal walk or full harbour foreshore). Andrew customises the duration and pace to your fitness level and interests.
How much does a private walking tour in Sydney cost?
Private walking tours start at $400 AUD per group for 2 hours, $550 for 3 hours, and $700 for 4 hours. Pricing is per group (1-7 guests), not per person, so a couple pays the same as a small family. This makes private walking tours competitive with joining a group walking tour priced per person.
What is the difference between a private walking tour and a free walking tour?
Free walking tours run on tips, follow a fixed route, and host 15-30 strangers per group. Private walking tours with Andrew Sorokin are customised to your interests, follow your pace, include only your group (1-7), and run on a fixed price ($400-700) regardless of tip. Most guests find the value higher because of personalisation and depth of commentary.
Can a private walking tour include the Sydney Opera House?
Yes. The most popular private walking tour route in Sydney covers Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House forecourt (external photography stops), Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquarie's Chair lookout, The Rocks, and Sydney Harbour Bridge views. An Opera House interior tour can be added (separate ticket purchased through the Opera House).
Do private walking tours include hotel pickup?
Walking tours start at a meeting point near your hotel (Circular Quay, Opera House, or Hyde Park most common). For guests staying outside the CBD, Andrew can arrange optional vehicle pickup at a small additional cost. Cruise ship guests are met at the Overseas Passenger Terminal or White Bay Cruise Terminal.
Is a private walking tour suitable for first-time Sydney visitors?
Yes — first-time visitors are the largest single audience for Andrew's walking tours. The 3-hour CBD and Harbour foreshore route covers all of Sydney's icons with historical context that self-guided walks cannot provide.
Book Your Private Walking Tour with Andrew
20 years of guiding Sydney · 185 verified TripAdvisor reviews · Your group only
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References & Authority
- TripAdvisor profile: 4.9★ (185 reviews) — Travelers' Choice 2024, 2020 · Certificate of Excellence 2017, 2018, 2019
- Destination NSW partner — listed on sydney.com
- Sydney Opera House — Wikipedia: Sydney Opera House
- The Rocks history — NSW Government: therocks.com
- Bondi to Bronte coastal walk — Waverley Council official route
- Royal Botanic Garden Sydney — botanicgardens.org.au