Great Ocean Road Full Day Private Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Aireys Inlet is “the one with the lighthouse”, even to the unfamiliar. Visit the Lighthouse for stunning views – take a tour for even better ones, plus a history lesson! The Split Point Lighthouse is open to the public for tours and a discovery trail in the surrounding area offers insight into the history of the area as well as glorious views of the Eagle Rock Marine Sanctuary. The Split Point Lighthouse dominates the Aireys Inlet landscape, its 34-metre high tower and typical red cap visible for miles. The still-operating lighthouse is open to the public with self-guided tours available and sweeping views of the Eagle Rock Marine Sanctuary and Great Ocean Road region below.

   2.5 h

2. Thanks to its fresh sea air and a relaxed Mediterranean-style atmosphere, Lorne has been attracting eager holidaymakers for more than a century. The village is renowned for white-sand beaches, a buzzing arts community and easy access to the Otways.

   1 h

3. A short drive to the top end of George Street at the back of Lorne is the scenic spot known as Teddys Lookout. A walkway takes you to the viewing platform where you have breathtaking, sweeping, coastal views of the surf breaking into the mouth of the Saint George River. On the lower platform to the right, views change to mountainous peaks and the Saint George river winding itself into fern covered valleys and gorges. A truly worthwhile spot for scenic views of the Great Ocean Road.

   30 min

4. The Otway Ranges are infamous for their high rainfall - but on the plus side all that water means lush green fern gullies carved out by rivers and waterfalls. Erskine Falls is particularly popular among the waterfalls of the Otways, plunging (or trickling, depending on recent rainfall levels) down a 30-metre drop. There's an easy walk to the first lookout or a more strenuous but rewarding climb down 230 steps to the second lookout, where you will see the waterfall in all its glory. The Erskine River Walk to Lorne continues off downstream from here if you are prepared for the 7.5km walk.

   1 h

5. It’s a common myth that koalas can be seen everywhere across Australia. Koalas are solitary creatures that spend most of their time in the heights of eucalyptus trees. So, what makes the Kennett River Koala Walk in Victoria so special is that it is one of those rare places where koalas live in large numbers and can often be spotted in their natural habitat.

   15 min

6. As a popular tourist destination, Apollo Bay offers both swimming and surf beaches, as well as a large boat harbour and marina which is home to a major fishing fleet. The town's commercial centre, which features a good selection of restaurants and cafes, is situated along one side of the Great Ocean Road, overlooking a wide, grassy foreshore which fronts the main swimming beach.

   1.3 h

7. Take the self-guided rainforest boardwalk at Maits Rest in the Otways and see beautiful fern gardens and giant rainforest trees up to 300 years old. Tread the boardwalk A wooden boardwalk has been built over the tree-fern gullies and moss-covered roots of ancient rainforest trees, protecting the delicate ecosystem while providing visitors with unique views of the forest.

   1 h

8. Witness the rugged splendour of the famous 12 Apostles, magnificent rock stacks that rise up majestically from the Southern Ocean on Victoria's dramatic coastline. Erosion of the mainland coast's limestone cliffs began 10 to 20 million years ago, with the stormy Southern Ocean and blasting winds gradually wearing away the softer limestone to form caves in the cliffs. The caves eventually became arches, and when these collapsed, rock stacks of up to 45-metres high were left isolated from the shore, resulting in the iconic 12 Apostles. View the 12 Apostles at sunrise and sunset as they change from a brilliant sandy yellow colour under a full sun to appearing dark and foreboding in shadow.

   4 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 6 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Melbourne

• Its from-price is 339% above the median of the 294 day trips we list in Melbourne.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 139 of 294.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria on the Yarra River, known for laneway cafés, street art, grand Victorian buildings and a calendar full of sport.

Melbourne grew rich on the gold rush of the 1850s, and the grand buildings from that time still stand in the grid of the city centre, among them Flinders Street Station with its yellow facade and the domed Royal Exhibition Building. Federation Square and the National Gallery of Victoria stand close to the Yarra, and trams rattle along the main streets. Narrow lanes such as Hosier Lane are covered in ever-changing street art.

Top-ranked sights in Melbourne: Loch Ard Gorge, Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road.

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