Great Ocean Walk
One of Australia’s iconic hikes
Tour Dates
14 – 20 March 2025
Tour Cost
$3,950 per person based on a twin-share
Single supplement $350*
This tour hikes the stunning 100 km Great Ocean Walk trail, from the quaint town of Apollo Bay to the iconic Twelve Apostles. It is the ultimate guided tour with a relaxed pace, luxury accommodation and delicious food and wine. The hiking is wonderfully varied and includes an amazing variety of coastal environments with a diverse array of flora and fauna – towering gum trees, deserted beaches and fertile farmland. The fabulous hiking is enhanced by the compelling history of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast.
What’s Included?
- Two experienced and knowledgeable guides to look after your every need and bring this stunning area to life
- 2 nights in luxury bed and breakfast accommodation in Apollo Bay
- 3 nights in luxury lodge-style accommodation mid-trail
- 1 night in apartment accommodation in Port Campbell
- All meals including quality local wines
- Gourmet picnic lunches each day, snacks en route and drinks at end of each hike
- Delicious dinners in local restaurants or prepared by Mick, who is fully qualified and acts as your personal chef
- Support vehicle, enabling you to walk as little or as much of the trail as you please
- Transport to/from Melbourne in air-conditioned minibus
- Great Ocean Walk souvenir map
- Comprehensive pre-trip information.
* Depending on the make-up of the group single travellers may be required to share a bathroom, but not a bedroom.
Tour Highlights
Complete one of Australia’s iconic walks
Mick Parsons as your personal chef
Dine in Chris’s – Chef Hat restaurant near Apollo Bay
Walking / Terrain
5½ days of walking
Shortest day: 9km
Longest.day: 25km
Hilly terrain with frequent ups and downs. Significant (up to 300m) ascents/descents. The trails are a combination of beach walks, purpose-built paths, vehicle tracks and gravel roads. We rate this as the equivalent of a Level 4 European tour. Sturdy boots with good ankle support are recommended. Walking poles are an advantage, especially for the descents. There is always the opportunity to walk in half day sections if you don’t wish to walk the entire route. In order to maximize your enjoyment of your holiday we recommend you exercise regularly prior to the trip in order to build up your fitness level.
Accommodation
There are no twin-bedded rooms available on this tour, so a twin-share option is not possible. Solo travellers will always have their own bedroom but may be required to share a bathroom with one traveller of the same sex.
Itinerary
LEAVE BLANK
Day 1
Melbourne to Great Ocean Walk (3-hour drive) + Hike from Apollo Bay to Shelly Beach (9 km)
The tour starts in Melbourne at 9 am where we offer two meeting points, either at the Radisson Hotel on Flagstaff Gardens in the Central Business District or at Tullamarine Airport (9:30 am). We drive 3 hrs to Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. After a picnic lunch, we set off on the first hike, following the coast on an easy track out of the town before climbing up into the Otway forests to finish the hike above Shelly Beach. From there we transfer to our Bed & Breakfast accommodation in Apollo Bay where we stay for 2 nights. Dinner this evening in the award-winning Chris’s Restaurant.
Day 2
Shelly Beach to Cape Otway (25 km)
Today we hike through towering mountain ash forests before descending to Blanket Bay where we have our picnic lunch. In the afternoon we walk through dry coastal forest with stunning views over Parkers Inlet, we descend and cross the river before climbing up to a clifftop path through manna gums which leads us to Cape Otway. Transfer back to Apollo Bay where we have dinner in a local restaurant.
Day 3
Cape Otway to Castle Cove (17.7 km)
We depart Apollo Bay after breakfast. Drive to the start of the walk at Cape Otway, see the light station from a viewpoint on the trail and learn about its fascinating history. A sandy track winds through pretty coastal heath passing a secluded pioneer cemetery. If the sea conditions allow, we hike along a wild stretch of Station Beach. We climb up again to a path which winds along the coast before descending to Aire River for our picnic lunch. In the afternoon we hike along small paths above the coast to finish the walk at Castle Cove from where we drive to our accommodation near Moonlight Head. In-house dinner matched to local wines.
Day 4
Castle Cove to Milanesia Beach (13.6 km)
Breakfast in your cottages. We drive to the start of the walk at Castle Cove. We enjoy a gentle walk which undulates through coastal heathland with stunning ocean views. We have our picnic at Johanna Beach and then in the afternoon the trail follows the old coach road which gradually climbs away from the coast to where we finish the walk near Milanesia Beach. Transfer back to our accommodation. In-house dinner matched to local wines.
Day 5
Milanesia Beach to The Gables (20 km)
We drive to the start of the day’s walk at Milanesia Beach. Today’s walk is the most remote of the walks, we ascend and descend for most of the day through woodland and open countryside. Fabulous views along the Shipwreck Coast. Lunch this day is a hike-in picnic (carried by your guides) at remote Ryans Den. In the afternoon we continue our hike passing Moonlight Head to finish at The Gables lookout. A short drive takes us back to our accommodation. Dinner in a nearby restaurant.
Day 6
Wreck Beach to Twelve Apostles (17.8 km)
Depart after breakfast. We start the day with a hike overlooking haunting Wreck Beach with vestiges of some of the tragic shipwrecks which have given this coastline its name. We follow a lovely track which hugs the coast affording fabulous ocean views before arriving at the Gellibrand River where we have our final picnic. This afternoon we have a more leisurely walk along coastal paths to the celebratory finish of our walk overlooking the Twelve Apostles. Transfer to the pretty town of Port Campbell where we stay for one night. Final dinner in a local restaurant.
Day 7
Return to Melbourne
We will arrive in Melbourne at the Radisson at 12:30 pm and then drop off at Tullamarine Airport at 1:30 pm.
