Great Ocean Road Private Tour - Full Day

Embark on a fully customizable private tour of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, exploring heritage-listed sites, breathtaking scenery, and abundant wildlife. Let the others rush while you enjoy a leisurely drive along this iconic 244-kilometer stretch.

Duration: 11 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Winchelsea - We go directly to the 12 Apostle and miss the crowds. We stop off at Cafe La Hoot. Opportunity to buy a coffee and morning tea.
  • Apostle Whey Cheese - We stop off at the dairy farm, which has produced awarding winning Cheeses. We will sample up to 12 different Cheeses, included in the cost of the tour
  • Twelve Apostles - An iconic view. Take your time to soak up the sight of the magnificent limestone sea stacks that rise from the Southern Ocean and form the official Twelve Apostles; currently there are eight Apostles left, the ninth having dramatically collapsed in July 2005. These monoliths have been created by the constant erosion of limestone cliffs over 10-20 millions years ago; the stormy Southern Ocean and gusty winds have gradually eroded the softer limestone, forming caves in the cliffs, then arches, until rock stacks up to 45 metres high have been crafted, completely isolated from the shore. View the Twelves Apostles at sunset or sunrise (on our two-day tour) to see the changing colours from dark in the shadows to a brilliant sandy yellow in the full sun. Nature in all its glory.
  • Loch Ard Gorge - The Loch Ard Gorge is a favourite stop off point along the Great Ocean Road. The picturesque gorge is flanked by two yellow-washed cliff faces, a smooth bay and inlet of clear, blue water. Wander the trail down to the Gorge, take in the natural beauty and view the location of Australia’s most famous shipwreck - the Loch Ard - and hear its story of loss and survival. Loch Ard Gorge is the start of the Apostles from the opposite end, where you can also see the Razor Back and Honey Pots rock formations.
  • Mutton Bird Lookout - Take in breath taking view of Mutton Bird Island. Look at magnificent arch ways created by erosion over thousands of years
  • Apollo Bay - Apollo Bay , is described as Paradise by the sea. Great opportunity for Lunch (at own expense). this fishing village has wonderful seafood options
  • Mait’s Rest - Explore a cool temperate rain forest of Beech trees and Mountain Ash gum trees in the Great Otway National Park. This 20 minute walk along a mixture of boardwalks and gravel paths takes you along a valley floor in part of this ancient rainforest. See the giant rainforest trees - some up to 300 years old - rise up through the mists, creating a canopy for the beautiful array of fern gardens and moss on the forest floor. If you are lucky you may see some of the local natural wildlife inhabitants, including Swamp Wallabies, Koalas, Ring Tailed Possums and Grey Kangaroos.
  • Mount Defiance Lookout - A spectacular ocean lookout offering panoramic views of the Great Ocean Road and the first permanent resting place of convict William Buckley. Have your camera ready to take amazing photos of the cliffs hugging the Great Ocean Road and the sweeping ocean backdrop. Ever heard of the Australian saying, “you have two chances Buckley’s and none”? Well, your guide will share with you the fascinating story of William Buckley and his tale of survival against all odds.
  • Kennet River Koala Walk - Time to spot Koalas in their natural environment, hanging out in the eucalyptus trees and if you’re lucky you can get up close to King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas here. Kennett River is situated in a beautiful setting between the forest and the sea. This spot is always a favourite amongst our guests on our Great Ocean Road tour.
  • Great Ocean Road Memorial Archway - Get a wonderful photo at the Great Ocean Road memorial arch, for your Facebook friends !!
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • All fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Additional Information

We offer the option of doing this tour in reverse, therefore missing the crowds. We include complimentary cheese tasting on the reverse itinerary. Travelling on Victoria’s heritage-listed Great Ocean Road is one of the greatest road trips you can have in Australia. Our Great Ocean Road Private fully customizable tour features amazing scenery, stories and wildlife in a leisurely drive that will have you gasping at every turn. This 244-kilometre-long stretch meanders through secret bays filled with rock pools, imposing sandstone cliffs, lush rain forests and deserted beaches. Dotted with quaint seaside towns, coastal walks and shipwreck stories makes this region immensely popular. A highlight of the tour is visiting the Twelve Apostles, limestone karsts that rise majestically out of the water off the coast. The tour is fully customized and pick up is from your accommodation. We stop often and avoid the crowds, living up to our motto of ‘Let the others rush!’.

Location
Winchelsea
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(36 Ratings)
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730mylinhd
Sep 7, 2024
Nice tour - Very nice tour. Went with Michael, very nice guide. Took some beautiful pictures. The view was very nice. The car was very comfortable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O9727vwemilyk
Sep 7, 2024
Amazing experience! - Michael was a great tour guide and the whole tour was overall an amazing experience, I totally recommend it! We also got lucky with the weather and so the whole time it was sunny and I even managed to swim!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jasmijnk200
Sep 7, 2024
Fantastic Day Trip - Fantastic day with our tour guide Michael! Showed us all the good spots had a lot of fun facts. I also felt very safe in the car with him!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Francow812
Jul 11, 2024
"Unforgettable Family Adventure: A Perfect Tour with Expert Guidance" - I highly recommend this tour for families with kids. We were a group of 10, comprising two families traveling with six boys. Our amazing tour guide, Wes Albert, advised us to follow the normal tour route instead of the reverse to avoid incoming rain. His expertise in planning tours, considering our limited time and the weather conditions, was invaluable. Our day began at 9:30 am, we visited the Chocolaterie along the way, made a number of stops to savor the views and enjoy the breeze, took lots of family photos, care of Wes who is familiar with the best photo op locations. Enjoyed a great 45 minutes to lunch at Apollo Bay before heading out to the 12 Apostles and concluded just before sunset with our final stop at Loch Ard Gorge. It was a relaxing tour, and our kids enjoyed it despite the light rain nearing the end of our last stop. The food options at the stops were excellent, and the timing of the stops was perfect for our needs. Wes's knowledge of the sights' history kept even our kids fully engaged and eager to listen to his stories. A short stop on the way to the Gorge gave us the chance to see koalas, and the boys loved the memorable souvenirs they received from Wes.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Juanfernandoj912
Jul 10, 2024
A one of a kind experience! - Truly recommended day trip. The views are mesmerizing, the road is unique and the experience is really worth it. Our guide Wes has been truly professional all the way from recommending us the departure time, to guiding us during the day with his very elaborate, knowledgeable and fun commentaries. Wes even looked out for koalas, kangaroos and wallabies that we wanted to see (and saw) in the wild. Our family really enjoyed this day. Gracias!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joshua_w
Jul 7, 2024
Wonderful tour of the Great Ocean Road - Fantastic tour! Wes was a wonderful tour guide! He was knowledgeable, told interesting history and stories, and fun to talk to. The sights of the tour were incredible—we loved the twelve apostles, loch ord gorge, the eucalyptus forest walk, and Apollo bay. We had a great lunch from a small cafe Wes recommended and were lucky enough to see Koalas and Kangaroos in the wild!
Review provided by Viator
Sahul92
Jul 4, 2024
Amazing Experience with Melbourne Touring Company - We chanced upon this tour when reading through another review. We did not regret a single moment in this trip. From the time we were picked up till the time we were dropped back at the hotel, this entire trip felt like an Australian road trip with stops at scenic places along the Great Ocean Road and viewing wildlife such as koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat. Most of all, our tour guide, Wes Albert was really one of the best guides we have had in our trip. He suggested to take the opposite route where we headed straight to the Twelve Apostles and then moved down the road and then back to Melbourne. This helped us to beat the crowds from larger tours and enabled us to have more time at scenic places for photography. Wes also provided so much information about the Great Ocean Road, and we also enjoyed conversing generally about Australia with him! We definitely learned a lot more through this trip and would recommend to others, especially those who prefer to customise their trip and to have more private time, while being guided. The vehicle provided was also very clean and tidy, and they provided us with water, wet wipes and ensured that we had ample toilet breaks throughout the journey. Wes also went the extra mile to take good photos for us and they turned out really well! Please consider this company for your trips as well!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Panu_c
Jun 28, 2024
A long ride to see spectacular views. - We booked a private tour with viator because it allows us to customize pick up location as we rented Airbnb house, outside CBD. However, on the date our van arrived more than 20 minutes late, claiming his google map brought him to another place. When I called the office, an operator told me that our driver was stuck in traffic. Once I texted the driver our location, he came to park across the street but I waved to him to come on our side as my 76 years old mother cannot walk too far. We have 5 people in this trip. Apart from the late pick up, everything went well. Michael is friendly and professional. He let us spend time where we like with no pressure. He shared his experience about places along the way. It’s a pity that the van has no sound system, So people in the second and the third row rarely heard what he explained to us. Th van is 8-seat Mercedes Benz V-class, with no seat belts in back rows. But I can feel that Michael is an adept driver. Although the road has twists and turns, only a few of us felt car-sick. If there were good sound broadcast system and seatbelts, we would feel better. He managed to go where we should. We saw kangaroos in golf course, one koala on a tree along the way, a trail walk after lunch. The last stop, 12 apostles is worth the long ride. even we got there almost 4 p.m., he allowed us to spend time enjoying the view. the tour is 11 hours altogether. On the way back alone, it was two hours 40 minutes. And you need a reliable driver like Michael. Overall, It’s a worthwhile experience. A private tour is suitable for a big family.
Review provided by Viator
730poojas
Jun 28, 2024
Great Ocean dr tour - The Great Ocean driver reverse tour and the guide Wes were amazing. I wanted to customise the tour as per my preference. John and Wes were good to suggest private tour and the reverse travel option worked so well that we got ample of time at 12 apostles with less tourists. I highly recommend Melbourne Touring Co for the Great Ocean drive tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherpa17544826292
Jun 26, 2024
Amazing views - The views were amazing and we took a lot of beautiful photos. Our tour guide, Wes, was very friendly and knowledgeable. The whole trip took around 12 hours, was long but very enjoyable ride.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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