3 Day Melbourne to Adelaide Wildlife Tour: See the Best of the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians

Accommodation

Check-in Time:

07:30

Check-out Time:

19:30

Given the limited accommodation options in these regions, on occasions, Autopia Tours needs to split the group across different properties based on the room fare type requirements. Guests booking a basic dorm bed are paired with other solo travelers in a room, where possible of the same gender but not guaranteed. Here is a list of the properties Autopia Tours will use, or a similar alternative.

Night 1 – Downtown Motel – services both dormitory beds (AM3-B) and private double / twin / single rooms (MA3-S, MA3-P)
Night 2 – YHA Grampians Eco–services dormitory beds (MA3-B) only
Night 2 – Gariwerd Motel – services private double / twin / single rooms (MA3-S, MA3-P) only

Please note that children aged between 6 and 17 years old are required to stay in a shared private room and must be accompanied by a legal guardian or adult.

Program

Melbourne to Adelaide tour highlights

Overland adventure from Melbourne to Adelaide
Take a journey along the National Heritage Listed Great Ocean Road
Check out the pristine surf beaches and seaside town of Apollo Bay, spot Southern Right Whales (Jun-Sep)
Rainforest walk in Great Otway National Park
Be blown away by the beauty of the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge beach
Uncover the wonders of Tower Hill Conservation Reserve an ancient volcano streaming with wildlife
Explore the rugged wilderness of the Grampians National Park and guided scenic bush trails
Hiking to the summit of Pinnacle Lookout is an impressive experience
Spectacular Reed's & Boroka Lookout views and MacKenzie waterfalls

Itinerary

This Melbourne to Adelaide Tour 3 Days exploring the Great Ocean Road and Grampians Tour is an exceptional showcase of the must-see highlights of Victoria’s best destinations. Combining these destinations into one tour with overnight stays will enable you to extend your time at each highlight to maximize your experience.

Your first night’s accommodation is located in Warrnambool at the end of the Great Ocean Road. The second night is situated deep within the Grampians National Park at Halls Gap Surrounded by bushland and stunning mountain landscapes.

Day 1: Melbourne to Great Ocean Road

Start your 3-day adventure by exploring the world-famous Great Ocean Road with its stunning ocean views and surf beaches. Spot wild koalas along the way with a stop in the quaint seaside town of Apollo Bay for lunch, followed by a guided rainforest walk in the Great Otway National Park rainforest. Later, you visit the amazing shipwreck coast famous for the Twelve Apostles rock formation and Loch Ard Gorge. Overnight in Warrnambool.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Warrnabool Motel private rooms (with ensuite) or shared accommodation (with shared bathroom) or similar alternative
Driving distance: 375 km

Day 2: Great Ocean Road to the Grampians

During the second day, you will have the opportunity to visit Tower Hill Conservation Wildlife Reserve, an extinct volcano that is rich in Aboriginal history and has a vast amount of wildlife, such as emus and kangaroos. From here, you head north into the Grampians. In the afternoon, the guide will take you up to the iconic Pinnacle lookout, which offers a panoramic view of the Grampians National Park for a delightful afternoon hike. Finish the day with a traditional Aussie BBQ at your overnight stay in Halls Gap.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Accommodation: Gariwerd Motel private rooms (with ensuite) or Grampians Eco YHA shared accommodation (with shared bathroom) or similar alternative
Driving distance: 190 km
Hike distance: 4.5 km

Day 3: Grampians to Adelaide

On the last day of your journey, you will start early in the morning to hike to the base of Mackenzie Falls, and then you will explore some other famous sites, such as The Balconies / Reeds Lookout and Boroka Lookout, which are among the most famous in the area. Following lunch, you head west away from the coastline and rugged mountains towards Adelaide, passing Dimboola Pink Lake and Nhill before crossing the South Australian border into Bordertown and arriving in Adelaide around 7:30 p.m.

Meals: Breakfast
Accom: N/A
Driving Distance: 520 km
Hike Distance: 2 km

What is a suitable age for this tour?

Child policy for this tour is 6 years old and over, due to the nature of this tour, it’s not suitable for infants or children 5 years and under. Children aged between 6 to 17 years old are required to stay in standard private accommodation and must be accompanied by a legal guardian or adult.

How fit do I need to be for this tour?

A minimum moderate level of fitness is required to complete the walks. Walks can be up to 3 km in length, often over steep and rocky sections and in direct sunlight. Walks will be at the guide’s discretion to ensure the safety of guests. Therefore a medium / high level of fitness is required and a doctor’s certificate is required for people over 70 years (30 days prior to travel).

Are National Park fees included in the tour cost?

Autopia Tours includes National Parks fees within the tour price, this covers guests for 3 national parks which include Grampians National Park, Great Otway National Park, and Port Campbell National Park. Park Passes are not available for purchase by guests not traveling onboard the tours.

What kind of vehicle do we travel in for this Melbourne to Adelaide tour?

The tour uses 24-seater Mitsubishi Rosa mini-buses for this trip, this vehicle makes moving people easy, safe, and comfortable. With high back seats and large windows for unobstructed views. The maximum number of passengers is 23 people, with a minimum requirement of 8 people to guarantee the departure.

Location

This Melbourne to Adelaide tour is an overland journey where passengers are given the opportunity to take in the best of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians.

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Food

While Autopia Tours endeavors to cater to most dietary needs, passengers MUST advise their booking agent at the time of booking. The tour operator must also be notified of any food allergies or known medical conditions at the time of booking.

What type of food do we eat on tour?

Most of the meals are prepared by the tour guides with basic camping-style food options and on occasions, they will be provided by the accommodation providers onsite. Guests are asked to participate in the preparation of meals, clean-up, and vehicle unpacking / loading as it’s a great way to get to know and connect with your fellow travelers.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast
Dinner

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Other dietary requirements on request

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

One-way transfer from Melbourne to Adelaide
2 nights accommodation (Warrnambool, Halls Gap)
Includes: 2 x breakfast, 2 x dinner
All national park pass entry fees
Guided bush walks (~6.5 km, subject to fitness level)
Australian flora and fauna sightings
Hosted by an experienced driver-guide
Air-conditioned small-group travel
Comprehensive local tour commentary
Selected Melbourne inner-city pick-up/drop-off point in Adelaide city

What's not included

Any meals not indicated within the itinerary - plenty of opportunity will be provided to purchase food along the way or dine out with the group
Hotel transfers pre/post tour itinerary to a nominated pickup point
Personal travel insurance (highly recommended)
Personal expenses
Airfate

How to get there

Recommended Airports

MEL

Melbourne Airport

18 km

Transfer not provided

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Melbourne Airport (MEL). Airport transfer is not provided. From the airport, please make sure that you can reach an available pick-up location in Melbourne.

Pick-up locations for this tour from Melbourne include:

6:55 - Pegasus Apartments Hotel - 206 A’Beckett St, Melbourne
7:00 - Melbourne Marriott Hotel - cnr Exhibition St & Lonsdale St, Melbourne
7:05 - Space Hotel, 380 Russell St, Melbourne
7:10 - Grand Hyatt Melbourne - Russell St entrance Melbourne
7:20 - Adina Apartment Hotel - 189 Queen St, Melbourne
7:25 - The Savoy Hotel - 630 Little Collins St, Melbourne
7:35 - Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St cnr Market St, Melbourne
7:40 - Crown Towers - 8 Whiteman St Queens Bridge St, Southbank

Cancellation Policy

A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.

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