The Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour Itinerary

(4 Day, 3 Night / Small Group Luxury Package)

Day 1 (Geelong – Apollo Bay)

Pack your bags, bring your spirit of adventure and be ready to be inspired by a diverse mix of land, sea and mountains. Discover it all on a small group tour in the luxury of your Mercedes Benz Sprinter.

As we leave city life behind, our journey starts along the Great Ocean Road at Torquay, home to the famous Rip Curl surf brand and the iconic Bells Beach International surf break.

The scenic drive alongside is breathtaking as you become part of the land and ocean while we wind our way through the seaside towns of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, stopping for morning tea at the Spit Lighthouse. Our journey continues as we hug the cliff faces and look across the mighty Southern Ocean swells making our way to Lorne and Teddys lookout. A major tourism hub and seaside resort, Lorne is a great place to stop and lunch at one of the many cafes or maybe take a quick dip in the ocean. Your guide will entertain you with local stories, folklore and the history of the Great Ocean Road and how it came to be as we pass under the Memorial Arch.

After lunch, we continue on the spectacular windswept coastline to Wye River, Kennett River and Skenes Creek where the landscape flora and fauna begins to change as we enter the edge of cool temperate rainforests and waterfalls. Our first night in your 3 or 4 star accommodation will be spent in the coastal fishing village of Apollo Bay. Tonight, we share dinner together with an opportunity to sample the delicious local seafood.

Day 2 (Apollo Bay – Warrnambool)

This morning we l eave the coast as we travel through the Great Otway National Park. We’ll drive through tall eucalypt forests and dense fern gullies as we make our way back to the ocean and the limestone stacks in time for your 25-minute luxury helicopter flight over the awe inspiring 12 Apostles and Bay of Islands. By air you will soar over the crowds and witness the magnificent coastline and iconic landmarks from above. A stretch of the legs and a walk among history will take us to the famous Loch Ard Gorge where your guide will share the story of the Great Ocean Road’s most famous shipwreck that occurred in 1878 and the amazing tale of the two 18-year-old survivor’s. It’s such a special experience to be able to walk onto the sand where it all transpired, witnessing the history and feeling so small amidst the rugged and towering limestone cliffs.

Our journey continues through Port Campbell, the closest seaside town to the 12 Apostles and inland to Timboon. The hub of the local dairy country. We will lunch at the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery, with a sneaky whisky tasting if that’s your thing! Whilst producing whiskey and operating this booming and iconic business, owner and distiller Josh Walker also breeds his own grass fed, black angus beef and the menu is all locally sourced. Don’t forget to leave room for an award winning and very popular Timboon ice cream.

After lunch, we make our way back to the Great Ocean Road, to a little seaside village on the Shipwreck Coast called Peterborough. From here we will stop to marvel the limestone stacks at the Bay of Martyrs and Bay of Islands as we then start to traverse into rich dairy cattle country and onto a local favorite Childers Cove. Our day ends in the bustling and vibrant regional city of Warrnambool at your 4 star accommodation. Tonight, you have tickets to experience the Flagstaff Hill’s ‘Tales of the Shipwreck Coast,’ where the story of the only survivors of the Loch Ard Shipwreck Tom Pearce and Eva Charmichael comes alive in the magnificent sound and light show.

Day 3 (Warrnambool – Halls Gap/The Grampians)

This morning we leave Warrnambool. If you’re and early riser, you have the opportunity the watch the magnificent thoroughbred race horses train in the Lady Bay where a small row boat takes them out to the deep water to have a swim as part of their training. The beach is only a short walk from your hotel. Travelling on the Princes highway, we enter the inactive volcanic crater of Tower Hill and home to some of Australia’s best loved wildlife. Your guide will share knowledge of the rich indigenous history of the area and point out the plentiful amount of bushtucker in the reserve. While spotting a koala, a kangaroo or Emu, listen to stories about their habitat and behaviors.

As we leave Tower Hill, we head north west through the quaint Irish township of Koroit to arrive at Penshurst. Here we will explore the volcanic plains from Mt Rouse and enjoy our lunch. We travel through rich pastoral lands boasting gums, crops, cattle and sheep.

Travelling the Pyrenees Hwy we head to the award-winning Grampians Estate. The estate featuring some 130-year-old shiraz vines. Enjoy your wine tasting experience which is complimented by a cheese platter and local produce. We then make our way to the heart of the Grampians, the village of Halls Gap. This is where we will stay the night surrounded by mountain panoramas, native wildlife and natural beauty. The Grampians is an iconic destination for walkers and hikers from around the world and is an area not to be missed.

Day 4 (Halls Gap – Geelong)

The day starts with a short drive to the Mac Kenzie Falls one of the largest waterfalls in Victoria and the only waterfall in the Grampians National Park that flows all year round.

Travelling to the Southern tip of the Grampians and the Great Dividing Range is the township of Dunkeld where you can enjoy the striking views of Mount Sturgeon and Mt Abrupt. Onto Penshurst, a town that connects four major highways we will gain a panoramic view from Mt Rouse. This extinct volcano erupted 1000s of years ago and flowed all the way to Port Fairy.

From here we connect to the Hamilton Highway and lunch at the Elephant Bridge Hotel in Darlington, famous for its paddock to plate meals and blue stone heritage.

As we head back to our final destination of Geelong, we meet up with the Princes Highway at Camperdown. This charming county town boasts a majestic 103ft high, gothic manifold clock tower. On our last leg of our adventure, we pass through the regional cities of Colac and Winchelsea before arriving in Geelong round 4pm.

PACKAGE INCLUSIONS

3 nights accommodation (3 or 4 star Double/Twin Share) (single supplement additional $300pp)
8 meals including – 3 light Breakfast (continental or otherwise specified,) 2 Morning Teas, 2 Lunches & 1 Dinners
Timboon Railway Shed Distillery Whisky Tasting
25-minute Helicopter Flight with 12 Apostle Helicopters
Tales of the Shipwreck Coast Sound & Light Show
Grampians Wine Tasting & Cheese Platter

NOTES ALL PARK FEES ARE INCLUDED, TOURS SUPPLY BINOCULARS FOR THE USE OF OUR GUESTS, TOUR GUIDE AUDIO SYSTEM IS AVAILABE FOR GUESTS WHO HAVE HEARING DIFFICULTIES AND ARE COMPATIBLE WITH ANY HEARING AID.

Warrnambool Tours vehicle of choice is Mercedes High Roof Sprinters ideal for the small groups allowing travel style & comfort while providing exceptional views. Warrnambool Tours prides itself on becoming an extremely reputable operator with in the industry with quality products and 100% LOCAL guides.

Warrnambool Tours is a Parks Vic licensed tour operator a member of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, Great South West Touring Route, VTIC, and hold a current Certificate of Accreditation with Bus Safety Victoria (AO091829).

The Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour

(4 Day, 3 Night / Small Group Luxury Package)

DEPARTURE DATES:

2022

Tues 1st Nov – Fri 4th Nov 2022

Tues 6th Dec – Fri 9th Dec 2022

2023

Tues 21st Feb – Fri 24th Feb 2023

Tues 21st Mar – Fri 24th Mar 2023

Tues 23rd May – Fri 26th May 2023

Tues 24th Oct – Fri 27th Oct 2023

Tues 28th Nov – Fri 1st Dec 2023

Terms & Conditions (Multiday Tours)

BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS

All reservations for tours, accommodation and vehicle hire, bookings require a 10% deposit at the time of booking when it is 8 weeks or more prior to the start date or as per Warrnambool Tours requirements. Full payment is due at time of booking on all reservations and bookings when start date is less than 30 days prior to departure. All transactions are in Australian dollars and include GST. Quotes are an estimate only and are subject to availability and pricing at the time of booking. If payment is not received by the due date, every effort will be made to contact you. Warrnambool Tours reserves the right to cancel bookings where payments are not received by the due date.

All bookings will be confirmed once minimum numbers are met to operate the tour. When booking online full payment will be taken at time of booking. If for some reason Warrnambool Tours are unable to confirm the booking a full refund will be issued.

Tours and rates are based on a minimum of 6 passengers and subject to availability at the time of booking. You must clearly communicate any special dietary requirements or food allergies at time of booking.

CANCELLATIONS, ALTERATIONS AND REFUNDS

No refund will apply for cancellations within 30 days of the tour departure. Cancellations made more than 30 days prior to
departure may be made without penalty and a full refund will be given to the customer, less 10% (incl GST) of total tour price.

Weather Cancellations:

Cancellations may be made at the operator’s discretion (12 Apostles Helicopters,
Portland Seal Tours & Warrnambool Tours) Operators reserve the right to amend or cancel flight & boat activities, due to weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances which will entitle the customer to a full refund of the Fare Price.

Other Cancellations:

Cancellations may be made at the operator’s discretion due to mechanical breakdowns which may result in the vehicle being unable to operate. If this occurs the customer will receive a full refund of the ‘Fare Price’

Failure to Board: It is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure that they arrive on time at the nominated point of pick up by Warrnambool Tours for the departure of the tour. Failure to do so will mean that the passenger forfeits the full tour price to Warrnambool Tours.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Please note it is the responsibility of the traveler to arrange comprehensive travel medical and cancellation insurance at the time of booking. In the instance of medical emergency clients must bear the cost of any medical or rescue service required. Disclaimer:
All passengers participate in Warrnambool Tours at their own risk. The operator, Warrnambool Tours does not accept any liability for any loss, claim, injury or any direct, indirect, incidental special or consequential damage which may arise out of or are in any way connected with the participation in the tour.

COVID 19 POLICY

The health and safety of our travelers is paramount. If directed by the Victorian government, all travelers are to wear a mask in the vehicle and when entering public ablution and other indoor facilities Our vehicles have all been deep cleaned and are regularly cleaned during each tour in addition to before and after each tour.

We have hand sanitizer readily available for every one and request that you use this every time you enter and exit the vehicle. Any guests who are unwell and displaying flu-like symptoms prior to departure will not be permitted to join the tour.

Warrnambool Tours makes every effort to ensure product information about tours, activities and accommodation are up to date however we are not able to guarantee that all the information is accurate.