Great Ocean Walk Private Tours
Small group all-inclusive tours from Melbourne
2-4 Day Options – Camping or Accommodation
Enjoy pack-free hiking along one of Victoria’s Great Ocean Walk
Great Ocean Walk – 2 Day Itinerary Below
Good Times Tours is a small owner/operated independent tour business run by Jono Ingram and based in Melbourne. We love providing all inclusive tours for small groups looking to experience the best of Victoria’s Great Ocean Walk. Our trips are completely personalised and tailored to each groups fitness levels and we can offer both accommodation and camping options. Our trips are all pack-free so you’ll only be carrying a light day bag with food & drinks. We also combine the Great Ocean Walk / Grampians Tour which is an awesome itinerary for international guests looking to experience the Great Ocean Road, Great Ocean Walk and Grampians National Park.
The proposed itinerary below is our favourite for those guests looking to enjoy the best sections of the Great Ocean Walk over 2 days. The hike begins at Blanket Bay and finishes 19.5kms later at the stunning Aire River West campground which is only a 10min drive from Bimbi Park campground. On day 2 guests will hike 12.5km’s from Aire River to Johanna Beach. Whilst this 2 day hike only takes in 32km’s of the total 100km trail, these sections are the absolute best for a combination of beach walking, coastal views, maritime history and eucalyptus forests.
For those groups looking to enjoy 3 day tour or 4 day tour along the Great Ocean Walk please review the links above or alternatively give me a call on 0410341228 to discuss. Also if you would prefer accommodation over camping, this can easily be arranged and I’ve put together a list of accommodation here.
Why Choose Us For The Great Ocean Walk
- We are Melbourne based so can provide return transport for private groups.
- We setup camp and cook for you. You simply walk with your day pack.
- We are an affordable option with extensive knowledge of the Great Ocean Walk and surrounds and can tailor an itinerary to suit any group needs.
- We can cater for groups looking to spend anywhere between 2-4 days on the Great Ocean Walk.
- Great Ocean Walk Tours are run by me, Jono Ingram the owner of Good Times Tours, so my costs are usually 30-50% cheaper than other companies who rent vehicles and employ guides.
Tour Dates
Private tours run year round, however the best time of the year to enjoy the Great Ocean Walk is during daylight savings from October to April. Please enquire by calling Jono Ingram on 0410341228 or email jonoingram@gmail.com
Tour Departs
Public tours depart from Russell Street Extension directly behind Federation Square at 8:30am. For private tours pickups can be arranged for anywhere in Metropolitan Melbourne (Airport Included) and Geelong.
Tour Returns
Melbourne @ 7pm evening (drop-off address is the same as pickup)
Minimum Group Size – 2
Maximum Group Size – 11
Camping Equipment – Tents, Thermarest sleeping mats, Kathmandu down sleeping bags & inflatable pillows along with camp chairs are provided. We camp at Bimbi Park campground which is one of the most beautiful spots in Victoria and allows fires as well! Bimbi Park has hot showers, undercover cooking facilities and you’ll most definitely see Koalas.
Food – All tours include a BBQ dinner and cereals/fruit for breakfast. Fruit will also be provided along with muesli bars for your daypacks whilst walking. For lunch we will stop at Apollo Bay on the way to Blanket Bay and on the return to Melbourne. The van does have a fridge on board so feel free to bring any extra snacks.
The Vehicle – Good Times Tours has a comfortable 12 seater Toyota Hiace Van with a fridge/freezer on board, plus an ipad with spotify for tunes. There is also a fully equipped first aid kit and a trailer will be used for all luggage.
Price – Private groups will be provided a separate price based on their desired itinerary.
Enquiries – Call Jono Ingram on 0410 341 228 or email jonoingram@gmail.com
What to bring –
- Day pack for walking
- Overnight bag with clothes for 2 days
- Water bottle (water is provided over both days)
- Toiletries & baby wipes (no showers)
- Waterproof jacket
- Headtorch (if you have one)
- Good walking shoes
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Sense of adventure
GREAT OCEAN WALK TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
SIGHTSEEING ALONG THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD
PARKER INLET
CRAYFISH BAY
CAPE OTWAY LIGHTHOUSE
CAMPING AT BIMBI PARK
STATION BEACH
JOHANNA BEACH
GREAT OCEAN WALK 2 DAY ITINERARY
Day 1 – Blanket Bay to Aire River – 19.5km’s
– Departing Melbourne at 8:30am on Saturday we arrive at Blanket Bay at midday.
– From Blanket Bay it’s a relatively easy walk through dense gum forest that opens up to provide spectacular views of the ocean before descending to the serene Parker Inlet which makes the perfect place for lunch and chances are you’ll have the entire inlet to yourself.
– Depending on the tide and how adventurous you are feeling, there’s an opportunity to either walk the waters edge following rock shelves around Point Franklin or take the short steep climb out of the inlet. Once up on the cliff line it’s a slow descent down to Crayfish Bay where there’s a new section of trail that hugs the coastline to Cape Otway Lightstation.
– Upon arrival at Cape Otway Lightstation, guests will have a chance to refill their water bottles and access their bags as the van will be there. We’ll rest here for approx. 20 minutes before tackling the last section of the hike.
– The trail from Cape Otway takes you through dense scrub before opening up to awesome cliff top views of the Southern Ocean and eventually you’ll find yourself in awe of the stunning Station Beach. Depending on how you are going for time you have the option of walking along the beach or taking the inland route which runs parallel to the beach.
– Not long after Station beach you’ll find yourself seeing the raw natural beauty of Glenaire Beach from the Escarpment Lookout. From here it’s a 1.5km descent down a sandy trail to the Aire River campsite. If you choose the camping option, your tent and camp chair will be waiting for you along with a camp fire and a cold drink. If you choose the accommodation option the van will be waiting for your arrival.
Day 2 – Aire River to Johanna Beach – 12.5km’s
– You’ll depart Aire River campground at approx. 8:30am and walk slowly uphill, taking time to stop and enjoy the views over Aire River. The trail then follows the cliff tops with numerous vantage points to take in the spectacular views over the southern ocean.
– At 10:30am we’ll arrive at our halfway point for the day which is Castle Cove. The trail runs parallel to the Great Ocean Road here and is a great place to take a short rest and have a quick bite to eat.
– From Castle Cove we depart on the final 7km’s of the walk with the trail winding it’s way along the coast which provides an amazing view looking back at Castle Cove & Aire River before heading inland through more dense forest.
– After a short while, the trail opens up to provide views of Johanna Beach your final destination. From here, the trail slowly descends down to the beach.
– The last 2km of the hike is along Johanna Beach with an arrival time of 1pm at the Johanna Beach car park. From here you’ll be picked up and we’ll head to Apollo Bay for lunch before driving back to Melbourne.
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
Please note the below photos were all taken in order from Blanket Bay to Johanna beach.
Our Reviews
Please note whilst these reviews are a few years old, we did lose 2 years due to Covid. Good Times Tours is still running hiking/camping tours throughout Victoria.
Check Out Our Great Ocean Walk Trip Reports
Great Ocean Walk & Great Ocean Road 2 Day Tour
Great Ocean Walk & Grampians 3 Day Tour
Great Ocean Walk & Grampians 3 Day Tour
Get in touch
We’d love to hear from you, so please contact us on any of the platforms below.
facebook.com/goodtimestoursvictoria
Jono Ingram – 0410 341 228 or @jonoingram