Great Ocean Road Walking & Sightseeing Tour
Ultimate 2 Day Tour For Active Families/Groups
The ultimate way for active couples, families or groups of friends from interstate or overseas looking to experience the best of the Great Ocean Road and the Great Ocean Walk without the crowds.
2 Day Tour Overview –
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 Road and specifically the Great Ocean Walk. Please note there is both camping and accommodation options for this tour. We specifically like to utilise Bimbi Park for it’s proximity to the Great Ocean Walk trailhead at Blanket Bay, but also for it’s proximity to Apollo Bay for groups that want to enjoy a pub dinner or swim at the amazing beaches there.
The proposed itinerary below is our favourite for those guests looking to experience sightseeing along the Great Ocean Road combined with an overnight 35km walk from Blanket Bay to Johanna Beach which is the best section along the Great Ocean Walk which is one of Australia’s best coastal hiking trails.
Tour Dates
Please enquire by calling Jono Ingram on 0410341228 or email jonoingram@gmail.com
Tour Departs
Private tours pickups can be arranged for anywhere in Metropolitan Melbourne (Airport Included) and Geelong.
Tour Returns
Melbourne @ 7pm to 8pm in the 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 dining area, shared fridges and meal prep areas and you get the benefit of camping with the Koalas. Please note Bimbi Park has a range of accommodation options including cabins that are perfect for families.
Bimbi Park Accommodation
Food –
All private 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. For lunch on day 2 there is a cafe at Lavers Hill (approx 15min drive from where you finish the hike at Johanna Beach). Also 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 – $1300 total for groups up to 3 in size. For groups 4 to 11 in size it’s $400 per person, however I’m happy to negotiate a solid discount for groups over 6 in size.
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
The Route
Day 1 – Depart Melbourne and spend the first half of the day exploring the sights of the Great Ocean Road before starting the Great Ocean Walk around 1pm.
Day 2 – Finish the Great Ocean Walk at approx. 1pm then go explore Melba Gully, Gibson Steps and the 12 Apostles before departing back to Melbourne.
GREAT OCEAN WALK TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1 – Blanket Bay to Aire River – 21km’s
– After exploring the Great Ocean Road in the morning we’ll aim to have you on the trail at approx. 1pm
– 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 – 14km’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.
– After a short rest, we’ll spend the afternoon exploring the temperate rainforest at Melba Gully and then continue along the Great Ocean Road to the Gibson Steps and the 12 Apostles before we depart Port Campbell at approx. 5pm. The return trip to Melbourne is approx. 2.5 hours.
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
Please note the below photos are all taken in order of what you’ll experience on this trip.
Camping Equipment
Good Times Tours provides all the high quality camping equipment we need for a very comfortable camping experience. We have Marmot tents, Thermarest inflatable sleeping mats, Kathmandu down sleeping bags, cotton sleeping bag liners and inflatable pillows to ensure you are nice and warm inside your tent.
We also carry a heavy duty 3m x 6m marquee (see below) that provides protection from the wind and rain if the conditions are not great. We also have a camp kitchen, fridge on board the van along with head torches etc. so everything really is provided.
CHOOSE GOOD TIMES TOURS FOR YOUR GREAT OCEAN WALK EXPERIENCE
- Jono Ingram from Good Times Tours is Melbourne based so can provide return transport for public & private groups.
- I setup camp and cook for you. You simply walk with your day pack.
- We provide high quality tents, thermarest sleeping pads, pillows, down sleeping bags, camp chairs and a 6x3m waterproof marquee as camping equipment for all of our guests.
- I offer an an affordable option for groups up to 11 in size, looking for a no-fuss and flexible experience.
- I can cater for groups looking to spend anywhere between 2-4 days on the Great Ocean Walk.
Our Reviews
Learn more about the Great Ocean Walk
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
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@greatoceanwalktours
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