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Prepare for one of Australia’s most magical wildlife encounters. As the sun dips below the horizon, watch in awe as hundreds of wild Little Penguins waddle across the sand at the world-famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade. 🐧 This premium day tour brings you face-to-face with iconic Australian animals and showcases Victoria’s most spectacular coastal landscapes.
Tour Highlights
- The Famous Penguin Parade: Witness hundreds of Little Penguins waddling home to their burrows at sunset.
- Koala Conservation Reserve: Walk along elevated treetop boardwalks to spot sleepy koalas in their natural habitat. 🐨
- The Nobbies & Seal Rocks: Explore dramatic cliffside boardwalks, enjoy rugged ocean views, and spot fur seals.
- Stunning Coastal Sunset: Catch a breathtaking sunset over the dramatic coastline of Summerland Beach. 🌅
- Interactive Visitor Centre: Learn about local conservation efforts and penguin life through hands-on exhibits.
Your Unforgettable Itinerary
Your journey begins with a comfortable drive from Melbourne, heading straight to the lush woodlands of the Koala Conservation Reserve. Stroll through the eucalyptus canopy and spot native koalas lounging high above. It is the ultimate way to connect with Australia’s unique wildlife up close.
Next, travel across the scenic landscapes of Phillip Island, passing windswept cliffs and pristine beaches on your way to The Nobbies. Walk the clifftop paths to admire the thundering Southern Ocean, look out for Seal Rocks, and keep an eye out for wild wallabies grazing along the hillsides.
The grand finale awaits at Summerland Beach. Before the main event, explore the state-of-the-art Penguin Parade Visitor Centre. Then, take your seats as twilight falls. Watch with delight as the world’s smallest penguins emerge from the surf and march across the beach to their nests. It is a heartwarming, natural spectacle you will cherish forever! 🚌
Inclusions
- General viewing admission to the world-famous Penguin Parade
- Entry to the Koala Conservation Reserve
- Guided coastal sightseeing at The Nobbies and Seal Rocks
- Expert local driver-guide offering rich commentary and insights
- Travel in a modern, air-conditioned coach with onboard Wi-Fi
- Convenient inner-city Melbourne pick-up and drop-off
- Multilingual audio and text translation app (available in 10 languages)
Exclusions
- Meals and drinks (opportunities to purchase local food in Cowes or at the visitor centre)
- Hotel transfers (departure is from a central Melbourne meeting point)
- Personal travel insurance (highly recommended)
Tour Details
- Tour Code: WPI-B
- Operates: Daily
- Departs: 11:45am (winter) / 13:45pm (summer)
- Returns: 21:30pm (winter) / 23:30pm (summer) approximately
- Tour Duration: 9.5 Hours
- Main Pickup Location: Immigration Museum – 400 Flinders St, corner Market St, Melbourne
Seasonal Departure Times
Seasonal departure times are based on daylight savings hours to ensure we maximise the sunset experience:
- 05 Oct 2025 – 04 Apr 2026 summer @ 1:45pm
- 05 Apr 2026 – 03 Oct 2026 winter @ 11:45am
- 04 Oct 2026 – 03 Apr 2027 summer @ 1:45pm
- 04 Apr 2027 – 02 Oct 2027 winter @ 11:45am
Please note: This tour is affected by daylight savings hours; departure times may change throughout the year to maximise the sunset experience. Seal spotting cannot be guaranteed.
What to Bring
1L refillable water bottle, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses, all-weather warm clothing, windbreaker, comfortable walking shoes, small day bag 5-7kg, money for snacks and meals, camera to capture every moment!
Child Policy
Child fare prices apply to infants and children aged from 0 to 12 years old. Children aged 0 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult or legal guardian at all times.
Weather Conditions
Please be aware that weather conditions can vary throughout the year in Victoria. While we endeavour to operate our tours as planned, there may be occasions when rain or inclement weather affects our itinerary. Rest assured, your experience will still proceed unless you are directly contacted by the tour provider. To ensure you’re prepared for the weather, please check the average temperatures for your travel dates and pack accordingly.
Important Information
- Photography and Filming: No photography or filming is permitted at the Penguin Parade. Penguins have sensitive eyes, and bright flashes or unusual lighting can frighten or disorientate them.
- Medical Conditions: The tour operator must be notified of any known medical conditions at the time of booking.
- Fitness Level: An easy to low level of fitness is required to participate on this tour.
- Mobility Considerations: This tour is not suitable for mobility-impaired travellers, including those using wheelchairs, walkers, prams, or strollers. If you require additional support please advise at the time of booking.
- Baggage Limitations: Limited storage space on our vehicle, baggage kept to 1 x 5-7kg day bag per person. We are not able to accommodate travellers’ suitcases on day trips, please store at your hotel whilst on tour.
- Itinerary Variations: Itineraries and touring routes may change to adapt to seasonal conditions, weather fluctuations and changes in road conditions. Safety is our top priority, and we plan accordingly to ensure the best experience for our guests.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Booking Terms & Conditions
- Mandatory Details: Passenger details are required at the time of booking, including date of birth, food allergies, and a contact phone number.
- Age Restrictions: Child fare prices apply to infants and children aged from 0 to 12 years old. Children aged 0 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult or legal guardian at all times.
- Reconfirmation of Details: All travellers are asked to reconfirm their tour details within 7 days prior to departure.
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Saw every sort of wildlife that i wished for and even the trip to the park is beautiful and interesting because of the facts an information that Kiwi gave us.
Had a Fantabulous time!
Watching the little penguins emerge from the ocean at sunset and make their way across the beach to their burrows was something we’ll remember for a long time. The whole experience is very well organised, with excellent viewing areas and knowledgeable staff helping visitors appreciate the importance of protecting this unique wildlife.
One piece of advice for anyone booking tickets: we chose the VIP Underground Viewing experience, but in hindsight we don’t feel it offered enough extra value over the Premier Viewing tickets. The Premier option provides an excellent view, and we think it offers the best balance of experience and value. If we visited again, we’d happily choose Premier Viewing.
Overall, this was a fantastic wildlife experience and a real highlight of our time in Victoria. It’s a must-do if you’re travelling to Melbourne or the surrounding area.
The tour itself was great, from pick-up, to site visits, to easy drop-off at the end of a long day! We really lucked out with the weather and got to see so many more sights than we would have otherwise if we'd gone alone. There was a lot of ground to cover, with the "Twelve" Apostles being the clear highlight of the tour. We did great on time and even managed a few bonus stops which included a Koala sighting and a whole group of Kangaroos!
The star of the show was honestly our guide, Ilkay. I have no idea how he maintained such great energy throughout what must have been an incredibly long day for him (bearing in mind he was driving AND guiding, and we were his first pick-ups at 7am, and last drop-offs around 8pm). His explanations were brilliant, both in content and delivery, and his enthusiasm really kept our group engaged. Couldn't have asked for a better guide!
The natural scenery was beautiful, and seeing koalas and penguins up close was an unforgettable experience. I’d never seen them that close before.
Great day..
Our guide, Kiwi, is very knowledgeable about history, nature and how to assure that his guests are getting the most out of the trip.
The coffee was served as committed. It's a DIY coffee where they keep hot water, coffee, sugar, milk etc and make your own. Alongwith Tim Tams. The sandwich for lunch was tasty and filling. I opted for veg and the veggies inside it were so fresh n crunchy. I didn't feel hungry till evening. I saw the veg sandwich bigger than the non veg ;)
Special credits to our tour guide Joel. He did a fab job telling us about the points, history of the places. Sweet person to spend the day with. He made all the tourists comfortable, co and waited patiently incase we were late.
Joel- Thanks and love from India.
The had been the perfect guide shared interesting stories and information in an entertaining way. Thanks for a wonderful day!
My highlight was definitely Nobbies Lookout and of course the penguins.
My experience on the Reverse Great Ocean Road Tour (Booking: 122799) was a catastrophic failure of service, hygiene, and basic safety. This tour is NOT worth the premium price of AUD $165.
MAJOR FAILURES:
• CORE PROMISE BROKEN: The driver was over an hour late, ensuring we arrived at the 12 Apostles with massive crowds, completely nullifying the 'Reverse Tour' promise.
• ITINERARY OMITTED: We only stopped at 2 out of 5 major promised sites. The driver intentionally skipped 60% of the itinerary, including the guaranteed rainforest walk.
• HYGIENE : The 'picnic lunch' was served standing up next to the bus from a cooler box. Furthermore, the restrooms at the morning tea stop were in a shockingly unsanitary state, forcing me to avoid using them for hours.
• SUBSTANDARD SERVICE: The vehicle was dirty and loud (not 'modern and comfortable'). Onboard Wi-Fi and USB charging were unavailable. The same individual served as both the driver and the guide. He provided commentary while actively driving on long, winding roads. This was extremely stressful for passengers as his focus was repeatedly diverted from the road, creating a serious safety risk throughout the tour. Moreover, the 'guided tour' existed only inside the bus; when we stopped at sites, the driver/guide never joined the group to provide explanations.There were no promised "Guided walks", no rain forest walk, nothing. We stopped for only 15 minutes for restroom in the forest!
This company failed to provide the service they advertised and showed a profound disregard for customer welfare!

















































