Great Ocean Walk - 7 Days

Great Ocean Walk - 7 Days

7 Days
Challenging

Great Ocean Walk - 7 Days

from $3,795 / person

Overview

With its breathtaking coastal scenery, magnificent forests, abundant wildlife, and sheer diversity of landscape, the Great Ocean Walk is one of Australia's most iconic walks.

Walk the 104km Great Ocean Walk track from end to end as it meanders its way through Manna Gums with koalas only a few steps away, to traversing massive sea cliffs that have made this location famous.

We take care of every last detail and with 2 experienced guides looking after you, you can pace yourself and with options to shorten the walk if you prefer.

Highlights

  • Step through giant Mountain Ash forest, beneath the tallest flowering plants in the world
  • Spotting a koala or three!
  • Mesmerising clifftop walk to Parker Inlet
  • Stunning views as you progress along the track at Castle Cove and at The Gables
  • The pristine nature and deafening surf of Johanna Beach
  • The imposing Twelve Apostles

Itinerary

Day 1

Melbourne to Apollo Bay and the Walk to Shelley Beach
6 km

We will depart Melbourne at 8.30 am from our pick-up location at the Mercure Southbank in Melbourne. Travel on the Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay taking in the magnificent views on this iconic coastal road. In the afternoon, we’ll leave the tourists behind as we walk along the coast away from Apollo Bay. Observe the colony of fur seals that frequent Marengo Reef Marine Sanctuary. The track hugs the coast at first before heading inland through tall eucalypt forest and patches of rainforest to Shelly Beach.

Accommodation

3-star Motel in Apollo Bay

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

What's Included

Accommodation

3-star Motel (6 nights)

Meals

6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 5 dinners

Transfers

  • Luggage Transfers
  • Private Vehicle Transfers

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • 24/7 on-trip support

How We Rate This Walk

5

Auswalk Walking Grade

Challenging

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Steeper climbs and longer distances. You'll need good fitness and some hiking experience to fully enjoy these walks.

View Fitness Guide

7

Days on the trail

3-20 km

Daily distance range

Daily ascent range

4/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

We stay in comfortable en suite rooms for all six nights of this walk. The first three nights are spent right on the foreshore at Apollo Bay, where the hotel has all the modern conveniences you'd expect and there's plenty of time built in to explore this quaint seaside town. The final three nights are in private en suite rooms at Port Campbell, a gorgeous little town and one of the rare spots on this coast where a break in the cliffs means you can sit on the beach or swim safely. Single rooms are limited on this walk, so speak to the office early if you need one.

What You'll Eat

We make sure you're well fed and hydrated from breakfast through to dinner, with a la carte meals on most nights and two free evenings to dine when and where you like in town. The local cafes we use for breakfast and walkers' lunches are excellent, and the restaurants we dine at are all of great quality. Alcohol and other drinks aren't included with meals, though tea, coffee and juice come with breakfast.

More About This Trip

The walk starts and finishes at the Mercure Southbank, 9 Riverside Quay, Melbourne. We depart at 8.30 am, so plan to be there by 8.15 am, and staying nearby the night before makes for an easy start. The Quay West Suites and the DoubleTree by Hilton Melbourne are both good options close by. On day 7 we head back to Melbourne after visiting the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge, stopping for lunch en route, and you'll be dropped back at the Mercure Southbank at around 4.30 pm.

We run the Great Ocean Walk in autumn and spring, when the coast is at its best and daily temperatures are usually mild. It can still get warm on occasion, and when it does, there's usually a chance for a swim at one of the beaches along the way. See the Bureau of Meteorology for information about temperatures and rainfall ahead of time to ensure proper clothing.


Source; BOM

The track is well graded and easy to follow underfoot. Two of the days run over 20 km for those who want to push themselves, and every day has the option to shorten the walk if you'd rather take it easier. Most of the terrain is easy to moderate, though a few short, steep hills add some effort along the way. Two experienced guides are with you throughout, offering easier or harder route options as the day calls for it.

You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

For over 30 years, we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know, even with that in mind, that you'll have many more questions. You will receive a very detailed information pack and itinerary approximately 6 weeks out from departure, outlining all the fine details and much more.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our sales team. You can get in touch with us via our contact form, email us at info@auswalk.com.au, or call us on +61 3 9597 9767.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Departure

Select a fixed group departure - places are limited

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Great Ocean Walk reviews

4.9
157 reviews
5 Star
148
4 Star
9
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0

Frances B
3 months ago

My husband and I completed this walk in October 2025. The scenery was amazing, something different around almost every corner, it was just fantastic to walk this coastline and to see so many different landscapes! This was probably the most challenging and memorable thing we have ever done. The accommodation and meals were excellent and way above expectation, we loved everywhere we stayed!

Scott O
3 months ago

The notes were interesting and helpful, and the pace each day was good for a couple of fit sixty-somethings. We appreciated having both hard copies of the notes and the very useful information available via the hiking app. It was a lovely, stress-free way to walk. It was especially helpful that we didn’t have to bring, buy, or rent our own backpacking gear, considering we had come from overseas. So, yes…definitely tempting, just not sure where to yet!

Caroline H
4 months ago

I feel very confident in the way we were supported. This was so smooth…I appreciated the information and advice which helped me organise and prepare for the walk. Thankyou so much

Rowan H
4 months ago

I think the self guided version of the walk is really well organised and very well supported by the accommodation, food and transport people. Initially it feels a little odd to be in your room and packets of food in the fridge . We anticipated potentially sharing meal times with others but were not dissappointed when we didn't. In fact as we went along it added to the personal aspect of the walk as we didn't need to have any group encounters. That may not suit everyone but I think it worked for us. We have walked self guided in Japan and spent way more time in a group and there were group evening meals. We encountered plenty of people on the trail so I think this mode works well. The food and food logistics were fantastic. The transport team were timely, flexible and great ambassadors for the walk. We had most of the weather variables that you might expect and plenty of wildlife encounters . Always knowing that there was food and shelter waiting and someone to ferry us there when we couldn't walk straight into the evening stop. The walk is very picturesque, challenging enough without being hard and is easy to recommend.

Carolyn D
4 months ago

The trip ran very smoothly. Apollo Taxis were very professional and very friendly always on time or early. Great ocean walk beautiful scenery great tracks beautiful beaches.

Josie B
4 months ago

Rose and Neil were excellent Guides. Friendly, attentive and caring.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Great Ocean Walk begins in the charming seaside village of Apollo Bay and finishes at the iconic Twelve Apostles — 104km of some of Australia's most spectacular coastal scenery.

Your main luggage is transported between accommodations each day while you walk, so you only need to carry a lightweight daypack on the trail. Bags are limited to 23kg. On the odd occasion, you may need to move your luggage to or from your room to reception — but that's the extent of it.

Coverage is patchy in parts of the Great Ocean Walk — don't rely on it as your main line of communication. Keep your phone charged and carry a backup power bank. Auswalk provides 24/7 support by phone and email throughout your trip, and their local driver and partner network is on the ground if you need assistance.

Daily vehicle transfers along the track with a knowledgeable Auswalk driver are a genuine highlight of the trip — they handle the logistics so you can focus on the walking. If you're driving to Apollo Bay, you can leave your car there, and Auswalk will transfer you back to collect it at the end. For those using public transport to get home, transfers to Camperdown for train services back to Melbourne can also be arranged.

Your daypack should hold a waterproof jacket, warm mid-layer, sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+ for the Australian sun), sunglasses, 1–2 litres of water, your packed lunch, a first aid kit, toilet paper, and your phone. Walking poles are optional but useful on steeper sections.

The Great Ocean Walk is genuinely walkable year-round thanks to its temperate coastal climate. Spring (September to November) brings wildflowers and full waterfalls. Summer (December to February) offers sunny days and little rain. Autumn (March to May) has long, clear days and cooler temperatures — ideal walking conditions. Winter (June to August) is cooler and occasionally stormy, but it's also when humpback and southern right whales migrate through the area.

Yes. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking. Some properties along this walk have limited capacity to accommodate complex requirements at short notice, and changes made after booking may not always be possible. If your diet is particularly specific, providing a list of what you can eat — rather than just what you can't — gives the best chance of a good outcome.

Want to Know More?

The Great Ocean Walk Experience

Wonder
Auswalk from Apollo Bay to the ever-changing limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles
Explore Cape Otway Lightstation, museum and displays after forest and clifftop walking
Follow mesmerising clifftop tracks to Parker Inlet, Castle Cove and The Gables
Wellness
The science of blue space, the measurable restorative effect of proximity to the ocean
The physical rhythm of long daily walking delivers a quality of mental and physical restoration that is genuinely difficult to achieve any other way
Savour regional produce breakfasts, walkers lunches and chef-prepared two-course dinners
Nature
This is coastal wilderness at its most dramatic and most diverse. Step beneath giant Mountain Ash forest, the world’s tallest flowering plants
Ancient rainforest gullies and rainforest, wind-sculpted heathland & clifftop paths above the Southern Ocean that stretches, uninterrupted, all the way to Antarctica
Auswalk past Johanna Beach, Rainbow Falls, Aire estuary wetlands and wildflower heathlands angaroos, echidnas, sea eagles and whale