Great Ocean Walk Long Weekend - 4 Days

Great Ocean Walk Long Weekend - 4 Days

4 Days
Easy

Great Ocean Walk Long Weekend - 4 Days

from $2,395 / person

Overview

This walk takes in the finest sections of the Great Ocean Walk, one of Australia's most spectacular coastal tracks. Breathtaking scenery, magnificent forests, abundant wildlife, and a remarkable diversity of landscape make this one of the country's great walking experiences.

The route moves through coastal forest alive with native fauna before arriving at the Twelve Apostles. A descent down Gibson's Steps along the way reveals a perspective of the Apostles that few walkers ever see.

Two expert guides accompany the group, with the flexibility to set a comfortable pace and the option to shorten walks where preferred.

Highlights

  • Stunning views as you progress along the track at Castle Cove and the Gables, then at the Wreck and Station Beaches
  • Cape Otway lighthouse
  • The sheer enormity of the limestone cliffs and the sea stacks
  • The Gables lookout - spectacular views and super for whale watching
  • Beautiful Milanesia Beach, only accessible by foot

Itinerary

Day 1

Melbourne to Blanket Bay Walk to Cape Otway Lighthouse
10 km5-6h

We will depart Melbourne at 7.15 -7.30 am to embark on the Great Ocean Walk, travelling on the world-famous Great Ocean Road that starts near Bells Beach, stopping at Lorne on the way. The walk begins from Blanket Bay, hiking to Parker Inlet along cliff tops and through coastal forest. If the time permits, we will walk to the lighthouse via Crayfish Bay. This lighthouse has been in operation continuously longer than any other lighthouse in Australia. Shorter option available: 10km

Accommodation

Self-Contained Cabin in Cape Otway

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

What's Included

Accommodation

Self-Contained Cabin (2 nights), 3-star Motel (1 night)

Meals

3 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 3 dinners

Transfers

  • Private Vehicle Transfers
  • Luggage Transfers

Guidance & Support

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

How We Rate This Walk

1

Auswalk Walking Grade

Easy

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

Flat, easy paths with minimal exertion. Perfect for those who prefer a relaxed pace with plenty of time to enjoy the scenery.

View Fitness Guide

4

Days on the trail

10-18 km

Daily distance range

278-506 m

Daily ascent range

6/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

Two nights in comfortable en-suite cabins at Cape Otway open this walk, set in a beautiful bush setting close to the national park. From there, the final night is spent in Port Campbell, a lovely small coastal town with private en-suite motel rooms providing a comfortable finish to the long weekend on the trail.

What You'll Eat

Healthy and delicious food is woven into every day of this long weekend walk. Wake to a proper cooked breakfast each morning, with three included across the walk before stepping out onto the Great Ocean Walk. Four walker's lunches are provided daily at some of the most beautiful spots on the track, each one varying but always packed with a high-protein salad, a roll or wrap, a muesli bar, something sweet, fresh fruit and trail mix. Three two-course dinners are served each evening at your accommodation.

Please advise us of any food allergies or intolerances at the time of booking. If you have severe allergies, bringing some of your own snacks is recommended, as specialist ingredients can be harder to source along the way.

Note: Drinks and alcohol are not included with meals, with the exception of tea, coffee and juice served with breakfast.

More About This Trip

The walk both starts and finishes in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Melbourne Airport (MEL) is well connected with domestic and international flights. The walk departs at 7.30am from the Mercure Southbank, 9 Riverside Quay, Southbank; please arrive by 7.15am.

The walk returns to Melbourne at approximately 7.00pm on the final day, with a drop-off at the same location.

This guided group walk has scheduled departure dates in spring and autumn. Autumn offers the most stable weather, with crisp mornings and long, sunny days perfect for the coastal sections. Spring brings wildflowers to the clifftops and wildlife at its most active, with mild temperatures throughout. Both seasons offer the chance of a refreshing swim at the hidden beaches along the route. Pack a waterproof, warm layers and sun protection; Victorian weather is famously unpredictable.

This walk is graded moderate. Daily walks average 14.5 kilometres with around 500 metres of ascent and descent, and a terrain difficulty rating of 8 out of 10. Tracks are well-formed and well-graded, with most days ranging from 17 to 20 kilometres and a few short beach sections along the way. Some hills add to the effort on certain days. Multiple guides lead the trip, with easier and harder options available along the way. Sturdy walking boots with reliable grip are essential.

A regular training routine of three to four times per week, with some hill work incorporated, is recommended in preparation.

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.

A detailed information pack and itinerary will be sent to you around six weeks before departure, covering everything you need to know for a seamless experience. In the meantime, our team is always on hand to answer any questions.

Due to limitations of catering at certain accommodations we are unable to cater for vegans on this tour unfortunately.

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