City Sights, Scenic Drives & Hearty Hikes in Victoria, Australia

A Great Ocean Road and Grampians Road Trip

DAY 1 International Flights

Zip up your bags and head to the airport for the start of your Australian adventure. There are a number of airlines flying to Melbourne from the UK so we can help you choose the routing that suits you best. Whether you stop in Asia, the Middle East or Perth the journey time will be around 23 hours.

DAY 2 Hit the Road

Today marks the start of your road trip along the Great Ocean Road. Collect your hire car (we will have arranged everything for you, including booking a convertible if required) and then hit the road headed south out of the city. After only about an hour, you'll join the coastal road at Torquay and then hug the sea shore all the way to your stop for this evening in Apollo Bay. The total driving time is only about three hours, but we suggest making several stops along the way, to make the most of the journey and the scenery.

Make your first stop in Torquay at the Surf Museum. Torquay is the home of Quicksilver and Rip Curl and is where the Rip Curl Pro Surfing Competition is held every Easter. This really is a surfer's paradise, and you'll always find someone to watch riding the waves even if the pros aren't in town.If they are in town, and you're feeling inspired take a surf lesson at Bells Beach and learn to ride the waves yourselves.

Next stop on your road trip is the little town of Lorne, where a fresh seafood lunch at A La Grecque awaits. Just another half an hour down the coast, stop at Kennet River and go for a stroll, looking for wild koala in the Blue Gums. Finally, with less than an hour's drive, arrive in Apollo Bay for the night.

DAY 3 Apollo Bay

Take a break from driving today and enjoy some time in Apollo Bay. You might like to stroll along the sandy dunes and find yourself a spot on the beach to make camp for the day, or for the more adventurous there are various sightseeing spots in the nearby area. Located at the foothills of the Great Otway National Park, Apollo Bay is the ideal base for a day hiking in the rugged coastal park. Complete your hike with a visit to the Cape Otway Lighthouse, where you'll be rewarded with sweeping panoramic views from the top. Or you could get a sneak peak of the itinerary ahead with a first glimpse of the Twelve Apostles from above during a scenic helicopter flight.

DAY 4 Daylesford

After two days of strenuous leg stretching adventure, we thought you deserved a bit of rest and relaxation to end your trip. So make the drive to Daylesford, which is around two hours east of the Grampians and home to an abundance of beautiful boutique hotels, natural mineral springs and great food and wine. Once checked into your hotel, spend the rest of today and tomorrow enjoying your peaceful countryside surroundings. There are various leisurely strolls to take, several comfy spots in which to get stuck into a good book, and plenty of time to simply just enjoy spending some quality time together. Alternatively, head to one of the natural mineral spas for an afternoon of pure pampering, or we can arrange wine tasting at the numerous wineries in the area. Follow your days with drinks in the evening sun and leisurely dinners at either your hotel or others of the nearby wineries - we can recommend our favourites - and you're likely to leave feeling as relaxed as you have in a long while.