Great Ocean Road Reverse Itinerary with 12 Apostles from Melbourne

Great adventurous experience. Bus could have been bigger with charging points.

12 apostles and the Melba Gully. I enjoyed seeing the koalas and kangaroos. Complimentary breakfast and dinner should have been provided. Aidan is a great tour guide.

Terrific Tour

This was a fabulous tour! Long day however. The 12 Apostles, Ocean Road, Rainforest were all wonderful. However, Autotopia should NOT pack the tour bus with 28 guests. The max should be 26. We were stuck on the back bench with 5 normal adult's but we should have been 5 skinny adults. It seats 5 but really 4 is comfortable with the 9-11 hours of driving given the seat width is only 13 inches. Not the drivers fault. He was terrific.

Memorable experience

Had been living in Melbourne for over a year and finally had the chance to visit the Great Ocean Road. Clearly lives up to its name. Amazing views, friendly and knowledgeable tour guide (Chris P "Kiwi"), highly recommend!

A must do when in Melbourne.

It was a great day trip, long 14 hour day but worth it. The views were great, saw some Kuala's and Roos. The driver was great fun and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend it.

Great day on the Great Ocean Road

We had a great time with Nial (sorry for the spelling). He was a great tour guide who provided lots of information as we navigated the Great Ocean Road. He was a safe driver and gave us plenty of time to do all of the activities. Great day!

Excellent trip

Our tour guide, Kiwi (aka Chris), was wonderful. His knowledge of the local area and Australia is vast. This tour was excellent. Highly recommend.

A long day but we'll worth it

Unfortunately the Reverse trip was cancelled but we were transferred on to the Standsrd trip. Ilkay was our guide who was very knowledgeable about every stop we made. He was enthusiastic and great stories to tell. He was very mindful of the passenger's needs. I felt we had adequate time to spend at each stop. At no time did I feel rushed to get back onboard the bus. If you are visiting the Melbourne and want to spend a day out of the city, then I would recommend booking the 22 Apostles trip 😀

Great tour with Niall

Excellent tour. Niall was a brilliant, funny and entertaining guide. Would definitely recommend this tour being done in reverse.

Best day trip I’ve ever been on 😊

Seeing the 12 apostles was a real bucket list thing for me and this reverse tour was perfect. Niall was fantastic all day. Very informative, but also gave us time to just enjoy the views. I’m not usually a fan of music on group tours but what a playlist he provided! Bus was great, and a/c kept us all comfortable. On board WiFi and charging points an added bonus on such a long day. Great itinerary, amazing views and a fabulous day out. Highly recommend 😊

Lovely experience, many things seen in a day

Niall the driver has been very nice, he’s very prepared, explained to us everything about the great ocean road and not only. He’s been very flexible and made us enjoy our day trip with lots of stops so we could see as much as we could without rushing. Totally recommended!

Beautiful scenery

It was definitely a long day in the bus. The sights we saw were beautiful. I was a bit disappointed that our guide wasn’t able to go with us in the rainforest and the wildlife walk and give us information on what we were seeing. He did make a restroom stop when needed, kept the bus cool and played some enjoyable music along the way. Also, it would be nice to give chips and a water with the sandwich at lunch. Be sure to sit on driver side of the bus so you can actually view the coastline.

Great trip, we really...

Great trip, we really enjoyed it. Our guide was excellent and very informative. We appreciate his hospitality and we learned so much about the history of Melbourne.

The tour was very cool...

The tour was very cool and Jakob was an amazing driver. Swimming in Apollo Bay was perfect on this hot day

Very enjoyable excursion

My husband and I took this tour from Melbourne, and had a great time. Our guide Brett was excellent. We strongly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Melbourne. It was a great decision to do the "Reverse" tour, starting from the Twelve Apostles and then driving back to Melbourne. The photo opportunities were excellent in the late morning, and the Twelve Apostles site was not very busy at that time.

12 Apostles ++

12 apostles, Melba gulch, great ocean road are must see places outside of Melbourne! This is only Misty's second tour but she did her best.

Good trip but needs improvement

Adam was brilliant. We enjoyed our trip. Leg room was insufficient and food was below expectation. The route and drive was with the right amount of breaks

A long day out.

The coastline is beautiful, especially if you haven't had the chance to drive the amazing Big Sur coast of California. But it was a long drive each way, and the food options weren't great, so I'd recommend the unique Penguin Parade trip over this one.

Excellent

Very informative,friendly and helpful. Was very easy to understand and talk to Vicky she was very knowledgeable about the tour and told some very good stories. Was very helpful and easy to understand her .in other words she was very excellent at what she did .we enjoyed the meeting with her and all the people who were involved in the tour

Must See Sights

Not the Best Weather, but that is outside of anyone's control. Still a Fantastic day with friends, Our bus driver Jordan very informative and a great driver.

Pace was perfect, sights were amazing, guides were delightfully Aussie.

Long, wonderful day. Reverse direction minimized the crowded stops, ice cream line was short. :)

Excellent day trip.

It was a great trip. We are a family of six, including one in a wheelchair. The driver was a big help and highly informative. It was very timely. We did enjoy the trip.

Tour operator changed itinerary and barely got a refund

Changed the tour to the regular tour and I only got 15$ which I had to spend on buying my own lunch since it wasn't included in the tour. Bad light for taking pictures of the great apostles due to the changed time schedule. I paid 40 $ more than my seat neighbour for the exact same tour. Definitely overpaid!

A very good experience

This is a very good one, professional tour guide and very helpful to introduce all the sightseeing points. Thanks again. During the journey, everything is well managed and communicate on time, clear direction.

Best Day Ever!

Loved the tour guide Janet and all the extra things she did to make the day wonderful! If you’re lucky, you can sit next to her and be her “kangaroo road spotter!” Wish I had time to take another of her tours before my trip home.

Lovely spent day!

The tour was amazing. Our guide Kirk told us all the stories about places and even remembered all our names! The bus was very comfy and all folks very nice and friendly.

Our guide.

The reverse tour did not make so we were moved to the regular day trip. Our tour guide was Wes. He was awesome and passionate about his commentary.

Beautiful and breathtaking day!

This is a tour not to be missed! Every stop was filled with unbelievable beauty. Although it was a long day, it under too quickly!

Jam-Packed Day Trip!

Loved the day trip run by Craig and his furry friend Barry! It was jam packed with incredible experience such as seeing Loch Ard Gorge and exploring the Otway National Park, with the highlight of course being the iconic ‘12’ Apostles! Craig had plenty of knowledge to share and made an effort to know each of our names and have an authentic conversation. Even the food was great! Would definitely go again

The tour covered most...

The tour covered most itinerary in reverse but the time for each stop to savour the beauty was less. The tour was good but could have been better. Also a proper lunch stop would be welcome rather that cold sandwich lunch which may not be suitable for people from certain areas of world.

A must when visiting Melbourne

The Apostles and the Rain Forest. Driver went out of his way to please. Long day but worth the drive

Well organised tour, but with little legroom on the bus

Our tour guide was very helpful with giving any needed information throughout the tour. Since the group was on time with coming back to the bus, then we were also able to make a few additional stops. We also saw a koala and kangaroos, which was a lovely addition to the tour. You get back to the city usually around 20:00-20:30. The area of the 12 apostles and the gorge is absolutely amazing, well worth the bus drive. But… the bus… I am 181 cm tall and it was nearly impossible to feel comfortable, since there was not much legroom. If you’re shorter or have shorter hip to knee length, then you’re good to go. The guide said that if the booking says 23-24 seats max, then it is most likely the older buses and if it is 28-29 seats, then it should be the newer more comfortable bus. The first dates for the tour were cancelled since there weren’t enough bookings, but fortunately we were able to make it on another date. The lunch was sandwiches (also vegetarian option) and a fruit. The tour overall was well organised.

Excellent tour guide who...

Excellent tour guide who made the journey interesting and fantastic scenery. A long day but worthwhile when time is short.

Memorable and unique experience!

Great tour! Steve was an excellent guide and driver. Long trip, but awesome views and a memorable experience. Absolutely worth the money. Sit up front if you can get on the bus early.

Amazing tour!

Amazing excursion and guide! Best one of my trip to Australia. Our guide Janet or JDog was great and knowledgeable. Sites are breathtaking. Def worth seeing.

Wonderful experience

The rainforest at Otway was spectacular even better than the 12 Apostles. The guide JDOG kept us entertained with amusing stories and anecdotes the entire trip. Doing the trip in reverse is easily the best method.

Nice to see the Apostles

The tour to the seaside was Great but the guide was not very engaged. It says that you may se some animals but he did not do any effort to stop at all. It was a walk in the rainforest 1,5 km alone at the lunch break.

Loved it!

Gorgeous! Don’t step off the trails! Seriously this was a great trip and nobody saw a snake😊. Highly recommend!

Don’t come all this way then miss it.

Fantastic scenery. A must see experience. Although a long day from Melbourne our guide Fiona made it a very enjoyable one. She was upbeat and full of energy all day while also explaining everything along the way. Don’t come all this way then miss it !

I traveled with my family...

I traveled with my family including an 8yo son. It was a long journey but we enjoyed so much thanks to the tour guide Dandy who was not only patient and friendly but also very knowledgeable. Got to see a koala and a mob of kangaroos too. Highly recommended

I would highly recommend your services to friends and family.

The service I received from Viator was fantastic. My holiday was awesome Thank you for arranging such an amazing trip for me.

Excellent Day!

We had an excellent time with Maj (and Dave 🐨)! The sights were beautiful, Maj was so kind and knowledgeable, and you truly do beat the crowds at some of the most popular spots on the great ocean road. Highly recommend!

Great Trip - Highly Recommend!

After deliberating for some time on which Great Ocean Road Trip we would take, we happened across the Wildlife Tours of Australia website which offered a reverse trip that allows you to see all the sites in reverse order from the usual tours and means there are less crowds. We opted for this and couldn’t have been happier. We were picked up promptly by our guide Doug right beside our hotel and after a few short pick ups of other guests, we were on our way to the 12 apostles. On route, we stopped for a comfort break at a lovely little bakery for some hot coffee before driving on again with Doug giving us all the facts and history along the way. Once we got to the apostles, we were given free time to explore and take in the views which we absolutely stunning and offered full panoramic looks over the towering rock formations. Pictures online do not do these sites justice and they need to be witnessed in person. We were slightly unfortunate in our timing in that we arrived during what must have been one of the windiest days in Melbourne’s history. We left the 12 Apostles and headed for Loch Ard and the magnificent lookout point, albeit a little windswept. We were given a tasty lunch of sandwiches and fresh fruit and given free time to explore the area. You are given enough time to explore both the beach and clifftop walk, both of which I fully recommend. Again the views at this location are unrivalled and need to be seen to be believed. Once back on the bus were given the interesting and informative story of how Loch Ard had gotten its name and the history of the Shipwreck. Doug really knew his stuff and imparted his knowledge in a very engaging manner. We continued the journey to the Great Ocean Road whilst stopping a couple more times to see koalas in the wild and flocks of parrots, sulphur crested and gallah cockatoos which was a real highlight for us as we were desperate to see Australian animals in the wild. We even had time to stop at Melba’s Gully, a rainforest on route where we were lucky enough to encounter a special black snail which is only found in this area. The drive along the Great Ocean Road was stunning and delivered unparalleled views all along the coast taking in sweeping coastlines, beautiful coastal towns and stunning beaches. We made our final stop at the Great Ocean Road memorial arch and had plenty of opportunity to explore and take photos. Doug even took the time to take a picture of us together on our camera. All in all, we had an amazing time on this trip and it delivered exactly what was promised. The sites were relatively quite and well worth the journey. Doug, our guide was mazing and has a real passion for what he does. Doug took the time to engage with his guests, find what each person wanted to see and tried to accommodate everyone’s requests.

A car transfer, not really a tour per say. No interaction.

Hmm...where should I start. The whole experience was rather unpleasant. Small shuttle minibus! 22 people were jam packed into one small shuttle. I can't imagine a tall or bigger size person can sit comfortable through out the journey. Ironically, we bumped into another group from the same company driven in a big proper bus. The comfort and luxury that we didn't have. Tragic. No Tour Guide? The driver is the tour guide. This is the first time we come across a driver that also wears the hat of a tour guide. Is this safe? Can he concentrate when he's talking to us? We felt the driver was rather inexperienced, like we're on a museum tour and he recites everything from Wikipedia. It was very flat and no energy at all. While overall he's friendly and courteous, we stopped listening after a while. I don't think people at the back listened at all with the lack of interaction. It really felt like we booked a car transfer than a proper tour. Disappointing.

A trip not to be missed!.

12 Apostles were stunning even in the wind and rain. magnificent and primordial rain forest. Beautiful cove. making new friends. Our guide and driver, Doug, was superb! He was knowledgeable, humorous, and a superb driver in the strong winds and rain.

Great!

Did the reverse tour with guide Daniel. He was excellent! Had a nice time. Try and sit on the right side of the bus as that is the side that will face the water on the reverse itinerary. Highly recommend.

Excellent taster of the Great Ocean Road!

We went on the usual route as the reverse one was cancelled. We really enjoyed the road trip and all the stops including the Chocolaterie (yum!). The tour director Wes was very clear with his instructions and gave us an interesting commentary along the way. We loved the music on the bus- made the long day go by more easily. Our tour group was also very punctual!

Terrible awful horrid trip

Travel on the provided bus was absolutely dreadful. We were the last passenger called on the passenger list and the only seats left available were the very back seats of the bus. These seats were inferior and should not have been sold for the tour. I challenge your tour operators to travel the whole tour in the back seat with the rest of the bus full and feel anything other than miserable. I have attached photos of our view from the back seats provided to us. It comprised of the back of the other seats as shown. The small window at the sides of the back seats has a large column running right through it obscuring most of the glass of the windows. All the other seats have panoramic windows. The back seats are at a lower height than all the other seats on the bus which also negatively impacted both views and comfort. The whole time traveling on the bus approximately every 10 minutes or so the bus would hit a bump or pot-hole or railway tracks or bridge expansion provisions or something else and the front of the bus would glide over and for us in the back seat behind the back wheels the seats would thump down joltingly with a sharp thud that was extremely jolting and jarring. It was so bad our fellow passengers in the seats in front voiced concern for us and went so far as to try and warn us so we could brace if they saw something like railway tracks coming up that we knew would cause the jolting thud to us in the back seat. As the tour was fully booked there were no spare seats and we were offered no other choice other than accept the inferior and unacceptable back seats.

Great Ocean Road

Daniel was a wonderful guide. The Great Ocean Rd. was a picturesque drive. Enjoyed the Loch Ard Gorge , The Twelve Apostles, Maits Rest forest walk, and Apollo Bay. Highly Recommended

Great Ocean Road With 12 Apostles Tour

Our tour guide, Craig, was very knowledgeable and friendly. He made the day memorable, especially with the rain we had most of the day. The only issue I had was the pickup. I even had Viator, who I booked from, try and contact the tour company for alternative pick up points which I never received communication from. After paying for a taxi to get to Immigration Museum for pick up (too far for me to walk), I received a phone call from tour company saying they were waiting for me at Windsor Hotel, an alternative pick up point. NAfter about 4 other vans for similar pickups arrived, the correct van arrived with Craig, who had been contacted by company we were at Museum. We were told this was a pickup point for several vans and tours. A very confusing, poorly communicated, and a negative start to the day. Craig made the day, and we would recommend him. Looking back, I should have contacted the tour company, not Viator, who I booked from.

Scenery just great. Our...

Scenery just great. Our guide Craig was outstanding, very accomodating and had a wealth of historical knowledge