Twelve Apostles Walk

The group will meet at the Mercure Melbourne Southbank in Melbourne at 7:30am. Our guide will introduce you to the other walkers before departing for our drive to Blanket Bay. Be dressed and ready to walk, with your daypack fully packed for the days' walk ahead. We start the first section of the walk at Blanket Bay, a beautifully scenic section of the Great Ocean Walk that follows along the coast of Great Otway National Park. Beautiful ocean views from cliff tops and sandy beaches and inlets are frequent along this stretch of coast, along with koalas, kangaroos, and echidnas all scattering about along the trail. The Cape Otway Lighthouse makes for a great end to the walk, where our guides can teach you all about the naval history of the area. From the lighthouse, we transfer you to our private lodge in Johanna, where we welcome you with a glass of local sparkling and a spectacular long table dinner to celebrate your first day of walking. Walking time: approx 3 hours.

Meals:  L,D

We’ll drive 30 minutes this morning to the most challenging day no the trail. It comes with great reward – the most visually spectacular and isolated sections of the Great Ocean Walk – known as ‘the wild side.’ Take a winding path that leads from Milanesia Track down through the forest to beautiful Milanesia Beach. After a gentle beach stroll, we turn upwards for a short, but steep climb that sets the tone for the trail ahead. The trail is dissected by gullies before a gradual climb, which delivers fabulous views back over Milanesia. Rough tree ferns and stands of remnant Eucalypts dot the path before an ascent of 138 steps. The trail continues in a westerly direction until a steady climb leads us out of the forest and into Ryans Den campsite. From here, coastal views stretch to both Cape Volney and Cape Otway; an ideal place to reflect on your journey so far. The walk from here rises and falls many times as it parallels the coastline before cutting along the ridge behind Cape Volney, providing breathtaking views to the west. A final seated lookout delivers a magnificent vantage point, just metres from the walk’s end. Walking time: approx 6.5 hours.

Meals:  B,L,D

It’s a 30 minute transfer to Moonlight Head. The first four and half kilometres gently meander through native stringybark forest providing a contrast to the coast, concluding with a rise to the Gables, one of mainland Australia’s highest cliff top lookouts. Tide dependent, you will descend onto Wreck Beach and continue through to a lovely lunch spot past Devil’s Kitchen overlooking the distant Apostles. Wilder days will give an insight into the cauldron-like ocean at this part of the coast. A high tide option combines coastal scrub with forest and walks through Devil’s Kitchen campsite. Stunning coastal views to the west this afternoon provide the incentive to keep moving forward. The topography and geology change from sandstone to limestone and its associated coastal flora. This afternoon is gentle walking that finishes at the Wreck Beach carpark, where our bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the lodge. Walking time: approx 3-4 hours

Meals:  B,L,D

Enjoy your final morning at Twelve Apostles Walking Lodge. After another wholesome breakfast, there’s a final pack up, check out and lodge farewell before a 45 minute drive back to Princetown. These fabulous natural wonders emerge on slow reveal as the trail rises and falls along the coastline. There is a viewing lookout exclusively for walkers before our final stretch of trail into the Twelve Apostles Visitors Centre. You’ve made it! We’ll then move on to the nearby town of Port Campbell for lunch before returning to Melbourne. We offer a drop off to the airport and Melbourne CBD after your walk. Tullamarine drop off time: 5:30pm for domestic flights from 6:30pm and international flights after 7:30pm. Melbourne CBD (Mercure Melbourne Southbank) drop off is by 6pm. Walking time: approx 3 hours.

Meals:  B,L