Phillip Island Hiking Tour: Experience Penguin Parade & Wildlife Reserve
4.9
16 Ratings
Southbank
Embark on a thrilling hiking tour of Phillip Island, exploring rugged rock formations, encountering koalas in their natural habitat, and witnessing the world-famous Penguin Parade at sunset.
Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Cape Woolamai Walk - We start our hike that will guide you through rugged rock formations, known as the Pinnacles.
What's Included
  • Unforgettable memories
  • Rain ponchos & first aid
  • Snacks
  • Entrance into Penguin Parade & Phillip Island Koala Reserve
  • Friendly and knowledgeable tour guides
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Tea and coffee
  • An easy to moderate 6.8km guided circuit hike around Phillip Island’s highest point Cape Woolamai
  • Plenty of chances to see wildlife
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Lunch
Additional Information

We will kick start our journey with a visit to the ideal beach for surfers, Cape Woolamai. We will then put on our hiking boots and commence our trek that will acquaint you with the tough rock configurations known as the Pinnacles.

Following our 6.8 km hike of moderate intensity, we will make our way to Cowes for a sumptuous lunch before visiting the Phillip Island Koala Reserve. Amble amidst the refreshing eucalyptus woods and get an up-close look at koalas in their natural surroundings. The unique elevated boardwalks and viewing points of the Koala Reserve give visitors an incomparable insight into the fascinating world of koalas.

Next, we will stop by The Nobbies to leisurely walk along the boardwalk exploring stunning coastal vistas and the awe-inspiring blowhole. This region boasts of Australia’s most extensive seal population, adorable little penguins, and striking silver gulls.

Our day concludes with an exciting expedition amidst wildlife as we view hundreds, or even thousands, of penguins parade out of the ocean waves at sunset. This unique spectacle at the well-known Penguin Parade is a sure delight for all wildlife enthusiasts!

  • Comfortable trainers or hiking boots
  • Water Bottle (1L)
  • Cash or credit card for lunch / Dinner (around $25)
  • Warm layers just in case
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses & a hat
  • Swimsuit & a towel for a swim in the ocean (summer months)
  • Good vibes
Location
Hamer Hall
Saint Kilda Road
100 St Kilda Road, Southbank Melbourne - (Undercover taxi rank located on St Kilda Road between Hamer Hall & the Arts Centre). Please arrive 10min prior to departure.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(16 Ratings)
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Northstar28441721960
May 8, 2024
Amazing! - Marcus was great! Shared a lot of his experiences and very knowledgeable. The entire trip was easy going at a perfect pace. Some of us even went swimming during this time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Colleenq522
Mar 21, 2024
One for the books! - What a delight! The bakery on the way was delicious. The hike was about 7 miles. We saw wallabies, spectacular views and an echidna. Then it was off to the Koala Sanctuary. It's very touching that there is so much space for them and some had been rescued during the wildfires. After that we did another small walk where we could see rescued penguins nesting, grey geese and more wallabies. The penguin parade was pure joy. I would suggest going to the far gift shop before popping down because it gets crowded straight afterwards. Seeing the penguins emerging out of the ocean, wait til there are enough to waddle up the beach to goto their homes was delightful. Really a wonderful outing that is such a special day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S4mshine
Aug 2, 2023
Splendid day trip with stunning views, intimate nature moment and a good ole time. - The intimacy of the group, the great care and contextual knowledge shared by guide Shane as well as the curation of the selected experiences make this a wonderful activity to consider when in Melbourne. We were lucky in that we had not only excellent weather but got incredibly lucky in our animal sightings. One koala put on quite the show. Due to the penguins only leaving the water after sunset, the timing is such that the itinerary starts a bit later in the day and goes into the night. Consider that it will be a late late and so it's best to come having had breakfast. (And not just a coffee like I did...)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davidchouu
Apr 30, 2023
Highly recommend - Shane is very professional and welcoming with lots of interesting stories. The hike is great and easy, a little challenging for my in-their-60s parents but they did pretty good job and the group was also very kind and patient. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Iklund
Apr 27, 2023
Wildlife spotting, stunning nature and good hikes on Philip Island - This highly recommendable trip was led by the knowledgeable and easy-going driver and guide, Shane. The tour was a great combination of hiking along stunning beaches and cliff tops, spotting native wildlife and seeing beautiful coastal views. In addition to the amazing Penguin Parade, we saw lots of wallabies, a koala in the wild (in addition to the ones at the Conservation Reserve), an echidna and a Lowland Copperhead snake. Shane also told us exactly where to stand to get the best view of the penguins during the Penguin Parade.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Abbiec500
Mar 15, 2023
highly recommend - Had a wonderful and chill day with a small group. Our guide is super knowledgeable. Enjoyed every minute of the tour! Highly recommend.
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Erikcg5401de
Feb 13, 2023
Lots of great views and wildlife - The guide was awesome and it was an overall very fun day with some great sights and lots of wildlife.
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Vka5806mj
Dec 8, 2022
Absolutely magical experience - The tour is so planned and we'll be thoughtout. Right from the hike to other special spots and the wild life... Wallabies.. Koalas... Penguins... All sorts of birds... List goes on. I would go again....
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Phil_t
Oct 26, 2022
A must do trip! - A very full day covering several enjoyable experiences culminating with the amazing Penguin Parade. Shane is an excellent and knowledgable guide.
Review provided by Viator
Abbytanlor
Oct 25, 2022
A memorable day out! - We had a memorable trip to Philip Island on 21 Oct 2022. It was a small group of 6 pax with our driver cum tour guide Shane. He told us many interesting stories about Australian culture and history. He was always looking out to ensure none of us was left behind. The trip was well-paced and content-rich. We spotted wallabies, koalas echidnas, galah, cape barren geese, and best of all the many adorable small penguins.
Review provided by Tripadvisor