Adelaide to Melbourne 3-Day Tour via the Grampians and Great Ocean Road

This 3-day overland trip gets you from Adelaide to Melbourne while covering some of Victoria’s best-known natural highlights on the way. You’ll head through the Grampians for guided walks to lookouts and MacKenzie Falls, then continue to the Shipwreck Coast for the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge before finishing along the Great Ocean Road.

It’s a good option if you want transport, accommodation and national park entry fees sorted in one booking rather than piecing together buses, tours and overnight stops yourself. The trip includes 2 nights in shared hostel accommodation, travel in an air-conditioned vehicle, guided hikes and commentary from a local driver-guide.

This is not a lazy coach transfer. You’ll need a moderate level of fitness, and some walks cover up to 3 km on steep, rocky and uneven tracks, sometimes in direct sun.

The route starts in Adelaide and moves across the western plains into Grampians National Park. Here, the trip focuses on short hikes and lookout stops including The Pinnacle, Boroka Lookout, The Balconies and MacKenzie Falls, with a night spent in the area surrounded by native wildlife.

From there, the journey heads south via Tower Hill Conservation Reserve and on to the Shipwreck Coast. Expect time at major coastal stops including the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge, with your guide sharing some of the maritime history tied to this stretch of coastline.

The final section follows the Great Ocean Road towards Melbourne, with scenery changing between surf beaches, seaside towns and rainforest in Great Otway National Park. There are photo stops along the way, including the Memorial Arch, before the tour finishes in Melbourne.

Accommodation is shared hostel-style with shared bathrooms. Guests are also expected to help with meal prep, clean-up, and loading and unloading luggage.