Great Ocean Road in Reverse: The 11 Best Tours

1.Great Ocean Road Reverse Itinerary Boutique Tour – Max 11 Guests

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,186 reviews · from $106Our pick

Start early from Melbourne and travel inland to the Twelve Apostles before following the Great Ocean Road back toward Apollo Bay. With a maximum of 11 people, guides such as Marty, James, Chris, or Anne lead you to cliffs, rainforest, koalas, and coastal views in an air-conditioned minivan.

“It would seem that a fly net to cover your face, head, mouth extra would be extra helpful or a mask & a fan to fan away the non stop small flies all along the coast- in fact I am not sure why that was noted as a necessity for enjoyment for many stops on the trip”

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2.Melbourne Great Ocean Rd Reverse Tour London Bridge Wildlife

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,252 reviews · 12 - 13 hours · from $46

Travel from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road in a reverse-route coach or small-group van. Expect London Bridge, Loch Ard Gorge, the Twelve Apostles, Apollo Bay, wildlife stops, and Memorial Arch. Guides including David Hsu, William, Philip, and Daniel are known for clear commentary and careful driving.

“The tour was wonderful! We traveled with Daniel, an incredible person! He described the places and told stories with great enthusiasm. Besides the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles, we had the chance to see koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat. I thought the trip would be tiring, but it was great! I highly recommend it!”

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3.Great Ocean Road Boutique Tour in Reverse

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,471 reviews · 12 hours · from $97

Travel with up to 11 people from Melbourne to the Twelve Apostles before the main crowds arrive, then return along the coast. Expect Gibson Steps, Loch Ard Gorge, Maits Rest rainforest, Apollo Bay, wildlife stops, and guides such as James, Ann, Peter, and Marty sharing local stories.

“Fabulous. Our guide Chris gave us great history and stories along the way. Very knowledgeable, friendly and I liked how he corralled everyone up so we didn't have to waste time waiting for people. There is nothing I can think of to improve. This tour is a must see!❤️”

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4.Great Ocean Road Tour Reverse –SML GRP-DLUX Mini Bus Hotel Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 915 reviews · from $89

Travel from Melbourne in a premium mini coach with a group of up to 22, reaching the Twelve Apostles early before following the coast back toward the city. Expect guides such as Steve, Bill, or Jay, rainforest walks, koalas, Apollo Bay, and a long but well-planned 12-hour day.

“It's a very long day. Weather changes constantly. Found koalas in a tree, very exciting. Great scenery.”

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5.Lux Great Ocean Road Tour Reverse – Max 11 Hotel Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 286 reviews · from $94

Leave Melbourne at 7am in a small group of up to 11, reach the Twelve Apostles before the busiest crowds, then work back along the Great Ocean Road. Guides such as Mike and Peter combine local stories with wildlife spotting. Expect a long, scenic day with hotel pickup, Wi-Fi, water, and a Southern Cross Station finish.

“Kudos to Jimmy, our informative, friendly, entertaining tour guide. The early morning pickup was worth to squeeze in so many amazing sites. I recommend the small tour group, versus a large bus, as you won’t spend a lot of time waiting on the other people to return.”

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6.Great Ocean Road Reverse Rainforest & 12 Apostles from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 279 reviews · from $104

Leave Melbourne at 7:35 am for a 13-hour reverse Great Ocean Road trip. See the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge early, walk in the Otway rainforest, search for wild koalas, and ride back along the coast with guides such as Kiwi, Chris, Craig, or Jacob.

“Peter was very knowledgeable and had great sense of humor, made a big difference for the tour. Also we kept time on each location and was back at crown hotel at 8 pm sharp”

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7.Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour with Iconic Stops & Wildlife

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 264 reviews · 12 - 13 hours · from $42

Spend 12 to 13 hours exploring Victoria’s coast and forest on a reverse-route coach tour from Melbourne. Expect the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Apollo Bay, Lorne, Memorial Arch, live commentary in English or Chinese, and possible wild koala and kangaroo sightings. Guides such as Daniel, Ray, Philip, and William are noted for careful driving and friendly service.

“We enjoyed the tour very much! Daniel, our guide, was very informative, pleasant, and kept us on schedule. He took us to a couple of sights where we were able to see koalas and kangaroos in their natural environment all in route to our destination which was great! Overall, an excellent trip. I would encourage a good detailing of the inside of the van and maintenance check as we had to stop at the beginning of the trip to put water in the radiator.”

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8.Premium Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour 13Pax Max Hotel PickUP

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 155 reviews · from $85

Join an English-speaking guide such as Steve, Jay, Bill, or Mark for a small-group Great Ocean Road day trip from Melbourne. A luxury minibus carries up to 13 people inland to the Twelve Apostles first, then returns along the coast with rainforest, wildlife, Loch Ard Gorge, Apollo Bay, and chocolate stops.

“Not a thing. Steve was a brilliant guide and we had an amazing experience. Highly recommend”

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9.Reverse Great Ocean Road Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 123 reviews · from $96

This 13-hour reverse Great Ocean Road trip takes you from Melbourne to the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge first, then back via Apollo Bay, the Otways rainforest, wild koala country, and Memorial Arch. You travel in a 28-seat vehicle with lunch, Wi-Fi, USB charging, and an English-speaking guide.

“We had a fabulous day with Aiden as our guide. He kept the group on schedule and told some interesting stories with some thoughtful dialogue along the way. As a senior my biggest fear was unrealized with timely and frequent washroom breaks! Our only comment would be that we could have used a few more minutes at the twelve apostles because it is the highlight of the tour. And no fault of anyone’s but the Loch Ard steps were closed on the day we visited, perhaps we can return! Thank you Aiden for driving and guiding us for twelve hours! Anna and KimRead more”

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10.Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour with Iconic Stops & Wildlife

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 61 reviews · from $40Best value

Travel from Melbourne to the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Apollo Bay, Lorne, and Memorial Arch on a 12-hour reverse-route tour. A driver-guide such as Hugh, William, David Su, or Daniel provides commentary from an air-conditioned coach, with a chance to spot wild koalas. Lunch is at your own cost.

“Way too much driving without breaks. There were MANY vomiting children on the tour but couldn't stop anywhere. Couldn't go to the lighthouse, which was disappointing and not clear why, so had a strange, short half hour stop at LornRead more”

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11.Great Ocean Road Premium Tour in Reverse

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 12 hours · from $112

Join Jimmy or another English-speaking guide for a 12-hour, small-group trip from Melbourne. You’ll reach the Twelve Apostles early, see Loch Ard Gorge and Gibson Steps, walk in Great Otway National Park, then follow the coast through Apollo Bay and Lorne.

“We had a wonderful trip with Jimmy on September 21st in a group of 11 people. The weather was changeable but gradually improved. Jimmy took us to many destinations, provided lots of information and showed us koalas and kangaroos along the way. Only the walk in the national park was not possible due to rain at lunchtime. Jimmy was very flexible and tried to make the best of the situation. We had an early, very good lunch in Apollo Bay, stopped at other beautiful lookouts and finally had ice cream at the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery in Bellbrae. We highly recommend the Hit the Road tour, especially…”

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