VELTRA tours & activities, fun things to do

City tour and penguin Island excursion

We enjoyed very much the tour. Our guides (Jeff and Ben) were really nice and instructive.
The only point against is that we saw the penguins from far away and it’s not allowed to take photos or vídeos, we didn’t know this before. Everything else was great.

Awesome tour package. Had a great time. Our driver Gordon was really informative and thoughtful. Our first time visit to Melbourne and this is what we needed to get introduced to such a lovely city. The staff promptly answered my queries during the booking of the tour. The pick-up and drop off facility from the hotel was great and punctual.
City tour: For those who don't have much time to go around the city and explore the city I would really recommend the tour. Victoria market was worth visiting. The walking tour through arcades and looking at the fantastic city architecture was overwhelming. The coffee shops near the arcade have very good coffee. Nice overview of the city with lots of time to walk and explore stop sites. The drive through the city with live commentary made it more interesting. We had couple of stops during the tour to get some photos and walk around.
Philip Island: The long drive was worth as our driver and guide Ian was providing commentary as we went past places. Gave us exact overview of how Melbourne has become the most liveable city in the world. The sheep shearing show was interesting. We could locate some Wallabies and Pelicans around the farm. The visit to Koala sanctuary was quick but was good to spot the Koalas lazily sitting on the top of the gum trees. Got some photos with the Koalas. The Penguin parade is a spectacular phenomenon and would recommend everyone. Was a bit chilly and crowded but managed to get good look at the Penguins as they arrived on the Island. The Penguins are adorable and cute. If you need a good spot to view the penguins, be at least 45 minutes early as the viewing stands get crowded. Also carry warm cloths as it is very chilly. Our driver Ian gave a good tip to us, as the first batch of Penguins start coming to the island, people in first row leave to watch them go back to the burrows on the hill. You can then move forward to watch other batches of Penguins come back to the island. You cannot take photos. To get the best view of the Penguins is when the scurry along the raised walkways, you can watch them within a foot’s distance. This was definitely highlight of the tour. The restaurant at the Philip Island is good. We came back to the city around 9pm where we were dropped back to the hotel. I would still recommend upgrading the package to Penguin plus to get better view of the Penguins. Pity that you are not allowed to take photos of the Penguins. At the end of the tour, the driver played a movie about Penguins and was very interesting and comedy.

Overall: I would rate the city discovery tour 5 stars We impressed with the way of communicating throughout the journey to keep us involved and engaged during the entire tour. The tour pricing is very competitive and less than other tour agencies.
The bus was clean. Wifi provided on the bus. The bus had water and toilet facilities. The trip is surely worth the cost and time. I am not an animal lover, but after this tour I am certainly one. I will definitely suggest this tour to my friends in future. You get to see Penguins, Koalas, Kangaroos, Pelicans and other animals and what else do you want. Relatively good sized groups, schedule not to packed makes it comfortable. We had plenty of time to wander around do our own thing but not so much that we were waiting around. I can surely rate this experience as the highest.

Amazing scenery

I joined this tour with my sister, and we were the only Japanese passengers on board. The weather wasn't good so there was a bit of rain here and there.

The first stop was for cookies and hot drinks. On the way to Great Ocean Road, we also stopped by several popular sightseeing spots.

We also got to go on a 20-minute trek at a rainforest. The guide was incredibly entertaining!

After that, we had lunch at a lighthouse. I ordered vegetarian so I got a falafel instead of sausages.

The 12 Apostles was so beautiful, it took my words away. This is a must-see!

On the way back, we stopped for dinner, but the rest was around a 3-hour drive. It might be a good idea to bring snacks with you. The prices at surrounding shops are a bit pricey. Other than that, make sure you wear warm clothes!

(Translated by VELTRA.com)

I loved Penguin Parade