1 Day Exclusively Private Tour Of Phillip Island & The Penguin Parade

James reached out after we booked the tour and suggested that we upgrade to the ultimate tour. It was worth it! We had a guide with a separate private beach away from the crowds with a small group of less than ten people. We also got up close with the penguins on the walk from the beach back to the main building. Our guide Richard was great and gave lots of interesting info at each stop.

DO NOT BOOK. We booked this several months in advance and thought it would be a highlight of the trip. We were never contacted by the tour guide and when we tried calling, we learned that the phone numbers were disconnected. Luckily we were able to find a last-minute alternative through our hotel concierge, but I’m now having to work out a refund in the middle of my vacation. Again, DO NOT BOOK. This listing should really be taken down by Viator.

Really enjoyed our time on Phillips island with our guide Erin. Prior to booking we had been in communication with James who not only assisted us with this booking but even offered some really helpful advice about other aspects of our trip to Melbourne which It turned out, was worth its weight in gold. Tip - not matter where you go, always check if there are to be any major events on the local calendar. We got stuck during an event but James wasn’t equally great to offer helpful suggestions even though it was on his own time and it had nothing to do with the tour he was supplying. Just good Old fashioned customer service - something which seems to be lacking these days. But back to the tour itself. We were disappointed that James wasn’t doing the tour as he had guided our friends the year before (he did warn us in advance he wouldn’t be available) but Erin wasn’t equally as fabulous. Witty, knowledgeable, friendly and a very safe driver. We knew we had made the right choice before we had even turned onto the freeway 10 minutes into the start of the tour. The day flowed really well ending in the culmination of the Penguin Parade - A marvel not to be missed. Top marks.

We had a wonderful day exploring Phillip Island with Posh Penguins. James was fantastic - very professional and ensured our day was a success. He reached out in advance of our tour for any last minute details. He was on time and had even brought water and great healthy snacks in the car, which was a very clean and comfortable mini van. Phillip Island is scenic and beautiful, and James is knowledgeable about the area. The penguins are super cute as well! Highly recommend a trip to Phillip Island using Posh Penguins and James as your guide.

Wonderful all day tour! Not just the Penguin Parade, which was a highlight, but many other animals and beautiful walks, with James, who is not only charming and easy to talk to but very knowledgeable!

James was a fantastic tour guide for our day on Phillip Island! He was prompt, the car was super comfy and was super accommodating. We really wanted to see animals and we were able to see so many both wild and at wildlife sanctuaries. He took us all over the island and showed us some great spots. He also gave us some great tips for the best penguin parade experience and I can’t tell you how special that evening was. Seeing hundreds of little penguins come from the ocean and waddle back to their burrows was incredible. Make sure you upgrade to penguin’s plus tickets - the grandstands would be very disappointing as they’re quite far away.

Fantastic! The Phillip Island Penguin Parade was the end goal, but James packed so much more into the full-day tour. He asked if there was anything specific I wanted to see, and suggested, “We can go to A, B, or C if you like.” He mentioned a place where I could pet a koala, and I immediately opted for that. A few minutes later at the Maru Koala and Animal Park, I got to meet Mana the Koala. He was soft, fluffy, and adorable, and I spent several minutes petting him as he sat on his perch, slowly chewing eucalyptus leaves and looking at me. Then, James walked with me through the rest of the park, telling me about the dingoes, emus, kangaroos (including all-white, albino ‘roos), wombats, and a Tasmanian devil. I loved that the ‘roos let us come right up to them. They even nibbled food from the palm of my hand. James took me to some more animal conservation parks on our way to the Penguin Parade. To my delight, I got to see wallabies bouncing through the woods, an echidna rooting in the ground for ants, and a kookaburra chirping in a tree. The Penguin Parade that evening was fun and fascinating. Watching the 12-inch-tall Little Blues come out of the sea in groups, and waddle up the beach to their burroughs and mates was the highlight of an amazing day. I highly recommend Posh Penguins and James. You will get a great tour, customized to your interests, with a professional, friendly, and knowledgeable guide.

We had a great trip with James to Phillip Island. The highlight was the Penguin Parade, which is definitely worth a visit. We were advised that the General Viewing can be crowded in the summer ( and it certainly was), so James got us Penquin Plus tickets. We were escorted by an enthusiastic park guide, and were able to go to special areas such as the underground viewing and the staff lookout tower. This full-day tour included other great experiences: the Koala Preserve, and Phillip Island Wildlife Park, where we were able to feed kangaroos and see Emus, large snakes, exotic birds and a Tasmanian Devil. James has a great personality. He was knowledgeable, relaxed, accommodating, and never rushed us. It was a fun day. I would definitely recommend this tour, especially with James.

What a wonderful tour we were given by James. Throughout the booking James kept in touch with me and explained everything in full detail. One could not ask for better guide. James avoided the crowds and insured that the animals we saw were active and entertaining. The Italian restaurant where we ate had delicious food and again, we were able to avoid the crowds. The penguins parade was a delight. We were mesmerized by an overstuffed penguin who kept toppling over as it waddled past the underground viewing area. The koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devil, kangaroos, snakes, long neck turtles and other animals all were fascinating. James also made a few stops where we could watch surfers and observe magnificent beach views. James is an excellent tour guide and a delight to be around. I highly recommend touring Philip Island in a small group; you will surely not be disappointed!

We took a 10 day cruise to the Great Barrier Reef from Sydney and after disembarking, we flew to Melbourne specifically to do Posh Penguin Parade and we’re lucky to have had James as our guide! Such a wonderful and easy to converse with young man! Totally enjoyed our 12 hours with him and learned so much from all his knowledge about the area and animals we seen. He truely enjoys what he does and it shows….i can’t imagine being able to enjoy showing people wild animals in their natural habitat! We upgraded to the underground bunker viewing area and it was not over crowded because they only sell so many tickets to prevent that from happening. People don’t listen though about not taking photos which is just awful….i could say so much more but won’t. The kangaroos hopping around the fields were excitingly enjoyable and James pointed out an echidna going into a field from the side of the road and said it’s rare to see that, so we felt special to be able to see it! I /we would not hesitate to do the tour again in a heartbeat especially with James! Well worth it We Thank you James! Gail, Larry, Brittany and Scott USA