Dandenong Ranges Private Day Tour
Description
Get out of the city and spend a relaxing and peaceful day out in nature in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges which is less than an hour from Melbourne by road. Discover the majestic and ancient forests on a leisurely walk and spot wildlife. If we're lucky we might run into the beautiful and elusive Lyrebird. Learn about the flora and fauna, as well as the history of the area. Enjoy a wholesome lunch at a homely and cosy restaurant. After lunch we will go to the Alfred Nicholas Gardens which has a beautiful Japanese inspired lake garden at the bottom of the hill and then our final stop will be to the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden which showcases an award winning native Australian garden. This is a private tour catering to a group of up to 7 people and can be customised on the day. Please note that if you make a booking for you or your group then no one else will be able to book, ensuring that it is a private tour just for you.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Take a leisurely walk in the main forest of the Dandenong Ranges, where you will be amongst the second tallest trees in the world, the Mountain Ash eucalyptus tree, and the ancient Fern tree forest. Soak in the sights and sounds of this beautiful forest.
After our forest walk, we'll drive to the little village of Kallista to stop over at a cosy restaurant for lunch.
After lunch we'll drive to the beautiful Alfred Nicholas Gardens, and take a walk and spend time at the Japanese themed lake garden towards the bottom. A popular place for photography.
After the walk in the Alfred Nicholas Gardens, we will drive to the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens to check out the award winning Chelsea Australian Garden, and stroll around the botanic gardens. It's a kaleidoscope of colour in spring, but is beautiful in all seasons.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up time is 10.00am. The tour guide will pick up customers from the accommodation if it's in the city centre, or north of the city. Please make a request to be picked up in the notes and provide the name and address of accommodation, while making the booking. The tour guide will be in contact close to the date of travel, to confirm the pick up location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Visit to a cosy restaurant after forest walk
Reviews(70)
I can't say enough about our day with Jay in Dandenong. He picked us up promptly at the time of our choosing, he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the plants, animals, people and geography of the area, and most importantly he was super friendly and really put us at ease. We now have a smart new friend in Australia. The forests and gardens in the mountains are stunning and soothing. Well worth the short trip out from the hustle of Melbourne.
Thanks for a great review matey, appreciate it! Enjoy the rest of your trip. Cheers, Jay
We booked with Awaken Tours and Jay the owner was our driver and guide for the day. Jay was fantastic, he arrived on time and was so friendly and knowledgeable about the areas we visited. If you are looking at booking any tours, make sure you contact Jay at Awaken Tours, as you won't be disappointed.
Thanks for a great review mate, appreciate it. All the best, Cheers, Jay.
We appreciated Jay’s suggestion to start our tour earlier to benefit the better weather and cooler temperatures for our hikes. The hikes were stunning and our lunch stop was well timed. Jay’s knowledge of the flora and fauna was impressive.
Thanks for a lovely review Molly, all the best to you both. Cheers, Jay
This is a great way to experience the Dandenong Ranges forest, vegetation and birdlife. We also visited two additional picturesque Gardens & experienced the Jay’s Lunch Special. All in all, a great and memorable day. Thank you very much Jay. Doug & Sylviane Calgary Canada
Thanks for a great review guys! All the best to you both. Cheers, Jay
Had a wonderful day with Jay. He is quite knowledgeable about the area - it’s flora and fauna and it was so nice to see how much he loves Australia and being out in nature - making him the perfect guide for this excursion. His transportation is comfortable. Had a great lunch too. We had nice conversation- felt like we got to know him without being overwhelmed or talked at all day like tours can sometimes be. We found it spectacular to see the tall trees and all the beautiful gardens. Highly recommend!
Thanks for a great review matey, enjoy the rest of your Aussie adventure. Cheers, Jay
It was a beautiful, relaxing day in nature. Jay was an excellent guide. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and full of interesting conversation and insights. The eucalyptus forest smelled incredible and we enjoyed watching all of the birds. Lunch was delicious and we really enjoyed seeing the Australian plants at the botanic gardens.
Thanks for a lovely review Stephanie, really enjoyed hanging out with you guys yesterday, all the best with the rest of your Aussie adventure, Cheers, Jay.
It was a nice day out with Jay, he has a lot of knowledge on the area and the nature we were walking through.
Thanks for a lovely review matey, all the best. Jay
Jay was excellent - we had an amazing tour! Highly recommend to everyone who wants an informative experience with a tour guide that is knowledgeable.
Thanks Kristin, for a great review, appreciate it. Jay
Although it was a rainy day that impacted a bit on the day, Jay was amazing in regards to his knowledge and ability to show us the beauty of the area. We would gladly have spent another day travelling with Jay!
Thanks Kevin, for a lovely review. Enjoy the rest of your time down under. Jay
We had a great guide. Jay took us on three beautiful walks in the Dandenong Mountains . The scenery was fantastic.
Thanks for a lovely review David, enjoy the rest of your time in Australia. Jay
