Small-Group Phillip Island Afternoon Day Trip from Melbourne
Description
Watch the Little Penguins waddle home at dusk. No big bus, just a small group and a great guide. Be treated to a visit at Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park where you will have the opportunity to interact with an array of Australian native animals such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, an array of colourful birds & reptiles. Visit the Nobbies - home to the largest colony of fur seals in Australia. Then it is on to the gala event! Delight in the magic of visiting the world-famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade where you will have the privilege of witnessing a true miracle - our beautiful little penguins arriving ashore to one of the largest penguin colonies in Australia. After a long swim at sea, they will be dressed up in what looks like a tuxedo - marvel at these stunning flightless birds as they waddle right past you on the way to their home. Enjoy this highly personalised tour with a small-group limited to only 11 passengers.
Tour Options
Itinerary
See Australia’s unique wildlife
watch
The new visitor centre provides more information about the Little Penguins, souvenir shop and cafe. Here you will see the penguin parade. Times vary depending on season between 90 minutes and two hours.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will message you pick up time from specific hotels. *** Please note this is the time when we depart that hotel, you need to be there at least 5 minutes before that time ***
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children 3 and under not catered for. Booster seat available for children 4 to 7 available.
- Tour not normally suitable for cruise ship passengers. Tour starts between 1 and 2 pm depending on time of year from city centre and finishes between 8:30 PM and 11:45 PM. It is your responsibility to check you can make it on time to avoid missing out on tour and cancellation fees.
Reviews(785)
We took the small-group Phillip Island afternoon trip with a stop at Moonlit Sanctuary. Our guide for the day (I think his name was Travis?) was fantastic. He loves what he does and he communicates his enthusiasm and knowledge. He gave us running commentary on what we were seeing on the way out of Melbourne. At Moonlit Sanctuary, he took us through the different areas and animal exhibits (and made sure my 13 year old got into the koala encounter - and what an encounter it was! My son said it was the experience of a lifetime! He pet a koala who was posing and hamming it up for the camera!). The guide knew the animals personally (which kangaroo was which and how each typically behaved, etc) and the staff there. Amazing experience. We then continued to Phillip Island, where he took us through the Nobbies, pointing out the penguin nests and finding some that were occupied, as well as stopping at beautiful lookouts over the stunning coast. He then gave us a briefing on what to expect at the penguin parade (where to stand and go for the best views - how much time to spend at the viewing platform - we took one of the platform upgrades - and when to head to watch them walk along the path). One thing we liked a lot about our guide - he cared about the animals and their welfare, driving carefully and slowly along the island roads to preserve the safety of the animals and their habitats (we saw large buses coming through at high speeds, even though there were some animals on the road).
Really memorable day. Travis was our guide: from the moment he picked us up he was informative and interesting. Really clearly outlined the itinerary.
We took the excursion to Phillip Island to attend the Penguin Parade and we spent a truly beautiful and unforgettable day! A special thanks to Josh, who was very kind, helpful, and super knowledgeable. He accompanied us throughout the day with great professionalism and friendliness. Thanks for everything! Highly recommended!
Quite an exquisite experience seeing the phenomenon of penguins leaving the sea.
A really wonderful way to see some wildlife up close and the fairy penguins. We also saw some whales when we arrived on Phillip island. Gary our guide found a great balance between interesting stories and quiet time. My 2 teens also loved this tour.
Josh was a terrific guide. He shared his knowledge with us in a cheerful manner. Beaches were beautiful, sanctuary had native animals and the little penguins were cute as can be. Spring for the Penguin Plus ticket; it's worth it .
An amazing tour with a great guide. Gary was awesome. Feeding the wallabies and kangaroos was a blast and the fairy penguins are too cute.
Travis was a very good trip advicer and showed us perfect spots for watching the animals. He also told us very much interesting information👍🏼 10/10 guide🙌🏼
Amazing experience, recommended 10/10
Travis was a great guide. Amazing trip!
