Great Ocean Walk - Guided 4 Days

Make this a shorter day and enjoy an afternoon at Johanna fossicking or take time to relax at the lodge. First up, cross the river and continue on to Castle Cove. Taking a short side trip to the beach it is possible to see dinosaur fossils in the limestone cliffs behind, and surfers tackling the daunting southern ocean waves. One of the most diverse days, todays walk continues at the cliff tops of Castle Cove, the trail head for a lovely coastal path that meanders through heath land, wildflowers and grasstrees before dropping onto Johanna beach itself. The last 2km before lunch are beach walking, with the Southern Ocean crashing only metres away from each footstep.
Walking distance: 15km Walking time: 6 hours Grade: Easy to Moderate

Day 2: Johanna to Moonlight Head The Wild Side

At Johanna Beach, the trail crosses into farmland where some of the most contented cows graze only metres from the Beach. A change of pace, sees us finish the day on Old Coach Road, ready for the Wild Side of the walk. This is the most challenging section of the Great Ocean Walk. We drop down a path of Manna Gum and Stringybarks to beautiful Milanesia Beach before turning upwards for a short, but steep climb to the top of the ridge. Once on the saddle, we follow the contour of the hillside about 50 metres above sea level. There is then an ascent of 138 steps then the trail continues in a westerly direction until a steep climb leads us out of the forest and into a clearing. Be rewarded with superb views of the coast leading back to Cape Otway; then from Cape Volney there are breathtaking views of the western coast.
Walking Distance: 16km Walking Time: 6 hours Grade: Moderate to Hard

Day 3: Moonlight Head Road to Princetown:

The views of the Southern Ocean just get better and better and the Gables Lookout showcases the best the coastline has to offer. If tides permit, Wreck Beach will be the trail for the morning, otherwise its a lovely gentle afternoon of coastal walking to the hamlet of Princetown.

Walking Distance: 17km Walking Time: 6 hours Grade: Moderate

Day 4: Princetown to the Twelve Apostles

The final stretch departs Princetown over the reeds and rushes of the wetlands. Just over the ridge, the 12 Apostles reveal themselves slowly with each step upwards giving glimpses and then a dip takes them away. Finally, the end peak delivers spectacular private viewing opportunities away from the madding crowds. Continue on to the 12 Apostles visitor centre. From here it is a 3.5 hour return road journey to Melbourne.

Walking Distance: 7km Walking Time: 3 hours Grade: Moderate to Easy

• around 7.00am we give a gentle knock on your door to plant the seed of getting up (that is, unless you're already up or have let us know the night before that you don't intend to walk).
• between 7.00am and 8.00am enjoy breakfast and a briefing of the day ahead.
• between 8.00am and 8.30am we set off for the day. Usually there is a short vehicle transfer to the place we start our walking.
• between 8.30am and 9.30am set out on fresh tracks with the day ahead and the trails to ourselves. Most days your guides carry lunch for you and there is no appointments along the way. So, there is no reason to hurry and nowhere in particular you have to be. Want to walk further each day? There are ways to cater for you. Want to hang back a bit and take photos of the flora? No problem. Chat to your guide and they will show you some vantage points. On average we walk between 12 and 15km per day and our emphasis is on discovery, not speed.
  All guides carry satellite phones and are in touch with the support vehicle throughout the day.
• around 4.00pm miraculously (or not!) your driver knows just where to meet you, whisking you back to the guest house in time for a hot shower, a massage (one included per walk), pre dinner drink and a delicious 3 course meal.