Australia · WILDLIFE
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 wildlife trips worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Spend 13.5 hours on the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne with koalas, parrots, rainforest, Gibson Steps, the 12 Apostles, and Loch Ard Gorge.
“Warren was such an amazing guide he really made the experience and I’m so glad that he was the one to show us the great ocean road! He was so funny yet so informative. Such a brilliant day out!”
See Brighton’s bathing boxes, feed kangaroos at Moonlit Sanctuary, visit the Nobbies, and watch Phillip Island’s little penguins return at dusk.
“We had a great time! We didn't want to drive ourselves, but were worried the experience would be too touristy or dull, happily, it was quite the opposite! Cloe was wonderful! She entertained us with lots of interesting history and wildlife tidbits, talked just the right amount and was very relaxed, even when we came up to the wire on time. Highly recommend this tour and if you can manage one with Cloe as your guide, do it!”
See the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge, wildlife and Great Ocean Road on a crowd-smart day tour from Melbourne for $46.
“what an absolutely amazing day. my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. David Hsu, our tour guide, is such a genuinely nice guy. He kept everyone entertained throughout the day with his very interesting talks about the history of Australia and the sights you will see on the journey. He made sure everyone new the pick-up times and ensure everyone's safety throughout. David Hsu uses headsets for his tour which are fantastic. Very clear, easy to use and, should you need a bit if quite on the coach ride, can be turned off and you will not be disturbed. We saw some amazing sights and would we couldn't recommend this…”
Glide quietly along the Daintree River to spot crocodiles, birds, frogs, and snakes on a one-hour solar-powered wildlife cruise.
“Made a last minute booking for family to spend an afternoon in Port Douglas. The trip was just as described, perfect relaxing ride around the Daintree River. Even though it was in warm November and we were warned that the crocs may bRead more”
Review of a Blue Mountains day tour from Sydney with Scenic World rides, the Three Sisters, lunch, wildlife, pickup, and practical tips.
“This was an amazing not to miss experience. Stunning views and great tour guide. Definitely recommend it!”
See kangaroos and koalas at Featherdale, hike to Wentworth Falls, and visit the Three Sisters on a full-day Blue Mountains tour.
“The tour itself was good, featherdale was amazing and we stopped at three lovely places. However, we didn't have nearly enough time at any stop. It would've been better to cut one out or shorten lunch and have more time at each place. But I won't have good memories of this trip because of the Sunday guide. He spoke non-stop for the entire 8ish hour trip. I don't think he paused for more than a minute. Half of this was knowledge and informative about the locations, history, plants and animals and aboriginal traditions. However the other half was aggravating! Family life in great details, insulting the British or Queensland, screenplays…”
Cruise the Daintree River for crocodiles, birds, local stories, and rainforest views, with friendly guides and refreshments included.
“We enjoyed the experience of seeing crocodiles in their natural habitat and listening to Brad's knowlege and story telling , very informative.”
See Sydney Zoo, ride Scenic World, and take in the Three Sisters on an 11-hour Blue Mountains day tour from Sydney for $147.
“It was an excellent trip, our guide Tom and our driver Bruno did very well as we had quite a large group (42).We could have had more time at Sydney Zoo as once we had fed the kangaroos and had photos with the Koalas it didn’t leave much time for the rest of the zoo. We had a nice stop for lunch at Leura and then on to Blue mountains and scenic park, a full but enjoyable day, well done”
See Wentworth Falls, the Three Sisters, native wildlife, and a Blue Mountains sunset on a guided 10.5-hour trip from Sydney.
“wonderful - greg the guide from autopia was fnatastic - good fund and knowledgeable & hte programme was just right thought the day was long it did not feel so”
Review of the North Stradbroke Island day tour from Brisbane, with Brown Lake, Gorge Walk, koalas, beaches, ferry travel, and practical tips.
“Rio is an amazing tour guide, he really made sure that we were able to spot some Koalas and Kangaroos as he knows a few places where they often like to hang out. I enjoyed that the tour wasn't rushed, that we actually were given time at each stop to spend a bit of time and take in the scenery insted of stopping for 10 minutes taking pictures and leaving again. For anyone who would like to learn a bit about the island's history and obviously see some of its wildlife I can really recommend this tour.”
Review of Bunyip Tours’ Phillip Island day trip from Melbourne, with Moonlit Sanctuary, coastal stops, and the famous penguin parade.
“Absolutely 5-star experience. Tour guide Chris H. is informative and had given clear and concise account of South Australia nature and native history and best tips to watch penguins. He is very friendly and helpful and sometimes humorous. Enjoyed the tour very much.”
Review of Sydney’s Blue Mountains tour with Featherdale wildlife, Wentworth Falls bushwalks, Three Sisters views, villages, and small-group travel.
“Ben, our guide, provided a plan for the day that was tailored to the group. He demonstrated a deep knowledge of the history of key points of interest along the way, while maintaining a great pace throughout the day.”
Explore Russell Falls, feed kangaroos, visit Richmond, and reach kunanyi/Mt Wellington on a 9-hour Hobart day tour.
“Thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery Tasmania has to offer. Our tour guide was brilliant. I was a little disappointed in Bonorong Park and was very much hoping to see a Tassie Devil and the baby wombats, but didn't see either. I understand it was daylight hours but the park does advertise they have them to see.”
Combine koalas, kangaroos, boutique Hunter Valley wineries, cheese, chocolate, and lunch on a small-group day trip from Sydney.
“Nice tour, the wildlife park is really nice and obvious animals well looked after, I personally would prefer lunch at a winery rather than a resort, the first winery I didn’t rate - Allandale, just wasn’t great at all. Second winery was beautiful and really good - Bon Villa, and would be nice to have a bit livelier music on way home. With a change of lunch venue and changing out first winery would be 5 star. Sam was a really good guide and knowledgable.”
Ride Puffing Billy through the Dandenong Ranges, then meet koalas, kangaroos, and birds of prey at Healesville Sanctuary.
“I had a wonderful time. As a solo traveller, I didn't feel left out even for a second, thanks to the amazing guide, Gary. Highly recommended him. Truly enjoyed the experience!”
Pick a coast, a rock or a cellar door.
