Top Things to do in Cowes
Top 10 Private Tours in Cowes, Victoria
Discover the best top things to do in Cowes, Australia including Half Day Phillip Island Woolamai Walking Tour, Day Tour of Phillip Island Nature Parks & Penguins, Private Phillip Island Penguin Parade Tour, Phillip Island Penguins Private Tour , 1 Day Exclusively Private Tour Of Phillip Island & The Penguin Parade , Great Ocean Road & Phillip Island - 3 Days, 2 Nights, 3 Day Private Tour Of Phillip Island, Great Ocean Road & Mornington Peninsula, 2 Day Exclusively Private Tour Of Phillip Island & The Penguin Parade , LGBT+ Friendly Full Day Phillip Island Private Tour, Pure Nature - Phillip Island, Penguins & Exclusive Wildlife Sanctuary Encounter.
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1. Half Day Phillip Island Woolamai Walking Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
During your stay on Phillip Island, walk the Cape Woolamai Trail to take in the spectacular views of Phillip Island and the surrounding coastline. The walk should take approximately 2 to 2.5 hours to complete. Lunch is at a cafe and we will have time to taste some wine at a local winery. Sightseeing Phillip island.All inclusive.
Inclusions: Lunch at a cafe, Sightseeing, Walk, Hotel pickup and drop-off, National Park fees, Bottled water, Driver/guide, Live commentary on board, Wine tasting at a local winery
Exclusions: Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase), Pickup from Melbourne and return to Melbourne (extra fee)
Reviewed By O9235XIrobv
My wife and I took the tour with Dianne on Anzac Day. As trading hours were different to normal Dianne was flexible enough to change her normal start time and shuffle venues to accommodate. Every venue we visited had something unique to offer and lunch was great. The transport was clean and comfortable and Dianne's local knowledge was excellent. Take the tour, it's one you won't regret.
2. Day Tour of Phillip Island Nature Parks & Penguins
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
Enjoy the sights of Phillip Island, the famous little penguins, the beautiful coastline, surf beaches and wildlife.This tour is all inclusive • 3 park pass Nobbies—Penguin, Churchill Island Heritage Farm, Koala conservation Centre • Lunch • Sightseeing—Phillip Island coastline and the Bass coast hinterland • Penguin Parade - General viewing penguin ticket • All inclusive including pick up form a Phillip island accommodation property. Please note: Pick up from Melbourne and return is an extra charge
Inclusions: Sightseeing, All activities, Local guide, Bottled water, Lunch, Driver/guide, Live commentary on board, Round-trip shared transfer
Exclusions: Pick up & return to Melbourne this is an extra charge per person.
Reviewed By O9235XIrobv
My wife and I took the tour with Dianne on Anzac Day. As trading hours were different to normal Dianne was flexible enough to change her normal start time and shuffle venues to accommodate. Every venue we visited had something unique to offer and lunch was great. The transport was clean and comfortable and Dianne's local knowledge was excellent. Take the tour, it's one you won't regret.
3. Private Phillip Island Penguin Parade Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
A trip to Phillip Island is a must for nature lovers and those seeking a unique Australian experience. The island is home to a collection of Australian native wildlife including the famous little penguins, fur seals and koalas. This insightful tour lets you get up close and personal with these animals and shows off the rugged coastline, where the rocky shoreline meets sandy beaches, often lined with keen surfers.
Inclusions: Phillip Island - Penguins Plus Experience, The Koala Conservation Centre, 2-course dinner, Bottled water, Professional guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Private tour
Exclusions: Food and drinks, unless specified, Gratuities, Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Reviewed By sherrisms
Our cruise ended in Melbourne and we had decided to stay there for a few days along with 3 other couples we were traveling with. Friends of ours had recommended Melbourne Private Tours and we are so glad they did. We booked 2 tours with them. The first was a city tour for the day we arrived. Dylan was our guide and he was terrific! He is very knowledgeable, has a great sense of humor and made for a very fun day. We went to the Botanic Gardens and Shrine of Remembrance, cottages on the beach and saw lots of street art. Dylan also made sure we had plenty of time to explore the market. When we booked the tour we asked if it could include Jewish sites but since it was Saturday we were told we would only be able to see them from the outside. But Dylan and MPT went the extra mile and made arrangements with the synagogue so that we could visit towards the end of services. The synagogue was beautiful and the Rabbi and congregation were so welcoming and we were so moved, it is the most memorable experience of our trip. The next day we did the Great Ocean Road tour to the 12 Apostles. It was a 13 hour day and it was terrific. Our guide for this tour was Neil and he was great. He took us all along the coastal road where we saw amazing views and lots of surfers. We stopped at a wonderful coffee shop with delicious pastries. But I recommend not eating too much at the coffee shop because you don’t want to spoil your appetite for the fabulous lunch that comes a few hours later. Lunch was family style and the food was ready when we got there. It was so good we asked to meet the chef so that we could applaud him and his wonderful staff. Along the way Neil stopped at a few different locations so that we could see kangaroo, koalas and birds up close in the wild. Neil got a crimson rosella to sit on my husband’s hand and we got great pictures of a kookaburra. The 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge were amazingly beautiful and as an extra treat we saw an Echidna in the bushes. We had a fabulous time.
4. Phillip Island Penguins Private Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
This is a must-do Nature Lovers private tour. Come touring with a Local guide with 10 years of experience to show you, not only the famous little Penguins, but everything else that this beautiful island offers.
Inclusions: Pads for seating at Penguin Parade, Bottled water, Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation, Coffee and/or Tea, Penguin Parade Tickets. Choice of VIP or GENERAL
Exclusions: Dinner
Reviewed By AmmarahTahir
Andrew was our private tour guide to great ocean road ... he was punctual and very courteous .... we were group of seven with variable interest and age range. He was very considerate of variable needs ...... he gave us a detailed tour of great ocean drive and stopped at the all the nice attractions on our way ... gave us enough time to explore ... took awesome photographs for our group .... the vehicle was super comfortable and water bottles were much appreciated ...
5. 1 Day Exclusively Private Tour Of Phillip Island & The Penguin Parade
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14 reviews
This bestselling private 12 hour tour includes pre-paid entry to some of the islands most popular attractions, including the Penguin Parade, Churchill island, Koala Conservation centre, plus one additional attraction of your choice (from our optional attractions list - e.g wildlife park). We also make a stop for wildlife spotting as we search for wild wallabies in a quiet natural woodland location. ***Please note that our visit includes your entry ticket to the 'standard viewing platform' at the Penguin Parade. if you wish to upgrade your ticket option to 'Penguins Plus' this will be an additional $30 per person (or $60 p/p for a guided ranger tour) and is strictly subject to availability. Please contact us in advance of your tour departure date, or prior to making a booking, if you wish to request this upgrade.
Inclusions: Entrance fee's to all the attractions that we visit are included in the tour price, All Fees and Taxes, Pre-paid entry to Churchill Island, Pre-paid entry to The Penguin Parade (General Viewing) *Upgraded tickets available at aditional cost, Pre-paid entry to the Koala Conservation Centre, Pre-paid entry to one additional 'Optional Extra' , Air-conditioned vehicle, Bottled water, Private transportation, WiFi on board, Professional Driver / Guide, Warm blankets for the Penguin Parade
Exclusions: Upgraded ticket option to the Penguin Parade (*subject to availability if you wish to upgrade). , Food and beverages
Reviewed By ir0nbru
Very good tour. Phillip Island is beautiful. I recommend taking a private tour as it’s catered to you. Particularly enjoyed getting out bush and looking for kangaroos and wallabies in the wild.
6. Great Ocean Road & Phillip Island - 3 Days, 2 Nights
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Take a private tour of the beautiful Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island, in your own personal luxury vehicle together with an experienced driver / tour guide. This trip will cover the entire Great Ocean Road, including all the main hot spots such as the world famous 12 Apostles, plus wildlife spotting, nature walks, ancient rainforests, towering rock formations. Phillip Island offers visitors the chance to see incredible Australian wildlife amongst spectacular landscapes. The Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island Heritage Farm and Nobbies Centre are just a few of the island's unique attractions. Stay overnight in Apollo Bay & and the 2nd night in Melbourne (Own Cost). Tour departs Melbourne 10am. Returns back to Melbourne late evening on the final day of the tour.
Inclusions: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Driver/guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Local guide, Local taxes, National Park fees, Bottled water, Fuel surcharge, GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Exclusions: Hotel Accommodation, Food and drinks, Gratuities
Reviewed By 395cat
Super day out. Fun, action packed, well organised, good standard of vehicle, safe driver, knowledgeable guide. Overall, an excellent day of touring.
7. 3 Day Private Tour Of Phillip Island, Great Ocean Road & Mornington Peninsula
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
This private tour covers Phillip Island,The Mornington Peninsula, as well as all the main sights along the Great Ocean Road. This tour has it all - Ocean vista's, abundant wildlife, scenery, waterfalls, rainforests and small coastal towns - This is THE Ultimate touring experience! Day 1 will be spent on Phillip Island - including entry to Churchill Island, Wildlife Park, Koala Conservation Centre & The Penguin Parade. Day 2 will be a snapshot of Mornington Peninsula, including a winery location for lunch and travel to Great Ocean Rd via Sea Ferry Day 3 will focus of the sheer natural beauty of The Great Ocean Road. Stay overnight on Phillip Island AND Apollo Bay. Please note that accommodation, food and beverage costs are NOT included. This tour is very flexible and features many different components. And as our tours are fully tailored to the guest experience, we recommend you call/text/whatsApp us to discuss these tour options pre-booking
Inclusions: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Fuel surcharge, GST (Goods and Services Tax), Local taxes, National Park fees, Driver/guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only), Private tour, Transport by private vehicle
Exclusions: Food and drinks, Overnight Accommodation, Gratuities
Reviewed By Myusernameistaken36
Henry gave us a great tour of Phillip Island, aided by some beautiful weather (thanks melbourne). He was a very knowledgeable guide and just a great guy to have to spend the tour with. We had a close family friend who warned us from doing a trip down to Phillip Island. They hated it. But the more I read up on the island, the more I realised that most other people that had visited the island, overwhelmingly had a positive experience. But now I understand why my friend hated it. They took a bus tour and when we compared notes on our tour, they described the places they stopped. Well they only visited 3 stops. We visited about 10 different locations and half of them were definitely not on the tourist map as we were the only ones there. But to be honest, these were my favourite stops. They were well away from the tourist buses and in fact probably not accessible to the buses as we went down some narrow roads. But the wildlife there was out of this world. So look, if you are going to to Phillip island at all, find out where you will be taken. How much value for money are you getting. Are the tickets included. Is there an advantage to taking a private tour. How well does your group mix with other people you have never met. Do you want to go and your own pace or happy to go at the pace set by the rest of the group. Do you want to be picked up from your hotel doorstep or are you happy to jump on a tram to meet the bus tour. Obviously these are not questions my friends asked before she booked her tour. So really, do your research people or you will just end up on a tour that isn’t right for you. There are lots of options so nobody out there should be licking the wrong tour for them.unless you are a lazy click and book person like my friend!
8. 2 Day Exclusively Private Tour Of Phillip Island & The Penguin Parade
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
This exclusively private two day tour includes paid entry to some of the island most popular attractions, including the Penguin Parade, Churchill island and the koala conservation centre. Plus, also choose one ''Optional Extra'' on each day of the tour (e.g. Wildlife Park, Winery etc) We make a stop for wild wallaby spotting, visit some stunning beaches, a winery and undertake some beautiful walks. **Please note that our visit includes your entry ticket to the 'standard viewing platform' at the Penguin Parade. Upgraded tickets to 'Penguins Plus' this will be an additional $30 p/person & subject to availability. We have a modern comfy fleet of vehicles 2018 models complete with USB chargers, air conditioning and tinted UV protected windows. Departure times vary during the year and range from 9:00am - 11:30am. And as our tours are fully tailored to the guest experience, we recommend you to discuss these tour options pre-booking.
Inclusions: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Fuel surcharge, GST (Goods and Services Tax), Local taxes, National Park fees, Bottled water, Local guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only), Transport by private vehicle
Exclusions: Food and drinks, Gratuities, Overnight accommodation (Please ensure you book accommodation on Phillip island itself), Upgraded ticket option to Penguins at the Penguin Parade (*subject to availability) - if you wish to upgrade to this ticket option please contact us as soon as possible. Upgrade tickets are $30 per person if available.
Reviewed By Myusernameistaken36
Henry gave us a great tour of Phillip Island, aided by some beautiful weather (thanks melbourne). He was a very knowledgeable guide and just a great guy to have to spend the tour with. We had a close family friend who warned us from doing a trip down to Phillip Island. They hated it. But the more I read up on the island, the more I realised that most other people that had visited the island, overwhelmingly had a positive experience. But now I understand why my friend hated it. They took a bus tour and when we compared notes on our tour, they described the places they stopped. Well they only visited 3 stops. We visited about 10 different locations and half of them were definitely not on the tourist map as we were the only ones there. But to be honest, these were my favourite stops. They were well away from the tourist buses and in fact probably not accessible to the buses as we went down some narrow roads. But the wildlife there was out of this world. So look, if you are going to to Phillip island at all, find out where you will be taken. How much value for money are you getting. Are the tickets included. Is there an advantage to taking a private tour. How well does your group mix with other people you have never met. Do you want to go and your own pace or happy to go at the pace set by the rest of the group. Do you want to be picked up from your hotel doorstep or are you happy to jump on a tram to meet the bus tour. Obviously these are not questions my friends asked before she booked her tour. So really, do your research people or you will just end up on a tour that isn’t right for you. There are lots of options so nobody out there should be licking the wrong tour for them.unless you are a lazy click and book person like my friend!
9. LGBT+ Friendly Full Day Phillip Island Private Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
This LGBT+ Friendly tour gives everyone a safe space in which to enjoy their private tour, with a guide who is also part of the LGBT+ community. The tour includes all admission tickets to all the attractions we visit. The tour has a set itinerary, but we encourage guests to contact us prior to the tour date if they have any specific interests, so we can include this as part of the tour. As it is a private tour, we try and give as much flexibility to our guests as possible.
Inclusions: Private transportation, Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board
Exclusions: Food and Beverages are at guests own expense during the tour
Reviewed By Line_up_the_guinness
We took a walking tour with VIC rainbow tours, the day we arrived into Melbourne. We have been to Melbourne before but pretty much walked around aimlessly and mainly stuck to the shopping malls - we do love to shop! This walking tour was well thought out and gave us a better knowledge of getting around the city. We stopped at landmarks we would otherwise have just walked past, and being a LGBT guide, James gave it the slant that we were looking for. We also took a trip with him down the great ocean road - that’s certainly not to be misse.
10. Pure Nature - Phillip Island, Penguins & Exclusive Wildlife Sanctuary Encounter
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 39 reviews
Our award-winning small group Phillip Island Penguin and Nature experience focuses on wildlife, conservation, and rugged scenery, culminating in the world-famous Little Penguin Parade in the evening without the typical tourist attraction "fillers". On the Island we visit a family-run open range wildlife sanctuary (we are the only tour operator that visits here - avoiding crowds for a fabulously relaxed and up close experience) where you can feed Kangaroos and Wallabies, walk amongst 80 species of Australian native animals and birds including Koalas, Emus, Wombats, and Echidnas. A fully guided interactive experience! You travel in the ultimate comfort of a Mercedes Benz vehicle designed for Australian touring conditions (11 guests) exclusively by us - no other operators vehicles even come close!. The Little Penguin Parade in the evening is the pinnacle event of this truly nature-based experience. Our guest reviews articulate our quality!
Inclusions: Complimentary accommodation pick up and return (Melbourne city central only - CBD)), Expert local guide, Luxury custom built Mercedes vehicles - unmatched space and comfort, All entrance fees included, Air-conditioned vehicle, Avoid crowds - exclusive locations and itinerary provide a complete and relaxed nature experience
Exclusions: Pick up outside of Melbourne city central locations.
Reviewed By winnel2021
My friend and I last minute booked the great ocean road and 12 apostles full-day tour in March with Paul and words cannot explain how great of a decision that was! It was an extremely long day with an early start and a late finish but Paul made the whole day exciting, enjoyable and interesting. Paul went above and beyond for us and the rest of the group, he also picked us up and dropped us home from our hotel. He even brought us breakfast full of muesli, yoghurt and banana bread! There were a few detours we had to make because of some group requests, however, Paul was more than happy to do so and was very accomodating. Paul is so down to earth, very knowledgeable not only about the tour but the history of Australia. He was super funny, caring and super friendly, I found myself laughing the whole trip! He is extremely easy to get along with and it felt like I had known him for years. I highly recommend anyone who is booking this trip to go especially with Paul, I can guarantee that you will have no regrets. Next time I visit Melbourne, I will be definitely be looking for Paul again! Paul if you're reading this, thank you so much for such a wonderful and unforgettable day for my friend and I!
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