What‘s Included

What To Expect

Reviews

• Be prepared

  Serena S,

  Jun 17, 2025

  - Viator

  4.00

  Make sure you dress as warm as possible. We bought some extra knit hats at one of the souvenir shops. The souvenirs were cheaper in Cowes than the penguin center too. We regretted not paying for the Penguin Plus option as we couldn’t see anything with general admission though we did see a few penguins along the boardwalk.

• Crowded, small bus but fun

  Donald P,

  Feb 8, 2025

  - Viator

  4.00

  The bus was very small. Sanctuary was ok, have to pay extra for encounters with animals. Nobbies were so busy could hardly walk down walkways. Penguin parade fun but people were continually walking by and standing up so hard to see penguins and even when asked to not take pictures they would try and do it, very rude.

• Out of the City and into nature.

  debbie F,

  Oct 4, 2024

  - Viator

  5.00

  I booked this trip to get out of the City and into nature for the day. I'm so pleased that I did and enjoyed every minute of it. Spending time with the animals and by the ocean. The penguin parade was beautiful and I loved not only seeing them but watching the sun go down by the ocean. Fantastic day!

• Kids said, “Best holiday ever!”

  Nicholas L,

  Sep 7, 2024

  - Viator

  5.00

  We recently took the Full-Day Penguins and Wildlife Nature Experience from Melbourne, and it was an unforgettable adventure! Although the pickup from the Regent Hotel was slightly delayed, it didn’t affect our schedule, and we made it to the first destination on time. The tour offered excellent value for money, especially compared to another tour we took the previous day, which included Puffing Billy, Healesville Sanctuary, and the Chocolate Factory. That tour was $300 more and ended early at 3:30pm, partially due to storm damage on the tracks, though this was no fault of the organizers. The highlight for the kids was the Moonlit Sanctuary. They loved getting up close to feed kangaroos, wallabies, and the many ducks (that would pick up the scraps). We spent most of our time feeding the animals, we bought 3 portions of kangaroo feed which was plenty. A local we met mentioned that the Moonlit Sanctuary is a hidden gem and offers a more intimate experience for kids compared to other places. I couldn’t agree more! Afterward, we drove to the Nobbies, where we walked along the boardwalk, taking in the stunning views while trying to spot penguins in their burrows. The scenery was breathtaking. The Penguin Parade was next, and sitting in the front rows made it even more special. The seating was divided into two sections, and some penguins wandered right between them. If you go, I recommend bringing a mat to sit on the sand and get as close as possible. The best part of the tour had to be our driver and guide, whom my kids affectionately named Captain Bill. He was amazing with the kids, engaging, and shared plenty of information for the adults during the drive. Hearing my kids say, “This is the best holiday ever!” was a true testament to how well he entertained them on the way back from the Mornington Peninsula to Melbourne. My 8-year-old even declared him the “best captain in the history of captains,” and my 6-year-old wholeheartedly agreed.

• Good but rushed

  Sabrina C,

  Aug 20, 2024

  - Viator

  4.00

  The trip was great overall but the schedule was way too rushed. There was a couple who need to go to the French island instead of the moonlit sanctuary, and so the tour guide need to use extra time to pick them up somewhere else. The rest of us were left in a place to wander around the souvenir shops with not much to do for 45 minutes. That made the schedule quite rushed and we didn’t really have enough time for the nobbies and the penguin parade tour.