Phillip Island Penguin Parade & Wildlife Tour from Melbourne
Overview
Available languages
12 hours
Mobile ticket
Discover one of Australia’s most iconic wildlife experiences on a full-day journey from Melbourne to Phillip Island with Explore Australia Tours.
Travel in comfort on our small group tour aboard our purple bus, guided by a passionate local expert.
Visit Moonlit Sanctuary to see koalas, kangaroos and more in a natural bushland setting. Take in coastal views at Cape Woolamai (summer only) and enjoy a relaxed stop in Cowes.
Stroll the Nobbies Boardwalk for sweeping ocean views and wildlife spotting before the highlight of the day.
At sunset, watch hundreds of little penguins waddle ashore at the world-famous Penguin Parade.
With all entry tickets included, multilingual audio via our free app, and an eco-accredited focus, this is a seamless and unforgettable way to experience Victoria’s wildlife and coastal beauty.
This is a truly unique opportunity to get up close and personal with nature and wildlife!
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
Visit Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, where you will encounter iconic Australian wildlife including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, reptiles and the elusive Tasmanian devil. Set within natural bushland, this immersive experience allows you to get closer to native animals while learning about vital conservation efforts. You may also have the opportunity to enjoy an up-close encounter with a koala or wallaby (additional cost applies).
Cape Woolamai
Feel the sand beneath your feet with a scenic stroll along Cape Woolamai Beach, one of Phillip Island’s most spectacular coastal locations. Known as a world-class surf beach, watch skilled surfers ride powerful waves while taking in sweeping ocean views and dramatic coastal scenery. (Time permitting)
What‘s Included
Multilingual audio commentary via the Explore Australia app-based (code provided by your guide)
All National Park fees
Travel in modern air-conditioned vehicle
General entry to Phillip Island Penguin Parade
Friendly and knowledgeable local guide
Selected Melbourne pick-up and drop-off
Entry into Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
Small-group Phillip Island experience
Lunch is available to purchase at Moonlit Sanctaury
Dinner is available to purchase at Phillip Island
Snacks at own expense
Options
Tour Plus Penguins Pus
Penguin Plus Upgrade: Superb up-close viewing from the tiered seating in Penguins Plus.
Pickup included
General Viewing
Pickup included
Reviews
155 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Beautiful day :)
Jessica V,Apr 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The sanctuary was nice but obviously the real highlight was seeing the penguins! They were soo adorable! I also really loved the Nobbies- when you get there walk to the left side (the path splits)- very magical place :)
Incredible sights, but bus needs improvement
P5866AGrickr,Feb 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00We saw some incredible sights among the nobbies, the penguins and the ocean pyramids. But, there was a lot of lost time waiting for the bus to pick up at different locations. The seating on the bus was too tight. No leg room, especially when you are spending several hours on the bus. The driver was very nice, but less joking and more facts would have improved the tour.
Don’t go on a weekday!!
ericahm2026,Feb 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00I took this tour on a weekday, which turned out not to be the best choice. One of the towns we stopped in had all their cute souvenir and boutique shops closed which left only restaurants open, so we ended up with about an hour there and very little to do. We also visited Moonlit Sanctuary, which was a huge letdown. The sanctuary looked run down and not very well maintained, and the overall atmosphere was quite depressing. We spent around an hour and a half there, which felt far too long for what there was to see. The rest of the tour included a few quick stops at beaches and coastal viewpoints, but nothing that really made up for the earlier parts of the day. I would have been better off renting a car and exploring on my own, especially just to see the penguins. NOT WORTH IT!
We had the most...
Jessica D,Jan 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had the most incredible experience!! I couldn’t recommend it enough!! Our tour guide Peter was so great!!
Highly recommend
Debra G,Jan 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Not to be missed! We got to see lots of animals at the wildlife preserve, and the penguin parade was incredible. Alan, our driver/guide, was excellent.
Plus seats are over priced for the number and placement of many of those seats.
235swapnag,Dec 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The overall experience was good. Although for the Plus seats, the extra expense was too much given that many of the plus seats don’t even face the sea. E only realized towards the end that we were missing a big part of the experience of seeing the penguins gathering on the beach since we couldn’t see the sea at all.
Wildlife experiences
soraymap2025,Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide José was lovely and did everything to make the experience unforgettable for us; his enthusiasm was the best! Our guide Scott was able to tell us a lot about the wildlife on French Island as well and knew exactly where to go for the perfect sightings.
Relaxing, value for money, totally worth it.
Bryan Y,Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A relaxing, no-hard-selling tour experience. A very comfortable trip for us to wind down indeed. Our guide Stuart was always on time, gave lots of best practices tips on what to do/ look out for on site and during the road trip, good music in the bus, knew when to speak/ when to be quiet, passionate about preserving the nature and the animals. No rush from one place to another. We got to touch the koala and feed the kangaroos/ werribees/ ducks in Moonlit, witness the magnificent waves and wonderful little penguins in Philip island. Though meals are not included in the package, we got to buy nice food on premise and in the Cowe town.
The smallest (and cutest) penguins in the world
grace c,Sep 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We enjoyed the day- it was an easy pickup from the Mail Exchange hotel, then a seamless drive to the Moonlit Sanctuary (we got to feed so many wallabies and kangaroos), a few other less memorable stops, then Phillip Island for the smallest penguins in the world. We had a wonderful time seeing the animals, and I also appreciated that our guide/driver gave us an additional information about the city sights as we drove to the different drop-off locations.
great day order to see koalas and penguins
353silvanos,Aug 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00a well organized tour everything worked very well and our guide José was always super attentive, helpful and kind.
Related Experiences
Operated by Explore Australia Tours