Great Ocean Road Tour Review 2026: Why I Chose a Tour 3 Times

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If you're heading to Melbourne,

The Great Ocean Road is an unmissable adventure!

I've visited Melbourne three times,

and I've done the Great Ocean Road all three times! Haha.

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And all three times, I opted for a tour.

Actually, during my second trip to Australia,

I did consider renting a car to go.

But in Australia, unlike many countries,

vehicles drive on the left side of the road, and the steering wheel is on the right!

I felt that long-distance driving in an unfamiliar environment

would be too much, so I ultimately chose a tour.

In fact, the Great Ocean Road day tour I took

from leaving Melbourne to returning

took about 12 hours.

When I thought about having to drive all the way back to Melbourne myself

after a full day of sightseeing,

I really felt I made the right choice by picking a tour.

Even if I were to go again now,

I'd probably choose a tour if it's a day trip from Melbourne.

Great Ocean Road Tour vs. Rental Car?

Rather than one being inherently better than the other,

it really depends on your travel style.

If This Sounds Like You	Recommendation
First time driving in Australia	Tour
Short Melbourne itinerary	Tour
Day trip	Tour
Long-distance driving feels daunting	Tour
Want to linger at specific spots	Rental Car
Familiar with driving in Australia	Rental Car
Traveling leisurely (1+ nights)	Consider Rental Car

The advantage of a rental car is the freedom

to stop wherever you want!

Conversely, I preferred a tour because I could relax while traveling

and fully focus on sightseeing once we arrived.

It just suited my style better.

How to Choose Your Great Ocean Road Tour?

If you search for Great Ocean Road tours,

you'll find so many options.

At first glance, they might seem similar,

making it easy to just pick the cheapest one.

However, I recommend comparing itineraries before looking at the price.

✔ How many people are on the tour?

✔ Which attractions will you visit?

✔ What is the meeting point?

✔ Is a Korean-speaking guide available?

✔ Tour group size and inclusions

✔ Departure and arrival times

Even if you're visiting the same Great Ocean Road,

the stops, duration at each, and group size can vary greatly

between different tour packages.

Since you'll be spending most of the day traveling together,

if the price difference isn't significant,

I really recommend also comparing the group size and the vehicle type.

I've been comparing tours and there's one that really caught my eye.

While comparing various options this time around,

what stood out to me

was a Korean-speaking guided tour limited to a maximum of 16 people.

It's different from the tour I personally took,

but if I were to book again now,

I'd start by comparing tours with these kinds of conditions.

✔️ Small group, max 16 participants

✔️ Professional Korean-speaking guide

✔️ Vehicle tailored to group size

✔️ Includes major attractions like the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and The Grotto

Especially if large group tours feel overwhelming,

or if you prefer to move around in a smaller group,

it would be great to compare these kinds of options too!

Since the Great Ocean Road is a long day trip,

rather than just looking at a difference of a few dollars,

I recommend comparing price, group size, vehicle, and itinerary all together.

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What if the weather is cloudy, can I still go to the Great Ocean Road?

The last time I visited,

the weather wasn't great at all.

The sky was overcast,

and I was a bit disappointed that my photos didn't turn out as beautiful as I'd hoped,

but the sightseeing itself went on as normal,

and I even took a helicopter tour!

However, after my ride, the weather deteriorated further,

and I even saw the helicopter for the next slot turn back.

So, unlike Great Ocean Road sightseeing itself,

it's good to know that helicopter tours

can be subject to changes or cancellations depending on the real-time weather conditions on the day.

While these aren't the prettiest photos,

I think they actually do a better job of showing that I really went there

even in this kind of weather!

If you're curious about the helicopter tour,

I've also written a separate review about my experience taking it on a cloudy day.

If you're wondering about a Great Ocean Road helicopter tour

and what it's like to take it on a rainy day,

check out the review below!

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So, Tour or Rental Car?

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✅ One-day trip + uncomfortable driving in Australia

→ Tour

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✅ Comfortable driving in Australia + leisurely trip for 1+ nights

→ Consider a rental car

On my second trip, I even considered a rental car,

but in the end, I chose a tour all three times,

and I found this method more convenient for my travel style.

If you're visiting the Great Ocean Road for the first time,

I recommend starting by checking which tours are available on your desired dates

and comparing their itineraries and prices!

If you're struggling with your overall Melbourne itinerary,

you can also refer to the Melbourne 3-night, 4-day itinerary

I put together earlier!

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