Mountains & Great Ocean Road Ride

The tour starts with a day to savour the sights and sounds of Sydney, one of the world’s most scenic cities. It’s a great place to start your tour – Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Bondi Beach, ferry boats to Manly, not to mention the sports and nightlife, are just for starters.

Grab a taxi to the rental location, and your adventure starts in earnest. Head south from Sydney through the lovely Royal Park and along the coast. The blowhole at Kiama is worth a look as are the many superb beaches, great scenery and lovely coastal towns along this route. Your first overnight stop is at Batemans Bay.

Ride through huge alpine scenery in Australia? We’re really not kidding. Most people don’t realise that Australia has as many ski runs as Switzerland! Today brings fantastic twisting roads with breathtaking scenery past the towns of the snowfields. Don’t enjoy the nightlife of Jindabyne too much as tomorrow brings a big challenge!

The Alpine Way is tight, twisty and spectacular. You’ll pass Australia’s highest point, Mt Kosciuszko. On the other side of the Snowy Mountains in Victoria more great riding brings you to the picturesque town of Bright.

Spend some time on the superb roads of the Bright Loop, with the wilderness scenery of Mount Beauty, the Alpine National Park and Mount Buffalo National Park.

Continuing from Bright, northern and central Victoria has its own share of beautiful scenery and winding roads. Your day ends in the historical gold mining town of Castlemaine.

A short easy day riding through the Victorian Goldfields with their old-fashioned towns, bakeries and coffee shops gets you settled in Halls Gap with plenty of time to explore the spectacular Grampians National Park.

Continue your exploration of the Grampians National Park’s superb wildlife, lookouts, lakes and waterfalls. Relax, explore the local area and perhaps take a walk or two through the peaceful scenery. There’s even a winery for the adventurous!

You’ll want an early start today because there’s so much to see! The Great Ocean Road is simply one of the most spectacular coastal rides in the world. You’ll pass London Bridge, the Arch, the Grotto and the 12 Apostles. Don’t forget Port Campbell National Park!

The remainder of the Great Ocean Road has countless places to stop and take pictures on this section of amazing coastline. Give yourself plenty of time, take in the views and stop at the coastal towns to soak up the atmosphere. The day ends in bustling, cosmopolitan Melbourne.

This city has so much to see and do! Lygon Street has superb Italian restaurants for an al fresco meal and you can tour the city quickly and easily on the trams. Take a walk along the Yarra River, have a coffee or glass of wine at one of the many bars on the way.

Leave Melbourne and head south-east. The Gippsland coastline is easily the equal of many other natural wonders. It has the largest inland lake system in Australia, the pristine sands of 90 Mile Beach and little commercial development.

Today’s ride is longer and has fewer stops but the scenery remains outstanding. At the end of the day you’ll be in Australia’s capital and political heartland. Don’t despair, there’s more to it than politics, diplomacy and monuments! Serenity, country charm, cool cafés, excellent wines and superb restaurants are its hidden charms.

Another superb day’s riding brings you to Bathurst, the oldest inland city in Australia. There’s plenty to see on the way and in Bathurst so our advice is to get up and get on the road early!

A shorter day in the saddle but it’s big on views! You’ll arrive early in the Blue Mountains with its incredible scenery, huge waterfalls and the second largest canyon on earth. Spend the rest of the day exploring the Three Sisters, Wentworth Falls or taking cable car rides and lovely walks to a host of scenic lookouts.

Ride a circular route back around the mountains and explore more beautiful mountain scenery.

On the final day ride back to Sydney via the back roads. This evening enjoy a great dinner in one of the restaurants of the famous Rocks area overlooking the spectacular Sydney Opera House, or enjoy a drink in one of the historical pubs popular with locals and tourists alike!

Your tour is over, and it’s time to head back to the airport, or on to your next adventure, with some fantastic memories.