Melbourne Intro
A week of awesome activities in one of Australia's top cities
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Group Size: Max 24
Trip code: MLBN
Duration: 8 days
Spend a week getting to know magical Melbourne on this epic group tour! This bohemian city is packed with edgy bars, hip boutiques and art galleries as well as everything Australia does best, from breath-taking beaches to a sunny urban skyline. We’ve thrown in tons of activities, including surf lessons, wine tasting, wildlife encounters and excursions to the golden beaches of Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island. Whether you’re just visiting Melbourne or planning to add this on to a longer Aussie adventure, it’s a great way of seeing the best this region has to offer.
Trip highlights
- Meet some unique local wildlife including koalas, kangaroos and penguins
- Learn to surf like a local
- Go ‘out out’ with a mega Melbourne bar-crawl
- Go wine tasting on Mornington Peninsula
- Take a tour of the city’s top foodie spots

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Day 1: Welcome to Melbourne! Arrive into amazing Melbourne and get set for the best 8 days of your life! You’ll be met at the airport by a local team member and taken to your accommodation in the city. Relax, freshen up and prepare to meet your Melbourne amigos!
Day 2: Welcome Meeting & City Tour. Your week of adventure kicks off this morning! After a welcome meeting, take a walking tour of the city – you’ll soon realise why so many travellers love Melbourne! Tonight, enjoy a group dinner on the banks of the Yarra River.
Day 3: Foodie Melbourne. Get a true flavour of Melbourne by sampling its culinary delights! Kick off the day in Queen Victoria Market, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest. Then go on a mouth-watering tour of the top foodie hotspots in Melbourne! You will also learn about the Aboriginal history of the area on a heritage walk in the Botanical Gardens
Day 4: Mornington Peninsula & Phillip Island. Today leave the city behind for Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island. Soak up the golden beaches and spectacular views, enjoy a wine tasting session and then round off the day watching 500 tiny penguins on the beach, before settling into your island accommodation. What a day!
Day 5: Surfing lesson and kangaroos! Grab a board and learn how to ride the waves like a true Aussie this morning. Then get up close to some of Australia’s most unique critters. Don’t forget to grab some pics with your new kangaroo and koala friends!
Day 6: St Kilda. Venture into beautiful St Kilda with its colourful buildings, swaying palm trees and beautiful beaches. Spend the day strolling around the promenade, sipping coffee in one of the cool alfresco cafes and lazing on the beach – lush!
Day 7: Free time and bar crawl. Today’s yours to spend as you please in this incredible city. Tonight, unwind with a few beers and a pizza before going ‘out out’ on an epic Melbourne bar crawl.
Day 8: Farewell BBQ. Spend the morning relaxing and recovering from last night. This afternoon, enjoy a few beers and a rooftop BBQ with your mates and relive all the epic memories of the last week.
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Online booking isn't currently available but if you'd like to enquire please use the form below. Alternatively if you'd like to discuss alternate trips or if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to contact us.Most expensive: £1,603 July, 2023
You should fly into Melbourne Airport (MEL) at any time on day 1. You’ll be met by one of our local team and taken to your accommodation.
The trip ends on day 8 and you can depart at any time. Return airport transfers are not included but easily arranged locally.
Accommodation
7 nights of accommodation are included. You’ll spend 6 nights in a boutique style backpacker accommodation in the heart of the city. The contemporary style rooms feature iPod docking stations, high quality mattresses and flat screen TVs. Building facilities include a rooftop terrace with stunning city views, sun loungers and a swim spa, a well-equipped fitness space with treadmill, cross trainer, exercise bike and multi-station gym, a shared kitchen and lounge space, commercial grade laundry facilities, a full travel desk to help you make the most of your time in Aus, and a balcony BBQ area for those legendary Aussie grills. You’ll stay in multiple occupancy mixed dorm-style rooms with 4 – 8 bunk-style beds per room. Each bed has a lockable locker, private reading light and power points and there are shared bathrooms just down the hall.
You’ll also spend 1 night in a gorgeous hostel on Phillip Island, which has a kitchen, rooftop deck and on-site cafe.
If you’d like to upgrade to a private room for extra cost, we may be able to arrange this for you. Please speak to a travel advisor for further details.
Meals
2 lunches and 2 dinners are included on this trip. You will also participate in a food tour on day 3. Some drinks are provided, including 4 drinks on the bar crawl. You’ll have to buy all other meals, drinks and snacks yourself. Australia is paradise for foodies, so you’ll be spoilt for choice!
The minimum age to join this trip is 18.
You need a visa to travel to Australia. British citizens can get an eVisitor visa direct from the Department of Immigration and Border protection, free of charge, which allows you to stay in the country for up to 3 months. If you’re planning to work in Australia you’ll need to apply for a Working Holiday Visa. You’re only eligible for this if you’re aged 18 - 30. Please see our Absolute Melbourne Jobs programme for more information about our work programmes in Melbourne.
Visa rules and regulations are subject to change. Please check the relevant embassy websites for up to date information.
This trip is designed with your safety and wellbeing in mind. As a result of Covid-19, many of our suppliers and partners around the world are introducing new policies and procedures surrounding health and safety in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. As the state of travel is evolving these new safety measures will adapt over time, and will be different for each trip. Here are some of the changes you may see on your trip:
Arrival safety meetings
Most trips have an arrival meeting on the first day where the guide or local team will run through the trip, the safety protocols, and to answer any questions you may have. Now more than ever it is important you arrive in time for these meetings.
Proof of vaccination or negative covid test
For the safety of all travellers, at the start of some trips you may be required to show evidence that you are fully vaccinated (14 days after your second dose) and/or show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the tour start date in order to join the programme.
Updated hygiene and safety procedures
Our suppliers and partners have health and safety procedures in place on all of our trips. These protocols will be updated and adapted as a response to the Coronavirus outbreak, dependent on local restrictions and laws.
Transport and accommodation choices
Our suppliers and partners choose the accommodation and transport on our trips very carefully, and you may see a change to what would normally be used as a response to the outbreak. This may involve such changes as enhanced use of private transport or quieter accommodation.
Trained and knowledgeable staff
Our staff in the UK are trained to help you with your trip before you depart and answer any questions you may have. In addition, the local team and guides on our trips are there to help with any health and safety concerns and to ensure our trips run safely and smoothly.
Reduced group sizes
Some trips will run with reduced group sizes to start with. You may find that trips are more intimate and chilled, whilst still being packed with fun and adventure.
Healthcare
Your guide or the local team will be on hand to help you seek medical attention should you require it during your trip. As medical facilities and standards can vary around the world, you should ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place before you depart to cover you for any medical emergencies.
24/7 emergency support
We operate an emergency phone line for our travellers abroad. This is operated by a UK based member of staff 24/7 if you have a genuine emergency or urgent matter that you need attending.
It is important that you take measures to make travelling safer for yourself and others around you. Ensure you frequently wash your hands, cover your face when you sneeze and cough, bring and use your own hand sanitiser and facial coverings/masks, and enable social distancing where necessary. You should also ensure you listen to the instructions and guidance of the local team at all times, and follow all local laws and restrictions.