length

5 Days

difficulty

Moderate

trip cost

From $2490 pp

Icons / stylised / time Created with Sketch.

length

5 Days

Icons / stylised / difficulty Created with Sketch.

difficulty

Moderate

Icons / stylised /cost Created with Sketch.

trip cost

From $2490 pp

Nature Immersion

Cultural Interest

Guided Trip

our walk experts

  • Overview
  • Highlights
  • Local Produce
  • Accommodation
  • on the trail
  • Local Knowledge
  • Private group tour
  • Itinerary
  • Inclusions
  • Exclusive Guide
  • Similar walks

Overview

Guided Food, Wine, Walking

This walk will be a treat for your senses: magical views, fresh air, the wonderful Australian smells and sounds, the roar of waves crashing, and kookaburras cackling. Each day you will be privately transferred to one of our favourite local walks. Explore bushland paths among the eucalypts and ferns; walk along open grassland and clifftops trails enjoying expansive ocean views, and discover the historical gems of an old unused rail trail.

We will explore some of the many food highlights of the Peninsula: calling in at local farms and producers, where you can taste the wonderful produce – whether its olives, vanilla slices or cider! We visit a prestigious winery who will open their cellar door to offer a bespoke wine experience and  explore a stunning secret garden, and enjoy some of the Peninsula’s iconic restaurants. So it goes without saying you’ll be more than rewarded after each days walk.

By the end of these 5 glorious days you will have seen and tasted some of the best the Mornington Peninsula has to offer – and will probably have a suitcase full of treats to take back home.

*Please note that this trip requires a minimum of 4 clients to depart

Mornington Peninsula hiking0007

Highlights

Get Ready For

  • Walk some of the best trails
  • Experience Mornington Peninsula’s many taste sensations
  • A local, knowledgeable guide
  • Visit to secret garden and wildlife park
  • Feast on lunches featuring fresh and local cuisine
  • Taste and learn about local wines at an award-winning winery
  • Behind-the-scenes experience on a farm/apple orchard and olive grove
Peter Tarasiuk - February 2017

Local Produce

Enjoy

A variety of delightful experiences awaits. We eat at the award-winning Montalto Vineyard, winner of the ‘best cellar with food’ award ( ‘Gourmet Traveller’)  door again in 2022. In other locations, we learn about the local wine or cider production (and taste of course). Wander through sculpture gardens and feast on lunches at iconic venues of the freshest, seasonal local produce available – seafood from the Bay, olive oil from the local groves, fruit and vegetables from farmers’ fields and orchards. We also visit a Chocolaterie, the beautiful historic home of the Diggers club for lunch and a secret Garden estate  & and Wildlife Sanctuary inspired by the owner’s world travels.

Portsea Holiday Village

Accommodation

Where we stay

We stay in great accomodation: the delightful Flinders hotel in the village of the same name, inspired by the natural coastal surroundings, the boutique Flinders Hotel offers luxurious and relaxing accommodation with its own attached pub/restaurant where we take breakfast. In Portsea we stay at resort style accomodation that offers sea views, heated indoor pool, sauna, spa pool & gym, all within close proximity to the beach and the Portsea Hotel.

It is also possible to have an upgrade for 2 nights to the new grand Continental Hotel in Sorrento for an additional fee (date and availability dependent).

Walkway down to London Bridge

on the trail

the experience

Some sections involve walking through grassy dirt paths where the track is firm under foot, while other sections can be muddy, depending on the weather conditions. The trail will be undefined in sections and hikers should be sure-footed and have a good sense of balance. There are also a number of beach and dune sections (in particular along the Coastal Trail) so hikers need to be prepared for walking on sand, which can be tough going but also a highlight. You can expect to walk between 3 and 4 hours each day with regular stops to take in the natural beauty, and for snacks and lunch.

MP team

Local Knowledge

We are the Locals!

Our Mornington Peninsula trips are close to our heart because we live here. Your Mornington Peninsula trip is booked, driven or led by people who actually live in the area and have a passion for our home. We know these walks and eateries because that’s where we go in our spare time and nothing beats being shown around by an enthusiastic and knowledgable local. RAW Travel has had its headquarters on the Peninsula since 2010.

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Private group tour

With friends and family

This trip can be run as your own private tour! Get a group of friends or family together and share a memorable pack-free adventure. Private tours are the perfect way to celebrate special events and special people. And they are so much fun! Choose the pre-designed itinerary or we can customise the trip to suit your specific needs. It’s that’s easy. Contact us to get started.

 

Itinerary

Daily Details

Day 1: MORNINGTON BELEURA HILL (3km) RED HILL TO MERRICKS TRAIL (6KM) – LOCAL WINERY EXPERIENCE

Welcome to the Mornington Peninsula!  Arrive by 8.30am at Frankston train station (approx. 1 hour by train from Melbourne CBD) where you will meet your fellow travellers, RAW Travel guide and bus driver.

Then you’ll be transferred to nearby Mornington where we’ll have a coffee and thorough briefing with your leader about the week ahead as we take in views of the picturesque harbor. Today we start with an easy walk from the Mornington foreshore framed by red sandstone cliffs and iconic bathing boxes of Mills beach. We’ll follow a trail that takes upto the clifftop mansions and beautiful gardens of Beleura hill from where you can get great views of Port Phillip and then meet our driver and van. From here it’s a 20-minute transfer to the gateway of the wine region, picturesque Red Hill where we commence our next walk. The trail to Merricks follows an old railway line and is a leisurely downhill walk on a wide path past vineyards and avenues of cedar trees. Passing rolling pastures on either side you will get some beautiful views of Westernport Bay across to Phillip Island.

Walking into the coastal village of Merricks we will take lunch a the Iconic general store, with a delicious menu that reflects the seasons and local produce available. There is also some excellent local wines to be sampled at the informal cellar door experience here, showcasing some local favourites.

Afterwards we transfer to Point Leo Estate with its stunning architecture and sculpture park by the sea. This prestigious winery will open its Cellar Door to offer a bespoke wine experience that is both informative and entertaining with the highly awarded winemaking team, where you will sample fragrant white grape varieties in the sunshine, sipping on a red for the cooler days – or perhaps a bit of each! Afterwards we wander the beautiful Sculpture park which includes includes works by major international as well as major Australian artists, all with a stunning backdrop of views across the waters to Phillip Island.

With full bellies, we will return to our accommodation in Flinders where the evening is at leisure. Flinders is a charming hamlet that is home to bespoke art galleries, quaint cafés and restaurants, a chocolaterie and a great pub.

Meals: Lunch

Day 2: SEAWINDS GARDENS/ARTHURS SEAT/KINGS FALLS (8KM) - HISTORIC GARDENS LUNCH

After breakfast we transfer to stunning Arthurs Seat, the highest point on the Mornington Peninsula and a prominent feature on the Port Phillip Bay landscape due to its summit of 314-metres. Atop Arthurs Seat the views across the bay to Port Phillip Heads, the Melbourne city skyline, Mount Macedon and the You Yangs Ranges are spectacular.

We commence our walk through Seawinds Gardens winding down to Kings Falls.

Seawinds Gardens features William Rickets sculptures dotted throughout the park, Rickets was an Australian artist who embraced Aboriginal spirituality and respect for the natural world as his general message throughout his works. We have time to relax at Kings Falls, a naturally formed stone terraced escarpment.

We then head off to a historic Heronswood, home of The Diggers Foundation to enjoy our lunch and wander through the gardens abundant with heirloom flowers and vegetables.

In the afternoon we will visit a beautiful 10-acre farm which started its life as a dairy but now produces olive oil, cider and cordials. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look and a wander through the olive groves. The grove has over 1300 trees featuring a range of olive varieties. In harvest season you have the opportunity to purchase the freshest oil that cannot be found in any shop. Enjoy a tasting of their award-winning apple and pear cider. It is produced with a fusion of heritage crops from their own farm with more modern varieties from their neighbours. On a sunny day there is nothing more refreshing than a quince pear and apple cider! And in the cooler months, how does a warmed spiced cider sound?

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: BUSHRANGERS BAY/CAPE SCHANCK/FLINDERS BLOWHOLE (7.5KM) - BISTRO LUNCH

After breakfast, we head to the coast for some more cliff-top trails. We will be transferred a short distance via Flinders Blowhole to start our walk to Bushrangers Bay, a popular spot with local walkers. Stunning vistas and views of rugged Bass Strait coast accompany our walk, offering up lots of photo opportunities. The track is gently undulating, mostly sand and dirt underfoot. As we near the end, glimpses of the red-topped lighthouse that sits on the clifftop overlooking Bass Strait will appear through the trees. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is constructed from limestone blocks and has been in operation since 1859. Today it continues to provide ships with safe passage between Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne, though Bass Strait. We will descend down the boardwalk stairs to the edge of the Cape, the Southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula, stunning in any weather. After we finish at Cape Schanck we’ll head to our lunch at a local eatery.

We have a light lunch at a local bistro before our transfer to the historic seaside town of Portsea, an area rich in history and boasts having some of the oldest and highest limestone buildings in Australia. The site of Victoria’s first European settlement it is now a popular destination for tourists with restaurants offering menus inspired by the season’s local produce, organic meat, handmade cheese, daily fresh and ethically sourced fish, and plenty of recently harvested vegetables and fruit. Dinner is included tonight at a local contemporary restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: STEFANIE RENNICK WALK/GARDEN ESTATE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY/MILLIONAIRES WALK (8KM) - BISTRO LUNCH

After breakfast we will be transferred to the Stefanie Rennick Walk. Stefanie was a local conservationist working to prevent the spread of an African weed on the Peninsula. She promoted the establishment of designated walking tracks on the Mornington Peninsula to preserve native flora and implementing The Two Bays Walking Trail was one of her first projects.

The Stefani Rennick Walk leads us to a secret garden! Here we will enjoy a special morning exploring 55 acres of private gardens, combined with a native wildlife reserve, offering a unique and memorable experience. Take your time to wander through these gardens enjoying the 20,000 plants across 18 garden terraces. Each individual garden has been inspired by the creators’ travels around the globe as well as from our very own backyard. Developed over the past 18 years it truly is a botanical wonderland. You will be joined on your walk through the gardens by many animals who call this sanctuary home; from alpacas to miniature goats, native birds to peacocks, emus to the rare albino kangaroos just to name a few. We will have morning tea including Sorrento’s famous killer vanilla slice which many Melburnians travel to the Peninsula purely for this freshly baked sweet treat.

After our garden experience, we will head off for lunch to a bistro that prides itself on using produce supplied from local growers when in season. Much of the vegetables used in the restaurant come from organic markets in the area. In the afternoon we will have a meander along what is known as the ‘Millionaires Walk’. This clifftop stroll will make you feel like a trespasser as you literally walk through the backyards of some of the most prime real estate you could find. As we wander along, take in the views of beautiful homes and private jetties, seeing firsthand ‘how the other half live’ on this exclusive part of the Peninsula.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 : POINT NEPEAN NATIONAL PARK (9KM) - ICONIC SORRENTO RESTAURANT FAREWELL LUNCH

Today we get to experience both sides of the Peninsula, as we venture out on the narrow and spectacular neck of Point Nepean at the southernmost tip.

Driving on to Portsea we will arrive at the entrance of the Point Nepean National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty and historical interest. Walking along both coastal and bushland tracks we will pass a number of historic sites including the Quarantine Station, (Australia’s largest and most long-running) and many former military defences, which in WWII played an important role in protecting Victoria’s coast. Also on the walk to the Point, you’ll pass the memorial to drowned Prime Minister Harold Holt at rugged Cheviot beach. reaching the Point itself there are incredible views either side of you of Bass strait and the Narrow entrance to Port Phillip bay known as the heads, one of the most treacherous straits of water on the planet for ships to navigate in rough weather.

We finish at Sorrento back beach where we will be transferred to the contrasting bayside front beach for our farewell lunch at The Baths, an iconic Sorrento restaurant perched on the beach with the sand at your feet. We can reminisce about our walking adventure together while enjoying our farewell lunch overlooking Port Philip Bay.
We then transfer back to Frankston train station (or Mornington) to say our final goodbyes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

IMPORTANT NOTE: All daily distances are approximate and the itinerary is subject to change. RAW Travel reserves the right to make necessary itinerary changes based on local conditions, track closures, group safety, extreme weather or unforeseen difficulties with local suppliers.

Inclusions

What's included?

Included
  • 2 nights ensuite accommodation in a boutique hotel at Flinders
  • 2 nights ensuite accommodation in a boutique accomodation at Sorrento/Portsea
  • 4 hotel breakfasts
  • 5 lunches including:
  • – Gourmet lunch lunch at a prestigious winery (includes wine tasting)
    – The Baths in Sorrento (food only)
    – Bistro Lunches (local produce)
  • 1 dinner at local Sorrento/Portsea Restaurant
  • Secret Garden visit
  • Refreshment and snack stops
  • Farm and olive grove visit including cider, olive oil and cordial tasting
  • Private transfers throughout plus pick-up/drop-off at Frankston train station
  • Experienced RAW Travel walking guide
  • Dedicated driver and support vehicle throughout
  • All luggage transfers
  • National park admission fees
  • Full carbon offset for your trip and an Australian tree planted on your behalf
Excluded
  • Travel insurance
  • Dinners other than those mentioned in the itinerary (can be taken at your accommodation or nearby restaurants and pubs)
  • Beverages, other than mentioned in the tastings
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Single supplement (extra $745) – please enquire, limited single rooms available.
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Exclusive Guide

get inspired

Discover inspiration, travel essentials, practical information and more in our free Destination Guide. All you need to know about walking and exploring Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

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Customer Star Rating of 5   

Customer Testimonials

Everything was wonderful about the Mornington Peninsula Highlights/Epicure walk. The staff, Dave and Mandy, were friendly, knowledgeable and efficient and did all they could to make the trip one to remember. The accommodation was good and the food was so delicious that one was never hungry from start to finish. The safety aspect was a great attraction for those who were either unfit or old because there was always the option of hopping in the bus (within reason) if things got too tough. The itinerary made the most of the available highlights of the Peninsula; and what’s more, not a single snake was sighted. I am eagerly looking forward to my next RAW adventure.

Jane Purton - 16 MAY 22

Customer Star Rating of 5   

Customer Testimonials

Just a note to let you know how much I enjoyed our recent walk with Raw. We were so well looked after, from beautiful accommodation, great food and best of all two of the best guides ever Mandy and Nicki! I would definitely recommend this walking trip to my friends and family, in fact we haven’t stopped talking about all the good times since we arrived back in Gerringong NSW! Thanks for such a memorable holiday and a big cheer to Mandy and Nicki who were so caring and informative they made the whole trip magic! The Mornington Peninsula certainly is a beautiful spot to visit.

Lois McCallum

Customer Star Rating of 5   

Customer Testimonials

I have just completed the “Highlights of Mornington Peninsula “ tour with my friends Lois, Lorraine and Eva.I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed it. Our guides Nicki and Mandy were amazing.Their knowledge of the area and its history made the whole experience so interesting.We had thought about doing the self guided tour at one stage and we are so pleased that we had all the inside information from both Nicki and Mandy.

The whole tour far exceeded our expectations.  Every detail had been considered and catered for.  Our accommodation in Flinders and Sorento was wonderful. The morning teas were greatly appreciated and lunch at Merricks was very special. Our picnic lunches from Jules at Flinders were way beyond expectations.

Nicki and Mandy went out of their way to ensure that we saw and experienced every part of the Peninsular that we spoke to them about and wanted to do. They tailored the trip to suit us. They were amazing!

Sue Dmetreson

Customer Star Rating of 5   

Customer Testimonials

The Mornington Peninsula combined Highlights and Food, Wine, Walking trip was my first RAW Travel experience, indeed my first ever walking holiday. However, it will not be my last. The combination of varying lengths of walk, through diverse and stunning landscapes, with excellent culinary experiences, comfortable accommodation and a small group of lovely people, was invigorating and uplifting (especially after Covid restrictions). The friendly and down to earth RAW Travel guide and driver were flexible and accommodated everyone’s needs. It was all very enjoyable and a feast for the senses.

Frances Summers, May 2022

Customer Star Rating of 5   

Customer Testimonials

I wanted to write and tell the RAW team how much we enjoyed our “Mornington Highlights’ trip last week. Of course the Mornington Peninsula has stunning scenery, superb dining, and a lot of fascinating things to see. But for us, our guides Nicki and Mandy really made this an unforgettable experience. Having Nicki with us to lead our little group and having Mandy there with the snack / recovery van just made it such a carefree 5 days. We didn’t have to worry about anything. And we really enjoyed spending time with the other couple on the trip, Maree and Don. They were fun, smart, and certainly very fit walkers.

To top it all off on the day of our anniversary the van showed up laden with balloons and a gift from Nicki and Mandy. Very thoughtful. They also gave us tips for the few days we stayed on the peninsula after the trip ended. All in all it was a great experience and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Please pass on our thanks to Nicki, Mandy, and the team.

Norman Hermant & Karen Percy

Customer Star Rating of 5   

Customer Testimonials

A walk with RAW on Mornington Peninsula was far more than we could ever have imagined. A local guide with knowledge of trails off the regular path and afternoons that surprised and intrigued. Can’t wait for the new RAW adventure.

RAW Travel put together an innovative and wonderful guided trip for us on the Mornington Peninsula. Our guides Nicki and Mandy were very experienced and competent. It was a great mix of exercise, beautiful natural environment and vistas and food/wine/cultural experience.

Mary and Craig Saphin

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TRIP date selection

when would you like to travel?

Please select your preferred dates for on-demand trips or select a scheduled date for group departures. If you have booked a self-guided trip please understand that because your trip date is on demand and we must check availability of all properties on your chosen dates before it can be fully confirmed

dates
availability
price
single occupancy
dates
20/03/2023 - 24/03/2023
availability
Sold Out
price
$2,490
single occupancy
$745
dates
15/05/2023 - 19/05/2023
availability
price
$2,490
single occupancy
$745
dates
02/10/2023 - 06/10/2023
availability
price
$2,490
single occupancy
$745
dates
30/10/2023 - 03/11/2023
availability
Sold Out
price
$2,490
single occupancy
$745

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