About this tour
An 8-hour full-day tour combining Puffing Billy steam railway, Healesville Sanctuary and Yarra Valley chocolate tasting. You'll ride the heritage narrow-gauge train from Belgrave to Emerald Lake, spend time at the sanctuary viewing Australian wildlife, tour the chocolaterie, and travel by air-conditioned coach between stops. Suits families, rail enthusiasts and anyone wanting a classic Yarra Valley experience without the winery focus.
Highlights
- Ride Puffing Billy steam railway through Dandenong Ranges to Emerald Lake
- Full day entry to Healesville Sanctuary with native Australian animals
- Guided tasting and tour of Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
- Access to Emerald Lake scenic walking trails
- Air-conditioned coach transport between all attractions
- Suitable for all fitness levels and ages
What to expect
You'll be picked up and driven to Belgrave, where you board the heritage Puffing Billy steam train for a scenic 25-minute journey to Emerald Lake, passing through mountain ash forest. At Emerald Lake you have time to explore the lakeside and walking tracks. You then transfer by coach to Healesville Sanctuary, where you'll spend several hours viewing koalas, wombats, birds and other native wildlife across open-range enclosures. The tour finishes with a visit to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie for chocolate tasting and shop browsing before returning by coach.
Throughout the day you travel in an air-conditioned vehicle between the three main stops. The pace is unhurried, with built-in time at each venue rather than rushed transitions. Children travel free with valid child tickets, and prams can be brought on the train and used throughout.
What travellers say
- Combines three quality attractions in one seamless day trip
- Heritage steam train experience appeals across ages
- Sanctuary visit provides genuine Australian wildlife encounters
- All transport and entries bundled in single booking
- Relaxed pacing allows time at each stop
- All meals excluded; no lunch included in full-day tour
- Not viable option for cruise ship passengers
- Peak-season crowds and larger vehicle sizes likely
- Chocolate tasting may feel rushed depending on group
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This suits families wanting a full-day outing mixing heritage railway experience, wildlife viewing and food tasting, with no climbing or strenuous walking required. Most areas are accessible, though Puffing Billy has stepped platforms and the sanctuary has uneven terrain. All meals and drinks are excluded—bring a packed lunch or purchase on-site. Peak periods may see larger coaches used. Not suitable for cruise passengers due to timing constraints. Bring an umbrella if rain is forecast. Entry fees for attractions and chocolate tasting are included; any chocolate purchases are separate.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BookNow summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.