Australian Natural Adventures

Wildlife, Nature & Soft Adventure Tours

Custom Australia, New Zealand & Pacific tours and travel

KANGAROO ISLAND

Kangaroo Island is one of our favorite places in Australia. It's second to none for wildlife, and friendly people. Although it's possible to see a lot of wildlife in one day, we recommend two days, and preferably two nights, to really see what Kangaroo Island has to offer, and its wildlife.

As an island, and a pretty laid-back one at that, the wildlife is not much concerned about humans, and so some exceptionally close encounters are possible. In addition to KI's wildlife is beautiful and often specatcular scenery, and our tours feature fresh local ingredients in a gourmet lunch, complete with fine South Australian wines. There's a range of accommodation available, from beachfront hotel to private B&Bs.

Kangaroo Island 2-Day Tour

Day 1
This morning transfer to the airport for your 20 minute flight to Kangaroo Island. You are met upon arrival, and begin your day of exploration. You’ll first visit the redgum forest along the Cygnet River valley to seek out koalas sleeping in the forks of the trees, then travel through some of the best wool-producing areas on the island to a conservation park on the north coast. Here we walk through the habitat of Kangaroo Island Kangaroos, Tammar Wallabies and the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo. For lunch enjoy a delicious seafood barbeque served with fine South Australian wines before heading to a colony of Australian Sealions. At Seal Bay Conservation Park a walk among Sealions on a beautiful sandy beach may reveal watching pups nursing or playing in the surf. Old bulls bear the scars of territorial disputes, as your guide explains when he tells us about their unique breeding biology. In the afternoon we visit Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park including D'Estrees Bay - where ospreys nest, and kangaroos come out late in the day to feed. After this you are dropped off at your accommodation for the next three nights. This evening take a shorter trip to look for wildlife at night, including the tiny Fairy Penguins which return to their burrows each evening from foraging in the sea. (L,D)

Day 2
Flinders Chase National Park is a 74,000 hectare (190,000 acre) wilderness which covers the entire west end of the Island. We’ll visit Rocky River Homestead - originally a small farm and now the Park headquarters. This area is home to kangaroos, wallabies, possums, goannas, echidnas, koalas, platypus and many birds including the rare Cape Barren Goose. At Cape du Couedic on the south-west tip is a New Zealand Furseal colony which is rapidly expanding. These animals can be observed at rest on the rocks or frolicking in the surf under Admirals Arch - a spectacular coastal grotto. On the headland above is Cape du Couedic Lighthouse which plays an important role in navigation. Further down the coast are the Remarkable Rocks, huge natural granite sculptures on the cliff top. Lunch today is a picnic in the bush before exploring more of the Island. Depending upon the day you might take a walk to a secluded cove, or watch for a platypus by a quiet pool. You return to the eastern end of the island via Vivonne Bay, one of the few protected bays on the south coast, and your accommodation. (B,L,D)

Day 3
Take an early morning personal walk or simply relax, enjoy a delicious breakfast then you are transferred back to the airport for the short flight back to Adelaide, arriving at 10am. (B)

For those short of time, either day can be taken as a single day tour. Flights to and from the island may vary according to your individual itinerary - you may fly over the evening prior to Day 1, and return the evening of Day 2; occasionally itineraries require a flight over morning Day 1 and return Day 2. The tour is designed around the flights, so nothing is missed whichever flights are taken.

Cost: $1295 (subject to change) per person twin share, including flights, 2 nights accommodation in 4.5/5 star B&Bs, transfers, touring, entry fees, taxes, and all meals from lunch Day 1 until lunch Day 2.

Some of our clients comments:

"I think American nature travelers such as ourselves have certain expectations to see some of the more anticipated marsupials and in this regard K.I. came through. We able to see Koalas, Grey kangaroos, and echidnas, each was a thrill. The guide did a marvelous job - he was very friendly, very knowledgeable and the itinerary with a superb lunch each day was received very well by everyone in the group." - Tim

"The Kangaroo Island expedition was perfect. Tim Williams is a very impressive guide who delivers the goods in a very understated way. We saw more wildlife in that one day than you see at any zoo! The kids were thrilled. Lunch was fabulous - King George whiting on the barbie, with all the trimmings." - Ron