kangaroo island walk walking in a wildlife park with no fences!
Guided group tour
7 day itinerary
highlights
Wildlife abounds - kangaroos, wallabies, possums, echidnas, goannas, sea-lions, fur seals, penguins, koalas, Cape Barren geese, Australian Sea-lions and with some luck a platypus
Visit historic lighthouses and spend 2 nights in the lighthouse keepers' cottages
Remarkable Rocks, a natural wind sculpted masterpiece
Limestone caves featuring unusual helictites
Walking tracks to suit all levels of ability
Kangaroo Island is the third largest island in Australia. With over 25% of it protected, it’s a paradise for walkers and naturalists alike. We’ll focus our walking on the spectacular western end of the island where tall limestone cliffs dominate the coastline and deeply incised creeks flow out to the azure sea. As well as stunning coastal landscapes, there are vast areas of wilderness and highly visible terrestrial and marine wildlife.
Remarkable Rocks
The naturally wind sculptured Remarkable Rocks formation lies atop a remnant granite outcrop, testament to 500 million years of nature’s handiwork. Admirals Arch displays the ability of the ocean to carve and shape the coastline. There are over 7000 fur seals that frolic on rock platforms and in the sea here.
Wildlife abounds. Over the years, many threatened mainland species have been introduced to Kangaroo Island. This, combined with the absence of foxes and rabbits and the conservation of large tracts of bush, has resulted in a wealth of wildlife. Expect to see kangaroos, wallabies, possums, echidnas, goannas, sea-lions, fur seals, penguins, koalas, Cape Barren geese, Australian Sea-lions, fur seals and with some luck a platypus or two.
Kangaroos and Cape Barren Geese are common
At Seal Bay you’ll see Australian Sea-lions in their natural habitat, and at Penneshaw there’s an evening walk to see a penguin rookery.
Spring is a wonderful time to see the spectacular array of wildflowers, birds and mammals. There are approximately 40 endemic floral species on the island and the Cape Barren geese nest on top of the native iris grasses to incubate their eggs.
As well as walking you’ll visit Kelly Hill Caves and see ornate limestone formations, sinkholes, caverns and extensive chambers. These are no ordinary caves – you’ve no doubt seen stalagmites and stalactites, but have you ever seen helictites?
There are historic lighthouses to explore, each with its own unique features and inspiring history. At Cape Willoughby enjoy a walk through history and the opportunity to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Cape Borda’s special square lighthouse is perched high above Investigator Strait. It was built in 1858 to guide sailing ships arriving off the “roaring forties” trade winds. We’ll also visit charming Cape du Couedic lighthouse features intricate stonework detail.
There are plenty of beaches as well, including the long curving sweep of Vivonne Bay, recently proclaimed the “best beach” in Australia.
location
This holiday starts and finishes in Adelaide.
grading
You should be in reasonable shape, but there’s certainly no need to be a triathlete! On some days we’ll do a full day walk and on other days there may be several shorter walks. Our full day walks generally involve 5-7 hours on the track at a moderate pace, though this might be broken into two or three separate sections. On some days there will be shorter options offered or you will have the chance to pull out part way along. So, most people should find options that suit their fitness level.
The walking ranges from easy to moderate. If you choose the easier options then you’ll find the walking easy and suitable for people who’ve never done a walking holiday before. We will also offer some moderate walks and a couple of quite challenging hikes, including some off-track walking along cliff tops.
One of the easier walking tracks
on Kangaroo Island
Historic Cape Willoughy Light
accommodation We'll spend the first two nights at a seafront hotel in Penneshaw - either in hotel rooms or garden villas, all with ensuite. The next two nights are at Cape du Couedic lightstation (shared bathrooms) and the final two nights are at Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat.
kangaroo island seafront resort
A hotel with a delightful waterfront setting. All rooms have ensuite bathroom and the property features a swimming pool, half tennis court bar and restaurant.
cape du couedic lightstation
These beautiful restored stone cottages are set in bushland adjacent to the lighthouse itself. It’s a great place to watch the sun set. There are 3 cottages and each has 3 bedrooms and one bathroom. Hence, no ensuites – we’ll all need to share for these two nights. Everyone will need to share a room with another person. There are 3 rooms available with queen beds and the rest have 2 single beds. The guides will prepare meals (there are no restaurants nearby) – dinners will be substantial but will obviously not be a-la-carte! Note that, due to limited time, we cannot cater for very restrictive diets. Vegetarians are OK but if you have specific requirements, please contact us prior to booking to discuss what we can and can’t do. Staying at a remote Lightstation such as this is a special experience!
Lighthouse keepers' cottages at Cape du Couedic
kangaroo island wilderness retreat
This wilderness retreat is in a bushland setting adjacent to the Flinders Chase National Park. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms. We’ll dine in their restaurant where they feature local produce accompanied by an extensive selection of locally grown wines.
what's included
6 nights accommodation, most meals (6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 6 dinners), 2 guides, all transport from Adelaide airport, ferry to/from Kangaroo Island, penguin viewing, tours of Kelly Hill Caves, tour of Cape Willoughby & Cape Borda lightstations, National Park fees, information booklets, insulated lunch bag, map case, notes, maps.
not included Alcohol, additional meals.
departure dates
Please see our Departure Dates section of the website
prices
Please see our Prices section of the website
itinerary guide - 7 days (includes 6 nights accommodation)
Day 1: Starts at Adelaide airport at 2pm - earlier pick up available from Comfort Hotel Adelaide Riviera. Travel via the scenic Onkaparinga area, McLaren Vale winery district and Fleurieu Peninsula to Cape Jervis. There will be time to explore the Cape Jervis Lighthouse. Cruise by ferry over to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island.
Accommodation: Penneshaw
Day 2: Today’s walk will be at the very remote Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area. The track hugs the cliff edge and offers good views along the way (6hrs, moderate, approximately 9km each way). There may be an opportunity to see fur seals in their natural environment. We will also have an evening walk to see the penguin colony.
Accommodation: Penneshaw
See the sea-lions
Day 3: This morning we'll travel to the extreme eastern end of the island to visit Cape Willoughby Lightstation, where we will do a tour of the lighthouse. After that we will travel to the mid section of the island to Seal Bay where you'll see Australian Sea-lions in their natural habitat. There are boardwalks and a lookout with great views over the coast (1km, easy).This afternoon’s walk features historic sites at Weirs Cove, a fur seal colony at Admirals Arch and an exploration of the Cape du Couedic Lightstation precinct (9km, easy).
Accommodation: Cape du Couedic lighthouse
Day 4: The morning walk is quite remote as we follow riverside tracks as they meander to the tumultuous ocean. Good walkers will have the opportunity to hike off track along the rugged limestone cliff tops (10km, half easy, half challenging). This is a moody place with a real sense of isolation. Enjoy lunch at a café that specialises in quality local produce and Kangaroo Island wines (not included). The afternoon walk is a circuit walk in the Rocky River area where there should be lots of wildlife and flora (9km, easy). Will you be lucky enough to spot an elusive platypus in the stream?
Accommodation: Cape du Couedic lighthouse
Rocky cliff walking at Hansons Beach
Day 5: Today starts at remote Hansons Beach. The track meanders through delightful bushland walk passing several lagoons teeming with bird life (9km, easy). After lunch we’ll visit Kelly Hill Caves for a tour of the limestone caverns. Here you’ll see the most unusual helictites. In the afternoon there will be an option of hiking back to Hansons Beach (9km, easy) and continuing on a hard off-track section along the cliff tops (2km, challenging) or enjoying a visit to Vivonne Beach, a stunning arc of white sandy beach, recently voted the most beautiful beach in Australia. There will be time for a stroll on the beach or a swim in the crystal clear waters.
Accommodation: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat
Day 6: Today we’ll head for the very remote Cape Borda region. There will be a choice of walks - the harder option being a strenuous hike in the Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Area (12km, challenging). The easier option will take the path used by early lighthouse keepers to transport supplies from the boat landing to the Lightstation itself (9km, easy). After that there’s an entertaining tour of the Lightstation. A major highlight will be a late afternoon visit to Remarkable Rocks where we’ll sip champagne as the sun sets.
Accommodation: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat.
Day 7: Travel back to Penneshaw, then ferry to the mainland then on to Adelaide to arrive around 2.30pm.
Remote river estuary
A real sense of isolation!
fact sheet Would you like more detailed information about this trip?
