This trip generates 37 kg of CO2-e per person per day. Learn more about our climate commitment.
Kangaroo Island Adventure





Explore the secluded beaches, national parks and granite landscapes of South Australia
Spend five days exploring Kangaroo Island’s best beaches and national parks and see towering eucalyptus trees and (of course) kangaroos. See little penguins on an evening walk at the Penneshaw Penguin Centre, visit a family-owned winery for lunch and a wine tasting and spend a day beach hopping between Emu Bay, Vivonne Bay, Snelling Beach and the secluded Stokes Bay. Discover the natural landmarks of Flinders Chase National Park and see the naturally sculpted granite Remarkable Rocks. With an Intrepid leader by your side, get closer to some of the Australia's favourite places, no matter how much time you have.
4.8
64 reviewsStart: Adelaide, Australia
End: Adelaide, Australia
- Duration
- 5 days
- Group size
- 1 to 12
- Minimum age
- 15 years old
- Style
- Original
- Theme
Our themes categorize trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Explorer, Short breaks
- Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Why you'll love this trip
- Spend a day beach hopping between the white sands of Emu Bay, Snelling Beach, the beautiful Vivonne Bay and the secluded Stokes Bay – voted as Australia's best beach in 2023.
- Visit the Penneshaw Penguin Centre for an evening walk to see little penguins – the world’s smallest breed of penguins.
- See the dramatic Admirals Arch and the naturally sculpted granite Remarkable Rocks in Flinders Chase National Park.
- Make the most of your time on Kangaroo Island with a local leader by your side. Visit some of the island’s best beaches and national parks and see local wildlife like sea lions, emus and kangaroos along the way.
- Have lunch at a family-owned winery. Be surrounded by the natural bush of the Dudley Peninsula and taste some of the finest drops on the island.
Itinerary
Welcome to Adelaide! Or Tandanya, in the language of the Kaurna people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Adelaide is now located. Your adventure starts with a welcome meeting at 9 am this morning, then you’ll travel to Cape Jervis. From here, jump on a ferry to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island – keep an eye out for dolphins swimming alongside the ferry! When you dock, it's a short walk to your hotel, where you can drop your luggage, then maybe get to know your group over lunch. This afternoon, set off on the Kangaroo Island Sculpture Trail with your local leader and take in the panoramic views overlooking Hog’s Bay as you walk. This evening, visit the Penneshaw Penguin Centre for an evening walk in search of the world’s smallest variety of penguins.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- Kangaroo Island - Penguin tour
- Kangaroo Island - Penneshaw Sculpture Trail
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
The start of the Penneshaw Sculpture Trail is a 650-m or 8-minute walk from the hotel. The walk itself is 1.5 km long and will take around 1 hour. It is relatively easy, with some steps.
Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third-largest island and a paradise for wildlife lovers. It’s not just kangaroos you can find here – wallabies, sea lions, echidnas and sheep live here too! This morning, visit Cape Willoughby. Built in 1852, the lighthouse on the cape is South Australia’s oldest. Walk through the heritage buildings and go on a short headland walk to a sheltered gully where you can learn about the daily lives of the early lightkeepers who worked here. For lunch, head to a winery for a tasting. Hear about this family-owned winery’s sustainability practices as you sample their wines paired with a seasonal menu. Next, continue to American River for a tour of the Rebuild Independence Group Boathouse – a museum run by a community group preserving the local maritime history. You’ll see a replica of the first vessel built in South Australia in 1803. After, go on the Fish Cannery Walking Trail. This walk takes you through coastal scrub to reach the ruins of a fish cannery from the 1890s. Keep an eye out for glossy black cockatoos along the way.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Lunch
- Kangaroo Island - Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
- Kangaroo Island - Lunch and Wine Tasting Session at Local Winery
- Kangaroo Island - Historic Fish Cannery Walking Trail
- Kangaroo Island - American River ‘Rebuild Independence’ Boathouse Visit
Your walking time today will be approximately 1.5 hours or 3 km on moderately undulating terrain.
The optional lighthouse walk is a 1.9 km loop that takes around 1 hour. It’s a Grade 3 moderate hike on gently undulating terrain.
After breakfast, venture into Flinders Chase National Park. Set off on a walk to come face to face with the aptly named Remarkable Rocks, made up of naturally sculpted granite boulders. You’ll also check out the impressive Admirals Arch and take some time to explore the park. Later today, you’ll return to Kingscote and enjoy an evening at leisure.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Kangaroo Island - Flinders Chase NP Incl Remarkable Rocks & Admiral's Arch
The Remarkable Rocks trail is a 1 km circuit on a slightly rocky incline.
Admirals Arch is an 800 m return walk along a gently sloping boardwalk. There are stairs at the end that take you under the arch.
Start the day with a visit to Seal Bay. There are no actual seals here, but there are plenty of sea lions! The sea lion colony you see today has existed at Seal Bay for thousands of years. Join an up close and personal ranger-led wildlife experience which will allow you to observe the lives of these endearing creatures as you watch them swim, play and bask in the sun. Next up is something really special – head to Vivonne Bay, which is not only one of the most stunning beaches on Kangaroo Island but the whole of Australia. You’ll also hop between Snelling Beach, Emu Bay Beach and the secluded Stokes Bay – a gorgeous spot for a swim and voted Australia's most beautiful beach in 2023.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Kangaroo Island - Seal Bay Wildlife Experience with local ranger
- Kangaroo Island - Vivonne Bay
- Kangaroo Island - Emu Bay & Stokes Bay
The Seal Bay guided tour lasts for about 45 minutes and takes you along the beach where the sea lions are resting. There are steps to get down to the beach which has soft sand. The boardwalk section over the sand dunes is easy access with no stairs, and you can often see sea lions in the dunes.
The walk to Stokes Bay Beach is quite an adventure! You’ll walk along a pathway through limestone boulders. The walk is only about 100 m, but depending on the tide there can be a bit of rock scrambling and the possibility of getting your feet wet before you reach the beautiful bay.
Visit Prospect Hill, where you’ll climb 500 steps to reach the highest point on Kangaroo Island for some epic views looking out over Pelican Lagoon and Pennington Bay. Get ready to say goodbye to Kangaroo Island as you make the drive back to Penneshaw and catch the ferry back to the mainland. Dock in Cape Jervis for your trip back to Adelaide, where your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to stay in Adelaide longer, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
- Breakfast
- Kangaroo Island – American River Prospect Hill - Free
Your adventure comes to an end at your hotel in Adelaide at approximately 5 pm. Please consider this when booking onward travel. No accommodation is included for tonight, however we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability) if you wish to extend your stay in Adelaide.
Inclusions and activities
Destinations
AustraliaMeals
3 breakfasts, 1 lunch
Transport
Private vehicle, Ferry
Accommodation
Hotel (4 nights)
Included activities
- Kangaroo Island - Penguin tour
- Kangaroo Island - Penneshaw Sculpture Trail
- Kangaroo Island - Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
- Kangaroo Island - Lunch and Wine Tasting Session at Local Winery
- Kangaroo Island - Historic Fish Cannery Walking Trail
- Kangaroo Island - American River ‘Rebuild Independence’ Boathouse Visit
- Kangaroo Island - Flinders Chase NP Incl Remarkable Rocks & Admiral's Arch
- Kangaroo Island - Seal Bay Wildlife Experience with local ranger
- Kangaroo Island - Vivonne Bay
- Kangaroo Island - Emu Bay & Stokes Bay
Optional activities
- Kangaroo Island – American River Prospect Hill - Free
When you travel with us, The Intrepid Foundation gives you more opportunities to support important causes in destinations you visit.
Why choose us
We’re adventure travel experts with decades of experience and proud to run trips in over 100 countries.
We keep our group sizes small and our experiences big, so you can get more out of your travels.
Leaders don’t just show off a destination, they’re the heart and soul of our trips.
The Intrepid Foundation gives back globally and our B Corp status is proof that we're dedicated to creating a positive impact.
Before you book you should know
- This trip includes time spent travelling in a private vehicle with your group. Extra space can be tight, and conditions may feel a little cramped. It’s all part of the adventure and a great way to get to know your fellow travellers. Please read the itinerary carefully for travel time estimates.
- This trip starts early on Day 1 and finishes late on the final day. Please review the itinerary before booking other travel arrangements like flights. This trip is designed to make the most out of just a few days, which means there isn’t a lot of free time. If you would like to extend your trip, just speak to your booking agent.
START & END POINT LOCATION & TIME
The trip starts in Adelaide with a Welcome Meeting at 9 am on Day 1 at our joining point hotel, and finishes back in Adelaide on Day 5 at our finish point hotel around 5pm. Accommodation is not included on this day but can be booked on request.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A Single Supplement can be booked if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, subject to availability.
FERRY TO AND FROM KANGAROO ISLAND
The ferry crossing between the mainland and Kangaroo Island can sometimes be rough. If you are prone to sea sickness we recommend you bring medication.
Visa information is provided by Sherpa, a third-party. The "Add connection" feature shows transit visa requirements only and does not include full entry visa needs. Please note, additional service fees apply if you choose to purchase a visa through Sherpa.
Travel and visa requirements
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Tom's Court Hotel
338 King William St
Adelaide
AUSTRALIA
Instructions
From Adelaide Airport (airport code ADL), your best option is to take city bus J1 or J2 to stop F1 (Grenfell St) in Adelaide's CBD (approximately 25 minutes, departs frequently, payable with contactless card). From here it is an additional 15 minute walk down King William St to the hotel. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or Uber from the airport directly to the hotel in approximately 20 minutes (depending on traffic).
Dates and prices
Choose a departure to explore
Check dates, prices, availability, room options and more.
Reviews
Filter by rating