Kangaroo Island in South Australia. I have no problems declaring that it is one of my favorite places in my home country of Australia. Kangaroo Island is what I like to refer to as quintessential Australia. No highrise buildings, small roads, wide-open spaces- the vision of what the rest of Australia would have been like 50 or so years ago.
Where is Kangaroo Island located?
Kangaroo Island is located off the coast of South Australia. The nearest Capital city to Kangaroo Island is Adelaide.
How do I get to Kangaroo Island in South Australia?
There are two ways to get there whether by ferry or by flight from Adelaide. I prefer the flight as the ferry departs from Cape Jervis which is approx two hours outside of Adelaide city, so it takes more time to get to the departure point.
How do we tour around on Kangaroo Island?
The ferry accommodates the options of taking a motorhome or a hire car across or you can rent a car upon arrival onto the Island, but this is not something I would overly recommend- as these vehicles do not allow you to go off-road, and often this is where the best things to be seen are. You also miss out on having a local as a tour guide and they are the folks who really show you their island.
What will we see when we take a tour on Kangaroo Island?
There is an abundant Kangaroo Island Marine and Wildlife population. Birdlife including Pelicans and Eagles. Marine Life includes big fur Seal colonies, Penguins, and Australian Sea Lions, plus the real Aussie experience of Kangaroos and Koalas. We like to book our clients on small group tours in which they actually get to see Koalas in the wild, not in a physical wildlife park. When you go on big bus tours the vehicles can often not get into these areas and the best touring is in one of the South Australian Conservation Parks on Kangaroo Island.
The island itself is very large and Flinders Chase National Park (which is only one of the National Parks on the Island) is actually the size of Singapore. There are so many wide-open spaces that it is not unusual to not see another person for 30 minutes.
Kangaroo Island is also starting to get a name for itself as a real “foodie” island. There is a lot of local produce there and we love to send our clients out to see where the food and wine are being produced.
How many days should I stay on Kangaroo Island in South Australia?
We prefer to keep our clients on Kangaroo Island for a minimum of 2 nights. This allows us to have our clients do 2 full days of touring on the Island- as the Island is so large you can see both areas then and get different experiences.
What accommodation choices are on Kangaroo Island?
There are several accommodation options. My personal preference is a homestay with a local family. We have an awesome one that we put our clients in and people love it. They especially love the owners cooking as it includes breakfast and dinner! Kangaroo Island is about having an experience- and in my eyes, the homestay with some locals tops that off perfectly. If you want to step it up a notch there is also the luxury Southern Ocean Lodge (sadly the lodge was destroyed in the 2020 bushfires but they are re-building and it should hopefully be up and running again by early 2023.)
As mentioned Kangaroo Island is about wildlife and marine life. As I am sure you all understand there are never any guarantees of seeing wildlife when you go anywhere. If it is too hot then some wildlife may go into hiding, some are more so seasonal as well.
There are beaches on the Island but it is also quite rugged. If you do choose to swim off a beach then remember these wise words from me.
“Where there are seals there are usually sharks”.
All in all a visit to Kangaroo Island is a must when coming down to Australia. Most of our clients tell us that it was one of the highlights of their trip.
How do we book a vacation on Kangaroo Island Australia?
Contact us at any time and we will be happy to assist you with enjoying a vacation in one of our Australian Tourism’s best locations to visit. Our clients are located all over Canada and the USA from Saskatoon to Kansas City. We will customize a handcrafted bespoke tour to include Kangaroo Island and many other beautiful areas in Australia.
For more information on travel to Kangaroo Island contact us now.
Cheers,
Dianne.