Summary
Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island filled with wildlife, adventure, luxury accommodation and beautiful scenery.
Our trip to KI started with a flight on the Regional Express from Adelaide.
We left the majority of our gear at our hotel, The Rockford Adelaide, as the Regional Express airways has very strict baggage allowances (10 Kilos).
We scaled it down more than enough and arrived at the island first thing in the morning to start our three-day safari with Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours.
Best of Kangaroo Island
It ended up being a fantastic itinerary. Kangaroo Island isn’t visited as much as other places in Australia, but it is an amazing destination!
Because we were on a private tour, we could make our own schedule and had a lot of flexibility to see everything that we wanted. So here’s what we saw!
The Remarkables
The main attraction that Dave wanted to photograph was the famous Remarkable Rocks in Flinders Chase National Park.
We expected them to be bigger and a little more remarkable, but they were beautiful nonetheless.
The Remarkables are rocks turned into giant works of art. These granite boulders have been sculpted over 500 million years creating unique formations balancing precariously on the edge of the sea.
It’s worth it to wait for the sun to set as the boulders light up to beautiful shades of orange and red creating deep shadows, perfect for photography.
There are not many people around at this time of day, so you have the rocks almost all to yourself!
Wildlife of Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island is one of the best places to see wildlife in Australia. We saw plenty, and here are a few highlights of our wildlife encounters:
Koalas
We had only seen a few Koalas during our time in South Australia, so we were looking forward to getting a closer view of them on Kangaroo Island.
Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is the perfect spot to find Koalas.
When someone spots one, they put up a flag below the tree to make it easier for you to find them. Upon our arrival, they had spotted five that day. Koalas can be a bit tricky to identify, but once you locate one, it becomes easier.
I think that they may be the laziest animals on the planet. They often seem to be sleeping, but if you manage to get one to raise their head, they’re just as cute as a button.
Seals
If you want to see seals when traveling, Kangaroo Island is undoubtedly the place to do it.
There are several viewing opportunities from the rocks and arches at the lighthouse to Seal Bay, where you can see countless seals basking in the sun or surfing in the waves.
Seals venture out to sea for days, hunting and diving as deep as 100 metres for food. It’s exhausting work, and when seals are on shore, they mostly just sleep. However, you will see plenty of cubs playing in the waves, which is adorable to watch.
Kangaroos
Surprisingly, we didn’t see any kangaroos until the second day of our tour, when our guide Terry took us for a stroll through a conservation area.
This area is not frequented by many tourists, and having a guide was beneficial as we would have never found it on our own.
Once we walked through the path to a clearing in the woods, there were kangaroos everywhere, putting on a great show for us.
Terry remarked that this was a rare sight to see them standing upright on their hind legs to eat leaves from the trees. Whether it’s rare or not, it was beautiful to watch, and they seemed unbothered by our presence.
Pelicans
Terry asked if we were interested in watching pelicans being fed, and being game for anything, we said yes.
We didn’t know what to expect at Kingscote Wharf when we encountered the Pelican Man, but it turned out to be both entertaining and impressive.
For a donation of $5 per person, we sat on the steps to witness the Pelican Man feed his feathered friends.
It’s a bit stinky and messy, but it’s a lot of fun to watch the pelicans get excited over a bucket full of fish. They know this routine well, and even before he arrives, the birds line up eagerly. Once the fish comes out, it’s a frenzy of wings flapping and mouths chomping.
Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours
When you embark on a safari with Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours, you don’t have to worry about a thing. Everything is included: transportation, park and attraction fees, accommodation, and meals. One of the most amazing surprises was when Terry dropped us off at the beach while he went ahead to prepare our meal.
Lunches with Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours are nothing short of spectacular. Terry, an excellent chef on the barbie (he’s vegetarian, so we were totally torturing him), prepared many delicious meals in exotic locations, such as a lunch under a 150-year-old fig tree.
After enjoying the surf, we followed the path woven through the gigantic roots and vines of the fig tree until we came upon a clearing with a table set for a romantic meal in the woods!
Accommodation on Kangaroo Island
Seascape Lodge
Each evening, Terry dropped us off at the beautiful Seascape Lodge overlooking Emu Bay.
This modern luxury inn is run by Mandy and Paul, a couple who left the farming business six years ago to create this incredible getaway.
The three-bedroom lodge features contemporary design meant for luxury living. Before dinner, guests can relax in the living room by the fire while sipping wine as Mandy prepares a scrumptious home-cooked meal.
Her home-cooked meals are not typical; they exemplify fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. With all-inclusive KI wines and cocktails, dinner conversations with other guests can be quite entertaining.
I could easily imagine spending days in this place. The cozy rooms and expansive deck create a wonderfully relaxing ambiance.
One evening, Dave and I returned home early to find the lodge empty and sat on the deck, admiring the beautiful scenery below.
Kangaroo Island has much to offer, but sometimes, it’s refreshing to simply relax and enjoy the moment.
While the lodge offers Wi-Fi, we found it hard to work in such a stunning setting.
Our Kangaroo Island Wrap Up
We truly had an incredible time on KI. Besides the wildlife and scenery, our guide Terry made the experience perfect.
He was friendly, informative, and fun; this well-traveled guy had many stories to share. His flexibility helped us take full advantage of our trip. Though Kangaroo Island is difficult to reach and expensive to travel to, we believe the best way to explore this island is to hire a private guide.
With Terry, we avoided the crowds and discovered hidden gems only a local would know about. If we had driven around the island ourselves, we would have likely missed many unique attractions that made our journey exceptional.
When locals are asked about the challenge of reaching Kangaroo Island, they often express their preference for it that way.
They believe that if the government made access too easy, it would lose the charm that makes it special. It’s the allure of being on Australia’s most beautiful beaches (Vivonne Beach, voted the best beach in Australia) and not encountering a single soul.
The beauty lies in spotting the unique wildlife of Australia in solitude while spending nights in pure luxury surrounded by tranquility.
Kangaroo Island is the perfect getaway from the mainland.
If you’re planning a visit, you can explore tours to Kangaroo Island through Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours, as accommodations are included in their packages.
For those who prefer self-drive tours of KI, consider staying at Seascape Lodge for your accommodation. What we appreciate about both businesses is their down-to-earth and friendly nature. During our time in South Australia, everyone we met quickly became friends.
Special thanks to South Australia Tourism for inviting us to experience this beautiful destination.
Travel Planning Resources
Considering your next trip? Utilize these tried-and-tested resources.
Find Your Flights: Start planning by discovering the best flight deals on Skyscanner, a trusted platform we’ve used for years.
Find Your Hotel: Access the best prices on hotels using two reliable providers. For travelers located in Europe, check Booking.com, and for those elsewhere, use TripAdvisor.
Apartment Rentals: Discover the cheapest prices on apartment rentals through VRBO.
Travel Insurance: Ensure you leave home with proper insurance. Here’s what we recommend:
- Safety Wing – Ideal for occasional travelers.
- Medjet – Global air medical transport and travel security.
Book Your Activities: Searching for walking tours, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more? We suggest Get Your Guide.
If you need further assistance planning your trip, make sure to check out our Resources Page, highlighting the great companies we trust while traveling.
