3 Day Kangaroo Island Camping Adventure

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Day 1: Adelaide to Kangaroo Island

Today, an early start is required to catch your 6.45am SeaLink bus transfer from Adelaide CBD to the ferry terminal at Cape Jervis.

Board the ferry for a 45-minute cruise to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. Your Untamed Escapes Guide will meet you here and give you an overview of the adventure ahead for the next few days.

Hop on board the bus and start exploring Kangaroo Island! Take a scenic coastal drive to Pennington Bay on the island’s south coast. With powerful swells rolling in, this beach is famed for its epic surf breaks. Climb the 500 steps to the top of Prospect Hill, the highest point on Kangaroo Island, for rewarding views and to get your bearings.

Next, travel to one of the island’s most breathtaking beaches, Emu Bay. Here we will have lunch and time to cool down with a swim in the turquoise waters before weaving our way through a labyrinth of caves and emerging at Stokes Bay. Voted the best beach in Australia in 2023, enjoy some free time to snorkel among the rock pools or just soak up the magical landscape surrounding you.

Visit Kangaroo Island’s first cellar-door microbrewery – the perfect place to relax. Come late afternoon, arrive at our eco-campsite at the eastern end of the island where the isolation, ruggedness and beauty are striking.

After dinner, head out on a nocturnal wildlife-spotting adventure. Nighttime is when many of the native animals found on the island are at their most active.

Tonight, roll out your swag underneath the billions of stars of the Milky Way and feel a wonderful connection with nature.

Today we drive approximately 240 km.

Accommodation

• Swag camping

Camping or dorm accommodation will be at Pelican Lagoon Lodge. 

Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch

Day 2: Kangaroo Island

After breakfast, we’ll set our coordinates for Flinders Chase National Park located at the northwestern point of the island. This park is renowned for its unique and awe-inspiring rock structures, its breathtakingly beautiful beaches, and its abundant and varied wildlife.

At Admirals Arch, wander along a boardwalk as you soak up the serenity and keep your eyes peeled for the resident New Zealand fur seals. Marvel at the iconic Remarkable Rocks, shaped by nature for over 500 million years. Take a bush walk at Weirs Cove before a picnic lunch to refuel.

This afternoon you will have the chance to make your journey meaningful by taking part in a volunteer conservation effort at the Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. This 2,000-hectare wilderness sanctuary is a haven for native wildlife such as koalas, kangaroos, possums, echidnas, reptiles and birdlife. Like most of Kangaroo Island, it was devastated by the 2020 bushfires and has since become a story of resilience, recovery and regeneration. Our conservation work depends on the time of year but may involve seed collecting, tree planting or counting wildlife.

Next, it’s time for an incredible wildlife encounter. Seal Bay is home to the third-largest colony of endangered Australian sea lions, with around 800 calling the bay home. Join a 45-minute tour with the National Parks & Wildlife guides, who know pretty much everything there is to know about these beautiful creatures. Follow a boardwalk through the dunes down to the beach, and on the way, pass sea lions snoozing or even lying in the middle of the beach path and learn about conservation efforts to save this endangered species.

After a full day, head back towards camp to reflect and relax over dinner before rolling out your swag and counting shooting stars.

Today we drive approximately 295 km.

Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 3: Kangaroo Island to Adelaide

It’s up early today to pack up camp and take the short drive to Pennshaw for your 8.30 am ferry back to the mainland. But we have time for one last bush walk before farewelling your Guide. Once you arrive in Cape Jervis, your SeaLink bus connection will have you back in Adelaide at 11 am.

Meals

• Breakfast

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GENERAL

• A moderate fitness level is required, and you need to be prepared for walks between 2-5 kilometres on some days. This may involve rough ground and perhaps getting wet. 
• Please advise of any special dietary requirements when you book. We offer plenty of variety and do our best to provide fresh products. Snacks, soft drinks and alcohol are not included.
• Bags are restricted to 1 × 15 kg backpack/soft travel bag per person, plus one small piece of hand luggage.
• As part of our COVID-Safe protocols, all passengers must complete online check-in, including a ‘Fit for Travel’ self-declaration to confirm they are free from illness. This is mandatory and must be completed at the latest 24 hours before departure.
• This tour requires a minimum of eight people to operate. In the unlikely event your departure is cancelled because minimum numbers have not been met, we will transfer all monies paid onto a future departure date. If this is not suitable, we will refund your tour price in full.

ACCOMMODATION & CAMPING 

• Accommodation is at Pelican Lagoon Lodge. Here you can roll out your swag and camp under the stars in their camping area. Or choose to upgrade to a four-share dorm with shared facilities for two nights at an extra cost of $50 per person. You can add this to your cart on check out.
• Those camping will also have access to the lodge kitchen, bathroom and lounge facilities.
• In wet weather, all passengers will be upgraded to the lodge at no extra cost. If you paid the $50 upgrade fee when booking, this will be refunded to you. This will be the decision of the Guide.
• Planning for our eco-campground is underway, and it will hopefully be ready for guests in 2024. This purpose-built site nestled in lush bushland will feature swag huts, a camp kitchen, firepits, toilets and showers. Therefore the upgrade will only be available until March 2024, as the new site will not have accommodation.
• When camping, we use single swags. Swags are ‘Aussie Bed Rolls’ made from sturdy canvas with a mattress built into the swag. Passengers must provide a sleeping bag and pillow to insert into the swag.
• This is a camping tour, and involvement from the passengers is required. This can include helping with meals and packing up camp.

ITINERARY CHANGES

• Weather conditions in Australia can change quickly, and our experienced guides will always put the safety of our passengers first and stay abreast of weather conditions. 
• Itinerary changes may occur to ensure we provide the best possible experience. For example, if wet or cold, your Guide may change the beach and outdoor activities on Day 1 with indoor food and wine experiences such as visiting the Lavender Farm, Island Beehive for honey tasting and False Cape Wine for wine tasting. Any itinerary changes will be communicated to the group in advance.

Camera supplies on Kangaroo Island are limited. Bring plenty of spare batteries for your camera or video recorder, sunscreen, sun hat, comfortable walking shoes and casual/comfortable clothes also a warm top and a rain jacket can be required any time of year. Do not forget personal medication.

Luggage Limits: Luggage limits are 15kg per person as touring is in small 4WDs. This will require ‘packing down’ to one smaller bag per person. When this is necessary, excess luggage can be stored at your Adelaide accommodation.

• Accommodation – 2 nights swag camping with facilities (Option to upgrade to shared lodge accommodation for $50pp)
• Return ferry Adelaide to Kangaroo Island 
• Return SeaLink bus connection from Adelaide to Cape Jervis 
• All activities and experiences 
• Meals as listed (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners)
• All National Park and entrance fees 
• Storyteller Guide
• Air-conditioned vehicle

Preparing for the trip

Private tours and families

Booking the trip

Who travels with us

Cost and Fees

Whilst on tour