Great Ocean Road & Kangaroo Island Adventure

Let’s get road tripping! Departing Melbourne, hit the road west to Geelong and the chilled-out surf town of Torquay. From there, begin the journey along one of Australia’s most beautiful and famous drives – the Great Ocean Road. This coast road at points is the only barrier between the lush forests of Victoria’s southwest and the cliffs down to the Bass Strait. Along the way, experience a guided walk through an ancient and rare temperate rainforest in the Otways, checking out the enormous trees that are native to the area. Stop for some koala spotting in Kennett River, then break for lunch in seaside Apollo Bay. In the afternoon, continue on to the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge – these rocky landscapes braving the southern oceans are a sight to behold. Continue on your drive for another hour or so, spending the night in Warrnambool.

Begin the day checking out more of the Great Ocean Road's natural wonder on the Warrnambool foreshore, then take a drive into the Grampians National Park – an area full of rugged rock landscapes, scenic lookouts and rich in First Nations culture. During the day, you’ll visit the Brambuk Aboriginal Culture Centre to learn about an important period of this ancient culture known as the Dreaming, then hike up to the Pinnacles for impressive views across the Grampians. Keep an eye out for any native flora or wildlife that may pass you by as you walk. Tonight, head to Halls Gap for the evening, enjoying a traditional Aussie-style barbecue with your small group.

After an early morning bus ride from Adelaide Central Bus Station (departs 6:45am), travel along the picture-perfect Fleurieu Peninsula to Cape Jervis for the 45-minute SeaLink ferry ride to Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island. While crossing, it is not uncommon to have an escort of local dolphins that can be viewed from the dolphin deck on the boat.

Once you disembark, stop in at Rob's Shearing and Sheepdogs to check out how sheep are shorn, then continue to Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery – the only commercial eucalyptus distillery in South Australia.

Visit Seal Bay Conservation Park, where you'll have the opportunity to see rare Australian Sea-lions up close in a wild breeding colony. Travel on to the white sand dunes of the Little Sahara, where you’ll have the chance to give sand boarding a shot.

Return to Penneshaw for your overnight stay at Penneshaw Beach Stay. Enjoy some free time to swim, stroll or enjoy the spectacular views at Hog Bay Beach, take the Kangaroo Island Sculpture Walk through the native bushland, visit the Penneshaw Penguin Centre, or relax with a cold beer at the Penneshaw Hotel.

Dinner is included at Sorrento’s Pizzeria.

Notes: The coach transfer from Adelaide to the ferry is approximately 1.5 hours, with a sailing time of 45 minutes. On the Island, you will spend approximately 2 hours in the vehicle with frequent sightseeing. Walking and active time will depend on which optional activities you choose in the afternoon.

After breakfast, pop into the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park where you’ll have the opportunity to walk amongst kangaroos and wallabies and help to hand feed them. Many of the animals in the wildlife park are being cared for after being rescued from the bushfires.

Visit Raptor Domain for an awe-inspiring in-flight display of Australian Birds of Prey. The interactive experience will demonstrate the natural skills, adaptions and hunting techniques of Wedge Tailed Eagles, Kookaburras, Sea Eagles and Australian Kestrels to name a few.

Take a stroll through the Emu Bay Lavender farm and enjoy a freshly prepared lunch overlooking the vibrant lavender varieties in terraced rows. Spoil yourself with essential oils and scented candles at the gift shop where you will also have the opportunity to purchase other Kangaroo Island products (at own expense).

Reward yourself with views as far as Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills or the south coast and Pennington Bay after a climb to the highest point of Kangaroo Island, Prospect Hill.

There might be several stops made en-route to Penneshaw, where you can purchase dinner (own expense) before you arrive back in Adelaide.

Note: Driving times are no longer than 30 minutes, with constant stops for sightseeing. The ferry Journey is approximately 45 minutes back to the mainland with a journey of 1.5 hours back to central Adelaide. Arrival time will be approximately 10:40pm. Walking distances are several hundred metres at each location.