15 must-try Kangaroo Island tours

Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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When exploring an island that is four times the size of Singapore, it pays to book a tour with locals to see all the sights.

With its clean, bright waters, Mediterranean climate and super-local food scene, a trip to Kangaroo Island in South Australia is bound to take your breath away.

Cut off from the mainland thousands of years ago, this ‘Galapagos of Australia’ has become a wildlife and nature-lovers paradise. To make the most of the few days you’re here, we’ve lined up some of the top Kangaroo Island tours to do.

Best Kangaroo Island one-day tours

1. SeaLink One-Day Tours

If you only have one day to spend in the area, be smart with your time and book a one-day tour with SeaLink. With the price of the ferry included, SeaLink has a variety of one-day tour options that include Kangaroo Island highlights such as the Seal Bay Conservation Park, the granite sculptures of Remarkable Rocks in Flinders Chase National Park, Clifford’s Honey Farm Shop and a First Nations expedition with Ngarrindjeri Elder Mark Koolmatrie. Extend the magic by opting for one of its multi-day tours.

High shot of SeaLink ferry terminal
SeaLink’s one-day tours are ideal for the time-poor. (Image: Isaac Forman)

Best Kangaroo Island boat tours

2. KI Marine Adventures

If you’ve ever wanted to swim with wild dolphins, now is your moment. Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures offers tours for eco-conscious visitors to swim with the dolphins that live in the waters around the island. The operator guarantee a chance for you to dive in with dolphins on its​​three-hour Island Explorer and Dolphin Swim Tour, and you’ll also be keeping an eye out for seals, ospreys and sea eagles.

Dolphins swimming next to Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures boat.
The eco-conscious way to see your favourite marine animals. (Image: Tourism Australia)

3. Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari

KI Marine Adventures aren’t the only ones to rule the seas around the island. Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari also offers up some salty adventures. Join its 75-Minute Coastal Safari to get to know the marine wildlife that is found here or go on a two-hour snorkelling safari to swim among long-nosed seals or dolphins. There are also private charters available.

4. Emu Bay Fishing

The sea around Kangaroo Island has got plenty for the experienced fisher, whether you prefer to dangle a line off the jetty or head out by boat. Fishing charters such as Emu Bay Fishing will take you out offshore on half and full-day trips on the hunt for catches like King George whiting, tuna, trevally and snapper.

High shot of Emu Bay.
Emu Bay Fishing charters are perfect for any type of fisherman. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Best Kangaroo Island adventure tours

5. KI Outdoor Action

Rev up for a quad biking adventure with KI Outdoor Action. From quad bike discovery tours (perfect for families who want to get used to riding through the bush) to spending three hours speeding along coastlines and farmlands as part of its Edge of the Earth Quad Adventure, there are levels to suit everyone.

People on quad bikes for Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action.
Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action will get the adrenaline pumping. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

6. Little Sahara

Switch the surfboard for a sandboard over on the huge inland sand dunes of the Little Sahara Adventure Centre. You can also grab a fat bike to cruise, hop onto a guided buggy tour or take a guided walking tour that goes from koala spotting to watching the sunset across the sands as part of golden hour.

Girl carrying bodyboard at Little Sahara adventure centre
Little Sahara is fun for all the family. (Image: Megan Crabb)

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Best Kangaroo Island food and wine tours

7. Kangaroo Island Living Honey

Did you know: Kangaroo Island has the only genetically pure population of Ligurian bees left in the world? To see how a working honey farm is operated, head to Kangaroo Island Living Honey and find out just how the honey is extracted from the 250 hives on the property. After seeing the sweet life for yourself, it will be near impossible not to pick up some bee-autiful goodies like beeswax wraps, lip balms and (of course) honey.

Bees making honey at Kangaroo Island Living Honey.
Kangaroo Island has the only genetically pure population of Ligurian bees left in the world. (Image: Kangaroo Island Living Honey)

8. Kangaroo Island Spirits

It’s not just the bees here who are good at crafting up some sweet nectar – the humans are pretty incredible at it too. Head over to Kangaroo Island Spirits, Australia’s first dedicated gin distillery.

The exterior of Kangaroo Island Spirits distillery.
Australia’s first dedicated gin distillery. (Image: Kangaroo Island Spirits)

The spirits here benefit from the one-of-a-kind botanical mix of the area, with resulting tipples such as vodka and limoncello, as well as gin. There are several KI Spirits experiences to be had at their cellar door, including a cocktail masterclass and tasting experience.

The Kangaroo Island Spirits collection of alcohol.
Don’t miss one of the Kangaroo Island Spirits tastings. (Image: Kangaroo Island Spirits)

9. Kangaroo Island Trails

If you’re more into the savvy b’s than the G&Ts, Kangaroo Island is also a famous grape-growing area. Hop between the wineries on Kangaroo Island Trails’ half or full-day Tasting Tour. You’ll stop off to sample foodie delights at places like Clifford’s Honey, as well as try out the ciders and spirits.

Clifford's Honey Farm honey alcohol pouring
Kangaroo Island Trails will take you to Clifford’s Honey Farm. (Image: Meaghan Coles)

Best Kangaroo Island wildlife tours

10. Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park tour

It just isn’t a trip to Kangaroo Island without a day out at its Wildlife Park, paying a visit to some of KI’s cutest residents. Book in for a full-day trip that can include wallaby feeding, koala holding, encounters with dingos and seeing a spiky echidna up close. We’ve also put together a guide for the ultimate day out at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park.

Koala's in the tree at Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park
Spend the day with these furry creatures. (Image: Julie Fletcher)

11. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Visitors to Kangaroo Island can also visit Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, which provides a habitat for native Australian animals to live in the wild and remains the best place to see a sustainable population of koalas in the wild.

Tours include a 90-minute Guided Koala Walk & Bush Fire Ecology Tour, which offers a window into the island’s flora and fauna and the abundant species’ response to bushfire. Hanson Bay was devastated by the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires and, having moved past the recovery phase, provides an opportunity today for visitors to understand the regenerative effects of fire on the landscape.

 

People standing in front of a sign with the animals at Hanson Wildlife Sanctuary
Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary provides a habitat for native Australian animals to live in the wild.

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12. Seal Bay guided tour

The Seal Bay Conservation Park is where you will find Australia’s third-largest seal lion population. While you can watch the colony yawn, stretch, scrap and snuggle from the wheelchair-accessible boardwalk under your own steam, the Seal Bay guided tour ($42 for an adult) means you’ll also make the walk with a guide, who can interpret the sea lion behav­iour for you and the rest of the group.

Seal Bay Guided Tour looking at the seals.
The best way to see Seal Bay is on a tour with a guide who can interpret the sea lion behav­iour. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

13. Penneshaw Penguin Centre

Kangaroo Island is home to the world’s smallest penguins: little penguins. Stop by the Penneshaw Penguin Centre as the sun is going down. You will then follow the guide, and watch the little penguins toddle up the sands with determination, back to their homes; all while being under the fantastically clear night sky and stars of Kangaroo Island.

Penneshaw Penguin Centre Little Penguins on Kangaroo Island.
Kangaroo Island is home to the world’s smallest penguins. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission/Milton Wordley)

Best Kangaroo Island luxury tours

14. Kangaroo Island Touring Company

Wild about wildlife? Focused on food? Love local stories? Or all of the above? Kangaroo Island Touring Company offers bespoke private tours tailored to your interests but all underscored by immersive nature-based experiences aimed at getting you to the heart of Kangaroo Island.

Each full-day tour includes pick-up and drop-off from your island accommodation, private touring in a luxe vehicle, local naturalist guide and a gourmet picnic lunch with South Australian wine in a secluded spot.

You’ll end the day with a true sense of place.

An esky in the back of a vehicle on tour with Kangaroo Island Touring Company.
Gourmet experiences await when exploring with Kangaroo Island Touring Company. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

15. Exceptional Kangaroo Island

Exceptional Kangaroo Island has been running luxury small-group and private tours of the island since 1986, appealing to lovers of food, wine and wildlife with a focus on all things sustainable.

Choose between one-day and multi-day tours, with focuses on everything from food and drink to conservation to art and culture to birdwatching.

There are also private tours tailored especially to couples, young families, active explorers and more.

An Exceptional Kangaroo Island tour vehicle drives down a road on Kangaroo Island
Explore the island with long-running tour operator Exceptional Kangaroo Island. (Image: Tourism Australia/South Australian Tourism Commission)
Check out our Kangaroo Island travel guide for more on where to go and what to see and do while you’re there.
Kate Bettes
Kate Bettes is a freelance travel writer. Whether having a picnic in Vietnamese jungle with new friends, or partying in the back of a limousine in Hollywood, Kate’s experiences have left her with the sneaking suspicion that the best travel memories happen when you least expect. It’s this feeling - and how to get it - that she loves to write about.
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7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

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    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

    Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

    1. E-Mountain biking

    mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
    Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

    For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

    As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

    2. HI Fitness Club

    HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
    Stretch out with reformer pilates.

    If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

    I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

    3. Walking trails

    runners on hamilton island
    Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

    We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

    While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

    4. Spa wumurdaylin

    Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

    In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

    It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

    5. Sunrise yoga

    sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Start your day on the right foot.

    Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

    Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

    6. Getting out on the water

    people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
    Try your hand at a host of watersports.

    Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

    Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

    Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

    7. Take a swing

    Dent Island Golf course
    Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

    For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

    Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.