Top Things to do in Kangaroo Island
What to do and see in Kangaroo Island, South Australia: The Best Hidden Gems Things to do
Kangaroo Island is the epitome of variety, ripe with pristine beaches, historic lighthouses, conservation land, underground caves, rare honeybees, gourmet local delicacies and… penguins. Book a tour with the Kangaroo Island Penguin Centre to watch these tuxedoed darlings waddle along the water, then tuck into a hearty dinner featuring native ingredients like rich sheep’s-milk cheese, freshwater marron, olive oil and boutique wine. The island’s art galleries showcase the woodworking, glass-blowing and furniture-making talents of local craftsmen.
Restaurants in Kangaroo Island
1. Flinders Chase National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,699 reviews
Western end of Kangaroo Island features magnificent coastal landscapes coupled with vast wilderness areas and diverse wildlife. Flinders Chase National Park is the home of the iconic Admiral's Arch with its colony of New Zealand fur seals and the truly Remarkable Rocks. Open every day except Christmas day.
Reviewed By Skeney57 - Sydney, Australia
This NP has a lot of variety & heaps to offer from walking trails to spectacular scenery to a multitude of wildlife encounters. You have Cape Borda Lighthouse on the NW Coast, Cape du Couedic Lighthouse on the SW Coast, the Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch, Rocky River, Snake Lagoon & many wilderness trails to explore. Sadly our visit was cut short by extreme weather conditions which led to the NP being closed for safety sake. Will be back to finish our exploration for sure, just hope the dirt tracks have been graded recently !
2. Exceptional Kangaroo Island
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 418 reviews
Exceptional Kangaroo Island is a family-owned eco-friendly tour company on Kangaroo Island off of the coast of South Australia. We are locals who understand travellers and know you want to make the best use of your limited holiday or vacation time. We know where to find the wildlife, all the cool spots, and importantly, can share the back-story of Kangaroo Island as it is the people you meet and stories you share that really make a trip memorable. Our business has been in operation since 1986 and we focus on bringing you the best experiences our Island home offers - the wildlife encounters, rural and wilderness landscapes, fresh local produce prepared by our in-house Executive Chef, travelling in comfortable four wheel drive vehicles and hosted by our enthusiastic local guiding team. The Island is big and there are lots of choices to make so our experienced planning team can assist in co-ordinating the travel, accommodation and experience sectors to ensure you have a relaxing trip.
3. Raptor Domain
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 954 reviews
OPEN 10:00-4:00 Daily inc Public Holidays (Closed Christmas Day) Raptor Domain is a rehabilitation education centre and is the Ultimate, Interactive Wildlife Experience. We do not display animals in cages. Interaction and viewing of animals only during presentations. Venom Pit Presentation: 10:30 45 min This is an amazing look at Venom and the creatures that use it. ENTER IF YOU DARE!! Birds of Prey Presentations: 11:30 and 2:30 1hr Join us for an inspiring, interactive and educational experience. Get up close and personal with some of our beautiful Birds of Prey. Owls,Falcons,Eagles,Kookaburras and much more. Put on a glove and have our birds fly to you. Or hold our majestic eagle for a photo. Fang-Tastic Reptile presentation 1:00pm 45min Hold and enjoy an up close and personal experience with some of Australia's enchanting reptiles. Join us for 1,2 or all 3 presentations. Great photo opportunities, Fun for the whole family. Pre show order system for Food available.
Reviewed By hawkoadventures
We thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Very hands on allowing you to hold the snakes and lizards. Exceptional bird show with fantastic information and again interactive with the birds sitting on your knee and able to hold the falcon or wedge tail eagle. Great people working there, so friendly.
4. Kangaroo Island Hire a Guide
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 322 reviews
Over the years, KI Hire A Guide has successfully offered their touring services to thousands of tourists from both Australia and overseas. Their unique and customised itineraries allow visitors to discover the island their own way. See the unique Australian eco-systems such as: unspoilt, prisitine beaches; lush bush lands with an abundance of native flora; native animals such as, sea lions, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, possums, echidnas, goannas and an endless array of native bird life. KI Hire A Guide's Tour Guides have been professionally trained in eco-tourism and nature conservation, providing a skilled approach under certification so visitors are able to visit protected areas in the National Parks.
5. Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,724 reviews
Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action offers a variety of high quality, action based, outdoor activities with the opportunity to explore otherwise inaccessible parts of Kangaroo Island. Outdoor adventures for everyone. Fun for all ages and abilities and suitable for the whole family.* Ride quad bikes through 500 acres of winding bushland trails and open grassland.* Hire Sandboards or Toboggans for the massive sand dunes at Little Sahara.* Relax paddling Double or Single Kayaks on the beautiful Harriet River.*
6. Kangaroo Island Odysseys
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 653 reviews
Kangaroo Island Odysseys offer the ultimate in first-class eco-touring with multilingual driver/guides. We tour daily in English, with regular French,Italian & German tours and Spanish and Japanese on request. Discover why our tours have received a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellent 3 years running! Experience personalized travel in comfort in luxury four-wheel drive vehicles and discover Australian wildlife as it's meant to be seen - roaming free! Tours range from 1-5 days and offer guests high quality wildlife and nature based experiences of Kangaroo Island. Private charters and tailored tours are also a specialty. Discover the best personalised tours of Kangaroo Island
7. Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 340 reviews
The first lighthouse erected in South Australia, the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse lights the Backstairs Passage between Kangaroo Island and the mainland.
Reviewed By HDavidMc - Brisbane, Australia
We did the guided tour of this lighthouse with a local guide and found it fascinating. The history of the lighthouse ties in with the history of Kangaroo Island and is very well presented. Well worth a visit
8. Kangaroo Island Spirits
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 460 reviews
South Australia's first boutique distillery, Australia's oldest dedicated Gin distillery, Kangaroo Island Spirits is producing award winning Gin, Liqueuers, Vodka and more recently Whisky utilising local and native ingredients. Most recently releasing a single origin Gin called Koala48. The cellar door offers free tastings with extensive information about the product and processes in a rustic but personal setting. Enjoy great coffee, a cocktail and delicious food options from Mini Delights in our Gin Garden. Options for group bookings, gin platters and Gin Blending classes exist through the website.
Reviewed By HMac92 - Melbourne, Australia
Gin & non-gin drinkers of the group were all equally happy here. A lovely setting in the garden, very good (and world-class award winning) gin flights, cocktails, liquor tastings available. A small selection of good food available. We were given ample information about the tastings as well.
9. Dudley Wines
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 287 reviews
Dudley's cliff-top Cellar Door is situated on Kangaroo Island's stunning North Coast, just a few minutes drive from the Ferry Terminal in Penneshaw. Open 10.30am-4.30pm daily. Taste handcrafted K.I. wines in a spectacular location, while enjoying a small cellar door menu (Lunch bookings essential). Browse through our exquisite range of wool and natural fibre clothing, K.I. produce and artworks.
Reviewed By Thinlinx
On a drive out to Cape Willoughtby Lighthouse Saturday, we stopped in for lunch at Dudley Wines Cellar Door on the way back(only about 10 mins drive out of Penneshaw, and, Wow, Wow, Wow , walking out to sit on a beautiful big deck to indulge of this Wow factor view. We ordered two tasting paddles of their wines, and a tasting plate of fresh and delicious local produce. Very nice wines, especially the premium reds (on the $15 paddle) and the food complemented perfectly. Great friendly and knowledgeable service as well. Well worth a hop into on Kangaroo Island. Jeanne
10. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 481 reviews
Reviewed By SallyGolightly884 - Cherry Hill, United States
Well, not really, but it felt like it. It’s amazing to see them in their natural state, in a preserved habitat, with minimal predators. They just...do their thing and don’t worry about us. We did the nocturnal tour during cool and windy weather (15 C), and had the benefit of a long sunset and full moon to keep things illuminated, so to speak*. We luckily also had only 5 people on our tour, giving it an intimate feel. Our guides Sarah and Olivia were engaging and knowledgeable - it was clear that they care about the preservation of the wildlife and habitat. The Wildlife was plentiful - 3+ echidnas, roos too numerous to be counted, Cape Barren geese vocalizing their concerns about and to us, the Ligurian bee hives, termite mounds, bull ants, possums, wallabies and koalas. Oh, so many koalas (don’t stand underneath them, btw) - vocalizing, climbing, eating, and just being their goofy selves. My husband and I are both animal lovers, and this is one of the highlights of our whole trip. I’d wholeheartedly recommend to anyone visiting western KI. Oh, and drive safely on the island. The roos are *everywhere.* *Also, we carried torches in case of darkness.
