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Pick your own flowers and fruit along this dreamy Adelaide Hills trail

Credit: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission

Jessica O'Donnell Jessica O'Donnell
Cherry orchards, flower fields and truffle hunts await…

When planning the perfect spring weekend itinerary, there’s a few activities that are simply a must-do. For us, that includes sampling fresh fruit, enjoying the blooming of flowers we’d missed during winter, and being outside in nature as much as the weather will allow.

A new trail in Adelaide Hills, aptly named the Harvest & Bloom Trail, has combined all our spring itinerary must-haves with a farm trail that helps visitors discover the region’s best flower fields, seasonal produce and pick-your-own farms.

What is the Harvest & Bloom Trail?

adelaide hills bloom and harvest trail strawberry picking
Spend an afternoon picking strawberries at Beerenberg Farm (Credit: Kristy Billing @gypsyandherwild)

There’s no shortage of things to do in Adelaide Hills with its abundance of cool-climate wineries and charming country towns, but there’s plenty more to enjoy in the region that doesn’t involve wining and dining.

The new Adelaide Hills Harvest & Bloom Trail brings together some of the region’s best flower fields and farm-gate experiences in one handy guide to help you plan the best trail for you. Spanning most of the region, the trail leads visitors to family-run orchards, boutique flower farms and local producers, with everything from just-picked cherries to fragrant lavender ready to be enjoyed.

A stop on the trail you’d be sorry to miss is Beerenberg Farm, a picturesque working strawberry farm that invites guests to try out a seasonal pick-your-own experience between November and April. Anyone obsessed with skincare should include an afternoon at Jurlique Farm, with a guided tour of the biodynamic farm and an in-depth look into the skincare benefits of botanical ingredients.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Can you really pick your own fruit and flowers?

Absolutely, and getting your hands dirty is all part of the fun.

Depending on the season, you can wander through orchards picking ripe cherries straight from the tree, gather your own bunch of colourful blooms or stroll through fields filled with sunflowers and lavender. And it’s not just fruit and flowers up for grabs. The trail also encompasses farm-gate experiences and even truffle hunts, offering a delicious way to discover another side to what the Adelaide Hills has to offer outside of its renowned wineries and fine dining options.

The trail has an online directory to help you plan your trip by letting you know what experiences are available at specific destinations along the trail, as well as the time of year you need to visit to see it at its best.

What’s the best time to visit the trail?

Adelaide hills bloom and harvest trail
Pick a bunch of lavender at the Hahndorf Lavender Estate as an aromatic souvenir (Credit: Megan Crabb)

That depends on what you’re hoping to do. The Harvest & Bloom Trail is a year-round affair, with different farms and experiences flourishing as the seasons change. During summer you can gorge on fresh cherries or walk through sunflower fields, while the cooler months usher in truffle season. Rather than trying to tick everything off in one visit, check what’s in season before you set off and if there’s something unavailable, there’s a good excuse to come back for another helping.

If I’m planning a weekend in the Adelaide Hills, where should I stay?

Make a weekend of it by bedding down in one of the many strong Adelaide Hills accommodation options. The charming town of Hahndorf makes a lively base, with plenty of restaurants, cellar doors and boutiques within strolling distance, while Stirling pairs leafy streets with excellent places to eat and drink. For something a little more secluded, the region is dotted with cosy cottages, vineyard stays and design-led retreats that put rolling hills and countryside right on your doorstep.

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Jessica O'Donnell

Jessica O'Donnell

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7 pinch-me moments I had at the new Monarto Safari Lodge

    Katie Carlin Katie Carlin
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    Monarto Safari Resort’s new Safari Lodge delivers so much more than a memorable stay; it’s packed full of unforgettable moments.  

    Just a year after the 78-room Monarto Safari Resort opened, the new Safari Lodge brings a more intimate and exclusive overnight African safari experience to Australia just outside of Adelaide. But just how similar is it to an African safari?

    Consider these pinch-me moments I had during my stay and decide for yourself. 

    1. Cheetah sightings at check-in

    monarto safari lodge cheetahs
    Spot cheetahs before you even check in.

    Safari Lodge is set within the Wild Africa precinct of the expansive, open-range Monarto Safari Park. I expected to see animals, but I didn’t expect to see two cheetahs stalking the fenceline just behind my tent at check-in.

    I cross the paddock to get a closer look. Both are now perched like a sphinx on a hill overlooking the 20 premium tents that make up Safari Lodge. I stand here, locked in place, waiting to see if they make a move. After 10 minutes like this, I turn to get settled into the tent but throw a final look in their direction; they’ve slinked back down, now barely visible in the grass. I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about this encounter later tonight. 

    2. Sipping champagne as a giraffe sips from a waterhole

    giraffes at monarto safari lodge
    Enjoy champagne while meeting the locals. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    The all-inclusive stay includes a 2.5-hour Sunset Safari that takes guests into the Wild Africa precinct onboard a purpose-built Safari Land Cruiser for a chance to see free-roaming herds of African animals up close.

    The safari drive culminates in a champagne and canapé stop in a fenced and sheltered viewing area of the precinct. A chance to watch the sun set as animals gather around one of the many waterholes. And we’re in luck! Two giraffes are stripping leaves from a nearby tree as three white rhinos graze to my right. One giraffe starts galloping, in that funny head-bobbing way giraffes do, to the water’s edge. It splays its legs and bends its long neck down to start slurping up water. I find giraffes endlessly entertaining, and sipping champagne while watching the scene play out is the icing on the cake. 

    3. A rain shower with views of a waterhole where African animals gather

    monarto safari lodge King Safari Tent
    Enjoy views from the King Safari Tent.

    I am staying in tent 17, one of the best positioned tents for animal encounters, due to its proximity to the waterhole. Not only does the spacious 71-square-metre King Safari Tent feature a king bed, lounge area, separate dressing room with kitchenette, coffee machine, kettle and fully stocked mini bar, and ensuite bathroom. But you can even glimpse the waterhole from the rain shower. It’s thoughtful details like this that keep you connected to the safari experience no matter where you are located.  

    4. Feeding lions from within a caged dome

    Lion 360 experience at monarto safari resort
    Step into the Lion 360 experience. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    Monarto Safari Park isn’t a zoo. Set across 1500 hectares of South Australian bushland, it’s an expansive safari experience. It’s been designed to support complex social groupings, natural behaviours and long-term species management. Entry is included for guests, but I’ve decided to upgrade my experience with tickets to Lion 360. 

    Senior Keeper Rachel Hemming herds 15 of us into a domed cage for the unique lion feeding experience. She leads Monarto’s care and conservation breeding programs for their iconic big cats. “Make sure you don’t get too close to the edge of the cage; the lions like to mark their territory,” she warns. 

    She starts making cat-like calls to Kubwa, Kashka and Kito, the three male lions lazing somewhere out of sight behind the tree line in the distance. The promise of food eventually lures the lions over. I’m in awe of their size as they pace back and forth, pausing to take the meat as it’s fed to them via tongs.

    In her excitement, one lady has inched too close; a lion takes aim and hits his mark before she realises her mistake. I see her leaving the gift shop with a new jacket not long after the tour ends. 

    5. A swim in a private plunge pool with a floating charcuterie board

    Monarto safari Lodge swim in a private plunge pool with a floating charcuterie board
    Tuck into a poolside treat. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    The Safari Lodge reception is also home to a restaurant and bar, heated swimming pool and several private plunge pools available to book. After a morning spent at Monarto Safari Park, a dip in one of the private plunge pools sounds too good to skip.

    I change into my swimmers and make my way to the lodge. A generous charcuterie board arrives shortly after I slip into the pool. I’m told floating trays are already on order, but picking at the selection of cheeses, meats, nuts and fruit while perched on the edge sipping champagne is just as indulgent as it is having it float in the water. I never make it to the gym or pickleball court beside the lodge, but I have no regrets. 

    6. A front-row seat to a male rhino rejected by two females

    male rhino grazing
    Watch a rhino’s unlucky day. (Credit: Lucas Alexander)

    Louis Tonkin, our Wild Africa Tour host, is giddy with excitement when he spots the three white rhinos on our Sunset Safari drive. He has an inkling that we’re about to get a show.

    He pulls to the side and tells us what terrible eyesight white rhinos have, struggling to spot a motionless animal or object even from a short distance. However, they make up for it with acute hearing and an incredible sense of smell. Which explains why the larger male rhino is methodically creeping towards the two disinterested females grazing metres in front of him, then suddenly freezing on the spot. He’s hoping one will be open to mating with him. He takes another wary shuffle forward and suddenly the smaller of the two turns and charges towards him, butting him hard with her head. It’s a firm no. The male, denied, sheepishly backs away. 

    7. Watching a dazzle of zebra from the comfort of a luxury safari tent

    monarto safari resort zebra
    Wildlife encounters abound.

    Rain clouds loom, and the wind is howling, but thankfully it hasn’t deterred the zebras. I’m brewing a cup of Monarto’s Serengé-T – a vanilla rooibos blended with Daintree black tea and butterfly pea flower when I spot them. Six zebras are prancing across the plains for a drink at the waterhole. I watch their antics from the deck of my King Safari Tent, wrapped in a merino blanket made by Australian-owned Grampians Good Co. and marvel at the fact I get a front-row show to these wild animals. 

    After they disappear from view, I sit with the sketch pad and pencils I find in the cupboard and start drawing some of my most memorable animal encounters from the weekend – starting with the two hippos I saw ravenously munching on grass at dusk as we made our way out of the Wild Africa precinct last night. This really is as close to an authentic safari experience as you can get outside of Africa. 

    Start planning a wild stay in the luxurious Safari Lodge at monartosafariresort.com.