14 Must-Try Kangaroo Island Tours - Australian Traveller

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 itsthree-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)

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.

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.

From geothermal pools and luxury spa sanctuaries, Victoria’s mineral-rich waters and restorative landscapes offer total renewal.

I pass waving coastal spear-grass and coast saltbush as I follow the curving path through 15 hectares of thoughtfully curated gardens at the Mornington Peninsula’s Alba Thermal Springs & Spa . I hang my robe at the entrance and slip into the first sunken geothermal pool I find – feeling the tension from the 90-minute drive from Melbourne melt away as I watch steam dance across the surface in the late afternoon light. There are 31 pools, a mix of geothermal, cold plunge and botanical, that range in temperature and design, spread over six regions.

a woman relaxing at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa on the Mornington Peninsula — Alba Thermal Springs & Spa on the Mornington Peninsula. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I gravitate toward The Hemisphere, with its dry sauna, steam room, cold plunge and dreamy open-air pool called The Hide. But it’s Alba’s brand-new Sanctuary that really elevates the experience. The five luxurious stand-alone villas and two additional studio rooms opened in June 2025 and feature an indoor fireplace, oversized bathtub with views across the bay, a deck and extensive all-inclusive (minus the cocktails) mini-bar.

After dining at Alba’s Thyme restaurant, I return to my villa, content to fall asleep early listening to the fire crackle, feeling thoroughly restored. While Alba is one of the newest in the region, it’s certainly not the only place to enjoy a soothing soak. Here are others to book for a wellness weekend.

Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa

A woman bathes in the new Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa private bathing room with marble tiled walls — The marble private bathing room is one of five new designs. (Image: Supplied)

Nestled in the Daylesford region, Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa has been welcoming guests to its historic bathhouse for 130 years. With a $1.7 million renovation now complete (part of the 21st season of Channel 9’s The Block), find five new private bathing rooms, an apothecary experience where guests blend a custom body scrub and all-new spa treatment menu.

There are three bathing areas: Bathhouse for communal bathing for all ages, adults-only Sanctuary and a private bathing space for a personalised experience – try the skin-softening Mineral Milk Bath.

Lake House Daylesford

Inciting deep exhales, the spa at Alla Wolf-Tasker’s iconic Lake House has long been a beacon of wellness in the region. Tucked into the cottage gardens that wind down to the lake’s edge, the spa is beautifully and deliberately cloistered away from guests and diners visiting the celebrated on-site restaurant.

From Ayurvedic facials and hydrotherapy that makes use of Daylesford’s mineral waters, to cocooning thermal rituals and massage, treatments here promote tranquillity. While a day spa experience is delightful on its own, staying on the property adds a luxe layer to your corporeal renewal, especially if you’re in your own private spa villa.

Metung Hot Springs

Imagine immersing yourself in a barrel overflowing with geothermal water, all while taking in views of Gippsland Lakes. It’s one of several unique bathing experiences available at Metung Hot Springs .

There’s also a floating sauna and a Reflexology Walk constructed with carefully placed stones designed to stimulate the acupressure points in your feet as you walk. The 12-hectare site opened in 2022 with three bathing areas – Bathing Ridge, Lagoon Precinct and Hilltop Escarpment – and premium glamping tents that feature king-size beds and private bathing barrels.

Four more blissful day spas to visit

Lon Retreat & Spa is an award-winning, adults-only retreat on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs features sensory caves and cleansing waterfalls in Warrnambool.

Peninsula Hot Springs renews with 70 bathing and wellness experiences.

The Benev is an indulgent spa and luxury accommodation in Beechworth.

the Peninsula Hot Springs — Bathe in beautiful surroundings at Peninsula Hot Springs. (Image: Tourism Australia/Harry Pope/Two Palms)

15 must-try Kangaroo Island tours