Australian Wildlife
Step beyond the traditional ‘Big Five’ and discover macropods, monotremes, marsupials and cetaceans.
This holiday to South Australia and Western Australia showcases the country’s distinctive wildlife and spectacular landscapes, journeying from outback to ocean, meeting passionate locals, with explorations on foot, by boat and train.
Begin amidst the cinematic expanse of a 60,000 acre private wildlife conservancy in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges before joining wildlife experts on the rugged shores of Kangaroo Island. Cross vast limestone plains of the Nullarbor on board the iconic Indian Pacific train to reach Western Australia, where vineyards and whale encounters await. Luxury accommodation throughout showcases Australia’s extraordinary diversity of place and experience, from a traditional homestead to a cliffside lodge, a cabin in motion and a vineyard retreat.
Step beyond the traditional ‘Big Five’ and discover macropods, monotremes, marsupials and cetaceans.
Experience Australia’s spectacular interior landscapes on an epic 3 day train journey from Adelaide to Perth.
World class wines and extraordinary humpback interactions in Margaret River.
Explore dramatic outback and ancient Aboriginal rock art in the Flinders Ranges.
Day 1
Adelaide
Arrive into Adelaide.
Day 2
Adelaide - Flinders Ranges
Drive to the Flinders Ranges.
Days 3-4
Flinders Ranges
Outback Explorations.
Day 5
Flinders Ranges - Adelaide - Kangaroo Island
Travel south to Kangaroo Island.
Days 6-7
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island Explorations.
Day 8
Kangaroo Island - Adelaide
Board the Indian Pacific train in Adelaide.
Day 9
Crossing the Nullarbor Plain
Train travel across the Nullarbor Plains.
Day 10
Arrive Perth
Disembark the Indian Pacific train in Perth.
Day 11
Perth (Rottnest Island)
Visit Rottnest Island.
Day 12
Perth - Margaret River
Drive south to the Margaret River.
Day 13
Margaret River
Day at leisure.
Day 14
Margaret River
Whale watching expedition.
Day 15
Margaret River - Perth
Return to Perth.
Day 1
Adelaide
Arrive Adelaide and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2
Adelaide - Flinders Ranges
Pick up your hire car and drive approximately 5 hours to the Flinders Ranges and your accommodation for the next 3 nights.
Days 3-4
Flinders Ranges
Spend two days exploring this outback landscape on foot and by 4×4, learning about its flora and fauna and the incredible conservation projects in place. Enjoy a morning in one of Arkaba’s wildlife hides, on a birding safari or exploring ancient Aboriginal rock art or fossil sites.
Day 5
Flinders Ranges - Adelaide - Kangaroo Island
Drive to Adelaide via the Barossa Valley vineyards and take a short flight to Kangaroo Island and your clifftop accommodation.
Days 6-7
Kangaroo Island
Spend two days exploring the island and its resident wildlife, from sea lions and long nose fur seals to echidnas, koalas and kangaroos. Take an e-bike tour along the Cygnet River, get involved with echidna research and witness Kangaroo Island’s natural regeneration following the devastating fires.
Day 8
Kangaroo Island - Adelaide
Return to Adelaide and board the Indian Pacific train to begin your overland journey to Perth. Celebrate the start of the journey with a ‘Flavours of South Australia’ welcome dinner, showcasing its fabulous food and world-class wine.
Day 9
Crossing the Nullarbor Plain
After a breakfast with desert views, stop to visit the outback ghost town of Cook. Dine under the stars at Rawlinna, the Nullarbor outpost that borders a ‘little’ sheep station of a mere 8,000 square kilometres.
Day 10
Arrive Perth
Breakfast as the rolling hills of the Avon Valley pass by. Arrive into Perth in the afternoon.
Day 11
Perth (Rottnest Island)
Get the ferry to car-free Rottnest Island for a guided walk to meet the island’s endemic resident, the quokka. Learn about the rich eco-diversity and environmental conservation happening on the island.
Day 12
Perth - Margaret River
Collect your hire car and drive around 3 hours south towards the vineyards and beaches of Margaret River.
Day 13
Margaret River
Spend a day at leisure sampling local wines and relaxing.
Day 14
Margaret River
Join whale experts onboard a comfortable catamaran and spend a morning in search of humpback whales as they make their epic migration north.
Day 15
Margaret River - Perth
Drive to Perth for onward travel.
Arkaba is a small, intimate homestead in South Australia, with a history dating back to the 1850s. Located on a protected wildlife conservancy of 24,300 hectares in the Flinders Ranges, it provides a sanctuary to over 1,200 species of plants and 300 different species of birds. Cut off from the rest of the world for around 30 million years, Australia’s wildlife has adapted into distinctive species and Arkaba’s dynamic conservation initiatives have resulted in the return of myriad native species.
Take guided walks and 4×4 safaris amidst huge river red gum trees, wide gorges and extensive bushland, viewing iconic wildlife including kangaroos, emus, kookaburras and yellow-footed rock wallabies.
Australia’s third largest island and just off the coast of South Australia, Kangaroo Island is encompassed by rugged cliffs, hidden coves and beautiful sandy beaches. A haven for wildlife including rare sea lions, echidnas, koalas, kangaroos, koalas and birdlife, the island guides are incredible, often native and always passionate. Take an e-bike tour along the Cygnet River or get involved with echidna research and citizen science programs with expert Peggy Rismiller. Following the devastating fires, meeting conservationists and witnessing first-hand, Kangaroo Island’s natural regeneration is an uplifting experience.
The chance to stay at the luxurious Southern Ocean Lodge, with its far-reaching ocean views, is pretty special.
The Margaret River region is a realm of wine and whales. Hosting around 40,000 humpback whales annually, this locale stands as a premier destination for extraordinary whale and dolphin interactions. Between September and November, humpback, southern right and even blue whale can be seen off the coast of Dunsborough as they nurse and rest with their calves enroute to Antarctica. Between May and August the seaside town of Augusta is one of the best locations to view Humpbacks as they make their epic migration north, filling the beautiful Flinders Bay area. This region also produces less than 5% of Australia’s wine but over 20% of its premium wine!
With more time, venture further south to Albany, where nearby Bremer Bay sees the largest congregations of orcas in the southern hemisphere.
Our partner in Kangaroo Island, Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours has been at the forefront of policy development for responsible Koala viewing based on over 27 years of research. In 2006, the organisation launched the Sustainable Koala Watching Code, implementing a welfare policy for guides, researchers and staff members to reduce human behaviours that may negatively impact koalas.
Arkaba’s biodiversity is still in a state of recovery following the ecological damage done by over a century of sheep farming and the clearance of vegetation for agriculture. Working with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Arkaba’s conservation efforts have been the catalyst for this recovery, eradicating feral herbivores and predators to allow native species to thrive. Tourism provides essential funds towards financing many of Arkaba’s conservation initiatives.
Whale watching experts Naturaliste Charters are globally-recognised innovators in the industry and support numerous projects, as well as facilitating independent research onboard their expeditions throughout the year. The team has been collaborating with Geographe Marine Research (GMR) for over a decade and among other projects, submit images daily, especially of endangered Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales.
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Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
South Australia can be visited for most of the year but the best time is from September to May. Kangaroo Island has a Mediterranean climate so is a good destination year round, with the exception of June to September when it could be cold and wet – that said the wildlife in the winter is great and accommodation such as Southern Ocean Lodge have beautiful open fires. Be aware that the Flinders ranges outback can get extremely hot during these months and temperatures can reach freezing at night and in the early mornings. Perth and Margaret River in Western Australia are at their sunny best between October and March.
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