Kangaroo Island, The Flinders Ranges & Clare Valley Wine Country
7 days / 6 nights
Begins / Ends Adelaide

• Home-hosted accommodation, wonderful hosts & superb meals

• Sip a crisp South Australian wine as your guide cooks a seafood BBQ picnic

• Kangaroo Island is renowned for its high quality gourmet produce including delicious seafood, cheeses and wines

• Varied wildlife viewing from marine mammals to koalas, Fairy Penguins, echidnas, emus, wallabies and perhaps even the elusive platypus or a Flinders dingo.

• Hike the historic Heysen Trails that runs through Arkaba, or take a walk by the creek, a beautiful place lined with Red gums and where over 100 species of bird have been recorded.

• Optional scenic flight over Wilpena Pound

• Experience the hospitality, fine food and wine at Thorn Park, an exclusive country house in the Clare valley

Day 1 - Adelaide to Kangaroo Island Stranraer Homestead (or similar), 2 nights

From Adelaide you have a 30 minute flight via light aircraft to Kingscote Airport, Kangaroo Island.

Buffeted by the waves and winds of the Southern Ocean, Kangaroo Island boasts wildlife untainted by many of the introduced species of European settlement. Tamar wallabies, now almost extinct on the mainland, koalas, echidnas, and a variety of bird life, live within the safety of the island’s ocean boundaries.

Stranraer Homestead is the home of your hosts Lyn and Graham Wheaton; Graham is a third generation islander. The Homestead offers 4 guestrooms, each with a small fireplace and 3 of which have private bathrooms. The central living area offers guests a comfortable sitting room with an open fire.

Each day Lyn prepares a fully cooked breakfast and a gourmet dinner for her guests - much of it from island produce. After dinner Graham will take you on an evening drive to look for kangaroos, wallabies, and other nocturnal animals.

Day 2 - A guided discovery of Kangaroo Island

Meet your wildlife guide this morning for a full day tour of the island. You will be part of a small group – a maximum of 12 guests travelling with 2 guides. The day will focus on the eastern half of the island and the aim is to get you off the beaten track and away from the tourist spots.

Enjoy a visit to Seal Bay to see a breeding colony of sea lions, a walk through a eucalyptus forest to look for koalas and perhaps a late afternoon stop at D'Estrees Bay to see kangaroos and wallabies. At lunchtime, your guide turns into a chef and will prepare a fresh seafood BBQ lunch for you – complete with a glass (or two!) of fine South Australian wine.

At Flinders Chase National Park you may spy an elusive platypus; you will see the historic lighthouses and not too far away are Remarkable Rocks. Stop at local farms to sample some of the island produce, take a bird watching trip on Murray’s Lagoon … each day is different as your guides take into account the weather, the wildlife and the interests of the group.

Return to Stranraer for dinner and overnight

Day 3 - Flinders Ranges, Arkaba Station, 2 nights

After another delicious breakfast prepared to order by Lyn, your hosts will drive you to Kingscote Airport for your flight to Adelaide where you collect your car. The drive to Arkaba Station in the Elder’s Range of the Flinders Ranges will take 5 to 6 hours and there are some lovely lunch stops along the way. We can arrange a charter flight directly to Arkaba if you prefer – price is on application and varies depending on aircraft size.

At Arkaba you will be hosted by Dean & Lizzie Rasheed, whose family has long been part of the region’s history. Arkaba is a heritage listed property dating from 1851 and remains a working sheep station. In 1856 a magnificent stone wool shed was built and with 40 stands it is one of the biggest in Australia.

Accommodation is in the rambling homestead where two guest bedrooms with private bathroom share a lounge and reading room. Meals are enjoyed with the Rasheeds – good home-style cuisine washed down with local wines and interesting discussion of the region.

Day 4 - Explore the Flinders Ranges

It is Arkaba’s extraordinary landscape that commands attention for it has a geological history dating back 700 million years. All around are spectacular formations, best-known is Wilpena Pound, a remarkable rock basin that covers 80 sq kms and reaches a height of 800 metres. Take a scenic flight (additional cost), walk the Arkaba Creek, bird watch, enjoy the abundant wildlife or take an interest in the running of a working sheep property. Lunch is often a bush picnic beneath the river gums on Arkaba Creek.

It is also possible to arrange a guided walk with a local Aboriginal elder to view ancient rock art and learn about traditional culture.

Day 5 - Clare Valley Thorn Park, 2 nights

When the time comes to farewell the Rasheed’s drive south, perhaps stopping at The Prairie Hotel for a tasty lunch of their famous ‘feral food’. You may like to explore Jamestown or pass through historic Burra – the roads are long but very easy and the countryside is magnificently Australian!

Arrive at Thorn Park in the late afternoon – one of the Valley’s older homesteads Thorn Park is set in 60 acres of beautiful gardens and rural country.

After settling in, join other guests and your hosts, David Hay and Michael Speers for a drink in the library or lounge before dinner. David Hay’s gourmet style has earned him numerous accolades from both national and international food and travel writers. His skill in the kitchen and Michael’s charm as chief raconteur ensure a most memorable evening.

Day 6 - Explore the Clare Valley

The Clare Valley is one of Australia’s longest settled regions; its rustic and charming towns bear witness to their first British settlers. Its vineyards remain small, privately owned and with an air of seclusion that the larger commercial wine areas no longer have. Your hosts can make suggestions for your local touring today and can recommend several restaurants for lunch and dinner.

Day 7 - Adelaide

A leisurely drive back to Adelaide with perhaps visits to more wineries en route. In Adelaide you may return your car, or retain it for further use, just ask our team to co-ordinate your personal requirements.

Options and Upgrades

• Spend an extra day on Kangaroo Island, take a hire and make your own discoveries

• Up-grade to a privately escorted tour on Kangaroo Island

• We can arrange a chauffeured transfer or charter flight to Arkaba Station and the Clare Valley

• Expert guides of the Clare Valley can be arranged for private touring