Kangaroo Island trip: how many days and what to see

A Kangaroo Island trip is best planned around three things: a ferry or flight booked early, a base on the island, and at least three days on the ground. The ferry from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw takes about 45 minutes, and the island's main sights are Seal Bay, Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch and Flinders Chase National Park.

This guide is written for people planning a summer break. The facts come from the island ferry operator's own answers to traveller questions, as they stood in late 2009.

Sources for this section: SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions (page as at November 2009).

How many days to allow

Give the island three days if you can. The ferry operator says the attractions are easy to reach and that three days will show you the highlights. It also says that to really get to know the island you should allow seven days.

If you only have one day, a full day tour is possible. The operator's one day highlights tour visits Seal Bay, Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch and Flinders Chase National Park. It is a long day and a lot of driving, so expect to see the big names and little else.

With two days, the operator suggests a two day, one night coast to coast tour. It covers more of the coast and some local cottage industries as well as the major highlights. Two days is a sensible minimum if you want to take the sights at your own pace.

Sources for this section: SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions (page as at November 2009).

Ferry or flight

Most visitors with a car take the ferry. Two ferries run back to back between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw, and the crossing takes about 45 minutes each way. The operator says there are usually four sailings each way a day, rising to as many as twelve each way in the busiest periods.

Cape Jervis is at the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, looking across Backstairs Passage to the island. Driving from the middle of Adelaide takes about two hours. Check in at least half an hour before departure, so allow two and a half hours in total.

If you would rather not drive that far, the same operator's booking page lists cruise or fly choices for its tours, including fly both ways. Ask about the options when you book. Ferry fares are the same at weekends and midweek. A limited number of cheaper Saver car fares are offered on selected sailings.

Sources for this section: SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions (page as at November 2009); SeaLink Kangaroo Island, home page (page as at November 2009).

Booking and check in

Book ahead. The operator says to pre-book to avoid disappointment, and names the busy times: Easter, school holidays, the Kangaroo Island Cup Carnival, public holiday long weekends, and the Christmas period from 26 December to 8 January. If you are reading this before Christmas and want to go in that window, book today.

• Online bookings are paid by credit card at the time of booking. You cannot pay at the terminal.
• Adults must show photo identification, such as a driver's licence or passport. Children do not need to.
• Drivers take their own vehicle on board. One person goes to the terminal to check in and collect the boarding passes.
• If you leave your car at Cape Jervis, a luggage van waits beside the terminal. You load and collect your own bags.
• Dogs travel free on a lead, on the top decks or in your vehicle.

Sources for this section: SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions (page as at November 2009).

What to see

Four names appear on nearly every plan, so start there.

• Seal Bay: a stop on the operator's one day and two day tours.
• Remarkable Rocks: a highlight on the same tours.
• Admirals Arch: listed alongside Remarkable Rocks.
• Flinders Chase National Park: the park the operator names on its one day tour.

Park entry passes can be bought at the Kangaroo Island Gateway Visitor Information Centre at Penneshaw, at any national park visitor centre, or at the Department for Environment and Heritage office in Kingscote. The Penneshaw centre is on the edge of town, and the operator suggests first time visitors call in. Ferries carry some general tourist information too.

Opening hours, tour times and prices at each site can change, so check them with the park or the tour operator when you book.

Sources for this section: SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions (page as at November 2009).

When to go and what to pack

The operator says the island has cooler summers and milder winters than the mainland, and that any season can work. Here is how it describes each one.

• Summer, December to February: wildlife shelters in the bush during the day. The land is golden pasture and summer wildflowers, and the beaches are at their best.
• Autumn, March to May: pastures start to green and creeks begin to flow.
• Winter, June to August: green countryside and flowing rivers. Land mammals, which feed mostly at night, dawn and dusk, often come out by day.
• Spring, September to November: wildflowers, birds and mammals.

Book your bed as well as your ferry. The operator strongly advises booking a place to stay before you arrive and lists more than 170 properties, from motels and bed and breakfasts to cabins, holiday houses and lighthouse keepers' cottages.

Mobile phones mostly work on the crossing, but some networks do not work on or near the island, and reception can be patchy. Do not bring bee or honey products, unwashed potatoes, vine cuttings, foxes or rabbits. This protects the island from pests and disease, and penalties may apply.

Sources for this section: SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions (page as at November 2009).

A simple three day plan

This is our own suggestion, built on the facts above. Check each stop's hours before you go.

1. Day one: an early ferry from Cape Jervis, a stop at the Penneshaw visitor centre for park passes, then settle into your accommodation.
2. Day two: a full day on the south-west side of the island, with Seal Bay, Flinders Chase National Park, Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch.
3. Day three: a slow morning, then time for local food and cottage industries before the afternoon ferry back.

If you have a fourth day, use it to slow down. The operator's own advice is that the island rewards a longer stay.

Sources for this section: SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions (page as at November 2009).

Sources

1. SeaLink Kangaroo Island, Frequently asked questions: web.archive.org
2. SeaLink Kangaroo Island, home page: web.archive.org