Visiting Kangaroo Island: The Must-See Spots & Tips!

No better way to continue an Australian road trip than by crossing over to what locals call ‘KI’ – Kangaroo Island! This island is known as a paradise for nature lovers and that turned out not to be exaggerated. With our camper full of enthusiasm we drove onto the ferry, ready for two days full of nature, animals and adventure!

The journey to Kangaroo Island: always by ferry

You can book a day trip to Kangaroo Island or make the crossing with your own car or camper. We went with our own camper to camp on Kangaroo Island. That made the journey to Kangaroo Island even more fun in my opinion, because most tourists leave again around dinnertime with a day trip. In this blog I’ll take you along on my adventure. If you want to book a day trip, you’ll read more about it further down.

At 14:30 we check in at SeaLink in Cape Jervis for our crossing to Kangaroo Island. The catamaran takes us across the Backstairs Passage to the island in about 45 minutes. And whether I could reverse onto the boat on day 2 of driving with a camper… well, that was exciting! They are busy renovating things here and new boats are coming, more on that later.

Once arrived in Penneshaw we drive straight through to our campsite in American River. The route there already gives us a first impression of the island: varied landscapes from lush green forest to dry open plains and again those glimpses of the ocean. Around dusk you have a very good chance of spotting kangaroos between those glimpses, because about 200,000 of them live on this island!

Do make sure to stop along the way at the Mt Thisby Lookout (Google Maps). Here a staircase has been made so you can easily walk up to see a large part of the island.

Our campsite turns out to be a bullseye. With a view of the American River flowing into the ocean, we spot pelicans and black swans right away. It’s a great base if you arrive with the late ferry like us.

Tip: book campsites well in advance, especially on weekends and if you want a spot with power. More info on that further down.

Flinders Chase National Park

The next morning we leave early for Flinders Chase National Park, a drive of about an hour and a half. On the way we suddenly have to slam on the brakes – from a distance it looks like a monkey crossing (which you don’t have here, by the way) but it turns out to be a slow koala! Our first wildlife encounter is a fact. Okay, apart from the pelicans, birds and the many dead kangaroos on the road (yes really, unfortunately…).

The park itself is a combination of rugged coasts and unique flora and fauna. We can still see the effects of the devastating bushfires from 2019-2020, but the recovery is also clearly visible. Life always finds a way!

Platypus Waterholes walk

We start with a walk along the Platypus Waterholes. Full of expectation we walk onto the path, hoping for a glimpse of the rare platypus. Unfortunately we discover halfway (at the lookout point) that due to the persistent drought the river has dried up. And as if that’s not enough, platypuses go into summer hibernation in summer… A bit of a disappointment, but the walk of over an hour is still nice to stretch the legs! Are you here in a wetter period? Then you have more chance!

Admirals Arch

Next we visit Admirals Arch. To be honest: we’ve now seen such natural phenomena more often, but this natural arch remains impressive. Formed by centuries of oceanic erosion, the arch offers a beautiful frame for the wild sea behind it. And yes there they are: dozens of sea lions basking on the rocks or playfully darting through the water. What a beautiful sight! Even in the Admirals Arch itself you see sea lions playing in the background. We couldn’t look our fill!

Remarkable Rocks

The last stop in the park is at the Remarkable Rocks. These enormous granite rock formations have been ‘sculpted’ into the most fantastic shapes by wind, rain and salt over millions of years. The contrast between the orange-red granite, the deep blue Southern Ocean and the clear sky creates pictures that could be straight from a postcard. And what’s especially fun, you can walk everywhere. So you don’t have to watch from behind a fence, but you can take all kinds of silly photos here.

Bonus tip: many day trips go to Kangaroo Island. With them you see all the highlights, but these are therefore also busy. Are you traveling around yourself? Then come early or late to Admirals Arch and the Remarkable Rocks.

Little Sahara Adventures

At the end of the afternoon we arrive at Little Sahara, an area with impressive sand dunes that remind you of a mini-desert. It’s not far from the coastal village of Vivonne Bay, where we’ll camp later.

We booked for a buggy adventure and meet our guide Temika. To our surprise the tour turns out to be private – what luck! With the off-road buggy we first race through the forest with centuries-old eucalyptus trees. Temika’s trained eye spots some koalas high in the trees right away. Soon we see them clearly sitting there, comfortably sleeping between the branches. Temika explains the necessary about koalas and where you can spot them. The rest of the ride is therefore good to keep your eyes peeled. In total we saw almost 10 of them.

Then we drive on to a breathtakingly beautiful beach that’s only accessible for these tours. It feels special to stand here completely alone, knowing that this piece of coast is normally not visitable.

The highlight comes when we reach the sand dunes. Temika gives full throttle and we race at full speed over the dunes. At some places the slopes are so steep that it feels like we’re driving straight into the abyss – a real adrenaline rush!

Kangaroos in the wild & in zoos

After the dune spectacle we set up our camper at a nice spot with (wonder above wonder) phone reception. You don’t have that much in the west of Kangaroo Island. As dusk falls, we go looking for some kangaroos. Unfortunately we see many run-over specimens along the road on the way, a sad sight. But fortunately we are also rewarded with the sight of several live kangaroos hopping through the grass!

There are also several zoos on Kangaroo Island. The fun thing is that you can spot multiple native Australian animals there and also feed the kangaroos. These are tame kangaroos and therefore safe to meet.

We eventually settle at our camper spot in Vivonne Bay. It’s a real animal paradise here – several wallabies walk around the campsite AND there’s even a koala in the tree right next to our camper! We end the day under a spectacular starry sky.

Seal Bay and farewell to KI

Our last day on Kangaroo Island starts relaxed. We first visit a wildlife park where we come face to face with countless Australian wallabies and kangaroos. With the special feed we bought, we attract quite some attention – especially because we’re the first in the park this morning. We can also admire the koalas up close here. What cute animals! Besides the native animals, the park also has some other animals they care for or have for breeding programs.

Then we drive on to Seal Bay, the home of one of Australia’s largest Australian sea lion populations. There are only 10,000 of these animals left, with 800 living together in a group in Seal Bay. Although we saw hundreds of seals and sea lions yesterday in Flinders Chase, it’s still special to observe this endangered species in their natural habitat. What is a pity: where everything is so well and freely accessible, here you have to pay entrance for the boardwalk or a guided tour. You have little choice. It feels a bit commercial, but fortunately the money is used to protect these Australian sea lions.

After lunch at an idyllic spot we make one more stop at Kangaroo Island Brewery for a refreshing beer tasting. It’s the perfect finale to our island adventure!

In the late afternoon we drive back to Penneshaw to catch the 16:30 ferry. As the catamaran sails away from the island, we look back one more time at this piece of pristine nature. We end the day at our campsite in Port Elliot, this time with a spot overlooking the sea. Falling asleep with the sound of the waves in the background – a perfect conclusion to our Kangaroo Island adventure!

What else is there to do on Kangaroo Island?

Kangaroo Island is also very well known for the many vineyards you can visit. There are countless vineyards where you can do a tasting. Are you a fan? Then definitely plan one!

You can also find a unique type of honey on Kangaroo Island. You won’t find this anywhere else in the world. That’s why you can’t bring your own honey to the island, to protect the bees there. You can also book a tour for this.

You can also do a tour with penguins in the evening in Penneshaw (where you arrive). For that it’s handy if you stay sleeping nearby, because you don’t like to drive around the island in the dark.

There are more fun stops (mainly tours), but for those it’s best to search online a bit more!

Overnight stays on Kangaroo Island

At the campsite

There are several government campsites on Kangaroo Island that are well organized. You can choose your own spot online (subject to availability) and pay easily. There are both spots with or without power. Just don’t expect running water at your camping spot itself (but at the toilet building) and you need coins for the showers.

You can easily find all campsites via this website

We ourselves stayed at Vivonne Bay Campground & American River Campground. At Vivonne Bay there were quite a few wallabies and even a koala in the tree next to our camping spot!

Prefer accommodation or hotel?

Then here are 4 nice options for you!

1. Budget & cozy: Kangaroo Island Homestays (Kingscote)
Looking for an affordable and hospitable place? These Homestays in Kingscote are around €130/night, with nice simple rooms and a homely atmosphere – ideal if you’re traveling on a tight budget.

2. Midrange & comfortable: Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge (American River)
Luxurious 3.5-star lodge with pool and restaurant, right in nature near American River. Perfect base for wildlife trips and just a bit more comfort than camping. Price starts around €115–130/night.

3. Premium & private: Villas on the Bay Kingscote
Spacious 2- or 3-bedroom villas with own kitchen and sea view near Kingscote. Just that extra home feeling with comfort AND freedom – ideal for families or couples staying longer. Price around €160–180/night.

4. Luxury & exclusive: Sea Dragon Retreat (Cape Willoughby)
Hidden gem with all-inclusive experience: suites WITH view of Pink Bay, gourmet dinners, guided nature walks and plenty of peace. Prices start around €1,600 for 2 nights, but a truly unforgettable finale to your road trip.

Practical tips for Kangaroo Island:

• Book your ferry well in advance, especially in peak season. Your desired time slot may not be available.
• Booking the ferry with a camper? Then you have to make a request, because your vehicle is too long. You get a response quickly. But it’s a bit of a hassle.
• The ferry is quite expensive! We paid $635.80 for a 6.7 meter camper and 2 adults. That’s about €375. I still don’t understand that we agreed to it… although otherwise I would have missed all of the above. There are also day tours this way that are much cheaper in comparison. Then you’re only 1 day on the island.
• In 2025 the ports need to be improved. They were busy with that when we were there in February 2025. A new ferry is also coming. Currently the ferry has only 1 entrance and exit, so you have to reverse onto the boat. Loading therefore takes quite a while.
• Download offline maps, because reception on the island is very limited if you’re in the western part.
• Stay on the main roads, because all side roads are gravel roads. Only go off if really necessary, especially with a camper.
• Drive carefully, especially at sunrise and sunset (that’s when the animals are most active). With 200,000 kangaroos on the island one often crosses the road. We had to slam on the brakes everywhere once for a kangaroo and a koala on the road.
• Plan enough time – the island is bigger than you think! There are many stretches where there’s nothing to do, but you drive over 150km from right to left.
• Fill up your car or camper beforehand. There are 3 gas stations on the island and they are on average 20% more expensive than on the mainland.
• Take enough water and food, there are few shops on the island.

Day tour Kangaroo Island

Prefer just one day on Kangaroo Island? That way you save a lot of costs with the ferry and still see the highlights. You are bound to a tourist bus though. This is very suitable with children. You’ll find the different options below. Tip: book a spot, the ferry fills up quickly!

Was Kangaroo Island worth it? Absolutely! Even though the ferry price made me doubt a lot. The combination of pristine nature, special rock formations and the chance to spot iconic Australian animals in the wild, makes this a highlight of our trip. And although two days is actually too short for this nature wonder, we made the most of our time here!