Australia wildlife adventure

Take an overnight flight to Perth, the capital of Western Australia and one of the country’s sunniest cities. Here, you are met by an A&K representative and transferred by private vehicle to your accommodation.

Embark on a full-day private tour of this dynamic city, set on Australia’s sun-kissed west coast. Venture up to the sixth floor of the striking Swan Bell Tower for sweeping views across Perth. Continue to Fremantle, a bustling cosmopolitan area famed for its marinas and heritage buildings. Admire nautical exhibits at the Western Australian Maritime Museum, then soak up the relaxed atmosphere at Cottesloe Beach. After lunch, enjoy views across the 400-hectare Kings Park from the Federation Walkway, set high in the canopy. 

Your focus today lies 33 kilometres off the coast of Perth: the wild islet of Rottnest, famously home to adorable marsupials called quokkas. Ride the ferry from Fremantle to the island, where you have the option of taking the hop-on hop-off bus or opting for hire bikes for a more active exploration. During your visit, learn about Rottnest’s past as an Aboriginal jail and wartime fortification, stop by Bathurst Lighthouse, and embark on the ‘quokka walk’ – a route leading you through the marsupial’s natural habitat.

Transfer by plane to Learmonth Airport, then fly aboard a single-engine aircraft to Yardie Creek Station. You soar over the Cape Range’s limestone gorges and Sal Salis safari camp, then gain your first sighting of Ningaloo Reef – around which you may spot humpback whales, dolphins, turtles and manta rays. After landing, you are transferred to Sal Salis camp by road.

You have two more days to experience the UNESCO-listed Ningaloo Reef and its wild inhabitants. Your first day is spent snorkelling with whale sharks – the largest extant fish and a docile filter-feeder that visits this coral-rich coastline for its plankton. You may also spot dolphins, orcas, dugongs, manta rays, blue whales and other marine life. Spend your second day leisurely cruising around the reef aboard an exclusive luxury yacht, swimming, snorkelling and observing from the deck. Toast the day’s adventures with a glass of bubbly on board. 

It’s time to swap Western Australia for South Australia and its charming capital, Adelaide. Transfer to Learmonth Airport for a flight to Adelaide via Perth. Upon arrival, you are met by an A&K representative and driven by private vehicle to your luxury lodge in the Adelaide Hills.

Discover the celebrated wines of the McLaren Vale, today, with a private tour to a selection of boutique wineries. Your journey takes you first through the dramatic geology of Onkaparinga Gorge via 4x4. Then it’s on to a small-batch winery for a tour and tasting, and a visit to the ironstone cellars of Wirra Wirra. Delight in a three-course lunch served with vineyard views at an acclaimed restaurant, before a private masterclass at Bekkers wine estate. Your day ends with a scenic drive along the beach and a peek into the region’s most famous pub and its cellar. 

Australia’s third largest island has been described as Down Under’s answer to the Galápagos, and it’s easy to see why. It is almost 4,500 kilometres of wilderness – a third of this designated for conservation – and hosts prolific wildlife, from kangaroos and koalas to fur seals and ospreys. It isn’t quite as remote as Ecuador’s famous archipelago, however, and a short flight from Adelaide delivers you to this haven of nature.

Spend today exploring more of Kangaroo Island alongside a local expert guide. Stroll through groves of eucalyptus, where koalas slumber. Listen for the quiet thrum of nature, from darting honeyeaters to chirping cicadas. Continue to the island’s fertile north coast for a bush walk, keeping an eye out for wallabies, vivid birds, unusual flora and a kangaroo species unique to the island. After lunch at a bush camp, complete with fine local wines, visit Seal Bay Conservation Park for a private guided tour of a beach where sea lions nurse pups, play and occasionally squabble.  

Wildfires are part of Kangaroo Island’s ecology, with some native flowers only blooming after a blaze. Travel through fire-affected landscapes to learn more about how nature adapts to this destructive force. Next, visit Flinders Chase National Park to admire the strange, sculptural granite boulders, aptly dubbed the Remarkable Rocks. After a picnic lunch, continue to Admirals Arch, an impressive natural rock arch that hosts a large colony of fur seal. 

Your wildlife adventure has come to an end. Transfer to Adelaide airport for your flight to the UK.