D​ay 1: Arrive Adelaide

A​rrive in Adelaide and make your way to the Stamford Plaza Adelaide and check in. The day is yours to explore Adelaide at your own leisure.

D​ay 2: Adelaide & Hahndorf Day Tour

Enjoy a full day tour that allows you to see more of Adelaide, blending the highlights of the city and the quaint but classic Adelaide Hills region. From the towering Mt Lofty Summit to Australia’s oldest German settlement, Hahndorf, you will see the scenic span of the South Australian landscape from the city to the coast.

D​ay 3: Adelaide – Kangaroo Island Tour

Depart this morning from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island. Take a guided walk on the beach among a colony of rare and wild Australian sea lions with a National Parks Ranger at Seal Bay Conservation Park. Get up close and see these wild creatures frolic and laze about – a truly amazing and unforgettable experience.

After a delicious two-course lunch, spend the afternoon at the Flinders Chase National Park. As you travel through the park, keep an eye out for echidnas, wallabies, reptiles, and koalas. See the rugged coastline from walks around Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. Remarkable Rocks provide great photographic opportunities, and the Admirals Arch boardwalk takes you down a rugged cliff face to reveal the spectacular rock archway, a natural nursery, and a haven for playful long-nosed fur seals.

Your last visit of the day is to the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park to feed some kangaroos and get up close to the Kangaroo Island Koalas while listening to the keeper talk about the cuddly mammals. There is also a possibility to see more kangaroos and wallabies on your way to your overnight accommodation.

D​ay 4: Kangaroo Island – Adelaide

Start your day with a delicious buffet breakfast before heading off on day two of your tour. Your local guide will introduce you to some of the island’s leading creators where you will see a “Free Flight” display of raptors and taste some local Kangaroo Island produce.

Your first official stop will be the fascinating Birds of Prey Presentation at Raptor Domain for an educational, interactive, and inspiring experience. The only “Free Flight” Birds of Prey display in South Australia, it is thought by many to be the most interactive presentation in Australia.

Next, travel to Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery (South Australia’s only commercial Eucalyptus Oil Distillery) for a delicious 2-course lunch followed by an introductory talk about the history of the oil distillery and take a guided tour. Kangaroo Island Ciders’ range of Colony Cove products including Apple Sparkler, Draught Cider, and Original Cider are available for tasting (additional cost). Finish off with some free time in their souvenir shop where you will find an assortment of Eucalyptus, Tea Tree and Emu Oil products.

Your next stop is Clifford’s Honey Farm, where you’ll enjoy an informative guided tour of the honey room to learn about the extraction process, taste a honey soft drink and have the option to sample the Drunken Drone Brewery’s Honey Wheat Ale. In the farm shop, you can see a working beehive where you can try to spot the Queen bee. There are different varieties of pure Kangaroo Island Ligurian honey and beauty products to purchase as well as their famous honey ice cream.

Continue to Pennington Bay, a spectacular beach on the south coast of Kangaroo Island for a photo opportunity. This delightful tour ends with a visit to the new False Cape Wines Cellar Door on the beautiful Dudley Peninsula, where you can soak up the views and enjoy a structured tasting of their premium wines.

Your tour ends at the Penneshaw Hotel where you have ample time for dinner (own expense) before returning to the Penneshaw Ferry Terminal for your return ferry and coach transfer back to Adelaide to check into the Stamford Plaza Adelaide.

Day 5: Board the Outback Heritage Cruise

You will be transferred from your hotel to historic Mannum to board the Murray Princess. Historic Mannum, the birthplace of the Murray River trade and communication, head upriver while you enjoy a Welcome Dinner. As we cruise under floodlight to our overnight mooring at Caurnamont, you may see nocturnal wildlife on the riverbank. Watch for kangaroos, hairy-nosed wombats, tortoises, egrets and many other species. Our on-board entertainer provides music for the night owls.

Day 6: Cruise the Murray River

Daybreak and it’s time for the keen photographers to be out to capture the special light and the morning movement of wildlife. Prolific birdlife includes pelicans, wrens and swans. Enjoy a leisurely morning and lunch cruising upriver to Blanchetown through one of 13 locks which maintain the flow and levels of the river’s water. This afternoon we moor opposite to the township of Blanchetown for our overnight anchorage. As the last rays of the sun fade, we visit Burk Salter Boutique Winery and enjoy wine tasting at the cellar door which is fitted out with beautiful red gum bars. After dinner, join us for all the fun and excitement, and participate in our “Murray River Cup”.

Day 7: Cruise the Murray River

After breakfast we cruise downriver to picturesque Swan Reach. The town was first settled in the 1850s, was originally the largest of five sheep and cattle stations in the area and is now home to native flower and fruit growers. The original Swan Reach homestead is now the Swan Reach Hotel where you can enjoy an ale or cappuccino overlooking the Murray River (additional cost). Join a walking tour and visit the Swan Reach Museum (gold coin donation at entry). Cruise downriver after lunch and take in the tranquillity as the landscape slides by. When we arrive at Sunnydale, it’s all ashore for the Woolshed Show as we recreate typical Australian woolshed history. Later we visit the Native Wildlife Shelter where some of South Australia’s most interesting native animals are cared for. And then of course, there is the great Aussie Barbecue – cooked and served in a bush setting on the banks of the mighty Murray River. Optional tour: Sunnydale Nocturnal Tour. Additional cost and bookings can be made on board through your Guest Services Attendant. For details, see ‘Optional Onshore Tours & Activities’ in your Cruising Guide.

Day 8: Cruise the Murray River

After an optional early morning Bush Tucker Breakfast* or bush walk with the Captain, the vessel cruises slowly downriver past magnificent cliffs scoured by the river over millions of years. We reach Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Reserve, one of Australia’s most significant archaeological sites, for a step back in time – tens of thousands of years – for a guided boardwalk tour to view ancient rock carvings and to learn about Aboriginal history in the area. We return to the vessel to cruise downriver to Younghusband. Along the way, adventure seekers can also take a scenic tender boat ride. Tonight, join your fellow guests for a delicious final night dinner and enjoy the evening entertainment.

*Optional tour: Bush Tucker Breakfast. Additional cost and bookings can be made on board through your Guest Services Attendant. For details, see ‘Optional Onshore Tours & Activities’ in your Cruising Guide.

Day 9: Disembark the Cruise and head home

We leave Younghusband and head back to Mannum. After breakfast we reluctantly say farewell as we arrive at the Mannum Wharf. Be transferred from Mannum back to Adelaide to make your journey home.

This is a sample itinerary only and is subject to change due to weather, water levels and other operational requirements. Cruises reserves the right to amend itineraries and tours without notice. Pre-bookings are essential, additional cost.