Botanica World Discoveries: Private Gardens, Nature & Wildlife of Kangaroo Island

Depart Adelaide for the ferry terminal at Cape Jervis. After the short journey across to Penneshaw, on Kangaroo Island, enjoy some time to explore before visiting a special private garden and arriving at your hotel.

Staying Four Nights: American River, Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge or similar

Your day begins amid the beautiful floral displays of another of Kangaroo Island’s private gardens. Visit a local honey farm to learn how organic honey is produced by the Ligurian bees there. Ligurian bees were introduced to Kangaroo Island, from Bologna in Italy, in the late 1900s, for early colonial settlers. We then pay a visit to nearby Emu Bay Lavender Farm, whose 51 acres contain an estimated 7,500 lavender plants. Today’s final stop is Seal Bay, home to spectacular coastal views and the largest colony of Australian sea lions.

This morning takes us to Parndana Community Garden. This project was developed by celebrity gardener Sophie Thomson, in response to the bushfires of 2019 and 2020. The garden grows vegetables and community spirit in equal measure. Enjoy some free time to explore Kingscote and purchase lunch at a local cafe. Afterwards, we visit a private garden that was almost completely destroyed by the fires. During our visit, we hear about the owners’ journey to rebuild.

Today we travel to the far end of the island and Flinders Chase National Park. This part of the island was badly damaged by the bushfires. See how the bush is recovering and take in the rugged beauty of the Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. On our way back to the hotel, we enjoy afternoon tea at Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil Distillery. We then visit one last local garden, which displays many native Kangaroo Island plants.

After our final breakfast on Kangaroo Island, we transfer back to Adelaide, where our tour concludes around midday.