AAT Kings South Australian Eyre Peninsula Escape 2024

Often the best way to get a taste for a region is through its food and wine. And we’re determined to help you do just that from day dot of this tour. Just 90 minutes after departing Adelaide you’re in the heart of the Clare Valley, one of South Australia’s premier wine regions. And one of its premier wineries beckons. Gather in the cellar door at Knappstein Wines, whose riesling (among other drops) will make you weak at the knees. The township of Port Augusta is your base tonight, its broad harbour reaching out to the Spencer Gulf. Join your Travel Director and travelling companions for a Welcome Dinner.

Staying in:

• Majestic Oasis Apartments (1 night)

The town of Kimba may be small in population, but it’s big in attractions. Look no further than the eight-metre-tall Big Galah, guarding over the Eyre Peninsula. The other larger-than-life drawcard is Kimba’s silos, which forward-thinking artists have decorated with eye-popping murals. Talking about colourful countryside, wait until you see the pink ripples that Pildappa Rock casts. This immense granite outcrop was formed 1.5 billion years ago, its wave-like shape swooping over a swathe of pindan soil.

Staying in:

• Ceduna Foreshore Hotel & Motel (1 night)

You could spend weeks exploring Ceduna and surrounds, tucked into an inlet on the Eyre Peninsula. But you have a day, so bring your stamina. First up, head down the coast to Smoky Bay for a cruise around the scenic harbour in search of dolphins and sea lions, followed by a shared lunch including freshly shucked oysters and wine enjoyed in a working oyster shed. This afternoon, explore the striking cliff tops around Streaky Bay before dinner at your hotel.

Staying in:

• Streaky Bay Hotel & Motel (1 night)

This part of the South Australian coast is pristine – this morning explore Cape Bauer Loop Scenic Drive where you’ll visit the Whistling Rocks and Blowholes, as well as enjoying panoramic views over Hally’s Beach. Nature continues to reign supreme at Murphy's Haystacks, a series of ancient pillars and boulders that appear to pop from the Earth, and Talia Caves – honeycombed granite rocks framing the beach. Stretch your legs along a section of the Elliston Coastal Trail at Little Bay, offering a windswept snapshot of some of the Eyre Peninsula's most dramatic scenery before arriving in Port Lincoln.

Staying in:

• The Port Lincoln Hotel (1 night)

This morning head to Coffin Bay to dive deep into nature on a Wild Yarnbala tour, covering off-grid, organic orchards and gardens, giving you the opportunity to taste bush tucker and learn water divining before being serenaded by a didgeridoo and lap steel guitar, as you sip on a gin filled with botanicals you’ve just picked from the orchard. The nutrient-rich waters in this area are a natural habitat for many marine creatures but none more popular or famous than their oysters. Wearing waterproof waders, tour an oyster farm, slurp some freshly shucked molluscs, then sit down on the deck overlooking beautiful Coffin Bay and enjoy an indulgent seafood platter. Later, get your Port Lincoln bearings on a guided tour before heading back to your waterfront hotel.

Staying in:

• The Port Lincoln Hotel (1 night)

Today’s your day to compare silo art: Kimba vs Tumby Bay, the latter painted by artist Martin Ron. Arriving at the Lucky Bay Jetty, jump aboard the Spencer Gulf Searoad to cruise across the gulf to Wallaroo. And just when you thought your week in South Australia couldn’t get any more colourful, you arrive at Bumbunga Pink Lake. This eye-popping waterway changes colour from pastel to bubble-gum to lipstick, depending on the salinity. Join your Travel Director tonight for a Farewell Dinner.

Staying in:

• HotelMotel Adelaide (1 night)

Short and sweet, we hope your journey inspired extended South Australian wanderlust.