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Home > Destinations > South Australia Email a friend Print

South Australia

AAT Kings offers a range of Guided tours, Flexi trips and Day tours to South Australia.

• Adelaide & surrounds
• The Barossa Valley
• Kangaroo Island
• Flinders Ranges & Outback

Adelaide and surrounds

Adelaide

Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is renowned for its spectacular food and wine. The city prides itself on the high quality of its local produce. Surrounded by fertile farming ground in the Adelaide Hills, hundreds of vineyards in the Barossa, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley and plentiful fresh and salt water fishing sources, Adelaide is a mecca for the travelling food and wine connoisseur. Visit the Adelaide Central Markets and you'll find a showcase of the region's best produce – the Smelly Cheese Shop is a must see – and taste!

Adelaide holds a unique place in Australia's history as the only colony to be established by free settlers and built without convict labour. Colonel William Light was the architect behind the city's colonial design.

On your guided city tour enjoy a view of the city from Light's Vision, a tribute to Colonel Light at Montefiore Hill. Wander across the Torrens River and through North Terrace and take in the elegant architecture of Parliament House, the State Library and the South Australian Museum.

The Freedom of Religion Act introduced in South Australia's early colonial days saw the creation of numerous churches within the city and surrounds – earning Adelaide the tag 'City of Churches'. You can still see many of the historic churches today, although some have been transformed into restaurants, residential properties and even a night club.

A visit to Adelaide will give you an insight into a unique aspect of Australia's colonial past and a taste of Australia's culinary future. What a combination!

Glenelg and the Fleurieu Peninsula

Adelaide's seaside suburb of Glenelg is a popular destination with both locals and travellers. Lose yourself in the cafés and shops of Jetty Road or stroll along the water's edge and take in the ocean breeze. Then travel south to the Fleurieu Peninsula and the charming village of Victor Harbor. Take time to meander through the village, maybe take a walk to Granite Island where you'll be rewarded with sensational coastal views.

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The Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is Australia's wine capital, most famous for its wineries but also for its unique history, stunning landscape and relaxed charm. The first Barossa wineries were established in the 1840s after the arrival of English and Prussian settlers looking for a fresh start and a chance to make a living in Australia. The rich soil and climate of the Adelaide Hills proved to be the perfect location for growing grapes. This good fortune combined with the hard work of generations of family winemakers laid the foundation for what is now a world renowned wine region producing more than 20% of Australia's wine.

With AAT Kings you'll visit Chateau Yaldara for a tour of the stunning grounds and of course a wine tasting. The Chateau overlooks the North Para River and is surrounded by rows of some of Australia's oldest vines. Taste a Shiraz and maybe pick up a few bottles to take home along with a selection of South Australian cheeses, olives and chutneys – Delicious!

Driving through the Barossa you'll notice quaint towns scattered among the rows of vines – Tanunda, Nuriootpa, Gawler, Lyndoch and Angaston. In Angaston you can visit the Angas Park Fruit Centre. Taste some delicious dried fruit and learn about how the fruit is grown and distributed. Then from the top of Mengler Lookout see magnificent panoramic views of the Valley.

At the end of the day there's nothing sweeter than watching the sunset over the vineyards at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort. A glass of Shiraz and some kalamata olives complete the picture. Bon appétit!

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Kangaroo Island

A short ferry ride from the South Australian coastline, Kangaroo Island boasts some of Australia's most unique features including abundant native wildlife and spectacular, unspoilt landscapes. With a name like Kangaroo Island, you'd be right in thinking that kangaroos roam wild throughout the Island, making it one of the best places to see kangaroos in their natural habitat. Make sure you keep an eye out for other little natives like koalas and wallabies too.

Captain Matthew Flinders discovered the island in 1802 while he was mapping the southern coast line of Australia for the British Government. He and his crew were so relieved to find the island filled with Kangaroos, which they used as a vital source of meat, that they named it after the sprightly animal.

Kangaroos aren't the only animals to make their mark on the island. Visit Seal Bay and you can observe the most accessible colony of Australian Sea Lions, up close and in the wild. These big and beautiful creatures return to the shore after days at sea and love nothing better than to laze in the sun and wrestle around with each other. Take a guided walk along the beach and watch how the Sea Lions interact and play.

Head into Flinders Chase National Park and explore its many natural wonders including the Remarkable Rocks, ancient rock formations perched on the cliff edge of the island. Take time to explore every nook and cranny of the Rocks' intricate form. Like a child, you'll love climbing in and around the rocks or maybe lazing in the lounge shaped rocks and simply admiring the view is more your style.

Admirals Arch is another amazing rock formation in Flinders Chase. See how it edges out over the ocean and creates a stunning stream of sunlight. The rocks surrounding the arch are the resting ground for hundreds of New Zealand Fur Seals. Watch as the seals surf the ocean waves, splash around the rocks or just lounge in the sun.

You'll be surprised at just how big Kangaroo Island is, stretching 155km in length. What won't surprise you is the friendliness of the locals and how much they love their relaxed 'KI' lifestyle. Spend the night in the Island's largest town, Kingscote and enjoy a fresh and hearty meal overlooking the water – KI style.

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Flinders Ranges & Outback

If you're after an authentic Australian outback experience there's no better place to start than South Australia's Flinders Ranges, the gateway to the outback. Just a few hours north of Adelaide the landscape changes dramatically from the green fields of Clare Valley to the red and rugged earth of Coober Pedy.

Clare Valley

Before heading too deep into the outback, take a relaxed sojourn in Clare Valley wine country. Visit Sevenhill Cellars, the oldest existing winery in the Clare Valley. It was established in 1851 by the Jesuit Brothers to produce sacramental wine. Jesuits still live and work on the magnificent grounds today and along with lay staff continue the tradition of making sacramental wine and a range of quality table wines. Enjoy a wine tasting and admire the peaceful gardens and surrounding vineyard. The beautiful St Aloysius Church which was built on the grounds in1875 is also worth a look.

Wilpena Pound

In the heart of the Flinders Ranges lies a crater so deep it forms a natural amphitheatre covering nearly 8,000 hectares. Wilpena Pound is a gift of nature that is yours to explore. Trek to the rim of the crater and look out over the great abyss. It's a remarkable experience that will stay with you long after you leave. At the end of your exploration enjoy a well earned rest at Wilpena Pound Resort, where you can take in the sensational outback setting from the comfort of the Resort swimming pool.

Coober Pedy

Travel north to the outback mining town of Coober Pedy, the opal capital of the world. Opals were first found in Coober Pedy in 1915 and the region now produces the majority of the world's gem quality opals. There's plenty of time to peruse the precious stones and pick up a few souvenirs to take home with you.
Opal mining has attracted many foreigners to the region, boosting the 4000 strong population. The unforgiving desert conditions mean many Coober Pedy locals live a unique lifestyle in underground homes to escape the summer heat. Your Coober Pedy hotel accommodation also gets in on the 'underground' action. Visit an underground church and home during your stay and find out what life is like in this quirky desert town.

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