South Australian Eyre Peninsula Escape

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 one of this tour. Just 90 minutes after departing on your South Australia tour from Adelaide you’re in the heart of the Clare Valley, one of the state’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. What a start to your Eyre Peninsula tour. Join your Travel Director and travelling companions for dinner.

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.

You could spend weeks exploring Ceduna and its surrounds on the Eyre Peninsula but today is about making the most of every moment. Travel along the coast to Smoky Bay for an immersive oyster farm experience, discovering how the industry began, how oysters are grown and graded, and the equipment behind the harvest, before sharing a relaxed lunch of freshly shucked oysters and wine in a working oyster shed. This afternoon, take in the dramatic cliff-top scenery around Streaky Bay, before enjoying a night at leisure.

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.

This morning head to Coffin Bay to dive deep into nature on a Wild Yarnbala tour, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, 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 infused 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.

This morning, depart the Eyre Peninsula and soar over the sparkling Spencer Gulf to Adelaide, arriving just in time for lunch. The afternoon is yours to explore this charming capital - browse the lively Adelaide Central Market, join a guided historic walking tour, visit the acclaimed zoo, or craft your own wine blend in a Master Class at the National Wine Centre on optional experiences. Tonight, reunite with your group for a memorable dinner at the hotel, celebrating the experiences shared on your journey.

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