Heading to Australia is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many, so why not make it the most memorable trip possible?
Kangaroo Island has become one of the most talked about places there, and the island’s Southern Ocean Lodge was named the fourth best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure last year. Now, the lodge is offering a very unique, luxe experience, aptly named Expedition Kangaroo Island. Aside from relaxing at the picturesque lodge, you also embark on a hiking adventure of the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail.
The dedicated hiking trip is a personally guided venture, which you can reserve for a private group. And don’t worry, there are no camping tents involved—each night, you go back to your luxe accommodations at the lodge.
The complete package is priced at $5,717 per person, and includes the 7-night stay in a suite as well as dining and beverages. You receive a complete “expedition kit” as well, with all your hiking needs, like a premium field jacket, cap, day pack and map. On the expedition, which is 61 kilometers (approximately 37 miles), you’ll see Australian sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, ospreys, koalas and of course, kangaroos.
The trek includes following bush tracks, walking over limestone clifftops and venturing through a eucalypt forest, also known as peak Instagram opportunities. On the hike, you’ll be eating a “gourmet walker’s lunch,” and upon returning to the Southern Ocean Lodge, definitely check out the restaurants, where the menu, which focuses on local produce, changes daily.
The lodge, located on Hanson Bay on the south west coast of Kangaroo Island, contains 21 suites, each with a sunken lounge, glass-walled bathroom, limestone floors and an outdoor terrace. The rooms are decorated with custom contemporary furnishings and artwork commissioned by local artisans.
The package includes a Southern Spa treatment, a near necessity after all that hiking. The spa, which is on a clifftop and includes a steam room and a chill lounge, uses a combination of Australian-made Li’Tya spa products, and there are traditional treatments, such as massages and facials. But they also have more unique offerings, like signature ceremonies that use ancient rituals, essential oils and desert salts along with traditional healing techniques, for the ultimate rejuvenation experience.
If you’re set on going to Kangaroo Island, but this particular adventure sounds a bit too intense for you, not to worry—you also create an entirely bespoke travel experience there, ranging from food-focused to art intensive. But we do think it’s crucial to venture on at least one walking trip—considering the island’s name, it seems imperative to spot a kangaroo.