Kangaroo Island or the Red Centre
Replies: 6 - Last Post: Jun 29, 2012 7:44 AM Last Post By: choose2care
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Kangaroo Island or the Red Centre
I'm very happy with my North Queensland Itinerary (11 nights), and Sydney (5 nights). I'm really wrestling with the other parts - Red Centre (3 nights) and Kangaroo Island (3 nights). I've been able to squeeze both into our itineraries, but I'm thinking we may enjoy our trip more if I just choose one.If I take out the Red Centre, we could do 4 nights Kangaroo Island and I could add 2 nights our Cairns time and see Undara (not the same as Uluru, but may give us an appetizer of the Outback). Or we could do 6 nights Kangaroo Island. Some will think that is the most crazy thing they have ever heard. We LOVE non-populated islands, coastal scenery, and absolutely love wildlife. I usually rush our vacations to see as much as possible and having 6 nights on Kangaroo Island would certainly be relaxing.
Or, take out Kangaroo Island and add 3 nights to the Red Centre - so 6 nights total. Seems like a lot of time and undoubtedly, $$$.
I have a feeling that most will say go to Uluru and skip Kangaroo Island. The name of the Island is not the appeal - the nature, remoteness, and the abundance of animals is the appeal for us. We want a guarantee that we'll see wildlife (seals, kangaroo's, koalas, etc.) and don't want to go to any zoos while in Australia.
But - everyone and their brother says to do Uluru. It's the "must-see", we just need to be convinced I guess!
Here's our current (work in progress) itinerary:
Red Centre (3 nights)
Wednesday October 24th – land in Sydney airport. Fly straight to Uluru. Buy park pass, get rental car from airport, check-into our Cabin, go and see the Sunset @ Uluru. Take camel tour?
Thursday October 25th – see Uluru sunrise then walk the base with a guide? go to Kata Tjuta (Olgas) for the late afternoon?
+Friday October 26th+– Drive from Uluru to Alice Springs, stopping @ Kings Canyon along the way. Leave Rental Car in Alice Springs.
Kangaroo Island (3 nights)
Saturday October 27th – fly from Alice Springs to Adelaide, from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, stay in Kingscotte for the night and see the Penguin tour.
Sunday October 28th – Rent car and drive to Willoughby, seeing American River and Penneshaw along the way. Leave Willoughby and head to Finders Chase National Park and sleep in this area for the night.
Monday October 29th – See the major attractions in the Southern Ocean area and sleep near Kingscotte for the night.
What are your thoughts? Thanks so much for your time!
1
Where are you flying in and out of? There are many opportunities to see natural wildlife in Australia which may be more appropriate than Kangaroo Island.That is a lot of travel just for Kangaroo Island. If you have an interest in wineries, it could be an opportunity to visit South Australia's world renowned wine regions, McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend Kangaroo Island.
I know you have said you do not want to go to any zoos but a wildlife sanctuary might be appropriate to see these animals - they are free to come and go as they please but it is an area abundant with animals.
Also, in going to the middle of Australia you will definitely see lots of kangaroos hopping around, more so than Kangaroo Island.
Another issue with Kangaroo Island is that it is a 2 hour drive/coach ride to Cape Jervis from the airport, and then a ferry ride to K.I. It would cut your time down on the Island to 2 days - which I don't think is worth it.
2
probably go to centre as that is really a one off thingKangaroo island could be incorporated into a tour of the south another time
there is a koala in the tree over my front steps and it is doing smelly things on the path so you can have it if you want
3
OP, it will be interesting to hear what you decide. I posted a question earlier about whether Uluru was worthwhile, considering the cost and hassle of the visit. Like you, it was either spend time at Uluru or spend more time with wildlife and scenery. Almost everyone said that Uluru was a must-see, one of a kind, etc. After that I looked at as many photos of Uluru as I could find, thought again about the extra cost and finally decided that I'd rather spend extra time with coastal scenery and wildlife. So my recommendation is to spend some time looking at the photos of Uluru in order to firm up your decision. #1 makes a good suggestion, which is to spend a day or two in the wine regions if you have any interest.4
I'd take out or at least cut the Red Centre and spend the time on KI.If you want to see Uluru, fly there, forget the rental car, take a tour or two and then fly Ayers Rock - Adelaide on the 26th and fly to Kangaroo Island that night (5:25 pm on REX).
It's the end of your trip, you may be a bit worn out, and you've said you prefer costal scenery and wildlife, so spending more time on KI seems the best choice to me.
You can check flights on iwantthatflight.com.au
5
Don't overlook King's Canyon! You'll see plenty of amazing scenery in the Red Centre but the canyon is a bit of an oasis for bird and wildlife. Definitely worth a day there.Personally I wasn't attracted to KI, but I had a lot more time and therefore exposure to Australia's wildlife - as has been said, you'll see kangaroos everywhere in the outback.
Depending on where you are flying out of, you could think about swapping KI for the Great Ocean Road - lots of great coastal scenery such as the Twelve Apostles, Bells Beach AND the lighthouse from Round the Twist (!) - and if hired a car / camp out in the surrounding forests you will be guaranteed to see roos, koalas, kookaburras etc. So you could fly from Ayers Rock to Melbourne to hire a car and do the Gt Ocean Rd over 3 days...
6
Thanks everyone! We've decided to do both - and are spending 4 nights at Uluru and 4 nights on Kangaroo Island. I'm so excited!!!
