The ultimate two-week Australian wildlife safari

Its origins lie in the Swahili language, but Africa isn’t the only place to enjoy a safari. On the other side of the planet, 7,000 miles away, a host of charismatic and unusual creatures map out an exciting wildlife journey.

More than 80 per cent of species found in Australia are endemic to a continent that split from the supercontinent Gondwana around 30 million years ago. Cassowaries with dagger-sharp toes scamper through ancient rainforests, bleary-eyed wombats doze in burrows, and resourceful mistletoebirds spread berry seeds by hopping on branches and wiping their bottoms on them. From oddities such as the duck-billed platypus to iconic koalas and kangaroos, the variety of life is remarkable.

The foundation for this megadiversity lies in Australia’s range of extreme landscapes. Tropical rainforests and wetlands are balanced by the vast, arid scrubland of the outback. Three oceans crash against 15,500 miles of coastline fringed by some of the longest reefs in the world.

Although it would be impossible to tour this mammoth country in one trip, a combination of two states can easily be done. Neighbouring one another, Western Australia and South Australia are the perfect safari partners: the former is awash with marine marvels, while the latter provides easy access to the country’s dramatic rock-hewn interior.

In a two-week trip, it’s possible to experience some of the natural world’s top wildlife experiences. Swim with migrating whale sharks and turtles along the Ningaloo Reef, pose for selfies with eternally grinning quokkas, and watch prehistoric echidnas dance in a love train. The scenery deserves attention, too.

Combining self-drive sections with internal flights and guided activities, our itinerary explores the very best of Australia’s wilderness regions in a comfortable amount of time. There aren’t any lions roaring at dawn or herds of trumpeting elephants, but this is still a safari as visceral as anything on the African plains.

Days 1 & 2

Perth

An urban welcome

Catch the morning Malaysian Airlines flight from London Heathrow, changing planes at Kuala Lumpa. After a two-hour stopover to stretch your legs, board another six-hour flight to Perth. The entire journey time is just under 21 hours. Arriving mid-afternoon, you will have time to settle into the Intercontinental Perth City Centre hotel. Reset your circadian rhythm with a walk in the sunshine through nearby Kings Park and Botanic Garden, a soothing green space and cultural heritage site with bushland trails, river views and 3,000 species of native flora.

Avoid succumbing to jetlag by staying out for a few hours and exploring the laneways, a cluster of six inner-city alleys filled with cool cafés, statement-making street art and bohemian bars. Head to Wolf Lane for the best murals and terrific toasted sandwiches at Toastface Grillah. Or have an early, Spanish-themed supper at the cosy Andaluz tapas bar on Howard Lane. Avoid caffeine and too much alcohol to get a decent night’s sleep.

Day 3

Rottnest Island

Sparkling waters and idyllic beaches

Rise early to take the 9am SeaLink ferry from Victoria Quay in Fremantle for a full day out on Wadjemup Rottnest Island nature reserve. Disembark 30 minutes later at a jetty to find a 30ft sculpture of a Noongar warrior and breaching whale, honouring the traditional indigenous owners.

A short walk away, the Wadjemup Museum in the Old Mill and Hay Store tells the story of a complex past. Between 1838 and 1931, 4,000 Aboriginal people were held in a prison and forced labour camp during a period of colonial settlement.

Today, prospects are much brighter on the car-free island fringed by sparkling waters and idyllic golden beaches. Hop on a guided two-hour Coastal Explorer outing with Segway Tours WA, stopping at pink-hued lakes and discovering hidden bays.

Back at Thomson Bay, the island’s main hub, have lunch at Isola e Cibo, an Italian seafood restaurant with views to rival the Amalfi coast. But don’t leave the island without seeing the star residents; hundreds of cute quokkas – a type of marsupial – can be found dozing in bushes or wandering through town.

Day 4, 5, 6 & 7

Ningaloo Reef

The world’s largest fringing reef

More than 745 miles north of Perth, Ningaloo Reef is the world’s largest fringing reef and a healthy hub for marine wildlife. Take a two-hour late morning flight with Qantas to Learmonth and cross the Cape Range National Park for a two-hour drive to the remote solar-powered Sal Salis safari camp.

Connected by boardwalks in the sand, 16 wilderness tents zip open to the Indian Ocean. Beyond the dunes, migrating humpback whales can often be seen. With no internet or phone signal, the only option is to switch off and slow down.

In contrast to the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo is within easy reach of the mainland, making it possible to explore directly from a stretch of private beach. The camp also runs snorkel trips to other bays in the park to see turtles, manta rays, dugongs and 500 species of fish.

Swim with whale sharks

Of all the wild inhabitants along this coastline, whale sharks are the biggest attraction. Every year, from mid-March until August, these giant polka-dot filter-feeding fish arrive in large numbers. One of the best ways to observe them is below the surface on a guided whale shark swim.

Drive 25 minutes to Tantabiddi Boat Ramp with Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks to board its vessel Blue Strike, one of 12 licensed boats. After being fitted with wetsuits and snorkel gear, listen to careful instructions on how to swim sensitively with the wildlife.

Unique to Ningaloo, five spotter planes are used to search for the double-decker-sized fish. Once a suitable whale shark has been detected by the planes and carefully monitored, follow the lead of an onboard marine biologist and dive in to swim alongside.

The length of swims will depend on the individual fish, but can last anything from several minutes to an hour. Although sightings are never guaranteed, companies claim a 95 per cent success rate.

Sea kayaking in coastal lagoons

After breakfast, a guide from Exmouth Adventure Company will come to collect you for a day of exploring coastal lagoons by sea kayak. Drive across the Unesco World Heritage-listed Cape Range National Park to reach a secluded bay and begin your adventure, looking out for rare dingos along the way.

Following instructions from a guide, practise paddling before heading off into the blue. Glide through clear waters where submerged rays ripple in the sands and watch out for turtles coming up for air. Pull up to a beach for refreshments and spend some time snorkelling along the reef. Return to Sal Salis around 4pm, in time for an ocean-view sundowner on the restaurant deck.

Mandu Mandu Gorge

Although the ocean rightly takes centre stage, the interior landscapes of the Cape Range equally deserve attention. Join a dawn guided walk from camp, following a trail through the Mandu Mandu Gorge.

Walk along a creek bed filled with gleaming white pebbles the size of ostrich eggs and wind through limestone formations sprouting with acacias and spiky spinifex grass. Along the way, middens and rock shelters reveal a history of human habitation up to 32,000 years ago. In the dusky early hours, there’s also a chance of seeing black-footed rock wallabies.

After a late breakfast back at camp, drive back to Learmonth for a lunchtime flight to Perth. Stay overnight at the Adnate Perth and arrive with just enough daylight to see a 25-storey mega mural on the hotel’s exterior by Australian street artist Matt Adnate. Dine in at the hotel’s Baha Poolside Bar & Kitchen.

Day 8

Adelaide

Head south

After breakfast, head back to the airport for a flight to Adelaide, the starting point for your South Australia adventure. The world’s first and only city within a park is praised for its relaxing green spaces and serves as a gentle gateway to the sophisticated winelands and rugged outback.

Collect a hire car and drop luggage at the boutique Hotel Indigo on Market Street. Walk around the corner to explore the covered Central Market, a red brick building trading since 1869. Grab a coffee or choose from 50 loose leaf teas at Grind Roast Masters and pick up artisanal soaps, gins and cheeses at the Kangaroo Island Stall – all produced on South Australia’s answer to the Galapagos.

Catch sunset above the skyline from one of the city’s finest and most surprising viewpoints – the Adelaide Oval. Put on a safety harness and skirt the top of the Western Stand while watching lights twinkle on the horizon. End the evening with dinner at Shobosho, a modern take on Japanese yakitori street food showcasing the Asian culinary influences shaping Adelaide’s restaurant scene.

Day 9

The Flinders Ranges

Outback drive and heli-camping

Set off early for a five-hour drive north into the Outback and one of Australia’s most striking natural land formations, the Flinders Ranges. Pass through rolling green winelands into rocky, arid spaces and watch roads widen as horizons grow bigger. Along the way, stop in Melrose for lunch at Over the Edge café, which doubles as a bike shop and outdoor sports centre for adventurers seeking a decent caffeine fix before tackling trails.

Pass through several frontier towns to reach Rawnsley Park Station, a working sheep station and eco villa lodge in the heart of the Flinders. Leave your luggage at the reception and pack an overnight bag for a heli-camping experience, organised by the hotel.

Board a chopper and glide above Wilpena Pound – a natural amphitheatre in the mountains resembling a meteoric crater, regarded as a sacred space by the Adnyamathanha people.

Land on the Chace Range, where a swag camp has been set up for the night. As the sun burns brightly above the searing red semi-desert landscape, eat by a campfire and listen to stories from your local guide.

Day 10, 11 & 12

Arkaba

Homestead and game drives

Wake up to the smell of a cooked breakfast as the sun comes up over scenery formed 800 million years ago, and admire dramatic views that have inspired countless artists and photographers. On the helicopter flight back to Rawnsley, take another look at Wilpena. The only way to really appreciate the scale of the 10½-mile-long bowl is from the air.

From the late 19th century until the 1950s, sheep stations boomed in this part of the Outback. Wool prices have since fallen and many rely on tourism for an income. A 30-minute drive away along a Tarmac road, Arkaba has been transformed into a wildlife conservancy, providing an important ecological corridor between national parks. Check in and have lunch on lawns bordering the five-bedroom homestead, where generous meals are cooked in an all-access kitchen or on the grill.

In the late afternoon, set off on a game drive in the 64,000-acre grounds to find common wallaroos, western grey kangaroos and gigantic red roos. There’s also a chance to see male short-beaked echidnas chase females in a bizarre mating ritual known as a love train.

Brave sunrise and the hiking trails

Although mornings are chilly in the Outback, it’s worth getting out of bed to witness the first rays of light ripple across folds in the Elders Range. Walk along the Arkaba Creek listening to a soundtrack of galahs and ring-necked parrots, as they gather on the branches of 100-year-old river red gum trees.

Hiking along trails and over undulating grasslands scored by kangaroo trails, it’s possible to see the results of a rewilding process started in 2009. By removing sheep and fences, eroded soils have recovered and wildlife has returned. Learn about Arkaba’s mission to be a model for other farms by combining conservation with tourism.

During winter months, many bird species begin mating rituals. Watch wedge-tailed eagles build nests weighing up to 800lb and marvel at the willpower of male emus unable to defecate for 55 days while sitting on eggs.

Explore by 4x4

Heading out in an open 4x4 vehicle, discover why game drives in this part of world can easily rival an African safari. Pass through gorges, valleys and plateaus to see wildlife ranging from lizards and skinks to the rare yellow-footed rock wallaby, which was almost driven to extinction. Projects to remove feral cats with aerial and land baiting programmes have aided their recovery.

After lunch at the homestead, relax in the lounge or gardens with wine and snacks always available from a help-yourself fridge.

Later in the day, get an even greater sense of what life was once like on the remote station by visiting the original Woolshed built with local stone. Cutting tools hanging from the walls are remnants from a time when neighbouring farms would bring their sheep to be sheared. Many shearers have left their names etched on walls.

Finish the day with a ridgetop sundowner, taking a rollercoaster drive through the farm to end up at a viewpoint with a 360-degree view.

Day 13

The Clare Valley

A taste of the winelands

Flanked by a parade of earth-thumping ’roos, leave behind the red-raw wilderness of the Outback and return to greener pastures. A three-hour drive south, the Clare Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine-producing regions with vines planted in the 1850s.

Sample the region’s signature rieslings at Sevenhill, the oldest of 35 cellar doors. Founded by three Jesuit priests, the original stone building has been well preserved, along with a church and crypt. Scan a QR code to follow a digital walking trail around the grounds.

Book into the Watervale Hotel, an historic country inn overhauled by an accomplished chef and sommelier couple. Taste farm-to-table cuisine delivered with a theatrical presentation in the multi-award-winning restaurant.

Day 14

Adelaide

Homeward bound

Set off early for the 90-minute drive to Adelaide airport to return your hire car and catch a late morning Malaysian Airlines flight via Kuala Lumpa to London Heathrow.

When to go

Winter in the southern hemisphere (June, July and August) is the best time to see many of the species featured in this itinerary. Whale sharks visit the Ningaloo Reef between March and July, with the highest number of sightings in April and May. In June and July, there’s an additional chance of seeing humpbacks. Temperatures in the Outback are also pleasantly cooler during this period.

What to book

Cost-effective

Audley Travel offers a 16-night Ocean to Outback Safari from £8,425pp, including mixed board accommodation, car hire and international flights with Malaysia Airlines.

Blow the budget

Inspiring Travel offers a 24-night South Australia and Western Australia Wildlife Safari from £18,999pp, including mixed-board accommodation and all flights.

What to pack

• Although iPhones can handle close-ups, serious wildlife fanatics should invest in a mirrorless camera with a telephoto lens.
• A decent pair of binoculars also heightens the enjoyment of watching birds.
• Although snorkel gear is provided by most activity organisers, it’s advisable to buy an individually fitted mask in advance to avoid annoying leaks which can spoil a sighting.
• A warm jumper and thick socks are essential for dawn and dusk in the Outback. Adelaide is also prone to rain showers at this time of the year.