Seal Bay & Little Sahara - Kangaroo Island

It is recommended you take a full day to visit Seal Bay and Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island, and to enjoy what you will see on this tour. If your visit to Kangaroo Island allows the time, schedule your day to visit Murray Lagoon and D'Estrees Bay late in the day, or early evening on the way back. The array of wildlife in the cool of the day will be a most rewarding experience for you.

Before you set out for the day, it is a good idea to check the Seal Bay guided tour times with the Kangaroo Island Visitor Information Centre or National Parks.

You depart from Kingscote along the Playford Highway to the Airport intersection, then follow the Birchmore Highway to Seal Bay. Allow 45 minute to reach Seal Bay.

If you are leaving from American River and Penneshaw travel past the Kingscote Airport, turning left on to the Birchmore Highway. You should allow 55 minutes from American River, and just over one hour from Penneshaw to reach Seal Bay.

Seal Bay

No stay on Kangaroo Island is complete without a visit to the Seal Bay Conservation Park. Seal Bay is a large sandy beach and dune area where Australian sea lions rest and nurse their young.

A breeding colony of sea lions, whose forebears managed to survive the savagery of early sealers, can be seen resting in the sun after feeding at sea for three days. Others ride the waves onto the beach. It is well worth a visit to the lookout before commencing the guided tour.
A large car park is located adjacent to the Visitor Centre.

Today, these rare sea lions are protected by law. Under the guidance of a National Parks Ranger, you can walk on the beach to within a few metres of the resting sea lions, or alternatively view them from the boardwalk. Beach tours run regularly throughout the day.

On return to the South Coast Road, turn left. If you wish to visit Little Sahara take the first track leading off the left hand side (approximately 5 km), immediately before a bridge. This short track will bring you into to the Little Sahara Sand Dune system.

Little Sahara

This is an area of spectacular vivid white sand dunes, surrounded by natural bush vegetation. Climbing over the first ridge, you are confronted by a second and much higher dune, which when scaled, does not expose the coast as one would expect, but more sand dunes flanked by natural Australian bushland.

Take a dottle of water with you if you intend to climb to the top of the razor back ridges in the heat of the day. In the summer months the shade of the Australian bush is much more preferable.

Leave the Little Sahara desert and return to the South Coast Road, turning right, towards Kingscote & travelling 14 km, then turn right into Seagers Road for Murray Lagoon. Follow the graded road to the entrance to the Lagoon area.
As you enter you will find a small picnic spot under the trees, following the road will take you to the National Parks Ranger's Office where you will be able to obtain local information about the Murray Lagoon.

Seal Bay & Little Sahara - Kangaroo Island