Grab your hiking boots! The Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail has reopened

This world class, 66km, five-day walking trail gives you unparalleled access to some of the most rugged, remote and spectacular coastlines in South Australia.

If you’re planning to take a walk on the wild side, here are some tips that will make your experience as safe and enjoyable as possible:

1. Plan your trip

Book your trip well in advance. There are restrictions on the number of walkers each day to avoid overcrowding and preserve the wilderness experience for everyone.

Pack­ing the right equip­ment is the key to an epic adventure. When decid­ing what gear to take remem­ber that you are like­ly to expe­ri­ence a vari­ety of weath­er con­di­tions on the trail, so you’ll need to be pre­pared for both sun­ny and calm con­di­tions as well as wet and windy weath­er. Consider high qual­i­ty, light­weight gear wher­ev­er pos­si­ble as the lighter you pack, the more com­fort­able your walk­ing expe­ri­ence will be.

2. Be aware of the weather

The best time to visit is from March to Novem­ber, how­ev­er every sea­son on Kan­ga­roo Island offers some­thing dif­fer­ent, so you’re sure to have an amaz­ing expe­ri­ence when­ev­er you vis­it. Kan­ga­roo Island’s weath­er is vari­able year-round and changes in tem­per­a­ture and con­di­tions can occur sud­den­ly and with­out much warn­ing giv­en the island’s exposed loca­tion.

Depending on the conditions, you may need to change or adapt your itinerary. It’s a good idea to check the Bureau of Meteorology for the latest weather updates.

3. Not for the young ones

The trail is challenging and is not recommended for children under 10 years old, given the long distances, exposed coastal elements, and possible weather conditions. It's wise to wait until they're a bit older to ensure they can fully enjoy the adventure!

4. Know your limits

A reasonable level of fitness is required to walk the trail. You can expect to walk between 3.5 to 5 hours a day.

The amount of time it takes to walk each section will also depend on your fitness levels, weather conditions, how much weight you are carrying, and how long you stop to take in the scenery, check out the wildlife, and rest breaks.

If you need to build up your lev­el of fit­ness pri­or to the walk, we rec­om­mend start­ing with a 30 minute dai­ly walk and build­ing up to 6.5 hours. Be sure to trial walking with the pack you intend to take so that you feel fully prepared.

5. Share the moment

Walk with a companion or a number of friends wherever possible. The trail is such a memorable experience – why not share it with your nearest and dearest?

Before you head off, make sure you let a reliable person know your plans, including what to do if you fail to return as planned.

Plan your adventure by visiting parks.sa.gov.au/experiences/kiwt