• Home pick-ups & set downs (most metro areas – please contact us for details)
• Picnic-style morning teas & all meals
• All accommodation & admissions to all attractions
• Experienced & informative tour driver/guide.

If you love animals and nature, you don’t have to travel far from Adelaide. Just on our doorstep, Monarto Safari Park provides a unique home to more than 500 animals that are free to roam in a natural safari-style setting spanning over 1,500 hectares. Explore the new Visitor precinct, tour the park with a Monarto guide and ‘meet the locals’ on one of the special animal experiences. We also cruise the mighty Murray River and explore Murray Bridge before a scenic drive home through the Hills. Join us on this popular tour that has been revamped for 2024!

Day One – THURSDAY 2 MAY 2024

We depart this morning after completing home pick-ups and head into the Adelaide Hills. Continuing east through Littlehampton, we reach Monarto Safari Park where we have morning tea upon entering the park. Since its opening in 1983 as a breeding and pasture area, Monarto has become one of the world leaders in habitat restoration, captive breeding, conservation education and environmental sustainability.

This morning you have the opportunity to get up close to the animals when we participate in one of Monarto’s spectacular animal experiences: Lions 360 or the Land of the Lemurs.

Lions 360 is the only experience of its kind in Australia. Visitors enter through a tunnel and emerge into a purpose built large viewing cage. This gives you a prey’s-eye view into the world of these awesome predators where you are both absolutely safe and within clawing range of the lion pride.

The Land of the Lemurs is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of these fascinating primates. You will be accompanied by experienced guides who will provide insightful commentary about the park’s conservation efforts and the lemurs’ natural habitat. You will be able to get up close and personal with the Lemurs as you observe them in their specially designed lemur habitat and learn about their behaviours, social dynamics, and the challenges they face in the wild.

After these experiences, we head to the new Visitors precinct where we enjoy lunch in the café with stunning views over the park. Following lunch there will be some free time to wander around the new centre.

After lunch we are joined by one of Monarto’s expert guides for a Safari Explore Tour where we will meet this diverse and sometimes mischievous ‘family’ of animals that represent 50 different species of exotic and native mammals, birds and reptiles. We view them from the safety of the bus on our guided tour, stopping at the different wildlife viewing areas so that we can be in close proximity to the animals. Many of these animals are vital to regional and global breeding programs, as well as Monarto’s breeding and reintroduction programs which help ensure the long-term survival of threatened species. The success of the park’s breeding program is evident from the births they have experienced over the last 18 months, including chimpanzees, a zebra foal, lion cubs and baby antelopes.

After a day exploring Monarto, we take a scenic drive to Mannum, where we check into our accommodation with the wonderful hosts at Mannum Motel (Ph: 08 8569 1808).

There will be time to relax and freshen up before dinner.

Day Two – FRIDAY 3 MAY 2024

After enjoying breakfast in the motel restaurant, we board our coach and travel to Murray Bridge where we join a delightful morning tea cruise. We can sit back and relax as we journey along the Murray River, admiring the unique scenery of this magnificent waterway. While we enjoy refreshments, our hosts share their knowledge about the birds, plants and other features of the Murray.

We take a scenic drive around Murray Bridge, before arriving at the Bridgeport Hotel where we enjoy a two-course lunch.

After lunch, we take a short drive to Serenity Nursery. This wonderful garden centre is perched on a hill on the family’s rural property. While it features an extensive variety of native and exotic plants, the nursery also features a vibrant display of exclusive garden adornments, hand-crafted furniture and water features. You will have plenty of time to explore with a leisurely stroll amongst the old stone buildings, immersing yourself in the calming sounds of nature and perhaps even finding some inspiration for your own garden.

As we begin our journey home this afternoon, we detour off the main road, taking a scenic drive through the Hills. Passing through the country towns of Strathalbyn, Macclesfield and Aldgate we stop enroute to stretch our legs.

Arriving in Adelaide late afternoon, the cars meet us to take everyone back home with fond memories of an enjoyable tour experiencing the Monarto Safari Park.