Where to stay on Australia’s Kangaroo Island: Accommodation and Camping Guide
A complete guide to Kangaroo Island accommodation, including the best places to stay, from luxury to budget to unique experiences, and a full list of campsites in Kangaroo Island.
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Kangaroo Island is one of the last remaining, truly unspoiled places on earth and an unmissable place to stay in Australia. The vast wilderness is full of incredible views, pristine beaches, stunning coasts and so much wildlife. We’ve listed all the best places to stay on Kangaroo Island, from luxury retreats, to unique stays. If you’re looking for cheap Kangaroo Island accommodation, this guide also has a complete list of Kangaroo Island campsites too. We’ve listed the three kinds of campground to help you plan where to stay on Kangaroo Island.
Time needed: 3-7 days.
When to go: March-April for warmer weather, June-October for the quietest experience, but chances of rain are higher.
Weather: Averages of 7°C-15°C in the Winter and 15°C-25°C in the Summer.
Language: English.
Currency: Australian Dollar.
Where is the best area to stay on Kangaroo Island?
It’s easiest to split Kangaroo island into 4 sections: North, South, East and West. The major towns of Penneshaw, American River and the capital Kingscote are located in the East whilst the largest conservation park, Flinders Chase National Park and Ravine Des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area, make up the West. While the North and South coasts boast pristine beaches and plenty to see and do too. It is possible to base yourself near Kingscote and explore the rest of the island, but we’d recommend spending at least one night in Flinders Chase National Park. Ideally, we’d recommend spreading your time around the island.
Read next: A 5 Day Kangaroo Island Wildlife Spotting Itinerary
Interactive Kangaroo Island Map
How much does it cost to stay on Kangaroo Island?
On average, 3 star hotels on Kangaroo Island cost around $100 per night, and 4 star hotels on Kangaroo Island are $150 per night. If you’re looking for something really special, 5 star hotels range from around $300-$900 per night. Camping on Kangaroo Island is the cheapest accommodation option, and the one we’d recommend as it allows you to truly appreciate KI’s rugged landscape and abundance of wildlife.
One of our favourite ways to explore a new destination is by camper-car. It’s your accommodation and transport in one, giving you the freedom to roam where you like, while also providing a budget-friendly place to spend the night. We highly recommend Spaceship’s compact camper-cars.
Read next: Camping in a Compact Camper-Car in Australia
Camping on Kangaroo Island
Unfortunately, there are no free campsites on the Kangaroo Island and wild camping is not permitted. It’s advisable to plan your campsites in advance to avoid fines, especially in peak season. Camping on Kangaroo Island is one of the most freeing experiences and can reward you with some great wildlife encounters.
There are 3 kinds of campsite on Kangaroo Island: caravan parks, council-owned campgrounds, and conservation park campgrounds. The difference between them is the number of amenities and facilities you are going to find on site. They range from fully kitted-out sites, with toilets, showers, electricity, café, shop and kitchen, to nothing but 5×5 metre patch of earth for your vehicle.
Read next: 18 Animals you can see on Kangaroo Island and where to find them
Caravan Parks
There are 3 official caravan parks on Kangaroo Island. This is the priciest option when camping, but offers the best range of facilities.
Kangaroo Island Seafront Holiday Park is the only camping option in Penneshaw. It is conveniently located only 300m from the SeaLink Ferry terminal and offers glamping, camping and caravanning. This park is pet-friendly, has laundry facilities, offers free WIFI and local walking trails and boasts stunning views of the Backstairs Passage between Kangaroo Island and mainland Australia.
Price: Powered Site – $35, Extra Adult: $10, Extra Child: $5 (3-14).
This park has a fantastic central location, which is perfect for exploring Kangaroo Island. It is pet-friendly and offers unpowered pitches with lockable boxes that allow you to charge your small devices. This is fairly basic with no WIFI, but comfortable.
Discovery Lagoon Caravan and Camping Grounds also offers an Eco-Glamping cottage that runs 100% on solar power, with heating for the winter and AC for the summer.
Price: Caravan site with water – $27.00-$29.00 per couple, Extra Person: $8.00 per night, Under 2s: free. Tent sites available.
This caravan park offers powered and unpowered sites and is the only 4-star luxury self-contained accommodation on the western side of Kangaroo Island. There is a general store in the park, selling basic necessities, as well as a laundry room, 2 toilet and shower blocks and a camp kitchen. There is limited signal and no WIFI, but the koala walk at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary will be sure to keep you occupied.
Price: Powered Site – $38 for two people, Extra Adult: $10, Extra Child (3+): $8.00, Children under 3: free. Unpowered Tent Sites are also available.
Council-owned campgrounds
A council campground offers slightly more than a basic campsite and will often have a toilet and a better-maintained road leading to the site. There are 7 council-owned parks on Kangaroo Island. Each have a parking ticket booth (Parkeon) that you can use to register and pay for your night on the site. These machines accept cash, or if you are at American River, Vivonne Bay, or Brown Beach campground, you can also pay by card. No booking is required and these campgrounds are available on a first-come first-served basis.
Powered site $27 a night for up to two people, Unpowered site $17 a night for up to two people. Additional persons $6 a night
Roughly 30 minutes from Penneshaw, American River Caravan Park is one of Kangaroo Island’s best caravan parks. It can accommodates up to 15 campervans in powered sites and works on a first-come first-served basis, so you can’t book a spot in advance. Showers are available for $2 per 5-minutes, as well as drinking water, BBQ facilities, and beach access.
This basic site is 15 minutes from Penneshaw and sits by Browns beach. It is pet-friendly and in a remote location, so is less popular than the nearby American River Campgrounds. There are no powered sites, but it does allow for caravan access and also features toilets and showers ($2 per 5-minutes). Look out for dolphins off the shore during your stay!
This isolated and tranquil setting is near a pond, which offers fantastic bird-watching opportunities, from the bird hide and observation platform. It is first-come first-served and features toilets, but no shower facilities. BBQ facilities and drinking water are available.
Located at Emu Bay, a 4 km sheltered beach with crystal blue waters and white sands, this offers stunning views from the unpowered pitches. There are no amenities in the grounds, but toilets, BBQ facilities, and a picnic area are available roughly 400m away.
One of the largest council campgrounds on the island, Stokes Bay Campground has over 25 spaces for caravans and campers. Facilities include a toilet block on the edge of the campgrounds, BBQ facilities off the day carparking area and a shaded picnic area. There is no shower and there are only unpowered sites available. It can be a very popular spot so get there early in the day to secure your spot. The camping ground is next to the Rock Pool café which is open from October to May.
Vivonne Bay Campground is the most complete council campground on the island and a short walk from an award-winning pristine beach. It boasts a large number of unpowered sites, as well as 8 powered sites and is suitable for caravans. There are toilet facilities on site and shower facilities for $2 per 5-minutes. There are also BBQ facilities, a sheltered picnic area, a playground, and a water source.
Western River Campground is actually situated on the northern coast, just 20km west of Stokes Bay. There is no caravan access to this campsite and there are no powered sites or showers. The beach is just a short stroll across a bridge from the campgrounds and there are toilets, BBQ facilities and a picnic area on the campground itself.
Conservation Park Camping on Kangaroo Island
The cheapest camping option is to stay at campsites within the conservation parks (or national parks). Out of all of the island’s conservation parks, camping is only permitted in Cape Gantheaume, Flinders Chase and Lashmar. Flinders Chase National Park is one of the best places to stay on Kangaroo Island and one of our favourite areas for hiking.
These sites require a permit in order to stay overnight, typically offer the fewest facilities and must be booked in advance on the South Australia Parks website as there are only a limited number of spaces available.
There is also a lack of signal in a lot of these areas, and the roads leading to a lot of these campgrounds are not sealed and can be very bumpy.
There is a small chance that some of the parks may be closed at certain times of the year, including during bushfire season, to prevent danger to the lives of visitors. Make sure you check if the parks are open before you set off.
- Cape Gantheaume
Cape Gantheaume is a haven for nature lovers and features the largest freshwater lake on the island. The Murray Lagoon, a wetland habitat which houses an impressive number of birds, including swans, ducks, and wading birds. You can stay at Murray Lagoon Campground, which offers 8 unpowered pitches. Experienced hikers can take on the Cape Gantheaume Coastal Trek, a 33 km one way route, or enjoy one of the shorter marked trails around the lagoon.
Here you’ll also find D’Estrees Bay. Once a whaling spot, the bay is now popular for fishing and camping. D’Estrees Bay Campground, which offers 10 unpowered spots over 3 sites: Tee Trees, Big Sand Dune and Wheatons Beach campsites.
- Flinders Chase
Flinders Chase National Park is a protected area at the west end of Kangaroo Island, about 110 kilometres from Kingscote. It is home to some of Kangaroo Islands most iconic sites, including the Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch.
Unfortunately a lot of campsites were affected and closed by the bushfires, however two options have reopened: Harvey’s Return Campground and West Bay Campground, both of which offer 8 unpowered spots each. A 4WD is recommended for camping at Harvey’s Return as the gravel road to the campsite can be quite corrugated.
Campsites in the park should be reserved in advance and you can book online here. You can book in person at these booking agents too.
- Lashmar
The two options for camping in Lashmar Conservation Park are Antechamber Bay North and Antechamber Bay South. The park is an ideal location for swimming, fishing and birdwatching and is just a short drive from Cape Willoughby lightstation. Antechamber Bay Campgrounds are both suitable for caravans, camper trailers and tents and offer toilets and picnic tables. Nearby walking trails providing access to the beach and the river but please note that campfires are not permitted at any time.
Read next: The Thorough Guide to Kangaroo Island’s Flinders Chase National Park
Luxury Accommodation
This tranquil 4 star hotel lies on the sea front of American River and is surrounded by an abundance of birdlife and wildlife, including tammar wallabies, black cockatoos, brush tailed possum and pelicans. From this luxury Kangaroo Island accommodation, you can explore the coastal scrub on one of two main walking tracks, the Independence Trail or the Fish Cannery walk.
Or dine in the property’s award-winning fine dining offering, Reflections Restaurant. The venue won Best Dining Experience on Kangaroo Island in 2017 and 2018 and continues to deliver on both taste and quality.
As Kangaroo Island’s newest luxury accommodation, Hamilton & Dune’s duo of exclusive lodges overlooking Emu Bay are some of the best places to stay on Kangaroo Island. Choose between the architecturally-designed Dune House, a chic, private three-bedroom property that boasts direct beach access with a breath-taking backdrop of uninterrupted ocean views; or Hamilton House, which perfectly caters to larger groups or families with a large deck for entertaining.
There are additional experiences available to book in advance, including an in-house massage or yoga session, an in-house chef, food delivery service, a beach picnic experience and more!
Read next: The Thorough Guide to Australia’s Kangaroo Island
The two properties at Antechamber Bay – Nat’s and The Kona – feature seclusion, a private beach, in-house catering, incredible wildlife and a fully working farm. Situated by the water on the east coast of Kangaroo Island, Antechamber Bay Retreats overlooks the dramatic vista of Backstairs Passage, where whales and dolphins can often be spotted. Each property is fully self-contained, with contemporary kitchens and outdoor barbecue facilities.
A boutique, adults only retreat, Sea Dragon Lodge & Villas is conveniently located on a 250-acre coastal estate, near the island’s access points – the ferry and airport. There are three luxury 1-bedroom eco-villas, two deluxe 1-bedroom spa eco-villas, one 2-bedroom spa apartment, one 3-bedroom villa, and one 4-bedroom apartment. All accommodations are self-contained with stunning ocean views and a private, pristine sandy beach is just a few minutes’ walk away.
Budget Accommodation
Conveniently situated at Kingscote, these cabins are only 2 kilometres from the town jetty and main street. These fully self contained one and two bedroom cabins are often surrounded by wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies, birds and peacocks. Linen and towels are included, as well as cooking facilities, laundry facilities and several barbecues.
KI Dragonfly Guesthouse is privately owned and located in Kingscote and offers four bedrooms: one twin room, two double rooms, and a family room that sleeps up to six, that can be hired out separately. The fully equipped kitchen, and the two spacious clean bathrooms are shared by guests. The hosts live on site and are available to help plan your stay, while laundry facilities are available for a fee, plus there is excellent WIFI, as well as a selection of books and movies.
This budget Kangaroo Island accommodation is a motel with sea views features newly renovated private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, perfectly situated a short distance from Penneshaw Beach, IGA supermarket, café district, and Sealink Ferry Terminal. Free car-parking and free WiFi are also available.
Unique Accommodation
If you’re interested in unique Kangaroo Island accommodation, consider staying in one of two self-catered Lighthouse Cottages at Cape Willoughby. Choose between Seymour Cottage and Thomas Cottage for a secluded getaway, both of which offer five bedrooms and can accommodate up to eight guests. Bookings can be made through SeaLink, who often run offers too – if you stay for 5 nights or more you receive a complimentary KI tour pass!
Hanson Bay is the best place to stay on Kangaroo Island where you can see koalas from your accommodation. Check out Airbnb for more affordable, comfortable self-catering cottages, including Hanson Bay’s beachfront cabins: Stormy Petrel and Cygnet.
Ecopia Retreat is a boutique eco luxury accommodation, set out on a dedicated wildlife sanctuary. Choose from three bespoke luxury retreats – two Villas and the Residence – each designed to be eco-friendly using 100% pure Kangaroo Island rainwater and an off-grid solar energy system.
What to know before you go
Camping tips
- Camping on Kangaroo Island can be popular in peak season, so it’s a good idea to book your campsites ahead of time.
- Download the WikiCamps app. This app shows you all the campsites in Australia and includes useful information like price and facilities. You can filter to find free campsites and it also lists all the public toilets available, which is pretty vital when camping.
- Keep an eye on SeaLink’s Specials Packages and Offers page as you can often save money by combining your ferry crossing and campervan hire.
- Book your campsites in advance to ensure there’s room for you. If you can’t book in advance, turn up early to get a spot.
- Fill up with staples from the Penneshaw IGA, Drakes in Kingscote or the Parndana IGA. American River also has a store within the Post Office.
- Fuel can be found in Penneshaw, Kingscote, Parndana and Vivonne Bay. Top up whenever you come across a fuel station.
Camp fires
Fires are not permitted at any time within a National or Conservation Park. Exception to campfires are permitted at Antechamber Bay within the pits located on the South side only (picnic shelter side).
During bushfire season, it is highly likely that you will experience a total fire ban. This means that no external fires are permitted on the island, including gas stoves that are used in the outdoors. Fire Ban Season starts on 1st December and ends on 30th April. Fires are not permitted during the Fire Ban Season. No fires (including gas) are permitted on a Total Fire Ban day! Campgrounds are closed on catastrophic Total Fire Ban days. To report a fire, phone 000.
Collection of firewood from National Parks and Reserves is an offence under the National Parks & Wildlife Act 1972 and collection of firewood along roadsides is only permitted with a permit from local council (there are strict requirements relating to these permits). Where possible, the use of liquid fuel or gas stoves is recommended.
Use of drones
The use of drones in Australian National Parks is strictly prohibited to protect the wildlife within.
Dump point locations
Rubbish points can be found at American River Campground, Brownlow (on Third Street, adjacent to the Kingscote Tourist Park), Parndana Lions Park and Penneshaw (carpark opposite Museum).
Drinking water
Generally rainwater is safe to drink. If the rainwater is clear, has little taste or smell and is from a well maintained system, it is unlikely to cause illness for most users. If concerned, distilling the water before consumption can be achieved by bringing the rainwater to the boil. Tap water is safe to consume.
Read next:
Camping in a Compact Camper-Car in Australia
Everything you need to know about Swimming with Wild Dolphins on Australia’s Kangaroo Island
The Thorough Guide to Australia’s Kangaroo Island
The Thorough Guide to Kangaroo Island’s Flinders Chase National Park
Where to see Wildlife on Australia’s Kangaroo Island
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