Murray Princess & The Coorong NP

FLIGHT DETAILS: Homeport - Adelaide (flights to be advised) After our flight to Adelaide, we meet our Tour Host and Coach Captain then enjoy refreshments at the Atura Hotel. Our South Australia tour starts with an Adelaide Highlights Tour, showcasing one of the best-planned cities in the world. We then check into our hotel with time to relax and freshen up before dinner in the Ibis Restaurant.

Daily: Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast and checkout, enjoy a stroll in Rundle Mall before boarding The Popeye for our 11.00am Devonshire Tea Cruise, to witness Adelaide from the best seat in the house, by cruising along The Torrens River in the heart of the city. We then head across to Mannum, the birthplace of Murray River trade. Mid-afternoon, we board the PS Murray Princess and settle into our outside cabins. As we cruise under floodlight to our overnight mooring at Caurnamont, keep an eye out for kangaroos and other wildlife while enjoying dinner and music from our on-board entertainer.

Daily: Breakfast, M/Tea & Dinner

Daybreak on the Murray River awakens for the keen photographers to capture the special morning light and wildlife activity. Birdlife like pelicans, blue wrens, and black swans can be spotted from the decks of the P.S. Murray Princess. After breakfast, we continue upstream to Blanchetown, navigating through one of the 13 locks that control the river's flow. We moor opposite Blanchetown for the night. As the last rays of the sun fade, we take a guided tour of Burk Salter Boutique Winery and enjoy wine tasting at the charming cellar door. After dinner, “join us for the fun of the Murray River Cup.”

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, we cruise up the river to picturesque Swan Reach, first settled in the 1850s and once the largest of five local sheep and cattle stations. Now home to native flower and fruit growers, the original homestead is the Swan Reach Hotel, perfect for enjoying a drink overlooking the Murray River. After a guided walking tour and visit to the Swan Reach Museum, we cruise downstream, taking in the tranquil landscape. Arriving at Sunnydale, we experience the unique Woolshed Show and visit the Native Wildlife Shelter. Later, enjoy a bush-cooked Aussie Barbecue before an optional nocturnal tour.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Enjoy breakfast on board or opt for a morning “Bush Tucker Breakfast” (additional cost) or a bush walk with the captain. The vessel then cruises slowly downriver past magnificent cliffs shaped by the river over millions of years. We reach Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Reserve, one of Australia’s key archaeological sites, for a guided boardwalk tour to view ancient rock carvings and learn about local Aboriginal history. We then continue cruising to Younghusband, where adventure seekers can take a speedboat ride. Tonight, the captain and officers host a spectacular Farewell Captain’s Buffet, so dress up and dance the night away to celebrate our final night on the Murray Princess.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, the PS Murray Princess arrives in Mannum where we say farewell to the crew before some free time to enjoy the shops at the historic port. Next stop is Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement (est. 1839), where artisan boutiques, galleries, cafés, bakeries, and traditional beer gardens line the streets. Later in the afternoon, we arrive in Victor Harbor to check into our resort before coming together to enjoy dinner.

Daily: Breakfast & Dinner

After breakfast, we explore Victor Harbor’s Main Street Precinct before boarding the 10:30 AM horsedrawn tram to Granite Island and back. Next, we travel to Goolwa to board our half-day Coorong Experience Lunch Cruise, featuring stunning scenery and memorable wildlife encounters. We transit through the lock, watch fur seals basking in the sun, spot diverse birdlife, learn the “Pipi Shuffle” at 90 Mile Beach, and view the Mouth of the Murray. After the cruise, we return to our accommodation to freshen up before dinner.

Daily: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After checking out this morning, we take a look inside the National Trust Museum and Customs House, explore over 200 years of local history and South Australia’s first recorded shipwreck. Next stop is in then McLaren Vale Wine Region for a tour, tasting and lunch platters at Wirra Wirra Winery. Later this afternoon we arrive back at the Adelaide Airport to check in for our flight back home after a delightful week travelling through South Australia, cruising the mighty Murray River and exploring the Coorong NP with Trade Travel.

Daily: Breakfast & Lunch