The 7 Best Wildlife Parks in Adelaide

1.Dolphin Sanctuary Eco Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 560 reviews · 3 hours · from $55Our pick

Set out from Port Adelaide’s Angas Inlet Boat Club for a three-hour guided kayak trip through Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. Guides such as Alex, Paddy, Mark, and Kendall explain the mangroves, birds, dolphins, and old wrecks. No kayaking experience is needed, but you must be able to paddle. Dolphins and shipwrecks are not guaranteed.

“Fantastic experience - though we didn’t see dolphins we loved kayaking through the mangroves and seeing this unique ecosystem. I’m also happy the company don’t use bait or sounds to tempt the dolphins, as they should be free in their own habitats. Brayden was a great guide, friendly and informative.”

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2.Dolphin Sanctuary Kayak Tour Adelaide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 355 reviews · from $56

Meet at Angas Inlet Boat Club on Garden Island for a three-hour guided paddle through Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. Guides such as Alex, Paddy, Fiona, and Lewis provide safety help and nature information as you look for wild dolphins, birds, fish, mangroves, and shipwrecks. No kayaking experience is needed, but moderate fitness helps.

“Terrific kayaking experience! Paddy was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable, yet knew when to allow quiet time to appreciate the dolphins and other wildlife/nature.”

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3.Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · from $55Top rated

Paddle for up to three hours with Adventure Kayaking SA through Adelaide’s Dolphin Sanctuary and Garden Island Ships Graveyard. Guides such as Luke, Phil, Pippa, and Tim teach beginners, point out birds and mangroves, and help you spot Port River dolphins. The sheltered water suits families, though sightings are never guaranteed.

“Guide was great and shared lots of knowledge about the area and the things we saw along the way. Thank you.”

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4.Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 143 reviews · 3 hours · from $55

Paddle sheltered mangrove creeks and the Port River with an English-speaking guide, watching for wild dolphins and exploring the Ships Graveyard’s wrecks. Guides such as Tom, Oliver, Aaron, and Kelahn are praised for clear instruction and local stories. The $55 tour suits beginners, but you need moderate fitness and your own transport to Garden Island.

“Tom the kayak guide was great. He is very knowledgeable and explained the history of the abandoned ships. He is a great nature guide and pointed out various wildlife to us. The tour is good value and I would definitely recommend. I was a little apprehensive about kayaking for 3 hours but it was fine as you go at your own pace and there’s no pressure to keep up.”

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5.Adelaide Zoo: General Admission Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 80 reviews · 1 day · from $33

Spend a full day at Adelaide Zoo in the CBD, home to 2,500 animals across 250 species and Australasia’s only giant pandas. See Australian wildlife, Komodo dragons, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, and birds, then add keeper talks, the Free Flight Bird Show, cafes, and Variety Natures Playground.

“So many great animals. Nice layout. Great way to spend a morning or afternoon.”

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6.Dolphin Sanctuary Mangroves Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 54 reviews · 1h 30m · from $38

Meet Adventure Kayaking SA on Garden Island for a 90-minute, English-language kayak tour through Adelaide's Dolphin Sanctuary. After a safety lesson, paddle sheltered mangrove creeks in a single or double kayak, looking for Port River Dolphins, seals, sea lions, and birds. Guides such as Keenan, Darla, Keilan, and Will lead the outings.

“Will was very welcoming and friendly and gave us a really good understanding of the mangroves environment. unfortunately we didn't see any dolphins but that didn't really matter.”

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7.Dolphin Sanctuary Single or Double Kayak Rental

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 51 reviews · 2 hours · from $27Best value

Meet Adventure Kayaking SA at Garden Island Boat Ramp for a safety briefing, map, life vest, and two-hour kayak hire. Choose a single or double kayak, then paddle through mangrove creeks in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. Dolphin sightings are possible but not guaranteed, and the ship graveyard is off-limits.

“good although i didn’t see any dolphins as there was only 13 in the whole lake”

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