itinerary
Day 1. Sunday – Arrive Adelaide, Board Proud Mary (L,AT,D)
Flights arrive in Adelaide, and we head to Glenelg for lunch before embarking on a city tour taking in North Terrace Cultural Boulevard, the Adelaide Oval and St Peter’s Cathedral. We then head into the Adelaide Hills to the quaint village of Hahndorf, and take time to discover Australia’s oldest German settlement. Later, we make our way to Murray Bridge to be welcomed aboard by the friendly Proud Mary crew. Taking to the river we enjoy a buffet supper as the Proud Mary’s powerful floodlights illuminate the shore giving us ample opportunity to view nocturnal animals in their natural habitat. This evening we tie up for the night at Woodlane. 7 Night Stay: Proud Mary
Day 2. Monday – Aboard the Proud Mary (B,L,D)
Cruising upstream, we arrive mid-morning in picturesque Mannum, the birthplace of the river boat trade. Here we board the waiting coach for a guided tour of historic Mannum. Later, we continue upstream to Walker Flat and this evening after a dinner showcasing typically Australian dishes, we take a guided nocturnal discovery tour. The tour gives an insight into abundant wildlife in this region, including the Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat. Tonight’s mooring is at Walker Flat.
Day 3. Tuesday – Aboard the Proud Mary (B,L,D)
Departing Walker Flat and cruising further upstream we enjoy a scrumptious breakfast and a relaxed morning as we head towards Swan Reach where we enjoy a tour of the local museum and Almond Farm. Later after lunch you’ll be intrigued by nautical precision as we pass through Lock 1 at Blanchetown before mooring amongst the towering river red gums at McBeans Pound. Tonight it’s time to get your competitive juices flowing as its trivia night onboard!
Day 4. Wednesday – Aboard the proud Mary (B,L,D)
Relax onboard then take in the Captain’s talk on the Murray River as we cruise toward Morgan this morning. Morgan is located on the great Elbow, Northwest Bend on the River Murray. Here we disembark to board our awaiting coach to be whisked away to the Barossa Valley to explore the area and sample some wines before returning to the Proud Mary. This evening we cruise further upstream whilst enjoying dinner on board then return to Morgan to secure overnight.
Day 5. Thursday – Aboard the Proud Mary (B,L,D)
After breakfast it’s time to explore the historic town of Morgan, once one of the busiest South Australian Murray River ports. We tour the many heritage sights of this once booming riverside town including the customs house and courthouse on Railway Terrace. Once back on board we head back through Lock 1 to moor at Swan Reach. This evening we ring in 2021 with a New Year’s Eve celebration featuring delicious food and live entertainment onboard!
Day 6. Friday – Aboard the Proud Mary (B,L,D)
Wake this morning in one of the most unspoilt and picturesque areas of the river and take in a walk with the Cruise Director before we continue on downstream. Mid afternoon we arrive at Big Bend where the cliffs are most spectacular. Here we embark on a guided tour lead by an ecologist aboard a small boat through the lagoons and inlets of Big Bend. This evening we enjoy live entertainment and a campfire BBQ on the banks of the river at Big Bend.
Day 7. Saturday – Aboard the Proud Mary (B,L,D)
This morning we continue downstream through some of the most spectacular scenery on the entire river system to arrive at Ngaut Ngaut – a historical Aboriginal site. Here an indigenous guide explains the carvings and paintings on cliff faces made up to 20,000 years ago. Later in the afternoon we arrive in Mannum for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a formal Captain’s Dinner.
Day 8. Sunday – Normanville (B,L,D)
This morning at Woodlane we join our guide for a tour of this fascinating area and discover the permanent watercourse, waterfalls, swamps and wetlands which played a significant role in the lives of the ancient Nganguruku and Ngaralta tribes. This afternoon we enjoy some more spectacular scenery before returning to Murray Bridge, and bidding the Proud Mary goodbye. We then travel to the southern Fleurieu region of the peninsula and check-in for the night. 1 Night Stay: New Terry Hotel & Golf Resort, Wirrina Cove
Day 9. Monday – Kangaroo Island (B,L,D)
Today we head to Cape Jervis and board the ferry to the pristine wilderness of Kangaroo Island. At Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery we ignite our senses and tour the facilities, then enjoy a hearty BBQ lunch before experiencing the Birds of Prey display at Raptor Domain, an in-flight presentation featuring Australian eagles and hawks. To finish off the day we take in the scenery as we drive to Seal Bay Conservation Park where Australian sea lions sunbathe and frolic on a stunning beach. We take a guided walk to get a close look at the sea lion colony, home to around 600 rare Australian Sea Lions, then head to American River and checkin at our hotel. 2 Night Stay: Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge
Day 10. Tuesday – Kangaroo Island (B,L,D)
This morning we hit the wildlife trail discovering Flinders Chase National Park and Kangaroo Island’s iconic natural formations; Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. Later we discover some icons of the island’s legendary local producers. At Emu Bay Lavender Farm we take in the sight, smell and taste of this beautiful and useful herb. We see how the flowers are grown, harvested and then produced into a variety of products on this family-run farm. Island Beehive extracts around 100 tonnes of honey each year from its population of Ligurian bees and our tour here offers a sneak peek into the fascinating world of organic honey production.
Day 11. Wednesday – Adelaide (B,MT)
Leaving Kangaroo Island we board the ferry to the mainland and break for a delectable Devonshire morning tea in Victor Harbor, before arriving at Adelaide Airport for our flights home.
B = Full Breakfast MT = Morning Tea L = Lunch AT = Afternoon Tea D = Two Course Dinner
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