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We visit Mt Lofty, Cleland Wildlife Preserve and Hahndorf

Itinerary, Menus, When & Where and Entertainers

We booked a private tour today with PureSA and would visit Mount Lofty, Cleland Wildlife Park, and finally, the German Tourist Village – Hahndorf.

Leith, our PureSA driver, and guide arrived around 9 am in a 14-seat Toyota Hiace Commuter. There were only 5 of us in our group, so we had plenty of room.

Mount Lofty Summit

Our first stop was Mount Lofty Summit, which rises 2300 feet above Adelaide with spectacular views of the city and Kangaroo Island, and the Yorke Peninsula on a clear day.

There is a large viewing area, and we could see the Zuiderdam, over 18 miles away, with my telephoto lens.

The Zuiderdam was visible using a telephoto lens – 18 miles distant

The Mt Lofty Summit Visitor Information Centre, offers educational exhibits and information about flora and fauna of the region, as well as the history and geology of the mountain. You can also browse through souvenirs and grab a bite to eat at the cafe.

Cleland Wildlife Park

Our next stop was Cleland Wildlife Park. Located in the Adelaide Hills, this park offers visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Australia’s most iconic animals: kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, echidnas, and wombats. The kangaroos and wallabies are particularly friendly, and we were able to get close enough for them to eat out of our hands.

This sign is for the large groups of guests arriving with the HAL tours

Table 89 at the entrance to Cleland Wildlife Park

The park covers over 85 acres, and would take at least 2 hours to walk the grounds briskly. Small bags of animal food are for sale where you buy your tickets. The tour we booked included tickets and animal food as part of the overall tour price.

The bags of animal food are on the counter where you buy your tickets.

It was almost 100 degrees when we visited, so many activities featuring close animal encounters were unavailable. We were here for almost 2 hours and covered most of the park. We spent most of our time in the area with the Kangaroos. There are dozens of them that are very easy to approach and feed.

There wasn’t a Koala encounter session today due to the heat

Hahndorf

Our final stop was Hahndorf, a charming and historic village in the Adelaide Hills. Hahndorf was founded in 1839 by Lutheran migrants from Prussia, and its German heritage is still evident today in its traditional architecture, lively festivals, and authentic German cuisine.

Leith dropped us at the German Restaurant, Haus, at one end of the town. After our 1 hour lunch, we strolled down Hahndorf’s single main street for another 90 minutes.

The town has several boutique shops selling handmade crafts, artisanal goods, and locally made souvenirs. One popular stop is the Hahndorf Leather and Crafts, which sells handmade leather goods, including wallets, belts, and bags. The town also has several galleries and art shops showcasing the work of local artists and photographers.

We discovered an Alpaca Shop with an excellent selection of finished products and some Alpaca Yarn. Judy bought some DK weight 100% Australian Alpaca yarn by Tailored Strands.

The friendly Shopkeeper shows off her selection of Alpaca Yarns

Judy showing off her purchases outside the Alpaca Shop

We returned to the ship at about 4:30 pm. Our departure wasn’t until 11 pm, so we could enjoy a local musical group who were outstanding. They played various popular Australian tunes from the Seekers and others – in addition to the classic Waltzing Matilda.