Your taste buds get a workout on Kangaroo Island. This cruise-only, 7-hour shore excursion strings together Clifford’s Honey samples and the Emu Ridge eucalyptus distillery story, plus a wine-and-gin finish starting from Penneshaw at 9:00 am. I love that the day is built around real local producers you can ask questions of, and I also love the Kingscote hour where you can regroup and handle your own lunch plans. The main drawback is the tight timing: it’s a full day on a ship schedule, and lunch isn’t included.

Small groups (up to 20) and a pickup from the Penneshaw cruise port help keep things from feeling chaotic. Past groups often highlight guides such as Kaitlyn, Caitlyn, Lutz, Nikki, Kylie, Joel, and Gary for keeping the day fun and informative. One more thing to know: if tenders are canceled due to severe weather, the tour notes that refunds may not be offered—so travel insurance is a smart move.

Key points

• Six tasting-focused stops across honey, eucalyptus, lavender, wine, and gin
• Kingscote includes free time (about 1 hour) so you can choose lunch and shop
• Included tastings add up: wine, gin, honey, eucalyptus drops/ciders, plus lavender scones and tea/coffee when available
• Small group size (max 20) plus a full return-to-ship timeline
• Alcohol is for adults only (minimum drinking age is 18)
• You learn how products are made, not just how they taste

A Port-to-Farm Food-and-Wine Day in Penneshaw

This is a cruise ship shore excursion made for a single, very practical goal: get you the best of Kangaroo Island’s flavors in one day, without you having to drive a rental all over the place. It starts at the cruise ship port in Penneshaw at 9:00 am, and it runs about 7 hours.

You’re picked up from the Penneshaw side, and you’ll use a mobile ticket. The group stays small—up to 20 travelers—which matters on a tasting tour. With fewer people, there’s less standing around while someone runs late, and you’re more likely to actually talk with the staff at the farms and distilleries.

This is also one of those tours that works best if it’s your first time on Kangaroo Island. The mix of honey, eucalyptus, lavender, and then wine and gin gives you a quick “who does what” picture of the island’s food-and-drink scene.

Price and What You Actually Get for $164.25

At $164.25 per person, this isn’t a cheap add-on. The value comes from what’s included—and how many included stops you get in a single day.

Here’s what’s covered:

• Wine tasting at Bay of Shoals Winery
• Gin tastings at Kangaroo Island Spirits
• Honey tastings at Clifford’s Honey Farm
• Eucalyptus distillery experience at Emu Ridge Eucalyptus, including eucalyptus drops and time in the shop (plus ciders are available to try there)
• Lavender scones and tea/coffee at the lavender farm, depending on season and whether the lavender farm is open

And even when something isn’t a tasting, you still get time that makes the tour feel like a real day out—like the 1 hour in Kingscote for your own lunch.

The one clear hit to your wallet is this: lunch is not included. So if you want to stay comfortable, plan on buying lunch in Kingscote or bringing a snack for the ride between stops.

Also, this tour is popular enough that it’s often booked well in advance (the listing notes an average of 178 days). If you have fixed cruise dates, don’t wait until the last week and hope.

Clifford’s Honey Farm: 30 Minutes of Sweet Education

Clifford’s Honey Farm is your first stop, and it’s a good one to start with if you know nothing about how honey connects to place. You get about 30 minutes, and admission is included.

What makes this stop interesting is that it isn’t only tasting. You’re there to learn about the Ligurian Bee, then you can wander the gift shop afterward. For a cruise shore excursion, that’s a solid setup: you get a focused intro, you taste a few things, and you’re not stuck for hours.

Practical tip: if you love trying local food products on trips, this is one of the easiest stops to bring purchases back with you. Honey tends to travel well, and you can use the gift shop for “something small that reminds you of the island.”

Emu Ridge Eucalyptus: Distillation Talk and Eucalyptus Drops

Next comes Emu Ridge Eucalyptus, where the schedule gives you about 45 minutes. Admission is included here too, and the stop is built around understanding the history of the distillery and how eucalyptus products are made—specifically the distillation process.

You’ll get to try eucalyptus drops, and the shop time also includes the chance to try ciders. So you’re not stuck in one flavor lane. It’s part science-story, part tasting.

This stop is also a good reminder that Kangaroo Island isn’t just about wineries. Eucalyptus is part of the island’s identity, and that makes this excursion feel broader than a simple “sip and shop” loop.

Consideration: eucalyptus flavor is strong and personal. If you generally hate medicinal or menthol-like tastes, go into this stop knowing you can choose how much you try. The tour is structured so you won’t miss the rest of the day even if you skip some samples.

Emu Bay Lavender: Lavender Scone and Morning-Tea Energy

Emu Bay Lavender is where the day gets softer. You’ll spend about 1 hour at the lavender farm, and the big included moment is morning tea: lavender scone plus tea or coffee, served depending on season and whether the farm is open.

Even if you don’t care about lavender perfume stuff, the scone-and-tea break is a morale boost on a long ship day. This is also where you can slow down—walk the grounds, browse the gift shop, and take photos without feeling rushed.

One practical note: since the scones and tea are dependent on season and farm opening, treat this as likely but not guaranteed. In practice, it’s often available, but you’re not paying just for vibes.

Kingscote Hour: The Freedom Break You’ll Appreciate

After back-to-back producer stops, Kingscote is your scheduled reset. You get about 1 hour of leisure time, and admission is free.

This is your chance to:

• duck into a cafe for lunch (since lunch isn’t included)
• browse shops at your pace
• grab water or a snack if you’re running low

I like this structure because it prevents the day from feeling purely “guided.” It also gives you control. If you decide you want a sit-down lunch instead of something quick, you can do it here.

Tip: bring a little cash or have a card ready. Some small shops and cafes run on local rhythms. Also, if you’re tempted to buy food to take back to the ship, Kingscote is your best bet.

Bay of Shoals Winery: Wine Tasting with Bay Views

At Bay of Shoals Winery, you get about 1 hour, and the stop includes the wine tasting.

The winery’s setting matters here. It’s described as overlooking the Bay of Shoals, and that view helps turn a tasting into a proper pause. This isn’t the kind of tasting that feels like you’re crammed into a back room. You’re there to relax, taste, and take in the view before moving on.

If you’re a wine-first person, this is one of the stops you’ll likely remember most. Reviews tied to the day often single out the variety and the flow—wine after a set of other tastings, when your palate has already been warmed up.

Wine note: the tour is adult-centered. You’ll be tasting alcohol, and the tour sets a minimum drinking age of 18.

Kangaroo Island Spirits: Gin, Vodka, and Liqueurs in a Rustic Setting

The final tasting stop is Kangaroo Island Spirits, with about 1 hour at the distillery. This is where you’ll do gin tastings, with additional samples like vodkas and liqueurs mentioned as part of what you can try.

From a sequencing point of view, this stop works because it closes the loop on the island flavors you started with. Honey, eucalyptus, lavender, then wine, then spirits—by the end, you’ve gotten a full range of what the island produces commercially.

Consideration: if gin isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy the experience as a distillery visit. But the tour is very much built around alcohol tastings, so this isn’t the best choice for non-drinkers.

Timing, Tender Reality, and How to Keep the Day Easy

This is a cruise shore excursion, and that changes everything. The tour is designed around getting you back to Penneshaw in time for the ship schedule. The day starts at 9:00 am, and it runs about 7 hours, so it’s long enough that you should plan for comfort.

The schedule is built with multiple shorter stops (30–60 minutes each). That helps you avoid the dreaded cruise-excursion feeling of one long, boring stretch followed by a mad scramble.

Still, the biggest reality check is this: weather can affect tenders. The tour specifically notes that a captain may cancel tenders due to severe weather, and in that situation, no refund is offered because of the expenses involved in preparing cruise ship tours. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for this exact reason.

Practical move: pack for variability. You’re spending a full day outdoors at farms, and you’ll want layers you can adjust if the weather swings.

Wildlife and Scenic Moments You Might Catch Along the Way

The itinerary is about food and drink, but the route doesn’t have to be purely indoor. Some people on this tour mention seeing wild kangaroos and koalas, plus other wildlife moments. There are also hints in the day’s experience that guides may add quick lookout stops when they can.

That’s a big part of why I think this tour works so well as a shore excursion. You’re not only tasting; you’re getting a few “this is why people come here” nature moments too.

Just keep expectations realistic: wildlife sightings depend on timing and conditions. If you’re hoping for guaranteed close-up wildlife photos, this still isn’t a dedicated wildlife safari. But you may catch something special.

Who This Shore Excursion Fits Best

This tour is best for:

• adults who enjoy wine and spirits
• people who like learning about how products are made (honey, eucalyptus distillation, lavender farm operations)
• cruisers who want a full-flavor Kangaroo Island snapshot without a rental car
• anyone who appreciates a small group and a guide who keeps the pace steady

It may be less ideal if:

• you want a hike-heavy nature day
• you’re not interested in alcohol tastings (since gin and wine tastings are core to the tour)
• you need lunch fully handled for you (lunch isn’t included)

Also, the tour is for cruise ship passengers only, so if you’re staying on the island rather than arriving by cruise, you’ll need a different option.

Should You Book This Kangaroo Island Trails Tasting Tour?

Book it if you want a structured, time-friendly way to taste Kangaroo Island’s main producers in one day—honey, eucalyptus, lavender scones, wine, and gin—with a little breathing room in Kingscote. The included tastings add real value, and the small group feel keeps the day from becoming a conveyor belt.

Skip it (or consider another tour) if alcohol tastings don’t fit your travel style, if you want long nature walks, or if you’re the kind of traveler who hates being on a strict return-to-ship schedule.

If you do book, plan one smart thing: eat a decent breakfast before you go, bring a snack for any gap between tastings, and make sure you’re comfortable spending a full day in the sun (and maybe wind, because island weather likes to remind you it’s in charge).

FAQ

Where does the tour start and what time?

The tour starts at the Cruise Ship Port in Penneshaw at 9:00 am.

Is this tour only available from Penneshaw?

Yes. It’s listed as available from Penneshaw only, for cruise ship passengers.

How long is the Kangaroo Island Shore Excursion Tasting Tour?

The duration is about 7 hours.

What tastings are included on the tour?

Included tastings include wine tasting (Bay of Shoals Winery), gin tastings (Kangaroo Island Spirits), honey tastings (Clifford’s Honey Farm), and an eucalyptus distillery experience (Emu Ridge Eucalyptus). The lavender farm includes lavender scones and tea/coffee, depending on season and whether the lavender farm is open.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included.

How much free time do you get in Kingscote?

You get about 1 hour of leisure time in Kingscote, with admission not required.

What is the minimum drinking age?

The tour notes a minimum drinking age of 18.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes. Service animals are allowed.

What happens if the cruise tender is canceled due to bad weather?

The tour notes that if the captain cancels tenders due to severe weather (or other issues), no refund is offered because of the costs involved in preparing for cruise ship tours. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.