Of all the places we’ve travelled in the world, there are but a few experiences that we really cherish and continue to seek out; and they all involve wildlife adventures.
So when the opportunity came up to swim with Dolphins on Kangaroo island you can imagine we jumped at the opportunity.
We’ve had the most amazing experiences up until now, from diving with Whale Sharks off the coast of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres, to kayaking with a huge pod of Spinner Dolphins in Hawaii we were not too sure if this experience was going to keep up.
And we can say with pure joy that swimming with bottlenose dolphins on Kangaroo island was an amazing experience.
There are only a few Kangaroo island adventure tours to participate in while you’re here, but you should do your research before you go.
Eco-friendly tour choices
So why choose to go eco-friendly?
Well there’s a few things to consider before making your choice to swim with dolphins on Kangaroo island.
For our trip to South Australia’s Kangaroo Island, we reached out to Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures
First and foremost you want to know if they have any certificates and accreditation that recognises their tours and practices as ethically responsible, and with the least imposition on the wildlife.
The second is how they run the tour.
The least restrictive manner of interaction with wildlife is single handedly the most important factor..
You want to avoid tour companies that chase animals, corralling wildlife into sections of water where participants can see them up close.
And this is what makes kangaroo island marine adventures tours unique.
So, do you feel ready to swim with Dolphins on Kangaroo Island?
READ MORE: We created a kick-ass guide to Kangaroo Island right here
The best tour on kangaroo island
Our morning started with meeting the skipper of the boat, Captain Andrew and his tour guide assistant at the wharf out of Emu Bay.
These guys were so great in giving us the rundown on what to expect when we arrived at our location, as well as the rules and regulations for swimming with the dolphins on kangaroo island.
These guys run a pretty tight ship, but that’s never a bad thing when it comes to eco-friendly tours.
Andrew and his team were exceptional at sharing all the information they knew about Dolphin behaviour, how they interact with humans in the water and how they communicate as a pod.
It’s important to remember that if you plan a swim with dolphins on kangaroo island, they are wild animals who still hunt and fend off predators, so any interaction underwater is up to the Dolphin.
Our experience with K.I Marine Adventures
If you havent already, read up on the Best Things To Do In South Australia using our guide
After roughly 30 minutes of jetting out to our location, we were fitted with masks and snorkels and separated into 2 groups.
The intention of this was to not overwhelm the dolphins with too many people in the water at one time.
We were also not given flippers so that we couldn’t keep up with the Dolphins as we swam, to avoid scaring them or begin to chase them.
The most amazing experience once you enter the water is seeing the Dolphins with your own eyes underwater.
In reality, there are limited places in the world to have intimate encounters with wildlife, but a swim with dolphins on kangaroo island just happens to be one of those places.
Bottlenose Dolphins are one of the largest of the dolphin species and they are so big and beautiful!
Their childlike curiosity as they swim around and check you out is out of this world, because while they seem to be playing, during the day they are also in rest-mode.
So they will intentionally shut off half of their brain, shut one eye and recuperate from a night of hunting, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t like a little bit of play.
The whole idea is that the interaction with the Dolphins is on their terms, and whilst K.I Marine adventures bring you into their habitat, they are very mindful of the boundaries and rules of engagement with these creatures.
Andrew and his crew made sure we were well fed and hydrated throughout the day, also continuously feeding us with a ton of information!
