The Adelaide Hills from Adelaide: Hahndorf, Mount Lofty and Cleland

Hours, prices and access verified by the Adelaide Australia Tours team — last checked 2026-09-17.

The Adelaide Hills rise straight behind the city. Hahndorf is half an hour's drive away and Mount Lofty Summit 15 km east of the centre, so most day trips from Adelaide stop here on the way to somewhere else. Planning Adelaide day tours? Decide how long you want in the village before you pick one.

Most Hills itineraries are built on three places: the German village of Hahndorf, the lookout at Mount Lofty Summit and Cleland Wildlife Park just below it. Add a chocolate maker, a berry farm and a string of cool-climate cellar doors, and you have the day.

Hahndorf — the 1839 German village

Hahndorf sits 28 km from the city. It was established in 1839 by German Lutherans escaping religious persecution in Prussia, and it is Australia's oldest surviving German settlement. Its main street is lined with trees, bakeries, galleries and beer gardens, and you will find pretzels and strudel on the chalkboards.

When	What happened
Before 1839	Peramangk country. The Peramangk people called the Hahndorf area Bukartilla.
1802	Matthew Flinders names Mount Lofty, the highest point in the Hills.
1831	Collet Barker climbs it. His sighting of the Port River later helps Colonel Light choose the site of Adelaide.
1836	Adelaide is founded below the range.
1839	German Lutherans escaping religious persecution in Prussia establish Hahndorf, now Australia's oldest surviving German settlement.
1988	Hahndorf is declared a state heritage area.

Two buildings are worth your time. Hahndorf Academy, a heritage building at 68 Main Street, is where the Hills hop-on hop-off bus boards. The Cedars, at 68 Heysen Road, was the home of the painter Sir Hans Heysen.

Mount Lofty Summit — the lookout 710 metres up

The summit is the high point of the range, with views across the city skyline to the coast. More than 350,000 people go up each year. On a tour you get 10 to 20 minutes here, which is enough for the view and a photograph.

Height: more than 710 metres above sea level.

Distance: 15 km east of Adelaide.

Entry: free; parking fees apply.

Car park gates: 6:00 to 23:00 from October to March, 6:00 to 21:00 from April to September.

Visitor outlet and gift shop: 9:00 to 17:00 daily, closed Christmas Day.

Access: the lookout, parking and toilets are accessible.

If you have longer, walk down to Waterfall Gully, join the Heysen Trail, or follow the low-gradient trail through the bush to Cleland Wildlife Park.

Cleland Wildlife Park — kangaroos, koalas and what the fare covers

Cleland is 20 minutes from the city centre, at 365 Mount Lofty Summit Road, Crafers. It has very few enclosures: most of its animals live in natural habitat, and the park runs hand feeding and keeper talks. It opens 9:30 to 17:00 every day, with last entry at 16:30.

The park closes on Christmas Day, on days of catastrophic fire danger and on some days of extreme weather. As of 17 September 2026 it carries a bird flu notice: the park stays open, with some temporary changes to your visit.

What the fare includes. The Cleland Wildlife Park and Hahndorf day includes your entry and a guided tour of the park, with 2 hours there. No tour fare includes holding a koala. Cleland sells its koala experiences separately, from Koala Close-up to Hold a Koala, so book one with the park if you want it.

Beerenberg, Melba's and the Hills food stops

Food is the other reason people come up here, and the day tours build it in.

Beerenberg Family Farm

A sixth-generation family farm at 2106 Mount Barker Road, Hahndorf. The Hahndorf and Barossa day gives it 30 minutes.

Melba's Chocolate

The chocolate stop on the Cleland day, for 30 minutes, and a 10-minute stop on the Hahndorf and Barossa day.

Bridgewater Mill

A 15-minute stop on the River Murray lunch-cruise days, between Mount Lofty and the river.

A Hills bakery lunch

The Cleland day includes a pie, pasty or sausage roll from a local bakery, plus a chocolate and cheese tasting.

Cellar doors sit in and around the village too, among them Sidewood Estate, Hahndorf Hill Winery and The Lane Vineyard. The wines and the tours that pour them are on Adelaide's wine regions.

How long each tour gives you in Hahndorf

This is the number to check before you book. An hour covers the main street and a coffee. Two hours gives you lunch and a museum as well.

Tour	Time in Hahndorf	Other Hills stops
Cleland Wildlife Park and Hahndorf day	2 hours	Mount Lofty Summit 20 minutes, Cleland Wildlife Park 2 hours, Melba's Chocolate 30 minutes, a Hills tasting stop 50 minutes
Gems in a Day: city, Glenelg and Hahndorf Gems in a Day (the same route, sold separately)	1 hour 30 minutes	Mount Lofty Summit 15 minutes
Highlights, Hahndorf and McLaren Vale wine day	1 hour 30 minutes	Mount Lofty Summit 10 minutes
Hahndorf and Barossa with gourmet lunch	1 hour 30 minutes	Beerenberg Farm 30 minutes, Melba's Chocolate 10 minutes
Hills and River Murray lunch cruise Hills and Murray cruise (the same day, sold separately)	About 1 hour	Mount Lofty Summit 15 minutes, Bridgewater Mill 15 minutes
Adelaide Hills hop-on hop-off bus	Your choice	A loop of Hills venues over about 5 hours; boards at Hahndorf Academy at 10:50
Premium Barossa tastings, lunch and chocolate	None	A 70-minute scenic drive through the Hills on the way north

Want more than an hour in the village?

Compare the Hills days by time in Hahndorf, what the fare covers and where they collect you.

See Adelaide tours Compare every tour

Getting to the Hills on your own

You can do the Hills without a tour, if you accept that someone has to drive. Hahndorf is 25 to 30 minutes from the city on the South Eastern Freeway, with parking on and around Main Street. Buses 861, 864 and 866 run from the city to Hahndorf in under an hour.

Mount Lofty Summit has paid parking and public transport from the city centre, and Cleland has free parking. What you lose on your own is the tastings, unless you have a driver who is not drinking.

Hills or Barossa for a first day

Both are an easy day from Adelaide, and they suit different travellers. Read across the row that matters most to you.

	Adelaide Hills day	Barossa day
Drive from Adelaide	Hahndorf is 25 to 30 minutes	About an hour
What fills the day	A village, a lookout, a wildlife park, food stops	Cellar doors, lunch, a chocolate or produce stop
Wine	Cool-climate: chardonnay, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, sparkling	Rich reds and fortified wines
Wildlife	Kangaroos and koalas at Cleland on one day	None on the itineraries
Ages	Children from 3 or 6 on the day tours	Several days are for adults 18+
Suits you if	You want Hahndorf and animals, with wine optional	Wine is the point of the day

The Adelaide Hills: your questions

How far is Hahndorf from Adelaide?

About 28 km, a 25 to 30 minute drive along the South Eastern Freeway. Buses 861, 864 and 866 get there from the city in under an hour.

Can I hold a koala on a Cleland tour?

Not as part of any tour fare. Cleland Wildlife Park sells its koala experiences, including Hold a Koala, separately, so book one with the park if you want it.

Is Mount Lofty Summit free?

Yes, entry is free, though parking fees apply. The lookout is accessible, and the car park gates open at 6:00.

Which tour gives the most time in Hahndorf?

The Cleland Wildlife Park day gives you 2 hours in the village. Most other day tours give it an hour or 90 minutes.

Is Cleland Wildlife Park open every day?

It opens 9:30 to 17:00 daily, with last entry at 16:30. It closes on Christmas Day, on catastrophic fire danger days and on some days of extreme weather.

Is the Adelaide Hills worth a day on its own?

Yes, if you want Hahndorf, the lookout and the animals at an easy pace. If wine is the point, a Barossa or McLaren Vale day gives you more cellar doors.

Where these facts come from

Hours and access change. Check with the venue before you travel.

Next: see the city sights on things to do in Adelaide, or compare every Hills, wine and island day on Adelaide Australia Tours.