Adelaide Hills: Mount Lofty MTB Tour & Wildlife Stop

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (116 reviews) 96% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/11

Duration4h–5h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Forest trails, native wildlife and easy descents near Adelaide

You’ll pedal forest trails from Mount Lofty with a local guide who knows where to spot koalas (and maybe kangaroos). Enjoy e-bikes, hotel pickup, entry to Cleland Wildlife Park if you want it, plus morning tea among gum trees. It’s relaxed riding with real moments of connection — both with nature and people around you.

4h–5h

Step-by-step itinerary

Mount Lofty and Adelaide Hills MTB Tour

Pick up from city in Escapegoat Van
Visit Mt Lofty Summit for views
Optional visit to Cleland Wildlife Park
Enjoy morning tea at Cleland
Optional ride in Belair National Park

The Experience

I’d barely finished my coffee when the Escapegoat van pulled up outside our place in Adelaide — right on time, which honestly surprised me. Our guide, Dave, had this easy way about him that made the group relax straight away. He handed out helmets and checked everyone’s bikes (e-bikes, thank god), then we all piled in for the short drive up to Mount Lofty. The air got cooler as we climbed, and I could smell eucalyptus before I even saw the first stretch of forest. From the summit, you could see all of Adelaide sprawled out below — it was almost too bright to look at. Someone said you can sometimes spot kangaroos from here but we didn’t see any yet.

The ride itself was… well, let’s just say I was glad it wasn’t all hardcore mountain biking. The tracks wound through these tall gums and patches of sunlight kept flickering across the trail. At one point Dave stopped us because he’d spotted a koala — just curled up high in a tree like a little grey lump. He grinned and pointed it out like he’d found treasure; I think he genuinely gets excited every time. There were a couple of gentle descents that made my stomach flip (in a good way), but nothing too wild. My hands smelled faintly of dust and sap from brushing past low branches — weird detail to remember but there it is.

We took a break at Cleland Wildlife Park — totally optional but I’m glad we did. There’s something about seeing kangaroos up close that makes you feel like you’re actually in Australia, not just looking at postcards. The morning tea was simple but hit the spot: hot tea, crumbly biscuits, everyone chatting quietly while magpies poked around for crumbs. On the way back someone asked if we could squeeze in an extra bit through Belair; Dave just shrugged and said “why not?” So yeah, if your legs aren’t jelly yet they’ll find more trail for you.

I keep thinking about those flickers of light through the trees and how quiet it got sometimes — just tires crunching on gravel and some distant bird calls. It’s not really about adrenaline or ticking off sights; more like letting Adelaide Hills seep into your skin for a morning.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in central Adelaide, transport by minibus to Mount Lofty summit, use of an e-bike with helmet, guidance from a local rider who knows these hills inside out, entry to Cleland Wildlife Park if you choose that stop, plus coffee or tea with snacks along the way before heading back down into town.

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Escapegoat Adventures Pty Ltd.