Flinders Ranges Explorer

Welcome to South Australia! Your adventure begins in Adelaide (Tandanya in the language of The Kaurna people, who are the traditional owners of the land on which Adelaide is now located). You can think of Adelaide as your gateway to the ancient peaks of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. At 8. 30am, join your local leader and fellow travellers for a welcome meeting, then leave Adelaide behind and make tracks north. Stop off at a local sustainable hotel with its own farm where you’ll have the chance to grab some lunch. Continue to Ikara (Wilpena Pound), a natural amphitheatre of mountains. Your base for the night is a stunning spot on the outskirts of this geological marvel.

After breakfast this morning, meet with a local First Nations guide for a walk around the magnificent Ikara (Wilpena Pound) area with your group and possibly some other travellers. Your expert guide will share ancient stories of the landscape that have been passed down from generation to generation, provide insight into the biodiversity of the region and the life it sustains, and explain the relationship between the land and the Adnyamathanha people. Once you have a better understanding of the landscape, the rest of the day is yours for further exploration. You may like to join your leader on a hike, go it alone, or simply sit back and relax while enjoying the incredible scenery. (B)

Wake up surrounded by the mighty Flinders Ranges then perhaps join your leader for a walk around the local area if you like. In the afternoon, get ready to hit the road for the long but scenic 5 hour drive to Arkaroola, a wilderness sanctuary focused on education and conservation. Filled with wonderful wildlife and geological features, there’s so much to uncover here. Enjoy an included dinner at your accommodation then as the sun begins to set, see the stars and planets from a different perspective, up close and personal on the big screen. Afterwards, make the most of this unspoiled and remote location and look skyward. Free of light pollution, this is a great opportunity for star gazing. (B/D)

Start the day with an exhilarating exploration of the Arkaroola grounds in a 4WD vehicle. Drive up to the ridgetop, the oldest part of the Flinders Ranges (we’re talking 1. 6 billion years old!) and discover a jagged landscape of ancient granite, mountains, and unique plant life. Stop for morning tea at Sillers lookout and take in the views as you enjoy fresh lamingtons. Your expert local guide will fill you in on how the fascinating features of the landscape were formed over millions of years. Return to your accommodation and enjoy some downtime for lunch, then set out to explore more of the surrounding scenery on foot. Join your leader on a bushwalk and learn more about the unusual flora and fauna of the region. This evening, sit down to a delicious barbecue dinner at your resort. There is even the option to pair it with a glass of crisp South Australian wine. (B/D)

Say goodbye to Arkaroola and drive on to Iga Warta, overlooked by the mountains and surrounded by the land of the Adnyamathanha people. Meet with an Adnyamathanha guide to learn more about their culture, explore the land and meet the wildlife that lives on it, and hear stories of their history. Tuck into a lunch of local ingredients (think quandong, acacia seed, lemon myrtle or kangaroo) at Iga Warta as you enjoy the peaceful location and listen to some traditional music, then continue on to the historic town of Quorn. From April to October, you may have the opportunity to see the Quorn Silo Light Show this evening, an audiovisual celebration of the Flinders Ranges and the local stories of the area, projected on a grain silo. (B/L)

Travel from Quorn to the Adelaide Hills, an area famous for its cool-climate wines. But wine isn’t the only drink produced in these parts – today you’ll pay a visit to a B Corp distillery that uses native Australian ingredients to create sustainably made and uniquely delicious gin. Take a look behind the scenes during a tour of the distillery, learn about their sustainable practices and perhaps sample some of the creative flavours yourself. Tonight will be spent in Hahndorf, a delightful town tucked away in the Adelaide Hills, made famous not only by its German-style buildings, but by its continued German traditions of food, hospitality and crafts. You may like to join your group for a final dinner in a local restaurant. (B)

This morning, head to the Yundi Nature Conservancy and participate in a 'Walk on Country' experience with a local First Nations Guide. Start off with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, then follow your guide around and learn about the wetlands of the Fleurieu Peninsula, the local peoples' ancient knowledge of plants, Australian bush medicine and foods, and the local wildlife. Enjoy an included lunch with native bush foods then drive to McLaren Vale, a celebrated winegrowing region. Here you’ll stop by a winery with biodynamic credentials to sample some of their most delicious organically produced drops during a wine tasting experience. Finally, drive back to Adelaide, where on arrival your Flinders Ranges adventure will come to an end. (B/L)