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Experience South Australia's incredible Flinders Ranges on this 6-day outback trekking tour, a unique Australian experience. For wildlife watching, bush-walking, photography or just soaking up the sights and sounds of outback Australia, this walking tour is hard to beat.
Located just over 350km north of Adelaide, the Flinders Ranges encompasses several well-known national parks and walking trails. Here you'll find both the Heysen Trail and Mawson Trail collectively spanning several hundred kilometres, each providing an overwhelming array of sights and attractions for walkers.
The North Flinders Ranges offers some of the most stunning scenery in Australia as well as some of the most attractive outback properties. This trekking tour includes selected walks on some of the best sections of the Heysen Trail. The North Flinders Ranges offer a rolling range of majestic ...
The North Flinders Ranges offers some of the most stunning scenery in Australia as well as some of the most attractive outback properties. This trekking tour includes selected walks on some of the best sections of the Heysen Trail. The North Flinders Ranges offer a rolling range of majestic peaks and rugged ridges, the trails combining exceptional views with enjoyable strolls and achievable challenges. The forests of cypress pines create an almost alpine ambiance in these semi‑arid ranges with the dry climate creating ideal conditions for walking.
You will walk 13 to 15 km, 6 - 8 hours walking each day over rugged terrain with some steep ascents and descents. This tour represents an easy to moderate trekking itinerary but one which rewards with the breadth of experience it offers. From the harsh yet incredibly beautiful landscape of the Flinders Ranges to the remarkable scale of Wilapena Pound to the famous Heysen Trail winding through magnificent landscapes between Parachilna Gorge, this is rewarding journey that will connect you with the very essence of this incredible region.
This trip is operated in our classic style. It's a fully supported trek. You can enjoy walking with just a daypack while the comfortable accommodation offers both stunning scenery and the best of outback hospitality.
This 6-day fully accommodated trip includes all meals, two highly experienced field guides, return transfers from/to Adelaide and all transport on the tour.
Over 6 incredible days of hiking you'll become acquainted with the ancient heartland of Australia. You'll fall in love with the rugged beauty of the Flinders Ranges as you marvel at its rich geological history, unique native wildlife and striking landscapes.
Dates or itinerary don't fit? We are specialising in bespoke "tailor-made" luxury or private journeys. Please contact us for a "tailor-made" itinerary for your perfect adventure.
This tour is eligible to earn ONLYLUXE reward points.
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Approx. 3 km walking; 4-6 hours driving
We pick you up from your accommodation in Adelaide between 7-7:30am and drive north though South Australia’s agricultural districts to the small township of Quorn. We’ll have lunch in Qourn and then travel closer to the Flinders Ranges National Park via a short walk to an Aboriginal gallery at Arkaroo Rock. We enjoy a scrumptious dinner prepared by our guides, and hear a briefing about the exciting adventures on the itinerary for tomorrow. Tonight we will stay at either the at the caravan park in Rawnsley Park Station or at the historic Willow Springs Station.
Approx. 14 km, 5-6 hours walking
Today we walk section 57 of the famous, 1200km Heysen Trail. Beginning at scenic Black Gap Lookout, the trail takes us north-east to Bridle Gap. From here we have views across the expansive Wilpena Pound, and back towards the Elder Range. We descend into the Pound itself and follow the trail straight through the middle – an unforgettable walking experience.
A variety of mallee, native pine and heath habitats within the Pound provide excellent opportunities to observe interesting local birds including wrens, robins, parrots and raptors. We meet our bus at the Wilpena Visitors Centre and transfer to our accommodation at Rawnsley Park or Willow Springs accommodation.
Approx. 15 km, 6 hours walking
The rewarding challenge for us today is St Mary Peak – the tallest mountain in the Flinders Ranges. Starting from Wilpena, we trek along the ‘Outside Trail’ which skirts around the foothills of Wilpena Pound’s northern edge. We then slowly ascend to 1170m, where our reward awaits us: utterly unbeatable views in all directions of the Central Flinders Ranges, Aroona Valley, and the salt plains to the west.
A picnic lunch on the peak gives us time to kick back and take it all in before we begin the descent, retracing our steps to Wilpena. We return to our accommodation at the Rawnsley Park Station or Willow Springs Sheep Station and celebrate our walk with another scrumptious evening meal together.
Approx. 17 km, 6-7 hours walking
Today we walk the official final leg of the Heysen Trail – section 61. After breakfast we leave Willow Springs and transfer north through Brachina Gorge to the Aroona Valley. The bus drops us off in the middle of the wilderness at Aroona Hut and we set off for a full day on the trail, walking along the valley between ABC Range and Heysen Range.
The day’s walk is gently undulating, taking us through bird life filled vegetation and past numerous abandoned mine sites. Reaching the trail head at Parachilna Gorge, we board the bus for a short transfer to our Outback accommodation at the Prairie Hotel.
Approx. 9 km, 4 hours walking
We drive south through Hawker and Quorn entering Mount Remarkable National Park from the north. Our walk today is the Alligator Gorge Ring Route, one of the Flinders’ regions best kept secrets and part of the Heysen Trail. This walk takes us along the full length of Alligator Gorge and through The Narrows – a peaceful gorge only a few metres wide that stretches for a couple of hundred metres.
We can see ancient ripple fossils in the rocks of The Terraces, then have the option for a side trip to The Battery for views over Spenser Gulf. Tonight’s accommodation is in the delightful town of Melrose.
Approx. 14 km, 5 hours walking
This morning we start our walk from the door of our accommodation. An early start allows us to trek the first part of section 43 of The Heysen Trail and summit Mount Remarkable. Heading out of town we quickly reach the National Park and begin a gradual ascent to the 961m peak. This is a wonderful opportunity to see some of the plethora of wildlife that resides in this park: the beautiful yellow-footed rock wallaby, emus, euros and wedge-tailed eagles to name just a few! From the top we gaze across the entire National Park out to Spencer Gulf – a magnificent finale to the last 6 days of Flinders walking.
Our journey concludes when we drop you at your Adelaide accommodation between 5-6pm.
* This itinerary is provided as an example only - prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.
Please contact us to book if you have a group of more than 10 people.
- The departure point is Adelaide SA- Major commercial flights provide convenient access to Adelaide
Day 1: Approximately 3 km walking + 4-6 hours drivingDay 2: Approximately 14 km, 5-6 hours walkingDay 3: Approximately 15 km, 6 hours walkingDay 4: Approximately 17 km, 6-7 hours walking; 2 hours drivingDay 5: Approximately 9 km, 4 hours walking; 3 hours drivingDay 6: Approximately 14 km, 5 hours walking; 3 hours driving
The climate in the Southern Outback is generally dry and sunny year round.AUTUMN (Mar - May)This season provides warm days with cooler evenings. Day temperatures will average between 15 – 20°C with the later part of the season being cooler. The evening temperatures will be much cooler and warm clothing will be required. As the days cool, wildlife becomes more active during the middle parts of the day.WINTER (Jun - Aug)Walking in winter is particularly beautiful in the Flinders with cold nights and days that are warm with some spectacular sunrises and sunsets. This season provides ideal walking weather with daily temperatures of around 15°C and occasionally as high as 25°C. The evenings and early mornings will be very cold and winter clothing will be required. During July/August temperatures can drop to below 0°C at night. A roaring camp fire and warming glasses of red wine will be enjoyed each night and after winter rains, with surface water in the creeks, wildlife will be far-reaching with lots of food available and very active throughout the day. Emus will generally begin laying from August onwards.SPRING (Sep - Nov)Spring in the Flinders Ranges is undeniably spectacular! It is a great time to spot emu chicks as they begin hatching and the outback brown and orange colours are bright with red, yellow, white and purple with native plants and wildflowers. Migratory birds will generally begin to appear and wedgetail eagle chicks will hatch between August and September, fledging by November. The abundance of and timing of the wildflowers depends entirely on rainfall throughout the year. Day temperatures can average between 20°C-25°C with the later part of the season getting warmer. The evening temperatures will be cooler in the early part of the season so a warm layer of clothing will be required.SUMMER (Dec - Feb)The walking tour is not operate during the hot, summer months, although you can still book a stay at Arkaba Homestead which is open year round and enjoy shorter walks as part of guided activities that are included in the tariff.(Data sourced from Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, Units = °C)
During the trip we experience a variety of delightful outback properties. These range from simple outback homesteads and shearers quarters through to twin share hotel style rooms. All accommodation has been chosen for its location, charm, history and character.
Nights 1‑3: Cabins in the caravan park at the Rawnsley Park Station or cottages at Willow Springs Station. Cabins are a mix of twin share or multi share. In the cottages there is a variety of rooms, both twin and multi share. Both options have shared bathroom facilities, fire place and outside seating areas.
Night 4: Parachilna’s Prairie Hotel. Clean, comfortable and simple accommodation with shared bathroom facilities. Located in a charming historic hotel just off the Heysen Trail.
Night 5: Melrose’s Holiday Units. These are self contained two bedroom units at the foot of Mount Remarkable. Rooms are twin share with shared bathroom facilities. Most groups are made up of a mixture of single participants and couples. If you are travelling alone you will share a room with someone of the same gender, this usually sorts itself out naturally. The guides will prepare all the meals and run the catering, however you will be asked to contribute by assisting around mealtimes. Participation will make for a more enjoyable experience for everybody.
Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.Payment DetailAll pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 90 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 90 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.Single SupplementAll accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.General Cancellation Policies- Outside of 90 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee- Within 90 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurancePlease Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.LiabilityThe participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.Child PolicyPlease consult travel consultant on age limit.Changes to ItinerariesLocal conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.Changes in PricesWhile we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age LimitsYou need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.Cancellation by The Tour OperatorThe walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.Force Majeure'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.EvacuationsIn rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.Travel InsuranceIn view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.