Outback experience - from Adelaide to Coober Pedy, Lake Eyre, Flinders Ranges

Adelaide

Pick up from Adelaide and we follow the Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf, stopping at historical coastal towns. Learn our rich maritime history, and maybe take a walk down the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere at Port Germain. This was once a bustling port for sail ships & sea farers.

During the safari your Tour Guide will introduce you to a remarkable and resilient history of both Aboriginal and white settlement in S.A. See the Southern Flinders Ranges, 600 million year old mountain peaks with spectacular views over this incredible landscape.

Spend the afternoon strolling around the award winning Wadlata Outback Centre at Pt Augusta. Overnight in Port Augusta - dinner not included, but local pub recommended

Travel up the Explorer Highway to Woomera and visit the old rocket range and Military Base. As we head further North, East of the A.P.Y. Aboriginal lands, take a break at the Lake Gairdner lookout to see a huge expanse of salt lakes.

Onto Coober Pedy, the largest opal mining field in the world. Heading into town we will pass the extensive mining operations that help make this place so unique. Coober Pedy is a town where people live underground to escape the harsh desert conditions. Learn about the area on a guided mine tour to see how these hardy folks live.

Watch a magical sunset over the desert at Kanku-Breakaways before following the painted hills back to Coober Pedy. Overnight in Coober Pedy. Underground accommodation at The Desert Cave, the only international underground hotel, allows you to experience dug out style living. It is the experience of a lifetime. Underground accommodation, shops, cafe, bar and display areas all within beautiful soft, natural sandstone surrounds, relax in the spa. Enjoy the cool comfort of underground shopping. Italian pizza dinner included

Spend a leisurely morning visiting underground churches, opal shops and displays. After lunch we depart Coober Pedy, crossing the famous dingo fence (the longest man made structure in the world). This helps to keep the wild dogs up north away from the sheep stations further down.

Travel along the red sand hill tracks through Anna Creek station to William Creek. This remote town stands out like an oasis in the desert, halfway between Adelaide to Alice Springs. Enjoy an ice cold beer at the bar of this famous Outback Pub that has a rich history of stockmen, camels and life in the bush.

Optional Extras Lake Eyre & Painted Desert Scenic Flights Overnight at William Creek - dinner at the hotel included

Continue our epic journey down the famous Oodnadatta Track, following the historic route of the Cameleers. This area has a rich history of Aboriginal culture and pioneering settlements.

Enjoy a picnic lunch at the edge of Lake Eyre South National Park. This is where Sir Donald Campbell broke the land speed record in 1964 in the Blue Bird. Visit thermal springs that have been the life blood of this arid land for centuries.

Arriving at Marree late afternoon, check out the old Afghan mosque and relics of our pioneering days. This historic town is where Outback legend Tom Kruse left on his epic mail run deliveries to Birdsville and beyond. Overnight in Maree. Both a picnic lunch and pub dinner included today

This morning we explore the deserted Beltana Township with its well preserved old Ghan railway station. This is where Rev John Flynn of the inland mission lived. Follow bush tracks along the old railway line to the Prairie Hotel. Grab a coffee and see a wonderful display of Ediacaran fossils.

Be amazed by the beauty of Parachilna gorge as we head into the magical Flinders Ranges. Wonder around the old Copper mining town of Blinman with its Pug and Pine cottages. Then onto one of the Outback’s unique icons, Wilpena Pound where the flora is diverse and wildlife abundant. Overnight in Wilpena Pound or Rawnsley Park. Dinner at local bistro included

You will have the opportunity to take a self-guided walk following the tree-lined creek beds to Wangara Lookout that offers magnificent views into Wilpena Pound itself (optional).

Explore the ancient mountain ranges including Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorges (also called the Corridors through Time). Become a geologist for the day and view some of the oldest rock formations in the world.

As the sun becomes low in the sky we will follow the road through a landscape of absolute beauty. Wildlife including Kangaroos, Emus and Wedgetailed Eagles are prolific in this rugged terrain and are usually spotted in abundance in the late afternoon. Overnight in Wilpena Pound or Rawnsley Park. Picnic lunch and dinner included today.

Optional Extras 30 minute scenic flight over Wilpena Pound

Spend a relaxing morning travelling back to Adelaide along the eastern side of the magnificent Flinders Ranges with its mighty red gum forests. The land will change into lush expanses of natural rural beauty as we head south. Enjoy a break in the world-famous Clare Valley wine region.

Lunch is included today.

No doubt you will leave with life-long memories to share with family and friends about your journey to the Flinders Ranges & Outback Australia