The Flinders Ranges provide the ultimate Australian Experience.
Rugged ridges and ancient gorges lined with massive gum trees, through to the unending expanse of the Australian Outback.
Add to this an abundance of Australian wildlife and you have everything that is Australia.




Day 1
The first day of your adventure takes us north into the wine regions of the Clare Valley.
On the way, you will travel through historic towns with quaint cottages and historic buildings.

At Clare, you have an opportunity to visit one of the boutique wineries in this region.
The legendary lilac haze of the Flinders Ranges, loom ever closer in the distance.
We are now in the habitat of Australia's famous wildlife - not only kangaroos and emus live here in abundance, but also many species of birds and reptiles.
From here, we continue the tour in to the heart of the Flinders Ranges through vast sheep station country.
There will an opportunity to stop at one of the Ghost Towns for some stories and photos.

Rawnsley Park Resort at the base of Rawnsley’s Bluff is our destination tonight, providing access to glorious walking trails, comfortable accommodation and the well renowned Woolshed Restaurant!
Optional scenic flights over Wilpena Pound are available.

Overnight – Rawnsley Park Station


Day 2
We take time to see some of the magnificent sights of the Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound, including Huck’s and the impressive Stokes Hill lookouts, then travel through the heart of the Flinders Ranges.
Razor Back Lookout in Bunyeroo Valley offers some breathtaking views of the eastern wall of Willpena Pound, and Brachina Gorge is a “Corridor through Time” where you may spot the rare and beautiful
Yellow Footed Rock Wallabies, and see fossils more than 600 million years old.
Continuing through Aroona Valley, past “The Great Wall Of China” we come to the old copper mining town of Blinman for lunch.
Our destination today is the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary at the northernmost end of these ranges.
This is some of the oldest landscape on earth. Arkaroola is renowned for its 4WD tracks, some of which we will explore.
On a clear night, which is most nights, the jewels of the southern sky can be viewed not just with the naked eye, but also through the best privately owned telescopes in the southern hemisphere at the Arkaroola Observatory.

Overnight – Mawson Lodge - Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary


Day 3
Our day starts with the famous Ridgetop Tour, which will give you some of the most breathtaking views imaginable of rugged peaks towering above outback plains.
Cool creeks and mysterious waterholes sparkle within jagged gorges.
After lunch experience some of the other attractions around Arkaroola as we drive to The Pinnacles, Bolla Bollana and Nooldoonooldoona!

Overnight – Mawson Lodge Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary


Day 4
Leaving Arkaroola, we head into the Gammon Ranges and Balcanoona where we visit the National Parks Ranger headquarters and old woolshed.
The Gammon Ranges offer a variety of scenery including Italowie Gorge, the township of Nepabunna and many tree lined creek beds.
Arriving in Copley, we may wish to sample a quandong pie from the bakery before heading north to Lyndhurst and the end of the sealed road!

The road to Marree follows closely the old Ghan train line, and we call in to the now abandoned town of Farina – once the rail head for camel teams moving up the Strzelecki Track.
The next stop is Marree for lunch, and we explore this historic town at the start of the Oodnadatta and Birdsville Tracks.
Passing through one of Australia’s most fascinating and diverse regions, theOodnadatta Track closely follows a major Aboriginal trade route,
the original Overland Telegraph Line and the old Ghan railway line.
We travel through the Mound Springs on the rim of the Great Artesian Basin and stop to visit Bubbler and Blanchecup springs.

Overnight: William Creek Hotel or William Creek Cabins.


Day 5
After an enjoyable breakfast at William Creek, we capture the atmosphere of South Australia’s smallest town, which lies in the centre of the world’s largest cattle station, Anna Creek.
A little north of William Creek, we leave the Oodnadatta Track and head to the opal capital of the world - Coober Pedy.
There is opportunity for a look around the town, before heading out to the “Breakaways” and “Moon Plain” stunning natural landscapes which have featured in movies such as
Mad Max III, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Ground Zero, Stark and Salute of the Jugger.

For something different - our accommodation is underground!

Overnight: Coober Pedy - Look Out Cave Motel.


Day 6
The Painted Desert!
Leaving Coober Pedy we travel the Oodnadatta road to Mt Barry and the Arckaringa Hills –an area of spectacularly coloured land formations featuring mesas,
buttes, tent hills and cliffs caused by erosion of an ancient land surface.
The colours come from pyritic sediments deposited in the soil millions of years ago.
We enter the Painted Desert through Mt Barry and the loop road brings us back to the Oodnadatta road and our return to Coober Pedy.

Overnight: Coober Pedy - Look Out Cave Motel


Day7
We head down the Stuart Highway to Glendambo and past Lake Hart to Pimba, a small settlement lying on the railway line at the junction of the road to Woomera and Roxby Downs.
Continuing on the Stuart Highway we arrive in Port Augusta , and there is opportunity to visit several of the attractions including the Arid Lands Botanical Gardens.

Overnight: Acacia Ridge Motel – Port Augusta


Day8
Leaving Highway One, we drive up Horrock’s Pass to Wilmington (once known as Beautiful Valley) in the Flinders Ranges.
A short distance out of town, we take the road to Orroroo and a magnificent 900 year old Red River Gum .
Passing through Peterborough and Terowie, we join the Barrier Highway and travel through Burra, Riverton and the Gilbert Valley to Adelaide.


Tour Includes:

8 days escorted 4WD touring
Arkaroola Ridgetop Tour
Coober Pedy and The Painted Desert
All morning teas and lunches
All park entry fees
Complimentary pick up and set down in Adelaide metropolitan area

Tour Cost : $3785 per person with minimum of 2 passengers




TRAVEL ROUTINE
Tours depart from 4 Southern Avenue West Beach. (The distance travelled in any day will depend on the general road conditions and sightseeing opportunities along the way. After morning departure at 7.30am, we take a break at around 10.30am and stop for lunch between 12.00-1.00pm, and an afternoon break approximately 3.00pm. Other stops are taken for photos, exploring and recreation.

MEDICAL
We carry a comprehensive First Aid kit, and have an accredited Senior First Aid staff member on hand on all tours. Due to the nature of outback travel, and the vast distances involved, anyone with health problems, should give proper consideration to undertaking this trip, and seek their doctor’s advice if necessary.

WHAT YOUR FARE INCLUDES
- All meals from start to finish and accommodation at The Copley Hotel - (Alcoholic drinks are not included).
- - Tour costs do not include additional accommodation, meals and incidental expenses resulting from flooding, natural delays, unavailable connections or other unforeseen circumstances. Travel Insurance is recommended for these instances.

TOUR VEHICLES
Travel is in our comfortable 4WD Toyota Landcruiser 100series vehicle. For your safety we carry a UHF radio and satellite telephone.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING
Comfortable casual clothes, for warm to hot days, and cool to cold nights, stout comfortable shoes, and hat. (Most people bring more clothes than they ever use, so consider carefully, and keep your baggage to a minimum), a camera, with plenty of film and a torch.

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home Page: http://www.DesertSkyTours.com
Please email Desert Sky Tours enquiries to: enquiries@desertskytours.com

All images on this site are copyright 2003.

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Site Created: 12th April 2003.
Creator: Jillian Crider - email: jillian@ jilliancrider.com

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