Map of South Australia Outback Adventure including Australia

Wine tasting and wildlife in the Outback

Spend 10 days exploring the best of South Australia’s Outback in on a culturally rich and deliciously different small group adventure. From Adelaide, visit the opal capital of Australia, see Silo Art and watch stars sparkling above Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park as you hear traditional stories of the Adnyamathanha people. You will also immerse yourself in the beauty of Arkaroola, a 610 sqm wildlife sanctuary, and taste fine wines in the Clare Valley. With First Nations experiences, comfortable accommodation, a knowledgeable leader and numerous included activities, this Outback adventure is the whole package.


Start
Adelaide, Australia
Finish
Adelaide, Australia
Destination
Australia
Style
Original
Theme
Explorer
Code
PZSA
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Watch the night sky come alive as you enjoy a campfire dinner and learn about the stories and traditions of the First Nations Adnyamathanha people who are the traditional custodians of the Flinders Ranges.

  • Enjoy a subterranean stay in Coober Pedy, the opal capital of Australia, in underground accommodation which is cool, comfortable and unique to this part of the South Australian outback.

  • Soak up the scenic beauty of the Clare Valley, one of Australia’s most famous wine regions, and sample Rieslings and other fine wines.

  • Drive into the remote South Australian Outback and bounce along the famous Oodnadatta Track to William Creek where you can enjoy a cold beer and check out the unique "museum" of memorabilia across the street.

Is this trip right for you?

  • Just as a heads up before you book: this trip is new to our range this year. And while we have thoroughly researched every detail of the logistics, new destinations can sometimes throw us some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a great surprise. But every now and again there might be a hiccup. We like to think that’s what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.

  • This trip includes time spent travelling in a private vehicle with your group. Extra space can be tight, and conditions may feel a little cramped. It’s all part of the adventure and a great way to get to know your fellow travellers. Please read the itinerary carefully for travel time estimates.

Itinerary

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). Your tour starts at 8:00 am with a group meeting at our start point hotel. Then head out of town towards Port Augusta. Stop at pretty pink Lake Bumbunga on the way to Snowtown. After a look around Fourth St and Railway Terrace, continue your journey to Port Pirie for a tour and lunch, hopefully at Solomontown Beach if the weather is good. On arrival at Port Augusta, you may like to enjoy an optional visit to the Wadlata Outback Centre or the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. This evening, enjoy a relaxing night in Port Augusta.
Accommodation
  • Motel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Port Augusta - Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens guided tour - Free
  • Port Augusta - Wadlata Outback Centre 'Tunnel of Time' - AUD23
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you meet the group at 8 am this morning in the hotel lobby to begin your tour. Find more details in the ‘Joining Point Instructions’ section of your Essential Trip Information. We recommend spending a night before your tour begins in Adelaide. If so, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability). Total drive time today is approximately 4.5 hours.
Enjoy breakfast at a café in town before the drive to Woomera, a town that was purpose-built for testing rockets in the 1940s. Learn about nuclear and non-nuclear rocket testing and more at the Woomera Heritage Museum & Visitor Information Centre. There is time for lunch before the short drive to Lake Hart Rest Area for views of one of the region’s salt lakes. When you arrive in Coober Pedy, you could stroll around town, search out some street art, find a bar or buy jewellery as a souvenir. You are in the opal capital of Australia, after all. Tonight, you may choose to join your tour group for dinner at a local bar that offers up incredible views of the Breakaways and Coober Pedy.
Accommodation
  • Underground Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Woomera - Lake Hart Rest Area
  • Woomera - Heritage Museum & Visitor Centre
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
Total driving time today is around 6 hours. Temperatures in this part of Australia can reach extreme highs between November and March. Please bring appropriate clothing, use sun protection and drink plenty of water.
Spend your day exploring in and around Coober Pedy including a tour of an underground home, an underground church and a historic opal mine. In the late afternoon, visit Josephine’s Gallery which specialises in Aboriginal art and also doubles as a kangaroo orphanage. Here you can meet kangaroos and other native wildlife such as wombats and birds which are looked after by wildlife carers.
Accommodation
  • Underground Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Coober Pedy - Josephine's Gallery & Kangaroo Orphanage
  • Coober Pedy - Underground Home, Church & Historic Mine Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Head to Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park which is a registered Aboriginal heritage site and see the dog fence, also know as the dingo fence, before travelling back to Coober Pedy for optional lunch at a local café. Drive into the remote South Australian Outback proper, along a rough dirt road to William Creek where you can enjoy a cold beer and check out the "museum" of memorabilia across the street. Tonight, you may choose to join your tour group for dinner at the local pub.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Coober Pedy - Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park & Dingo Fence
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Total driving time today is around 3 hours. Please note that today's drive is on an unsurfaced gravel road. Some sections are corrugated so it may be a bumpy ride.
This morning continue your drive deeper into the remote desert landscape to Lake Eyre via the legendary and famous Oodnadatta Track, with a stop at Wabma Kadarbu Mound Spring Conservation Park along the way. Stop at Lake Eyre for a picnic lunch before getting back on the road. If the group fancies it, you can stop off at Coward Springs, home to a charming museum and a natural spa – a welcome reprieve among the desert landscape. Continue to Marree, where on arrival you’ll stroll around town to see historical sites such as the old Afghan Mosque and remnants of the Historical Ghan Railway. Your leader will give you the background on local history.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Marree - Leader-led Local History Walk
  • Stuarts Creek - Wabma Kadarbu Mound Spring Conservation Park
  • Lake Eyre - Picnic Lunch
Optional Activities
  • Coward Springs - Museum & Natural Spa - AUD2
Meals Included
  • Lunch
Special Information
Total driving time today is around 2.5 hours.
Perhaps enjoy an early morning scenic flight to see the Outback from a different angle. Your leader will be able to help you book a flight if you are keen (subject to availability). After breakfast, drive to Farina Town. A once booming oasis on the edge of the desert, Farina Town boasted a population of around 600 towards the end of the 19th century, but things look a little different today – the town has a year-round population of just two people. Despite its ghost town status, Farina is home to a popular underground bakery which is opened once a year by the Farina Restoration Project Group to raise funds to rebuild the town. If your visit lines up with its opening, stop by this unique bakery and take a wander around the town where stone ruins remain. Then, head to Iga Warta where you will spend the day and evening learning about Adnyamathanha culture and gaining a deeper appreciation of Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park. Lunch is followed by a tour to an ancient painting site with a Traditional Owner and a cultural cookout dinner where you will enjoy a traditional meal along with music and Adnyamathanha Yura Muda (cultural stories and language).
Accommodation
  • Permanent tented camp (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Iga Warta - Cultural Cookout Dinner & Campfire
  • Farina - Restoration Project
  • Iga Warta - Aboriginal Community Stay
  • Iga Warta - Adnyamathanha Cultural Activities & Bush Foods Lunch
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Please note that depending on the group size rooming in Iga Warta for the next two nights will be twin or triple share cabins or safari tents. Due to the isolated nature of Iga Warta, there is no phone service and WiFi is only available at reception, although unreliable. Tap water here is not drinkable, so we recommended bringing some with you or purchasing on-site, and insect repellent is a must to combat year-round mosquitoes. Timekeeping isn’t a top priority in these parts, so be prepared to go with the flow. Also, please note that participating in kitchen duties will be highly appreciated by your hosts and provides for some great local interaction.
After breakfast at Iga Warta, join your leader for a bush walk. Stop for a picnic lunch along the way and take in the scenery before driving back to Iga Warta. After dinner, sit around the campfire for a night of storytelling, singing and a damper supper served with quandong jam and billy tea.
Accommodation
  • Permanent tented camp (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Arkaroola - Bushwalk & Picnic Lunch
  • Iga Warta - Adnyamathanha Cultural Activities
  • Iga Warta - Aboriginal Community Stay
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
High temperatures can be expected in this region between November and March, meaning the walks planned over the coming days may need to be changed to adapt to the conditions.
After breakfast at Iga Warta, continue driving to the famous Wilpena Pound (Ikara), the centre piece of the Flinders Ranges and home to the Adnyamathanha people for thousands of years. After lunch, join your leader for a walk around Old Wilpena Station. Operating between 1851 and 1985, this former pastoral settlement provides a special glimpse into what rural life once looked like within the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. Tonight, enjoy a relaxing evening at the resort.
Accommodation
  • Resort (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Wilpena Pound - Welcome to Country by Adnyamathanha Local
  • Wilpena Pound - Bushwalk
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Total driving time today is around 3 hours. Please note that today's Welcome to Country at the Resort depends on the availability of a local Adnyamathanha person to perform the ceremony and can therefore not be guaranteed.
After breakfast, join your leader for another bushwalk in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. You may decide to hike to the Wangara Lookout, take a shorter walk to Hills Homestead or spend the day swimming in the pool or enjoying other activities around the resort.
Accommodation
  • Resort (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Wilpena Pound - Bushwalk
Optional Activities
  • Wilpena Pound - Sunset Spectacular Tour - AUD60
  • Wilpena Pound - Mountain Bike Hire (half day) - AUD35
  • Wilpena Pound - Time Travel & Gorgeous Gorges 4WD Tour - AUD150
  • Wilpena Pound - Yura Udnyu 'Our Culture, Your Culture' Tour - AUD45
  • Wilpena Pound - Sacred Canyon Yura Mulka Cultural Walk - AUD85
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
After breakfast, depart for the Clare Valley wine region. Stop for a wine tasting at and grab lunch from a local eatery. See the Silo Art at Farrell Flat and Owen before continuing to Adelaide where your journey will come to an end.
Included Activities
  • Auburn - Wine Tasting
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Total driving time today is around 5 hours. Your arrival back into Adelaide this afternoon will be at around 5 pm. Please take this into consideration when planning your onward travels.

Meals

7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Motel (1 night), Underground hotel (2 nights), Hotel (2 nights), Permanent tented camp (2 nights), Resort (2 nights)

Included activities

  • Woomera - Lake Hart Rest Area
  • Woomera - Heritage Museum & Visitor Centre
  • Coober Pedy - Josephine's Gallery & Kangaroo Orphanage
  • Coober Pedy - Underground Home, Church & Historic Mine Visit
  • Coober Pedy - Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park & Dingo Fence
  • Marree - Leader-led Local History Walk
  • Stuarts Creek - Wabma Kadarbu Mound Spring Conservation Park
  • Lake Eyre - Picnic Lunch
  • Iga Warta - Cultural Cookout Dinner & Campfire
  • Farina - Restoration Project
  • Iga Warta - Aboriginal Community Stay
  • Iga Warta - Adnyamathanha Cultural Activities & Bush Foods Lunch
  • Arkaroola - Bushwalk & Picnic Lunch
  • Iga Warta - Adnyamathanha Cultural Activities
  • Wilpena Pound - Welcome to Country by Adnyamathanha Local
  • Wilpena Pound - Bushwalk
  • Auburn - Wine Tasting

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our South Australia Outback Adventure trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

Prices may go up, so secure your trip today!
Jump to a departure month

Important notes

START & END TIME
This trip start in Adelaide on day 1 at 8.00 am and finishes in Adelaide on day 10 at approximately 5 pm.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A Single Supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. The price of the single supplement does not include the following nights, where a single room does not form part of the package:
- Days 6-7 Iga Warta
For those nights you will be matched up with other travellers of the same gender. If a single room becomes available at check-in for these nights, there may be the option for you to upgrade to a single room and pay the surcharge locally for that night. Please also note that there is only a limited amount of single supplements available per trip departure. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.

REMOTE TRAVEL & ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
This trip travels to the remote Outback of South Australia. There will be extended periods of time with no phone reception. Choices of where to eat will be limited and not all dietary needs may be able to be met. Road conditions may be affected by weather such as rain, extreme heat or wind particularly from Coober Pedy onwards, and on the Oodnadatta track. Our leaders will check forward conditions in Coober Pedy and make alternative arrangements if the road conditions are not safe for our vehicle to continue. Safety will always come first. This does mean that at times groups will not be able to complete the itinerary as planned. For example, we may need to backtrack from Coober Pedy to Port Augusta and travel from there into the Flinders Ranges. Please also make sure you have access to your emergency funds in case this is needed. Please also note that some sites, restaurants, cafes, tours & attractions may be closed during the off season summer months.

HEAT
Departures during summer months can expect extreme heat. Customers will need to be prepared with sun protection, including wearing light, long sleeves and carry at least 2 litres of water at all times. Our vehicles are air conditioned, but even this may struggle at higher temperatures. In hotter months we may have earlier or adjusted departure times to beat the heat, rest at our accommodation during the hottest hours of the day and then explore again in the late afternoon/early evening.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

Reviews