Flinders Ranges Highlights - 5 Days

Flinders Ranges Highlights - 5 Days

5 Days
Moderate

Flinders Ranges Highlights - 5 Days

from $3,195 / person

Overview

Auswalkers have been calling out the Flinders Ranges (Ikara) as one of Australia's best walking destinations for decades. On this Flinders Ranges walk, revel in the very heart of the Australian Outback with pack-free walks that take you to the best bits of the Flinders Ranges including North of Wilpena pound.

Experience the red ochre vistas, abandoned homesteads that pepper the landscape, eagles soaring overhead in thermal winds that sweep off the Pound and so much more.  You can only truly get a feeling for this magical place by walking here.


Highlights

  • The ancient rocks of Alligator Gorge
  • Hiking from Black Gap over Bridal Gap into Wilpena Pound
  • Unrivalled views from the summit of Rawnsley Bluff over the Chace and Elder Ranges
  • The historic settlement of Orroroo
  • All meals, including a campfire dinner one night and winery lunch on your last day
  • Optional scenic helipcopter flight
  • 1 night staying at the iconic outback Prarie hotel
  • Lunch at a winery in the Clare valley

Itinerary

Day 1

Adelaide to Flinders Ranges via Alligator Gorge
4 kmAscent 274 mDescent 274 m

Depart Adelaide at 7.00 am. Travel to the Flinders Ranges, but not before walking the most stunning of all the gorges in the Flinders Ranges, Alligator Gorge. It's a leisurely stroll along the creek through millions of years of history; it's mostly flat, with just one step of stairs.

Accommodation

Villa in Rawnsley

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

What's Included

Accommodation

Villa (3 nights), Hotel (1 night)

Meals

4 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 3 dinners

Transfers

  • Private Vehicle Transfers

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • 24/7 on-trip support

Included Activities

  • Scenic Helicopter ride

How We Rate This Walk

3

Auswalk Walking Grade

Moderate

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Expect some hills and longer walking days. A reasonable level of fitness will help you enjoy the experience.

View Fitness Guide

4

Days on the trail

4-16 km

Daily distance range

156-469 m

Daily ascent range

6/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

For three of your four nights, you'll base yourself at Rawnsley Park, near Wilpena Pound, in studio-style motel rooms with ensuites. It's proper outback accommodation, and on clear nights you can stargaze or settle in around the campfire. Your final night is spent at the iconic Prairie Hotel, known for its warmth, its family ethos and a genuine insistence on quality throughout.

What You'll Eat

Rawnsley Park's own chefs prepare your evening meals at the Woolshed, a two-course a la carte dinner each night. Mornings start with a cooked breakfast in the restaurant, setting you up for the day's walk ahead. Packed lunches, rounded out with trail mix, mean you're eating well wherever the trail takes you, often at some of the most memorable spots in the Flinders Ranges.

More About This Trip

See the Bureau of Meteorology for information about temperatures and rainfall ahead of time to ensure proper clothing.

Your tour starts and ends at the Terrace Hotel, 208 South Terrace, Adelaide. We pick you up there at 7.00 am on Day 1 and drop you back by around 6.00 pm on Day 5.

Expect rough, rocky underfoot conditions typical of the outback, so the daily distances are kept shorter to match the terrain, and the views more than make up for it. Across the five days, you'll move from the flat creek bed of Alligator Gorge through to the climb up Rawnsley Bluff and the ridgelines of the Elder Range.


You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

For over 30 years we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know, even with that in mind, that you'll have many more questions. You will receive a very detailed information pack and itinerary approximately 6 weeks out from departure outlining all the fine detail and much more.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our sales team. You can get in touch with us via our contact form, email us at info@auswalk.com.au, or call us on +61 3 9597 9767.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Departure

Select a fixed group departure - places are limited

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Flinders Ranges reviews

5.0
53 reviews
5 Star
51
4 Star
2
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0

Katja G
10 months ago

Well organised walk and trip in the Flinders Ranges.

Alan M
11 months ago

Very well organised trip. The hikes were excellent and certainly valued the experience of the guides who ensured we got the best out of each activity, and each day. Accommodation and food at Rawnsley park Station were better than anticipated. Itinerary was well structured and Georgie and Chris made some good calls to adjust owing to weather, road conditions and changes at Rawnsley lookout. This was my first guided walk in Australia and was very glad I did it. Really enjoyed the week !

Alan M
11 months ago

Very well organised trip. The hikes were excellent. Accommodation and food at Rawnsley park Station were better than anticipated. Itinerary was well structured. Really enjoyed the week !

Sue M
last year

We loved this walking holiday. We were so well supported with lots of information. Loved the app. Staff at both locations were exceptional. Highly recommend and can’t wait to do our next one.

Jeff J
last year

The Auswalk Flinders self-guided walk that we did with friends from Melbourne was a real pleasure. From being met at the airport to being dropped off there after 7 wonderful days, it was very enjoyable visit. The accommodation was ideal, the walks interesting and varied, the locals friendly and welcoming. Flinders might just be one of those hidden gems.

Jeff J
last year

The Auswalk Flinders Ranges walk that we did with friends from Melbourne was a real pleasure. The accommodation was ideal, the walks interesting and varied, the locals friendly and welcoming. Flinders might just be one of those hidden gems.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Flinders Ranges sit approximately 500km north of Adelaide — around a five-hour drive. The walk starts and finishes at Rawnsley Park Station. Driving is by far the best way to get there, and the journey itself is worth taking slowly — the Southern Flinders Ranges and the Clare Valley wine region make excellent stops along the way. Public transport to the region is very limited and unreliable. Flying into Hawker or Rawnsley Park is possible, and private transfers from Port Augusta can be arranged, though these are more cost-effective for groups. If you're driving, your vehicle stays securely in the compound at Rawnsley Park for the duration of the walk.

Your main luggage is transported between accommodations while you walk — you carry only a daypack on the trail each day. The limit is 23kg per person. Please keep valuables, medication, and fragile items like cameras and laptops in your daypack rather than in your transferred bag. On some occasions, you may need to move your luggage to or from your room at the accommodation.

Yes, strongly. The Flinders is a reasonably long and tough walk, and building in a rest day is highly recommended. It also gives you time to simply sit in the landscape and let the scale of the place sink in — which is rather the point.

A good-sized daypack with padded shoulder straps and a hip belt. Key items include a quality waterproof jacket, warm fleece or jumper, sturdy walking boots with ankle support, gaiters (recommended to keep seeds, sand, and debris out of your boots), at least 2 litres of water (more in warmer conditions — water refill opportunities on the trail are limited), sun hat with a wide brim, sunscreen, sunglasses, toilet paper, your phone, and a personal first aid kit. Walking poles are also recommended — they make a real difference on the descent days and on uneven rocky terrain.

Synthetic or merino materials are best — avoid cotton, which gets damp from perspiration and takes a long time to dry. Shirts with collars and sleeves help prevent sunburn; zip-off trousers give you flexibility through the day. A warm hat is important for evenings and cold mornings. A quality waterproof and windproof jacket is essential regardless of the season — a Gore-Tex or similar breathable waterproof will serve you well for years. Proper hiking boots with good ankle support and chunky soles are strongly recommended. Break them in thoroughly before the trip.

Coverage is patchy and not available in all walk areas. Carry a fully charged phone and a backup power bank. If you need guaranteed communication at all points, consider hiring a satellite phone. In a genuine emergency, call 000 — this can connect even in areas without your carrier's coverage by roaming across any available network.

Auswalk can cater for specific dietary requirements — provide full details, including any allergies, when completing your booking form. The simpler your requirements, the easier it is to accommodate them, given the remote location. Please also remind your accommodation hosts of your needs on arrival.

Around six weeks before departure, you'll receive a detailed information pack including maps and a map case, an insulated lunch bag, expandable lunch box, reusable cutlery, a luggage tag, and Auswalk's comprehensive track notes — authored specifically for this walk with everything you need to navigate and get the most from each day.

Want to Know More?

The Flinders Ranges Experience

Wonder
Traverse the ancient Brachina Formation and rich Ediacaran fossil country
Climb Tanderra Saddle for unheralded views across Wilpena Pound walls
Pause at Bridle Gap for sweeping views beyond Wilpena Pound to the Chase Range
Wellness
Pack-free walking through one of Australia's most beautiful landscapes
Enjoy the outback with some of the world's best star gazing
Chef-prepared dinners, walkers’ lunches and hearty breakfasts
Nature
Follow creek beds, forests and gullies into the beginnings of Bunyeroo Gorge
Walk among river red gums, saltbush and jade-green native pines
Look for yellow-footed rock wallabies on steep rocky escarpments