Flinders Ranges – 8 Days

DISTANCE - ABOVE AVERAGE

Distance training is a major consideration in your overall training program. As you progress, incorporate longer walks into your training plan.

Schedule one or two long walks each week, gradually increasing the distance until you can comfortably cover 17-25 km in a single day. Also include walks on consecutive days to help your body adapt to the demands of walking for multiple days in a row. Take every opportunity you can to walk. If you have a fitness watch or phone, you should try to reach >15,000 steps every day.

Ensure you can comfortably walk the average distance per day displayed in the graph, at least one month before you undertake your hike.

ELEVATION - ABOVE AVERAGE

Elevation training is a major consideration in your overall training program. You must include walks with serious hill climbs.

If you do not have access to hills, it is essential to replicate the elevation level you will be undertaking in any way possible such as on a treadmill or stair climber. Walking up and down stairs at work, at a local oval with a grandstand, or up and down small hills is incredibly useful. Also, prioritising resistance weight training will help you develop overall muscle strength.  Elevation is often where walkers encounter problems, opposed to distance, as it uses an entirely different set of muscles to everyday flat walking.

If high altitude is a factor, incorporate sessions at a higher altitude to acclimatise your body to reduced oxygen levels if you are able to. Ensure you can comfortably walk the average elevation per day displayed in the graph, at least one month before you undertake your hike.

TERRAIN

ROCKY TERRAIN

Whilst preparing for walking on rocky terrain, you must focus on the development of balance, strength, and agility.

Integrate targeted strength exercises, such as lunges, squats, and step-ups, to strengthen your leg muscles, with a particular emphasis on improving stability on uneven surfaces. Balancing exercises are essential. Undertake core strength activity, coupled with exercises such as planks and Russian twists to enhance balance. As you progress, include hikes on progressively rougher terrain if you can. Additionally, the appropriate footwear with good ankle support and tread for grip are essential. Stay mindful, watch your step, and use trekking poles for added stability.

MOUNTAINOUS / UNDULATING TERRAIN

As terrain associated with mountain climbs is often somewhat uneven and rocky, balancing and core exercises are vital.

Try to also include some form of elevation in more than 50% of your walking and prioritise resistance training, whilst incorporating stairs anytime you can. Walking up mountains or hills, up and down stairs at work, or up and down at a local oval with a grandstand is incredibly useful. Elevation is often where walkers encounter problems not distance, as it uses an entirely different set of muscles to everyday flat walking. Concentrate on doing lots of squats and lunges to build your glute muscles.

HOW TO GET THERE AND AWAY

This holiday starts and finishes in Rawnsley Park. The best option by far is to use a vehicle. This will allow you the freedom to travel up to the walk at your own pace. There’s a stack of interesting places to visit that require no real deviation from your journey, including wineries. We highly recommend staying in Clare, South Australia’s primo wine destination on the way back. There are also a few walks on the way that can be explored.

Please note that it is not possible to travel the whole way to the start of this walk via public transport. Private transfers would be required and are very expensive.

More information on transport to the Flinders Ranges is available on request.

WEATHER

The best time to go is April through to September as it is the best weather for hiking in the Flinders Ranges. October is good but its average temperature is about 26 degrees C so it can get hot. The temperature is still very comfortable to walk in but warm clothes are necessary as the temperature drops at night. This holiday is not available over the hot summer months of December to February as it is way too hot with temperatures in the high 40’s.

See the Bureau of Meteorology’s information about average temperatures and rainfall at different times of the year.

INSURANCE

We require that you have adequate travel insurance against potential losses, damage or injury, including cancellation costs and loss of luggage.

For all trips that require international travel, you must have purchased travel insurance that also includes medical evacuation coverage.

We also charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it to cover costs incurred from our suppliers and in the office.  See the FAQ section for more information.

INFORMATION PACK

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.

CONTACT

If you have any questions about the Flinders Ranges walks., tracks or the Flinders Ranges tour as a whole, feel free to ask one of our destination consultants or to speak with one of our guides. 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.

IMPORTANT - SOLO WALKERS

For your safety and well-being, we are unable to accept bookings for solo walkers on our self-guided Flinders Ranges trips. The remote nature of some tracks and limited mobile reception mean that walking alone presents a higher risk in case of emergencies.