Flinders Ranges Exploration - Walking Holiday

revamped program for 2020

Region: South Australia // Dates: 10 - 17 October 2020 (7 nights)

Flinders Ranges Exploration Walking Holiday

Spanning 400km and extending into Australia's Outback, the Flinders Ranges are South Australia's most ancient and captivating arid mountain chains. Renowned for their natural, cultural and geological significance, the 'Flinders' are rich in heritage and famed for craggy peaks, majestic river red gums, quiet gorges and abundant wildlife. Our overland journey from Adelaide explores the highlights of this ancient part of the world. We loop back in time, deep into geological history, focussing on the Edicara Period, a time when animal life was just beginning. We begin with a short walk in the spectacular Alligator Gorge, part of Mount Remarkable National Park. After stopping in Quorn, the legendary Prairie Hotel at Parachilna is our base for forays into the mighty Parachilna and Brachina gorges at the northern end of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. This is home to Yellow-footed rock wallabies and the vivid heart of 'Heysen country" where we will compare today's landscapes to those captured on canvas by Heysen. At Wilpena Pound (Ikara) we confront the full majesty of the ranges via a network of memorable walks from our base at Rawnsley Park Station. While walking is the main focus of this tour we will also take the opportunity to explore the scenery along the iconic Bunyeroo Valley, Moralana Scenic Drives and the dune landscapes of Lake Torrens.

Overview

Highlights

Highlights:

Discover the dramatic gorges of Mount Remarkable National Park
Take 6 days to explore one of South Australia's most iconic destinations, Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Marvel at the landscapes that so inspired artist, Hans Heysen
Discover the wildlife of this remote region, including the Yellow-footed rock wallaby & the majestic wedge-tailed eagle
Walk in the ancient geographical landscapes of Bunyeroo Valley, Parachilna Gorge, Aroona Valley & Brachina Gorge
Explore sections of the Heysen Trail
Wander the rim of the awe-inspiring natural amphitheatre of Wilpena Pound (Ikara)

Details

Details:

10 - 17 October 2020 (7 nights)

Twin share/person (starts/ends Adelaide)
Price: A$5,635

Single Supplement: A$580
Note: For guests who request a single room the single supplement will be charged. For single people who prefer to share, we will try to find a suitable room-mate, but if this is not possible the single supplement surcharge will apply.

Minimum Group Size: 8 guests

Accommodation:
3-4 star motels, cabins, guesthouses with private facilities (1 night shared)

Special Interest:
Wildlife, Botanical, History, Geology

Walk Rating:
Moderate: 5-18km per walking day with some shorter or longer off-track options (some challenging options due to rough tracks) Age is not necessarily as important as your fitness and recent walking experience, and anyone of reasonable fitness should be able to join this tour. We reserve the right to be flexible with the itinerary to allow for unforeseen circumstances including weather conditions and group fitness.

Tour Itinerary

To download the Detailed Tour Itinerary simply click on the link below:
Note - The free program Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to open PDF files.

Flinders_Ranges_Exploration_2020_Walking_Holiday_Itinerary.pdf

Leader

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Quentin Chester
Quentin Chester is an accomplished traveller, writer and guide. A regular contributor to Australian Geographic since 1986, he’s also been a mainstay at Wild magazine with his long-running column ‘The Wild Life’. In the 1990’s he and Alasdair McGregor co-authored two landmark books, The Kimberley: Horizons of Stone and Australia’s Wild Islands. Other books include three volumes of wilderness-inspired essays. Quentin has a diverse background as an outdoor guide and interpreter with stints leading Himalayan treks, Kimberly cruises and nature-based tours in Flinders Ranges and on Kangaroo Island. A confirmed islophile, Quentin grew up with the granite outliers off South Australia’s Encounter Bay. In the 1980s he spent eight years living on Dangar Island on the Hawkesbury River. Since 2009 he’s called the eastern shores of Kangaroo Island home, where he also guides at Cape Willoughby’s lighthouse. Now also an award-winning photographer, Quentin’s work is widely published in magazine features. His fine-art images are exhibited on KI and in Adelaide.