Walk South Australia's Flinders Ranges

This trip involves plenty of walking over varied terrain and is best suited to travellers with a good level of mobility. Good footwear, plus perhaps walking poles are recommended. Details on physical activities can be found in the itinerary.

WALKING & TREKKING
This is a hiking trip. Please come physically prepared and with the right hiking gear in order to complete the hikes safely and comfortably. Please read the trip notes carefully and take note of the packing list.

START & END TIMES
The trip begins in Adelaide with a group meeting at 8am, and finishes upon arrival back into Adelaide at around 4:30pm on the last day. Please keep this in mind when arranging your arrival and departure flights. We recommend you book a night's accommodation before and after the trip.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A Single Supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking.

ESSENTIAL ITEMS
• Day-pack - with a thick waist strap to help take some weight off your shoulders. In wet weather, a waterproof cover or a bin bag to wrap your belongings in can be handy
• Shorts/long pants and shirts for walking - as many sets as you wish! Quick-dry material is best, especially for trousers. Don't wear jeans walking.
• Socks - whichever thickness you're comfortable walking in and as many pairs as you like
• Boots/shoes for walking (make sure you wear them in well - see note on footwear below)
• Windcheater or lightweight jumper for walking
• Waterproof jacket*
• Sun protection - hat (secure fitting and/or with chin strap), sun cream, sun glasses
• Casual clothes for evenings
• Fleece jacket, gloves, beanie and/or thermals (can get quite cold in the evenings and early mornings)
• Torch/headlamp (can be handy when twin sharing for getting up at night or moving about the resort at night)
• Any preferred first aid supplies - such as your favourite blister treatment! (Your guide will carry a full first-aid kit)
• Water bottle/s or camelback - 2 to 3 litre capacity
*You have to expect some bad weather at any time of the year down here so bring wet weather gear even if the forecast is fine.

OPTIONAL ITEMS
• Walking poles (they might come in very handy on some of the steep sections)
• A lunch container (to help protect your sandwich from being squished) and/or Beeswax wrap to wrap up your sandwich instead of the supplied cling wrap
• Waterproof pants. Some people love them and some hate them - personally, we don't wear them but there have been times when we have wished for a pair!
• Fly net (especially for walks in warmer weather)
• Camera and charger/batteries
• Gaiters for snake bite protection are recommended unless you are wearing long pants and long socks. They're also good for keeping sand out of your shoes.
• Sock protectors (to keep sand out of your boots)
• Robust sandals for something comfortable to wear at the end of the day
• Bathers and towel (the accommodation has a pool)
• Snacks and alcohol - there will be time to purchase more during the week if you need to. Some people like to have some muesli bars, nuts, lollies etc

There is no such thing as an 'easy day' on the Flinders Ranges tour. There are a lot of ups and downs, often quite rocky and uneven terrain, and there are a few sections where we walk in creek beds. However, the walk has been designed to make it achievable to those with a reasonable amount of fitness by the fact that you only carry a daypack; and you start with short distances, working your way up to longer days and harder days. You will be surprised just how your fitness improves throughout the tour! A positive mental attitude is most important. If you focus on the scenery, the company and the moment, not on the kilometres, then you find yourself reaching your destination with little problem. If you have done some training prior to the walk you will enjoy it all the more.

The best way to prepare physically for the trip is to walk, walk and walk some more - preferably on rocky and uneven surfaces and lots of stair walking. Try to walk frequently. Even walking around your suburb will get you walk-fit. By the start of our tour you should be able to comfortably walk 12km, and try and do a few 20km walks on rough tracks, as well as be fairly comfortable with steep up and downhill sections.

We know that this type of preparation is difficult to fit into a busy schedule. If you don't have the time to do long walks, we recommend doing regular stair walking sessions. Walking small distances frequently helps a lot as well. For instance, walking 3 - 5km four times a week, and 8km once a week, is a great help. If you're doing short training sessions, make sure you get yourself puffed and sweaty. Otherwise you won't benefit from your efforts. Another good way to get your glutes, hamstrings and quads well prepared is with regular lunges and squats. As you get closer to the walk take it up a notch and do jumping squats. And start walking in the shoes you will wear on the walk now!

Adelaide Central Bus Station, 83 Franklin St, Adelaide, AUSTRALIA

We will pick you up from the front of the Adelaide Central Bus Station at 8am on day 1 - along Franklin Street, on the corner of Bowen Street, near the electric vehicle charging station. At the end of the trip we will drop you off in the same location at around 4:30pm.

Alternate Joining Point

Adelaide Central Bus Station, 83 Franklin St, Adelaide, AUSTRALIA

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 

Lunches included: 

Dinners included: 

All meals are included, with the exception of lunch on the last day, when you can pick up something in the Clare Valley on the way home. Breakfast comprises cereals, fruit, yoghurt, toast, juice, tea and coffee. Each day your guide will carry tea, coffee and home-made morning tea. Fruit is also available. On most days lunch is self-made from fresh breads, salads and meats. Each night we will go out for dinner at a local restaurant or the hotel restaurant. Your guides will prepare delicious pre dinner nibbles. The Restaurant is fully licensed, but feel free to bring alcohol and additional snacks e.g. muesli bars, nuts, chocolate etc. Please let us know of any dietary requirements, we will do our best to accommodate most dietary needs.

DRINKS
There will be some limited opportunities for you to purchase additional alcohol and supplies during the week, but all restaurants are fully licensed and there is a little IGA at Wilpena Pound that stocks most essential items.

It can be quite chilly in the mornings and evenings. The days will be cool which is perfect walking weather!

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES
May: Min. 7 to Max. 20 degrees Celcius
June: Min. 4.5 to Max. 16.3 degrees Celcius
July: Min. 4 to Max. 16 degrees Celcius
August: Min. 4.4 to Max. 18 degrees Celcius
September: Min. 7 to Max. 22 degrees Celcius

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

1300 544 882 or +61 8 6219 5164