South Australia Outback Explorer - 11 Days

Arriving in Adelaide by 11 am, our adventure begins as we depart for Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, taking a stroll through this charming village before continuing to Penfolds Magill Estate for a heritage tour and wine tastings.

We leave the city behind and head north to Port Augusta, known as the gateway to the Flinders Ranges and home to the award-winning Wadlata Outback Centre, where the "Tunnel of Time" transports us back to when dinosaurs roamed the land.From here, we continue through Quorn and Hawker before arriving at Wilpena Pound for a 2-night stay.

Wilpena Pound is known for its spectacular scenery, supporting close to half of South Australia's plant species. Today, we take a guided walk into the pound to Hills Homestead, one of the state's oldest and best-preserved pastoral settlements, wandering along Wilpena Creek past stands of river red gums with views of the pound wall in the distance.

Please note: longer walks are available for those wanting to explore further. An optional scenic flight over Wilpena Pound is also available this morning, at an additional cost. Maximum passenger weight limits apply to all scenic or transfer flights.

This afternoon, we head to Stokes Hill Lookout for 360-degree views across the Flinders Ranges, before returning to our accommodation for dinner.

We travel through the picturesque Brachina and Bunyeroo Gorges to Parachilna, where we stop for lunch and a taste of outback hospitality. We continue into the northern Flinders Ranges, arriving at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, a multi-award-winning wilderness haven.

Today, we explore some of the most spectacular and rugged country on Earth, travelling in open-back 4WD vehicles with expert guides on the Ridge Top Tour, a highlight of the Arkaroola experience. Later, we depart for Marree, for a 2-night stay.

We take a scenic flight over the spectacle of Lake Eyre, flying over Belt Bay and following the Warburton Groove up the middle of the lake and into the Warburton Creek system.

Please note: today's tour splits into two groups, with the second group experiencing the day's activities in reverse order. Maximum passenger weight limits apply to all scenic or transfer flights.

We follow the creek to Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctuary, landing late morning for a guided tour along the banks of Warburton Creek, learning about the transformation of this landscape. We then travel by coach down the Birdsville Track, crossing Cooper's Creek before arriving back in Marree late in the afternoon.

Departing Marree, we follow the legendary Oodnadatta Track to William Creek. Steeped in history and natural wonder, the track follows a traditional Aboriginal trading route and was chosen for the Central Australian Railway due to its water availability.We stop at Coward Springs siding to inspect a fully restored, heritage-listed railway site with remnants of the Old Ghan railway. Arriving into William Creek, we stop for lunch before an included scenic flight over the Painted Hills - a rocky outcrop only accessible by air, due to its fragility.

Please note: maximum passenger weight limits apply to all scenic or transfer flights.

We continue on to Coober Pedy for a 2-night stay.

Please note: underground rooms at your accommodation cannot be guaranteed.

Known as the opal capital of the world, Coober Pedy supplies around 70% of the world's precious opals. This morning, we join a guided tour of the Umoona Opal Mine, with the opportunity to shop for opals.Afterwards, we head out to the Breakaways Reserve to admire the colourful low hills set apart from the Stuart Range.

Travelling south, we visit Woomera, home to the Woomera Range Complex operated by the Royal Australian Air Force, taking time at the Woomera Interactive Rocket Range Museum to view historical displays relating to the range and the former Joint Defence Facility at Nurrungar.In Port Augusta, the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens offers insight into the outback's adaptive plant life.

Our destination today is the Clare Valley, well known for its Riesling alongside excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, together accounting for nearly half of the region's wine production. After a tour through the area, we visit a local winery for lunch and a tasting.Arriving back in Adelaide, we dine together and share stories from the journey.

After breakfast, our tour comes to an end, with transfers to the airport or CBD hotel for those staying on.