FLINDERS RANGES & HEYSEN TRAIL: SA
7 days/6 nights, ex Adelaide

Trip grade:	Moderate
Trip Dates:	14-20 April, and 22-28 September, 2012
Tour Cost:	$1,840.00 per person, twin/sharing, 2012
Accommodation:	Twin/shared rooms in comfortable shearing quarters with shared facilities
Maximum group size:	10

Stretching 420 kilometres northwards into the arid heart of Australia, the Flinders Ranges are famous for their rugged mountain scenery. They have the red and purple colours of the Australian outback and some of the oldest rocks on earth, about 1400 million years old. They are also a favourite area for photographers and artists. There are rocky bluffs, tree-lined gorges, shady pools, majestic river red gums, and diverse flora. They are home to kangaroos, euros, wallabies, emus, colourful parrots, kites and eagles.

The Aboriginal people have lived here for thousands of years and left rock carvings, cave paintings and stone implements. Their dreaming stories interpret the landscape in a mythical way. Europeans first settled the area in 1846 and there are picturesque stone ruins of the pioneering miners and farmers who tried to live here.

Today the Flinders Ranges provide some of Australia's best semi-arid walking, with the Heysen Trail passing through them. We set off from our accommodation each day to explore the best of the central Flinders and the Heysen Trail. The choice and schedule of walks may be modified to suit conditions.

Itinerary
Day 1
After leaving Adelaide, we will travel to the Flinders Ranges via Port Wakefield, Port Augusta, Quorn and Hawker. We will visit the Wadlata Outback Centre en route. Late in the day we will arrive at our accommodation on a large pastoral property near Blinman/Wilpena.

Day 2
We walk through the Bunyeroo Gorge, with its permanent water supply, on our way to the Wilcolo Valley, giving us stunning views of Wilpena Pound's Eastern Wall.

Day 3
We drive to Aroona Ruins, where Sir Hans Heysen stayed on painting trips, and follow the Heysen Trail as it heads east over the Red Hill lookout and then turns south towards Brachina Creek. The views towards Wilpena are superb! We follow beautiful Yuluna Creek back to Aroona.

Day 4
Today we visit the historic copper mining town of Blinman, and drive through the Glass Gorge. In the afternoon follow a beautiful creek to Blinman Pools and visit the Parachilna Gorge.

Day 5
We walk into Wilpena Pound and then up to Tanderra Saddle, which gives us spectacular views over the Flinders Ranges.

Day 6
A choice of itineraries: Perhaps to Wilkawillina Gorge, explore the property we are staying on, or travel to see the Aboriginal rock carvings in Chambers Gorge.

Day 7
Today we pack up and drive home via Arkaroo Rock to look at Aboriginal cave paintings, Hawker, Quorn, Willmington and the Clare Valley wine region, providing lunch en route. Our scheduled time of return to Adelaide is approximately 5.00pm.