Small group · max 10
South Australia
5 Hours
4WDMulti-day
Coober Pedy to Adelaide, 5-Day Outback 4WD Safari
Opal dugouts, the Oodnadatta Track and Lake Eyre, the real outback, done right.
Five days from underground Coober Pedy to Adelaide via the legendary Oodnadatta Track: William Creek's outback pub, Lake Eyre, Marree, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and the Flinders Ranges, finishing in Clare Valley wine country.
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$4,389 AUD
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4.8 from 48 TripAdvisor reviews
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Overview
Coober Pedy is a town where people live underground to escape the heat and mine opals for a living, and it's just the starting point. This five-day small-group 4WD safari runs from there to Adelaide along the Oodnadatta Track, one of Australia's legendary outback routes, with real beds every night and a guide who knows the country's stories.
The first days are pure frontier: a guided opal mine tour and dugout residences in Coober Pedy, crossing the Dingo Fence (the longest man-made structure on Earth), Anna Creek Station, a beer at William Creek's historic pub, the vast salt stillness of Lake Eyre South, and Marree's Afghan mosque and pioneer relics. Then the land rises into Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and the Flinders Ranges, where the guided Brachina Gorge tour walks you through 'the Corridors Through Time', hundreds of millions of years in one gorge, before the Clare Valley eases you back to civilisation.
Cabins, lodges and motel rooms throughout, continental breakfasts and select meals included, with optional scenic flights over Lake Eyre and the Painted Desert. This is the outback of the postcards, minus the guesswork.
Why you'll love it
- 1
The legendary Oodnadatta Track
- 2
Coober Pedy opal mine tour
- 3
Lake Eyre and William Creek pub
- 4
Cross the Dingo Fence
- 5
Arkaroola and Brachina Gorge
- 6
Real beds every night
More photos
Itinerary at a glance
1 Day 1 · Coober Pedy to William Creek
Meet the group around 8am in Coober Pedy for breakfast, then spend a leisurely morning in the underground town: the underground churches, opal shops and displays, and a guided mine tour to see how the locals live. Cross the famous Dingo Fence, the longest man-made structure in the world, then follow red sandhill tracks through Anna Creek station to William Creek. This remote town stands out like an oasis in the desert, with an outback pub rich in stockman, camel and bush history. Lunch and dinner are at your own cost.
- Accommodation
- William Creek
- Meals Included
- Breakfast
2 Day 2 · William Creek to Marree
Continue down the Oodnadatta Track, following the historic route of the cameleers through country rich in Aboriginal culture and pioneer settlements. Picnic lunch is at the edge of Lake Eyre South National Park, where Donald Campbell broke the land speed record in 1964. Stop at thermal springs that have been the lifeblood of this arid land for centuries, then arrive in Marree in the late afternoon to see the old Afghan mosque and relics of the pioneering days, including the legendary mail run to Birdsville.
- Accommodation
- Marree
- Meals Included
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
3 Day 3 · Marree to Arkaroola
Push further east into the remote outback, crossing ancient creek beds that wind out to Lake Frome. Watch the desert give way to the ancient mountains of the Gammon Ranges, arriving at Arkaroola around lunchtime (lunch at your own cost). The afternoon is yours to relax in this world-renowned wilderness sanctuary, or add a scenic flight or the 4WD Ridgetop Tour (both optional).
- Accommodation
- Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary
- Meals Included
- Breakfast, Dinner
4 Day 4 · Arkaroola to Wilpena Pound
Travel south along the top of Lake Frome, through red sandhill country that holds thousands of years of sacred beliefs for the Adnyamathanha people. Stop at Blinman, the highest town in South Australia and an old copper mining town, then drive Brachina Gorge, the Corridors Through Time, a geological trail with Ediacaran fossils and secluded, ever-changing creek beds. As the sun drops, kangaroos, emus and wedge-tailed eagles are usually spotted on the road to Wilpena Pound. Lunch and dinner are at your own cost.
- Accommodation
- Wilpena Pound Resort or similar
- Meals Included
- Breakfast
5 Day 5 · Wilpena Pound to Adelaide
Start with an early morning bush walk, breathing in the fresh air and listening to the sounds of the Australian bush. Then take a relaxed run south along the eastern side of the Flinders Ranges, through mighty red gum forests as the land turns lush and green. Break the journey in the world-famous Clare Valley wine region and arrive back in Adelaide around 5 to 6pm.
- Meals Included
- Breakfast
What's included
✓ What's included
- Continental breakfasts (all days)
- Select lunches and dinners as specified per day
- Accommodation: William Creek Cabin, Marree Cabins, Arkaroola Wilderness Lodge, Wilpena Pound Resort/Rawnsley Park/Quorn Motel
- Guided mine tour, dingo fence crossing, guided Brachina Gorge tour, early morning bush walk
✕ Not included
- ✕Airfare/transport to Coober Pedy departure point
- ✕Several specified meals (own expense)
- ✕Optional Lake Eyre & Painted Desert scenic flights
- ✕Optional Arkaroola ridge-top 4WD tour and flights
- ✕Night sky observatory
Common questions about this trip
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What's the cancellation policy?
Cancel 35 days or more before departure for a full refund less a 5% admin fee. Cancel 34 days or less before and no refund is given. If the operator cancels a departure, it will do its best to offer alternative arrangements, and refunds may not be possible if none are agreed. Adverse weather is treated as force majeure. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 (including if the operator cancels) and we chase it on your behalf.
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What travellers say
Reviews from real travellers
Public reviews of the operator who runs this tour on the ground.
The operator's track record
4.8 on TripAdvisor · 48 reviews
Review excerpts below are from Tripadvisor.
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor "It was fabulous. The scenery is amazing and everything was so well organised, it made the trip super easy and comfortable. Staying at Ikara Wilpena Pound was magic - beautiful place and comfortable accommodation. … Highlights were the day travelling through Brachina Gorge and seeing yellow-footed rock wallabies, the flight over Kati Thanda Lake Eyre, and the incredible scenery in our outback region."
Linda P
Tripadvisor review
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor "The Flinders Ranges make for a terrific destination to visit from Adelaide. You get stunning scenery, old mining towns as well as interesting wildlife and plants. … My highlight was probably the 2-hr roundtrip hike up to the rim of Wilpena Pound with stunning views at the end. The kangaroos grazing outside my tent in the morning was a close second."
Simon C
Tripadvisor review
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor "They were very knowledgeable and professional. The accomodation and food were perfect for the itinerary. The days were well paced. Thanks for an amazing experience!"
Julie B
Tripadvisor review
Traveller reviews, source shown on each · shown as excerpts.
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