Visitor Information

Before setting off, visit the Wadlata Outback Centre, 41 Flinders Terrace, Port Augusta, SA 5700 (tel. 08/8641 9194), an award-winning interactive museum and information center. The museum costs A$13 for adults and A$8.50 for children and is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

In Hawker, the information center is on the corner of Wilpena and Cradock roads, Hawker (tel. 1800/777 880 in Australia), and there is an information center at the Wilpena Pound Resort (tel. 08/8648 0048).

Getting There

By car, take Highway 1 out of Adelaide to Port Augusta (3 1/2 hr.), and then head east on Route 47 via Quorn and Hawker (45 min.). It's another hour to Wilpena Pound, next to the tiny settlement of Wilpena. Alternatively, take the scenic route, which doesn't have a specific name, through the Clare Valley (around 5 hr.): From Adelaide, head to Gawler and then through the Clare Valley; follow signs to Gladstone, Melrose, Wilmington, and Quorn.

Premier Stateliner (tel. 08/8415 5500; www.premierstateliner.com.au) runs several buses every day from Adelaide to Port Augusta for A$50 one-way (half-price for kids). Genesis Tour & Charters (tel. 08/8552 4000; www.genesistours.com.au) runs a twice weekly bus service from Adelaide to Arkaroola (in both directions); it stops at most of the main towns in the Flinders except Wilpena Pound (fares range from A$35-A$150 each way), so if you want to explore further you'll need you own vehicle -- or take a tour. Heading Bush Adventures (tel. 08/8356 5501; www.headingbush.com) has great trips, including a 10-day tour to the Flinders Ranges, the Oodnadatta Track, Coober Pedy, the Simpson Desert, Uluru, the Olgas, Kings Canyon, and Aboriginal communities. This four-wheel-drive trip, which focuses on Aboriginal culture, costs A$1,895 -- or A$1,840 with a student or YHA card -- and includes meals and bush camping. It departs Adelaide every Monday and alternate Thursdays and has a maximum of 10 passengers.

Another good operator is Banksia Adventures (tel. 08/8431 9311; www.banksia-adventures.com.au), which has 1- to 4-day trips to the Flinders, either in hotels or camping. The 2-day trip from Adelaide, including a hotel, costs A$891 for adults.

Getting Around

If you decide to explore on your own using a rental car, I recommend renting one in Adelaide but try and avoid driving at dawn, dusk, or nighttime as wildlife is prolific and a collision with a kangaroo can be very expensive, not to mention destructive. While you don't need a 4WD for the main roads, many of the roads are unsealed, so consider renting an SUV. Check your contract to see if your car-hire company allows their cars to be driven on dirt roads.

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