Lake Eyre, Image Courtesy of Wrightsair
Dear Coates Travellers,
Before Coates Wildlife Tours, when I thought of South Australia, I thought of friends living in Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and an excellent drop of red. Little did I know what awaited in the South Australian outback, and now it is one of my favourite regions we visit on tour.
The recent prolific local rains in February have brought the usually dry South Australian Outback new life. Summer rains mean an explosion of wildlife and colourful desert flowers, as well as the chance to see water in Lake Eyre. As Australia’s largest salt lake, Lake Eyre stretches as far as the eye can see and when it fills with water….what a spectacle of wildlife!
We have two tours exploring South Australia this year. Our 10 Day South Australian Outback Expedition on 21 – 30 April 2022 and our 12 Day South Australia, Lake Eyre and Flinders Ranges Expedition on 18 – 29 July 2022.
The thing about the South Australian Outback is that it is just so incredibly diverse and loaded with unique experiences.
Coober Pedy, or “the opal capital of the world”, is the only underground desert town in Australia.
Coward Springs started as a station on the old Ghan railway line but is now an eco campground featuring a ‘natural spa’ sitting at 29 degrees centigrade; perfect for a refreshing soak in the middle of the desert.
Mound Springs bubble and billabongs provide refuge for wildlife along the Oodnadatta Track, while impressive ruins of early European settlement scatter the land.
And then there is the Flinders. The Flinders Ranges are over 600 million years old and stretch some 430 km north to south. The Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, in the Northern Flinders, showcases ruggedly spectacular mountain landscapes and is home to the shy and endangered Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby (we are usually lucky enough to see these little fellas on tour). But perhaps the crown jewel of the Flinders is the breathtaking Wilpena Pound. This vast natural amphitheatre of mountains was once as high as the Himalayas. Although they eroded over time (thousands of millennia), what remains is the impressive crater-like amphitheatre that stands today. You may have also heard of Hans Heysen’s Three Sisters or the Heysen Trail; discover them in the Flinders.
If you have been putting off a trip to the South Australian Outback, this is the year to join us.
Please scroll down for more information on our two SA tours in 2022.
Lake Eyre, Image Courtesy of Wrightsair
South Australian Outback Expedition
Adelaide to Alice Springs
Max 6 passengers in 2 lead 4WD vehicles plus 4 passengers in 2 Tag-Along 4WD vehicles
10 Day Camping Small Group Tour
Date: 21 – 30 April 2022
Please CLICK HERE for more information.
South Australian, Lake Eyre & Flinders Ranges
Alice Springs to Adelaide
Max 6 passengers in 2 lead 4WD vehicles plus 4 passengers in 2 Tag-Along 4WD vehicles
12 Day Accommodated & Camping Small Group Tour
Date: 18 – 29 July 2022
Please CLICK HERE for more information.