Flinders Ranges: 5-tägige 4WD-Ökotour in kleiner Gruppe ab Adelaide

Wir waren zu viert auf unserer Tour – zwei Paare –, also gab es im Fahrzeug jede Menge Platz. Ich bin kein Typ für Outback-Abenteuer, aber die Berge zu sehen stand auf meiner Wunschliste. Ich habe die verschiedenen Reiseveranstalter gründlich geprüft und bin zu Mick gekommen. Er ist ein fantastischer Kommunikator, immer bereit, Fragen zu beantworten und ist nicht im Geringsten aufdringlich – also hatte ich ein sehr gutes Gefühl, bei ihm zu buchen. Unser Fahrer/Führer war Steve, ein sehr fröhlicher Mensch, der einem viele Einzelheiten erzählt, zahlreiche Fragen beantwortet und uns mit Geschichten unterhält. Er ist auch ein ausgezeichneter Fahrer und wir fühlten uns alle sehr sicher, als er vorne mit dabei war. Er weiß, wo all die tollen Konditoreien sind, die schöneren Toiletten und guten Kaffee- und Sandwich-/Kuchenläden entlang der Strecke. Wir waren in sehr sicheren Händen. Wir bekamen eine Liste mit zusätzlichen Aktivitäten und machten einen Flug über Wilpena und dann einen zweiten über Arkaroola. Das ist eine einmalige Tour für mich und ich bin so froh, dass ich das Geld für diese Flüge ausgegeben habe. Sie waren (teuer, aber) fabelhaft. Die Unterbringung in Arkaroola war nicht so gut wie in Wilpena, aber beide hatten gutes Essen und Kaffee, eine gute Weinkarte (im Glas oder in der Flasche) und nettes Personal. In Arkaroola war eine Fahrt auf den Bergkamm inbegriffen – vier Stunden holprig auf einem Schotterweg. Es war gut, aber ich mochte die Flüge viel lieber! Auf dem Hin- und Rückweg nahm uns Steve mit auf zusätzliche kleine Abenteuer und es war eine großartige Möglichkeit für uns, etwas über das Outback und die Menschen zu lernen, die das Gebiet erschlossen haben und die noch heute dort leben.

We, eight experienced Australian friends, wanted to explore the Ikara-Flinders Ranges NP in the outback of South Australia. To make this part of the trip a success, we put the organisation in the hands of Mick's "Sa Eco Tours", which turned out to be a very good choice. Mick himself picks us up from the hotel in a small bus with a trailer for our luggage. We set off from Adelaide and travelled a long way through wheat and bean fields, olive plantations, rapeseed fields and vineyards. Here, on the outskirts of Adelaide, there is still plenty of water and we can see why Australia is one of the world's biggest grain exporters. It's a long way to the outback, so we choose the Clare Valley for a cosy overnight stop. Here we taste delicious wine, visit Sevenhill Cellars and cycle through the beautiful wine region on a disused railway line. Now we enter South Australia's driest region. The road becomes increasingly isolated. We pass a few mini-villages (former mining towns or places along the former Ghan railway line), now supply points for adventurous outback visitors. We meet perhaps only 7 cars on the whole route. Wilpena Pound Resort is our home for the next three days. From here we explore the Flinders Ranges with Mick. We walk to Wilpena Pound - an elevated natural basin of ancient quartz rock. From the lookout, Mick explains the stratification and folding of the range - geology at its best. The big highlight of this part of the trip: Nilpena Ediacara NP - here we are allowed to visit the site of the first animal life on earth on a former sheep farm. Ross Fargher (farm owner and now boss of the whole thing) takes us on a personal tour of the site, explaining the circumstances of the finds and showing us the locations and excavations of the first fossils. A multimedia presentation at the end of the tour illustrates all the connections very well. Afterwards there is more geological history in Brachina Gorge. Mick guides us through the 20 kilometre long gorge, where we can experience the history of the Earth from 350 million years ago to almost 1 billion years ago - even without studying geology! On the way back to civilisation we walk to Arkaroo Rock, stop in Quorn (almost a town with 1300 inhabitants) and Melrose and walk along the salty beach of beautiful pink Lake Bumbunga. We would like to thank Mick for this great part of the trip. Everything was well organised and our wishes were fulfilled. We felt well looked after at all times. Mick drove us everywhere safely and his careful driving saved the lives of several kangaroos at night. We had a wonderful time! Falk Group

Wow! We have just finished a 5 day Flinders Ranges trip with SAECO TOURS and I have never seen the Flinders Ranges looking better! Not only was it lush and green after recent rains but the wildlife was prolific - Wedge-tail Eagles, Green Ring-neck parrots, flocks of emus, echidnas, kangaroos and with Mick’s (the tour guide) help, we even spotted dozens of the endangered Yellow Footed Wallabies. A very special experience for both Australians and overseas visitors alike. The trip was well organised and Mick Murdoch went out if his way to make everyone enjoyed themselves. The 4WD vehicle was very comfortable even over unsealed sections of the outback and well equipped with lots of little extras including a beautiful basket of fruit that was a hit with everyone. Highlights for me were Mick’s extraordinary knowledge of the area, the outstanding accommodation, which exceeded everyone’s expectations and then there was the unforgettable landscape! Wilpena Pound, Brachina Gorge, and the Ridgetop Tour at Arkaroola were just a few of my favourites. And the return drive back through Wilmington, Melrose and the Clare Valley was the icing on the cake. So much better than trying to do it ourselves - learnt so much, saw so much and especially enjoyed the company of the other travellers. P Birkett