Getting there

North of Adelaide in South Australia, the Flinders Ranges is an ancient outback landscape encompassing National Parks and stunning Wilpena Pound.

Planes

Fly into South Australia's capital Adelaide (www.aal.com.au), serviced by flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Perth and Alice Springs. International flights also swing in from Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bali and Fiji. Qantas, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific (among others? fly to Adelaide from overseas, with domestic flights (Qantas, Virgin Blue, Tiger and Jetstar) winging-in from around Australia. The airport is six kilometres west of the city centre. From Adelaide, you can take a scheduled flight north to Port Augusta every day except Saturdays with Sharp Airlines (www.sharpairlines.com), followed by a 75-minute drive to Smith stay Arkaba. Private charter flights are also available from Adelaide's General Aviation area, opposite the Main Terminal, for the 60-minute flight to Hawker Airstrip, followed by a 25-minute car transfer from Arkaba (road transfer included in rates). En route, you'll pass over the scenic Clare Valley and Mid-North wine region. You can also charter a plane from Kangaroo Island, south of Adelaide, departing from either Kingscote Airport or Vivonne Bay (handy for Smith stay Southern Ocean Lodge), and taking 90 minutes to Hawker. Charter aircraft can cater for two, five or 10 passengers on which plane you commandeer.

Trains

Interstate trains (the Ghan from Darwin, the Overland from Melbourne and the Indian Pacific from Sydney and Perth) chug into the Adelaide Parklands Terminal (13 21 47; www.gsr.com.au), just south west of the centre, but aren't the fastest way to get there. If you're headed on to the Flinders Ranges from Adelaide, it's best to hop on a plane or drive.

Automobiles

The Flinders Ranges is around a four-and-a-half-hour drive north of Adelaide on a sealed tarmac road, or about five to six hours if you route via the Clare Valley with stops to eat or check out wineries (Smith hotel North Bundaleer makes a handy overnight stay if you want to break up the journey). The drive from Port Augusta takes about 75 minutes. The usual hire-car options are available at Adelaide Airport or in town.

Others

If you don't have your own wheels, Genesis Tour & Charter (+61 (0)8 8552 4000; www.genesistours.com.au) runs a minibus service from Adelaide to Hawker for AU$140 return, taking about five hours with short stops en route. It departs from Adelaide's Central Bus Station at 7am Mondays and Thursdays, arriving at Hawker at 12.50pm; returning Tuesdays and Fridays at 11.20am from Hawker and reaching Adelaide at 5.30pm. The company also offers a more luxurious, private car transfer service, with more flexible timings.