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Arkaba is a wild bush luxury homestead nestled in the Flinders Ranges, a five-hour drive or 90-minute flight from Adelaide. With just 10 guests sharing 60,000 acres of a private wildlife conservancy, this is the perfect place to spot Australia’s unique wildlife in abundance. This 1850’s homestead is both rustic and chic with a warm, personal attention to service.
The homestead features five unique guestrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom and a shaded veranda. Four rooms are in the homestead, while the fifth option is the Coachman’s Cottage. Set in the corner of the garden, this Cottage is perfect for honeymooners. The rooms feature a mix of king- and twin-sized beds with organic cotton sheets and a pillow menu for a restful night’s sleep.
During the winter, the library’s hearth in front of the stone fireplace is the perfect place to unwind with a good book and a drink. During the summer, guests can take a dip in the pool to cool off. The onsite restaurant practices a ‘buy local’ philosophy so guests can enjoy the very best of South Australian produce. Pair a South Australian wine from the cellar for a complete experience.
This property is the perfect place to have an authentic outback experience.
Homestead Guest rooms
Four bedrooms are located in the homestead. The rooms are air conditioned and have been designed with the homestead's heritage in mind, a mix of king and twin beds have premium mattresses, organic cotton sheets and a choice of pillows to ensure a comfortable night's sleep. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom and opens out onto a shaded veranda with individual views of the surrounding ranges.
Property Facilities
Activity Desk, Bar, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Library, Malaria Free, Pool
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Bath, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Fan, Hair Dryer, Heater, Lounge Area, Pure Cotton Linen, Shower, Verandah
Activities on Site
Aboriginal Rock Art Tours, Bird Watching, Fine Dining, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Gourmet Picnic, Helicopter Scenic Flights, Natural History Tours, Night Drives, Scenic Flights, Walks (Guided), Wildlife Tours
Accompanied by field guides with expert knowledge of the native fauna and flora and the incredible geological history of the area, guests are taken on guided wildlife safaris tailored around their specific interests. An open-top 4WD vehicle is used to deliver the ultimate bush experience. Guests can expect around seven hours of guided safaris each day, and these are usually topped off with sundowners on top of the ranges with the scale and grandeur of outback Australia laid out for miles around.
Get a completely different perspective of Arkaba’s magnificent wilderness on an included walking safari. Our expert field guides pull together the incredible geological history, wildlife and pastoral heritage of this region that will deepen your connection with the land.
Our expert field guides pull together the incredible geological history, wildlife and pastoral heritage of this region that will deepen your connection with the land.
Walking safaris are individually tailored to your interests and cover some of the best bushwalking territory in Australia.
Arkaba’s new wildlife viewing Hide a complimentary experience and an ideal place for a spot of morning or afternoon tea as you admire wildlife behaving naturally in the wild just three meters away from you at eye level.
The Hide continues to deliver a hive of exciting activity including 36 different bird species, Western Grey Kangaroos, Red Kangaroos, Common Wallaroos, an Echidna, Sand Goannas, Bearded Dragons, Shingleback Skinks and the Tawny Dragon endemic to Australia.
Learn about the challenges Australia faces in saving its biodiversity and join one of Arkaba’s field guides on a conservation activity. Wildlife conservation on the property is an ever changing and ever improving endeavour which has immensely enhanced the wilderness experience.
Gaining a true insight into what’s involved in conservation is one of the most rewarding experiences to be had and guests can join our mission to restore Arkaba’s biodiversity with some hands-on conservation activities. These can include tracking a radio-collared feral cat with a telemetry device, setting up the trip cameras that monitor key sites across the property, looking for signs of vegetation critical to endangered animals, or joining a biologist on land surveys.
From mobs of emus, Australia’s largest flightless bird, to wedgie-tailed eagles soaring high, to the tiny Horsfields Bronze Cuckoo perched in the trees, spotting birds at Arkaba will delight any serious birders. We can arrange for private experiences with ornithologists who specialise in this region of Australia.
For some of the best birds-eye views in Australia you can’t miss an air safari over Arkaba and surrounds. It’s one of the best ways to get a real sense of place and the scenery is spectacular. Whether it’s a heli safari of Wilpena Pound or a small aircraft flight over Lake Eyre, this opportunity is not to be missed.
Available to be booked throughout the year. See your agent ahead of travel or your field guide while at Arkaba.
Embrace your inner explorer and ‘Heli Hike’ along the spine of our very own rainbow-hued Elder Range. Lose yourself in the landscape and drink wine fireside on our new private overnight ‘Heli Swag’ experience in the wilderness. Or enjoy a sundowner drink atop your own mountain as the sun sinks behind Wilpena Pound.
Available to be booked as an additional experience from March to October. See your agent ahead of travel or your field guide while at Arkaba.
Take in the compelling geology and ever-changing palette of the Flinders Ranges with a stunning 15 minute scenic helicopter flight. Marvel as the light changes with the late afternoon sun hitting the raw natural appeal of the outback. You'll be treated to view of Wilpena Pound, the Chase Range to the east and Elder Range to the west - a complete 360 degree panorama of prehistoric beauty - before landing on a remote ridge top, only accessible by helicopter, to enjoy the last light of the day with a glass of bubbles in hand and a Wild Bush canapé platter. Return to the homestead by helicopter at the light finally disappears.
Arkaba
Arkaba has adopted a 'buy local' principle and the head chef uses South Australia's produce to craft the food program with a few native elements to add a unique intrigue and interest.
Arkaba's real luxury comes with the fact that it is small and therefore intensely personal. Hosted dinners and sharing stories with field guides and fellow guests provide an atmosphere more akin to staying with friends in the country, or a private safari lodge. A purely South Australian wine cellar has been selected to showcase a cross section of wine growing regions with the grape varieties for which they are best known. The bar is completely open, and the chef will adapt very specifically to guest tastes and needs.
Dining around an old wool classing table on the outdoor terrace with the ever changing light and sounds of the bush all around is a special and uniquely Australian experience. A firepit in the corner of the garden provides an excellent spot to retire to after dinner with a glass of wine or port to watch the stars appear over the ancient landscape.
