Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary

We really did not know what to expect but were very keen to stay here. The caravan and camping area is not maintained with bins containing bottles from previous travellers not collected. There are dead trees over the area which could be cut down to make the space a little more inviting. The amenities - not much to say about these but a little bit of upkeep on the toilet and shower blocks would make a big difference. I realise this is a wilderness area and most come for the 4wding and scenery - just like us. But it seems money is put into the onsite accommodation and the rest is left to fend for iteslf. The main building - the windows could be cleaned, window sills painted or at least chip off the peeling paint. Its just the little things really. Yes it is a dry part of SA and water is at a premium but I am sure some attention could be given to the camping areas. The rigde top trip was the best 4wd tour we have ever had and the tour guide, Pierre, was knowledgeable, friendly and quite funny at times. Yes it is costly but so worth it for the experience. The Under the stars experience - a total waste of money. Nothing was organised, the two robotic chairs made so much noise we could not hear any explanation of what we were supposed to be looking at or finding. The group number needs to be capped so that ALL participants can be catered for ie., hearing what is being said, having someone help with setting up the binoculars, and oiling those damned chairs. Have two on the team to assist. An interesting place to visit. Not sure if I would return and would certainly let others know of our experience is asked.

Beautifully appointed rooms, excellent service level and well thought out menu. The downside was the much touted 4X4 offroad half day trip. Disappointing, very crowded lookout points (over 50 people), geology was the major topic of discussion, there was little mention of flora and fauna, conservation and what the wildness sanctuary was doing to promote care of the environment. Araaroola does not have a grey water conservation programme according to the guide. The place is beautiful and friendly however as a kiwi I wondered about the semi-arid landscape and it's continued care with way too many people on rocky summits. Supporting geology is great, however please invest in conservation as well

Privately owned wilderness area. Arkaroola is well maintained and upkept. There is a cafe and pool, plus cabins to stay in. There are a number of walking trails- many of which are exposed so very intense on a hot day. Yellow footed rock wallabies can sometimes be found hiding in the rocks.

We had a lovely time at Arkaroola. We so appreciated that someone had been caring for this precious part of Australia for decades and gave us a chance to visit it in comfort. We enjoyed the drive in from Maree... it was like traversing a secret part of the Flinders Ranges and it was very beautiful. We absolutely loved the Ridgetop tour. It covers spectacular scenery. We thought Andrew was a very good guide. We stayed in a Mawson room and it was comfortable. We enjoyed our lunches. One of us was a vegetarian and both dinners were unfortunately disappointing for them. Definitely worth a visit overall.

Stayed in Mawson room, which turned out to be a group of single rooms in a block. The whole place reminded me of a 1970s school camp to be honest! A bit daggy and dated. The room was adequate but very basic. The noise of the fridge was annoying overnight, the freezer barely worked and there was an unpleasant odour in the bathroom in the morning. We were all glad we were only staying one night. The bathroom was reasonably modern and clean, and had really cute quirky toilet roll and towel rail holders. If they had them for sale I’d have been tempted! The drive from Leigh Creek is around 130km on a dirt road, and I think you would definitely want good tyres and a satellite phone in case of emergency. There’s very little along the road, and no phone service. Lots of wildlife on the road - emus, Roos and lizards in particular, so please be careful when driving and protect our animals! We were all amazed at the incredible scenery along the road, and the drive was worth it for that alone! We did the sunset canapés tour with Cameron, who was awesome. Very friendly and great company. Only our group was on the tour, and we were able to ask for cider and bubbly rather than beer and wine. The canapés were basic but delicious - essentially a nice cheese platter with some salami, fruit and nuts. Take a jacket as the breeze can be cool up the top! Didn’t get to see much of the stars as it hadn’t rained for a while and there was a lot of dust in the air. Staff were friendly and helpful and food was nice. Fuel is available onsite. Overall I’m glad I went but I don’t think I’ll hurry back.

The rooms are comfortable,good beds and hot showers. Great meals in the restaurant . Do the Ridge Top tour for something different and lots of information. They have a Dark Sky rating so stargazing and observatories on site.