When is the best time to visit the Flinders Ranges?
April to OctoberAnd September and October for the wildflowers.
April to October for walking weather, and September and October for the wildflowers. Hawker, in the ranges, averages 25°C in April, 16°C in June and July, and 26°C in October, and it is dry all year: no month averages more than 38mm of rain. Spring is when the hills are green and the wildflowers are out. Summer brings 32 to 34°C days and warm nights of 16 to 18°C, made for sleeping out. The seven day trips between Adelaide and Uluru camp at Wilpena Pound, from $1,305.
Checked on 28 October 2026.
The Flinders Ranges are dry country with a long walking season. Rain is light in every month, so the choice is about temperature: mild days from April to October, and long, warm days and nights from November to March. Wilpena Pound, the natural amphitheatre most people mean by the Flinders, is good in all of them.
The Flinders Ranges month by month
| Month | Day | Night | Rain | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34°C | 18°C | 20mm | The warmest month. Warm nights for sleeping out |
| February | 33°C | 18°C | 21mm | Long, warm days. Walk early, rest through the afternoon |
| March | 30°C | 15°C | 18mm | The driest month. Summer easing off |
| April | 25°C | 11°C | 20mm | A sweet spot. Warm days and cool nights |
| May | 20°C | 7°C | 30mm | Crisp, comfortable walking weather |
| June | 16°C | 5°C | 38mm | The wettest month, and still only 38mm. Cool walking days |
| July | 16°C | 4°C | 32mm | The coolest month. Walking weather all day |
| August | 18°C | 4°C | 32mm | Days warming up, crisp nights |
| September | 22°C | 7°C | 27mm | Spring. Green hills and the wildflowers |
| October | 26°C | 10°C | 25mm | A sweet spot. Wildflowers and warm days |
| November | 29°C | 14°C | 23mm | Warm days and long evenings outdoors |
| December | 32°C | 16°C | 22mm | Summer proper. Warm nights under the stars |
Bureau of Meteorology long-term monthly averages for Hawker (station 019017), in the Flinders Ranges, from 52 years of records.
What each season is for
Spring. September to November
- The green seasonthe hills are green and the wildflowers are out in September and October.
- Days climb from 22°C in September to 29°C in November, with 23 to 27mm of rain a month.
- It is the best-loved time and the busiest, so book ahead.
Summer. December to February
- 32 to 34°C by dayand nights that stay at 16 to 18°C, the warmest of the year for a night in a swag.
- Long light evenings for sitting out at camp.
- Walk in the early morning and keep a hat and water with you through the day.
Autumn. March to May
- March is the driest month, at 18mm.
- April is a sweet spot25°C days and 11°C nights.
- By May it is 20°C by day, which is ideal for the rim walks around Wilpena Pound.
Winter. June to August
- 16 to 18°C by day, so you can walk from morning to afternoon in comfort.
- Nights drop to 4 to 5°Cso bring a warm layer for the evening at camp.
- June is the wettest month at 38mm, which is still very little.
So when would we go?
- April or Octoberif you can pick freely: warm days and cool nights.
- September and Octoberfor the green hills and the wildflowers.
- May to Augustfor walking weather from morning to afternoon.
- November to Marchfor the warmest nights in a swag and the longest evenings.
A night inside the ranges
Wilpena Pound is a natural amphitheatre of hills, best understood from the rim walks, and this is Adnyamathanha country, with rock art and cultural sites through the ranges. Both trips below camp in swags at Wilpena Pound and at Warren Gorge in the southern Flinders, on the way between Adelaide and Uluru. There is more on why one night beats a day out of Adelaide on our Flinders Ranges as a day trip page.
| Trip | Length | Starts and finishes | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Day Uluru to Adelaide Tour | 7 days, 6 nights | Uluru / Adelaide | $1305 |
| 7 Day Adelaide to Uluru Tour | 7 days, 6 nights | Adelaide / Yulara | $1505 |
Both camp at Wilpena Pound and Warren Gorge, spend a night underground at Coober Pedy and two nights at Uluru. Warren Gorge has toilets but no showers. Prices update on their own.
People also ask
- Can you do the Flinders Ranges as a day trip from Adelaide?
- Can you sleep underground at Coober Pedy?
- When is the best time to visit Adelaide and Kangaroo Island?
- What trips go from Adelaide, and where can you get to?
Where this comes from. Temperatures and rainfall are Bureau of Meteorology long-term monthly averages for Hawker, station 019017, from 52 years of records. Trip lengths, start and finish points, where each trip camps and prices are each trip's own details as held on its page here, and prices update on their own.