Flinders Ranges in winter
Walking seasonAdelaide's winter days, less than half the rain, and the ranges at walking pace.
Winter is walking season in the Flinders Ranges. Hawker, in the ranges, averages 16 to 18°C by day from June to August, the same as Adelaide, with 32 to 38mm of rain a month against Adelaide's 68 to 78mm. That is comfortable walking from morning to afternoon around Wilpena Pound. Nights drop to 4 to 5°C, so pack a warm layer for the evening at camp. The seven day trips between Adelaide and Uluru camp in swags at Wilpena Pound, from $1,305, and the rest of the route is at its mildest in winter too: Uluru averages 21°C by day in June and 24°C in July.
Checked on 28 October 2026.
The Flinders Ranges are dry country, and winter is when they are made for walking. By day the ranges are as mild as Adelaide, they get less than half the rain, and the summer heat that keeps you in the shade through the afternoon is months away.
The Flinders Ranges in winter, against Adelaide
| Month | Ranges day | Ranges night | Ranges rain | Adelaide day | Adelaide rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 20°C | 7°C | 30mm | 19°C | 61mm |
| June | 16°C | 5°C | 38mm | 16°C | 78mm |
| July | 16°C | 4°C | 32mm | 15°C | 75mm |
| August | 18°C | 4°C | 32mm | 17°C | 68mm |
| September | 22°C | 7°C | 27mm | 19°C | 59mm |
| January, for comparison | 34°C | 18°C | 20mm | 30°C | 20mm |
Bureau of Meteorology long-term monthly averages for Hawker (station 019017), in the Flinders Ranges, from 52 years of records, and Adelaide (Kent Town, station 023090), from 44 years.
What winter in the ranges gives you
- Walking weather all day.At 16 to 18°C you can be out from morning to afternoon, which is what the rim walks around Wilpena Pound ask for.
- Dry country, even now.June is the wettest month in the ranges and still averages only 38mm, half of Adelaide's June.
- Wilpena Pound itselfthe natural amphitheatre of hills most people mean by the Flinders, in Adnyamathanha country, with rock art and cultural sites through the ranges.
- The wildflowers are next.From September the hills turn green and the wildflowers come out, so a late August trip runs straight into spring.
The rest of the route in winter
We sell the Flinders as part of the seven day run between Adelaide and Uluru, and winter is when the whole route is at its mildest. The outback stops that average 37 to 39°C in January sit around 19 to 24°C in June and July.
| Stop | June day | July day | August day | Coldest night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilpena Pound (Hawker) | 16°C | 16°C | 18°C | 4°C in July |
| Coober Pedy | 19°C | 21°C | 26°C | 6°C in June |
| Kings Canyon (Watarrka) | 22°C | 24°C | 29°C | 6°C in June |
| Uluru (Yulara) | 21°C | 24°C | 29°C | 5°C in June |
Bureau of Meteorology long-term monthly averages: Hawker (station 019017, 52 years), Coober Pedy Airport (station 016090, 32 years), Watarrka (station 015652, 25 years) and Yulara Airport (station 015635, 39 years).
The trips that camp at Wilpena Pound
| Trip | Length | Starts and finishes | Effort | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Day Uluru to Adelaide Tour | 7 days, 6 nights | Uluru / Adelaide | — | $1305 | $1076 |
| 7 Day Adelaide to Uluru Tour | 7 days, 6 nights | Adelaide / Yulara | — | $1505 | — |
Effort is rated 1 to 5 on each trip's own page. Where no child price is shown, ask us. Prices update on their own.
- Both camp in swags at Wilpena Pound and at Warren Gorgewith all camping equipment provided on the trip from Uluru. Warren Gorge has toilets but no showers.
- A night underground at Coober Pedyon both, in a bunkhouse at an opal mine or an underground dorm, then Kings Creek Station and two nights at Uluru.
- Pack for the nights, not the days.With 4 to 5°C at camp in the ranges, a warm layer and a beanie for the evening make the swag night.
- Which way roundis your call. From Uluru down to Adelaide is from $1,305, with a child fare of $1,076; Adelaide up to Uluru is from $1,505.
There is the whole year month by month on our best time to visit the Flinders Ranges page, and why a night in the ranges beats a day out of Adelaide on the Flinders Ranges as a day trip.
People also ask
- When is the best time to visit the Flinders Ranges?
- Can you do the Flinders Ranges as a day trip from Adelaide?
- Can you sleep underground at Coober Pedy?
- Is Kangaroo Island worth visiting in winter?
Where this comes from. Temperatures and rainfall are Bureau of Meteorology long-term monthly averages for Hawker, station 019017, from 52 years of records; Adelaide (Kent Town), station 023090, from 44 years; Coober Pedy Airport, station 016090, from 32 years; Watarrka, station 015652, from 25 years; and Yulara Airport, station 015635, from 39 years. Where each trip camps, its length, effort rating, child fare and prices are that trip's own details as held on its page here, and prices update on their own.