The reality of the accommodation and experiential offer does not match the description or the price point. I don’t know how it can have changed so drastically from the other reviews as recently as May 2022, but it could be an alternative reality! I would never recommend this to anyone expecting a luxury stay. Never.
This is a superb place to appreciate the beauty and topography of the Flinders Ranges. In luxury accommodation with everything included, food, drink and super keen and helpful guides. This is walking safari aussie style, all day or 2 x half day excursions with return each evening to warm homestead hospitality and a gourmet meal. Nothing to complain about here, just thoroughly enjoy.
This was our 3rd attempt at getting here due to Covid! And we are so happy it finally happened. Shane our Guide alongside Veronica our Chef, were the stars of the show! I have a newfound respect for this landscape. The accommodation was definitely 5*, we were the only guests on-site and were totally spoilt by the whole team. Our room was large, with a lounge off it, a massive bathroom and our own outdoor seating area. Aircon and a fan ensured our comfort. Having no phone coverage or Wi-fi was not an issue, for us it was the technology break we needed. Shane's knowledge goes above and beyond - his passion is so evident, and you become so enthralled by his description and the stories that go with it. I learnt more about ecology/geology/how the earth was formed than I did at school! And with a meal cooked by Veronica and her team - was the perfect way to end an adventure-filled day. There was a heap of wildlife around, and we became great at finding it. Loads of history with the old shelters across the property, exciting 4-wheel drive paths, and comfortable walking tracks. This is an experience I would definitely recommend. Everything is catered to suit you. How much you want to walk/drive. If you want to change up your schedule, no problem. …
The remote luxury homestead is a great escape with opportunities for day hikes and overnight trips staying in perfectly positioned glamping sites. Iconic Aussie landscape and guides are extraordinarily informative. I went for the hiking and fitness and dose of outback - the wonderful service, food and wine and every need catered for were a bonus. I would recommend for the serenity aspect, the vision the owners have for the area, and the overall attentive service and would consider going again.
Arkaba is an Australian safari destination, complete with heritage accommodation, passionate, knowledgeable guides and a team of private chefs. You can opt for: a 3-day walk, staying 2 nights in a luxury camp site; guided day hikes from the homestead, coming home for dinner every night; or simply sit back and let the guides drive you around the stunning property and its equally spectacular local ranges. With only a handful of rooms, you eat meals with the other guests, who rotate regularly. The food is top notch and the chefs do a great job of accommodating dietary requirements. If you need internet, mobile or TV and get bored after a day in nature, Arkaba is NOT for you. The homestead is proudly screen free and entirely focused on its conservancy. If you love bush walking and/or are interested in seeing and learning about the extraordinary local fauna and flora - it's paradise.…
When looking for a place to stay in the Flinders, I stumbled across Arkaba. It was a little more expensive than we had planned on, but it's worth every cent. Everything about the place is wonderful. We stayed 3 nights & I could have easily stayed more. They are continuously working to restore the place back to it's natural state (its was a sheep station). A lot of work has been done, & it is ongoing. You can see the progress - kudos to the owner & workers, all, for the enormous efforts to do this. Even though there has been a terrible drought, followed by flooding rains, the beauty of the place is fabulous. The Australian outback scenery, is desolate & spectacular. We saw many, many kangaroos (all types), wallabies, emus & birds etc. We saw so many wedge tail eagles, even several chasing some kangaroos - amazing!! The excursions were fabulous, we saw so much. Seeing the sunrise, the sunset, Elders ranges, Wilpena pound - all was great. I'm not sure if we would have seen, or done as much if we'd stayed elsewhere & tried to do it ourselves. The knowledge of our guides was great - it showed in their work. It was wonderful that at the end of each excursion we were met with a freshly made cool drink & wet hand towels - a nice touch after the heat & dust! I can't say enough about the meals, presentation & taste - WOW!! Every dish was perfect. Both the chefs deserve a huge thank you! Portion size was spot on - we always had more than enough to eat at each meal (my husband loves his food). i should comment on the excellent range of beverages including great Aussie wines & beers. All the staff were friendly & very helpful. Flinders ranges & Wilpena Pound should be on everyone's must see list - so beautiful & definitely worth the drive. Its a place to truly get away from it all. Just loved it - I highly recommend staying at Arkaba…
We booked at the Homestead for 3 nights in March and left after 2. We wanted to love this small hotel in the bush, however, found very little of interest. Perhaps, the problem was the timing of our visit. We went during a period of severe drought. We had looked forward to the game drives, but were disappointed. The only wildlife evident were some very ragged looking kangaroos.They truly looked stressed by the drought and heat. Yes, the owners are trying to restore the habitat that was destroyed by years of ranching, but they have a long way to go and the existing scene was very brown and desolate. We enjoyed the sunset drive, with views over the Flinders Range, but once was enough. We were driven to a National Park for a nature walk, but with the drought, it wasn't particularly interesting. Our room, in the main building was nice, with a large bath. However, the door to the room opened directly into the lounge, providing a public view of our bed and my napping husband. The quality of the food was good, though I think quantity could improve. As the menus are set, you eat what you are served. That was not a problem, as we are not picky eaters. For our seated lunch one day, we were offered a salad with some duck on it, followed by a sorbet. That was it. It seems that a soup and bread or something else would have made the meal more satisfying for people with bigger appetites. I have delayed this review, as I feel terrible about writing something negative. The staff were lovely and everyone is trying very hard to make the guests comfortable. We made an excuse aout having to visit a friend in Melbourne to explain our early exit in an effort to not cause hurt feelings. After a lot of thought, I finally decided to make these comments, as I don't believe the place is really worth the 4 1/2 hour drive from Adelaide.…
A fantastic 3 night stay at Arkaba. It was a real treat to be toured around the Flinders Ranges and be treated to wonderful food created by Luke and Lachlan. They easily adapted to our dietary requests. Things started early for sunrise, then hikes, and Safari vehicle rides and then a fantastic breakfast back at the homestead. Sunset tours and drinks were a highlight. All of the staff were great. There are only 5 rooms. Four are in the homestead and one is in an a nearby building. Rooms are nicely outfitted with modern bathrooms and king beds. Wines are included and there is a nice selection. There is not TV or Wifi so it is truly a getaway.
In early October we did the Arkaba Walk and stayed an extra night before and after the walk at the homestead. The absolute highlight was staying in the swags on the first two nights of the walk. Incredible skies and beautifull sunrises. The bush showers were a nice "adventure". The hikes led us through very diverse scenery and amazing landscape. Our guide (Mel) was incredibly good. The walks were pretty easy for us even in the 38° heat but we are used to hiking a lot. We normally got into camp (or the homestead on day 3) in the early afternoon. The meals that have been served at the homestead - and also "in the bush" - were excellent; great selection of wines (esecially at the homestead). This was definitely one of the highlights of our 10-week trip to Australia.
Stayed for 4 nights, with variety of sunrise and sunset guided drives, good walks, stunning landscapes and lots of native animals (esp kangaroos)and birds. All inclusive dining by resident chefs provided 1st class meals. Communal dining gave an opportunity to meet other guests from other places in the world. All staff, guides (Mel especially) we’re friendly & informative. Location of the homestead with limited number of guests as well as large surrounding land meant it was peaceful but allowed exploring of Wilpena Sound and the Flinders Ranges. Highly recommended.
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