Wilpena pound resort Review

Advised by our tour operator, this park is indeed a must. The wild beauty of the "Pound", the naturalness of the park, the wild life among the tourists, the quality of accommodation, hiking to the "pound" we will leave a lasting memory.
If time allows (and your means too) I recommend flying over this natural curiosity by plane (Cesna 4 to 5 seats), for photos or films of pound, the park and the vast wilderness that surrounds them.
A downside however, my first visa card BNP France has not been accepted by the bank ANZ governing the transactions of the Park. On the end of a 3 week Australian South Road Trip (and with a largely stocked account) I had this mishap 2 times and each time with ANZ (Canberra QT and Wilpena Pound Park). I advise to take enough cash to cover this risk.

Our overall experience of this place was excellent, starting with the friendly welcome we received from Kerry & Andrew , who are both Adnyamathanha people, ( original custodians of this area) they were happy to share with us they're cultural knowledge and wisdom, as well as they're special place here at Ikara (Wilpena pound ) a very special place indeed. Thank-you & warm regards from Justin and Louise Fletcher

There is nothing wrong with this place and hence 5 stars. Just didnt get what we expected.
We were thinking plenty of wildlife..exotic animals around but nothing like that. Only exception was when we left in early morning, there were roos all around the lodges and were just at arm length. We enjoyed the walking trails and the history of wilpena pound itself. The old train station nearby is a beautiful piece of history..though its abandoned. The resort is high quality..excellent food and hospitality. Location is perfect and over all a 5 start experience.

The stunning scenery, the vivid blue skies, the crystal-clear fresh air and the myriad of stars at night only serve to complement this outstanding resort. The rooms are large, clean and very comfortable, as well as being quiet and peaceful. The breakfast is amazing, with every taste catered for. The staff are so good and nothing is too much trouble. I particularly enjoyed the "Welcome to Country" ceremony that one of the Aboriginal Elders conducted each evening before dinner, allowing us to gain some insight into the culture and traditions of our first Australians.

Really great!, Definitely get a sense of the outback from here

Just a beautiful place ti stay lots to see there and around

Visited on a day trip. Shop is well stocked. Fuel, water, ice, potable water, beer and food.

Stayed in the Safari Tents which were absolutely great, serviced well, clean and tidy. The resort on the other hand was quite scruffy around the edges and the food served in the restaurant was pretty bad. There s one shop in the resort and you pay for the convenience.

I have stayed here and enjoyed my stay. Service good, room was clean and well presented. Food was good, and some reasonable wines.Flinders Ranges are a fantastic place to visit.

Beautiful surroundings steeped in indigenous history
Great camping spot
Restaurant has interesting varied menu with emu pie, kangaroo and camel sausages
Loved the pool as it is 32 today
Highly recommended

I was there in May 2019. The Flinders Ranges National Park and especially Wilpena Pound are stunning and one of my favourite places in South Australia.
The campground and resort are the only accommodation available so close to the Wilpena Pound. It is the gate for all hikers who want to explore the pound and the surrounding ranges like St. Mary's peak.
I have visited the resort and campground on five occasions over the last 12 years. Nothing much has changed there so far.
The bar and restaurant in the resort look more or less the same, 1980s standards and are in good nick. The toilet and shower blocks on the campground need an overhaul. The amenities for campers have a "beautiful" 80s (or is it 70s?) feel to them. The buildings are not closed to the outside but the air is freely circulating through large wooden lattices that are sitting between the 2 m walls and the roof. In SA winter, when temperatures go down to 0 C and below at night this is a chilly place. The showers kept changing temperature between ice cold and boiling hot, depending on how many people were showering and the water pressure is poor.
The staff is another issue. They are very laid back, meaning that in the tourist information I got totally ignored by the lady behind the counter. There was only one other customer, a backpacker who was studying some brochures on her own. I had to actively approach the staff member to get her attention for a simple map of the trails. "Help yourself" was the only answer I got out of her.
The signage on the trails has not changed much since I was there for the first time. The signs are spread out widely and it is hard to find the trailhead.
The last weather and hiking conditions update on the whiteboard at the trailhead was 2 weeks old.
This is a remote location, however there is sealed roads all the way to Adelaide, so it is not too difficult getting building materials there.
Although the place is generally well kept and clean a few things could be done. I think the management are very reliant on the scenery/location and not so much on upgrades and customer service.

Really nice place for a weekend family camping. Service was great but due to covid restrictions pool wasn't available which was annoying.

Great place for bush walks and beautiful landscapes. Great place to see Australian wildlife, however the accommodation was a bit of a let down. They were not serviced to what they should be at $340a night - I would not expect to see dead flies on window sills a toilet bowl with urine stains mould and dust throughout the bathroom and three towels for a booking for 5. The rooms overall with a freshen up and proper cleaning could be amazing.

Facilities all good. Bathrooms need a bit extra TLC.

Fantastic location, very comfortable rooms, great food. Spectacular hiking right outside the door.

Still ok, good buffet breakfast , but nothing has changed in 30 odd years, needs a major upgrade. However , we were there for mothernature so no probs

Fantastic place to visit. Different types of accomadation. We had a safari tent. All facing the ranges as nd pound. Great views. A bit needs to be spent on maintenance. We had a great stay. Fully recommend.

The glamping experience was amazing, kicking back watching the local kangaroos, enjoying the sunsets.

Great place to stay. The rooms are comfortable, the staff are great.

Really great spot and the food was very good too. If you want to hike you can do it direct from the resort as well which is a big plus

Clean and comfortable, but 'resort' is taking it a bit far. It's kind of like being back in the 80s - which is pleasant enough.

We recently spent four nights at the resort and were disappointed.Our unit had a queen and two single beds. My wife slept in the single bed and with overnight temperatures down to 7 degrees found one blanket was not enough. We requested another blanket but were only given a double blanket folded in half which did not really do the job. The second day our unit was not serviced at all and on the third day only the queen bed was made and the wet face washers in the bath were not removed and replaced. The tiles under the bathroom sink and bench were stained and dirty. The TV constantly lost power and took some time to get it going again ( and I am not talking about the loss of signal which was understandable given the location). This was reported to Reception. At $1090.00 for four nights we did expect better. Lack of competition is no excuse for poor performance.

for nature lovers, easy bush trails and stars watching, lovely bistro food!

We recently stayed at the Wilpena Pound Resort and chose the glamping option of accommodation. These were set up on the edge of the property and kangaroos, emus and goats grazed nearby which were a delight. The tents were exceptionally comfortable and well appointed with a tiled en suite, comfortable furniture and an outdoor deck with a fire pit nearby to enjoy. An added bonus was no tv and mobile coverage was limited. Breakfast and dinner were included in our package and the meals were provided in the main building and were delicious. Throughout the Park all the staff were very accommodating and happy. A highlight was the 1/2 day 4wd tour with an exceptional guide, Mick, who took us to beautiful gorges and valleys within this spectacular part of Australia. He was able to provide interesting information pointing out the geology and Aboriginal aspects. There were many walking trails and the scenery was outstanding.

Add this place to your bucket list.
What an amazing place.
Easy access on well maintained sealed roads. Plenty of caravan and camping areas, a restaurant and bar, swimming pool and airconditioned rooms that are spread around the grounds amongst the trees.

Endless walking trails and dirt roads that are easily accessible with normal cars or 4x4's to view the sights.
Bring your camera and don't miss the 'Welcome to country' talk at 6pm around the campfire in winter. We learnt a lot and gained much more respect for the Traditional Owners of Australia.

An amazing place to stay if you want to explore Wilpena Pound.

The Wilpena Pound trail-head is at the entrance to resort, with walks ranging from a short stroll into Wilpena Pound, to climbs up to Mount Ohlssen-Bagge or St Mary Peak.

The resort is accessible in just about any car, if you want to go further out and explore more of the Flinders Ranges, it's definitely worth driving a 4WD down.

We stayed for 3 nights and loved it!

We were camping. Facilities ok but dirty. Camping areas very sheltered for tents. Campers are able to use the resort pool however it was covered in mosquitoes when we were there. Lots of wildlife in the area.

Decent cafe, great value buffet breakfast. Friendly and helpful staff.

We stayed in one of the Ikara Safari Camp tents and had a fantastic time. Even though the weather was very cold, the tent was warm and comfortable. The resort bar and restaurant were also warm with friendly and helpful staff and good food. The welcome to country was especially appreciated and hopefully helped some of the guests understand Australia's debt to the traditional custodians of our land. I appreciated the reception staff sorting out a small problem with our bill and greatly appreciated them posting me my hat which I left in the tent. Over and above what is required- that' s what makes good service!!

Beautiful serene atmosphere we loved the safari tent and surrounding views and fauna.

The two male receptionist seems lazy. Pool are closed during covid. Walked past the rooms. I don't think it's worth $200 a Night. Suprisngly the Wi-Fi is super fast

Ikara Safari Camp is the ideal solution for those who want to live a different experience, sleeping in the middle of nature under the sky
star of South Australia, without sacrificing comfort.
All tents are equipped. I highly recommend staying longer than 3 days in this place surrounded by nature.

Great location for walks, unpowered sites are reasonably priced and amenities were clean

Accommodation really needs looking at. Clean but very tired . They need an update and plumbing is a bit hit and miss. Staff try very hard and are helpful, but not many senior staff to help out. Overpriced but still a great location. Could be tremendous if a bit of renovation applied.

Ideally placed to explore the Founders Range and Wilpena pound but the facilities hardly match most cheap.caravan parks. Seems a bit dated.

had a few issues with things like room cleanliness, the gorge tour was great though

Really liked this resort it would be great for a walking holiday stop for experienced hiker and beginners like me

. This is our 4th visit to Wilpena over the last 30 years and like me the motel area is looking tired. The staff and food were excellent but it is showing its age. We Glamped but wouldn't again as although the view is great it's basically a glorified tent.

The staff and food are great, the pool clean and so are the rooms. Great place for a day trip or short holiday.

Great place, limited amenities but you can't expect much more considering the remote location. If you're there when it's busy make sure that you hit the showers early.

Great base to explore the Flinders. They also have a small supermarket, and good restaurant/bar. The petrol was also cheaper than Hawker.

Awesome experience. The airplane ride was amazing and would definitely recommend to all.

Peaceful camping in the Flinders Ranges NP - what a best way to wake up in the forest with kangaroos and emus right at your doorstep?! No camp kitchen but BBQs and sink for dishwashing. Showers and toilets are cleaned every day which is great as it can be quite busy.

Ginnie the lady in the shop is extremely rude

Probably won't come back

Great place to stay. Everytime you go there is always something different to explore. Great service. Will definitely come back again

Interesting place. Expensive for what you get but "interesting".

The tour was informative, and interesting the evening show was enjoyable.

Every thing is old. Power pylons wobbley. Facilities and windows in reception and ablutions dirty. Whole lot seems to lack TLC.

Fantastic place. Good rooms (Brachina rooms at least). Friendly staff at the reception BUT the lady at the bar is not friendly at all.

Overpriced rooms. Bad reception sraff who don't answer questions, only refer you to the map. Inadequate dining area with not enough seating. Every night we had to stand around ready to pounce on a table when one became free. Paid over $630 for 2 nights. Room was for two adults and 2 kids. The rooms weren't private and the entrance to the bathroom was via the kid's room...weird. The room was not made up after the first night. Rooms were old and shabby. Kitchen had ants. Bathroom was ordinary too with old stained bath with overhead shower and dodgy curtain. Only nice thing is the location. Food was nice but huge portions and quite expensive. Not a lot of choice either.

Wonderful place To spend 1 or 2 nights just close To the kangarous

Plenty of space. Having a general store on sight makes it a very convenient place to stay.

Fantastic place to stay, plenty of wildlife to see near the camp and on the walking trails. Staff are friendly and helpful. The 4WD adventure and scenic flight are a must do

Beautiful scenery and friendly staff. Be aware that many of the harder walks are closed during the summer months, so plan accordingly.

Fantastic local trails and services, lots of flies in summer, but to be expected, keep your food sealed up properly, the roos will have it

Camping for a week at resort. Great campsite. The camping area is very large and despite the large numbers over Easter weekend, the place never felt crowded. Great basecamp for exploring the Flinders Ranges. Only drawback is the lack of any camp kitchen facilities.

Don't be fooled by the images on the website. My husband and I stayed here for 2 nights and were very disappointed with the lack of organisation, maintenance and cleanliness. The bathroom was filthy and there was limited hot water. There was no resort information available in the rooms. The decor is outdated, window coverings tatty and ill-fitting. It looks as though there has been no general upkeep since the place was established. The few supplies were not replenished but were poor quality anyway so you may prefer to supply your own.
On the plus side, the restaurant/bar appeared clean and had a nice fire burning to keep us warm. The room had RC airconditioning, however it was so noisy, you could not possibly use it overnight. The staff were very friendly in reception, visitor information centre and the restaurant, however the management and quality control of this resort is in desperate need of a serious overhaul to attract tourists to this beautiful region which has so much to offer.

Great place... awesome walks and great facilities... Beware of the icy pool

Lovely place. Unpowered sites a bit of a mess and walk to amenities. But overall top spot. Great walks

Had a wonderful time. Recommend it for a great holiday.

Considering the remoteness of the location - they do a good job. Friendly staff, rooms a bit dated but the pool is great on a hot day, and it does get hot. Wilpena Pound is an incredible location.

A beautiful location amongst the majestic Flinders Rangers. While it was lovely to have great access to some excellent hiking trails it was great to come back to camp and enjoy a cold beer/ glass of wine at the bar with happy hour each night from 5 till 6. Great staff, easy going atmosphere.

Stayed in the safari tent. Very disappointing. Needs better management. Don't pay extra for the tents, absolutely not worth it.

Perfect location and easy to get to all the walking trails, the staff were fantastic and very eager to help, the restaurant also to my surprise had some really good food.
On the downside the safari tent we stayed in was very loud in the wind, the fixtures would make a horrible metal on metal screeching sound which was very loud and constant and made it very very difficult to sleep at night. Would 100% stay again but would avoid the safari tents.

Fantastic place,staff where really friendly and helpful. Rooms where large very clean and comfortable.Good breakfast too Really amazing walking/ hiking tracks. Highly recomnend you go there.

Nice location.
Excellent views
Friendly and helpful staff.
Good place to visit
Issues with power which impacted on running the caravan fridge and aircoditioner.
Toilets and showers needed a good clean.

This place is for the gamers, me and the lads like to crack a cold one here, HOWEVER THERE ARE DEAD RATS IN THE BEDS!

Yes very disappointed with this place not what it's made out to be Rangers were not very nice at all paid money to go drive to the pound then we found out we were in it and it's just a little campground not worth anything rubbish a lot nicer places on the way past it so if you see it keep driving don't stop helicopter tours are a rip off incredible expense for very short time in the air that is just up the road 20 ks past will it be in a pound at one of the campgrounds the Crown ground is very lovely and worth going to but do not do the helicopter ride they are thieves

As owner operator of Just Cruisin 4WD Tours you can't beat Wilpena Resort for professionalism and great service.

What a place great destination that your selves take the kids take you grandma boat take your dog. Wild life, stars, quiet times and a happy hour at the bar something for every one.

Great to have a place to have food and drinks and a swim on hot summer days