The Opal Trail by Air

Life Underground

Leaving the General Aviation Terminal in Adelaide your aircraft takes you to the world-famous opal-mining town of Coober Pedy. The name means, in Aboriginal dialect, ‘white man in a hole’. On arrival you will be transferred to your accommodation.  After lunch, you will enjoy a guided tour through this intriguing mining town. The tour visits the famous underground dwellings, as well as giving an insight into how opal is mined. The tour provides a fascinating insight into how people adapt lifestyles to fit in with a harsh environment.   The evening is spent at the famous ‘Desert Cave Hotel’, which features underground rooms and even an underground bar. There will be ample opportunity to view the opal wares and maybe buy a special souvenir.

O/n – Desert Cave Hotel

Day 2

The next day your aircraft departs Coober Pedy for Roxby Downs, near South Australia’s second opal centre, Andamooka, where you will learn that ‘opals ain’t opals’ – and the same applies to opal towns. During the day, which includes an entertaining town tour and a chance to don a hat, take a pick and mine some opal you will experience the interesting contrasts between these frontier towns. From Andamooka, the flight returns to Adelaide to complete the circuit of the Opal Trail.

Tour departs daily 08:30 at the general aviation terminal and returns 17:30 the following day