South Australia's Ikara-Flinders Ranges & Outback has been named one of the world's top travel destinations for the year ahead; the only Australian place to make the list.
Global travel authority, Lonely Planet, unveiled its top destinations with the release of its Best in Travel list for 2026 today with the Flinders Ranges & Outback listed among globally renowned tourist destinations, such as Peru and Mexico City, reinforcing its place as a world-class tourism destination.
Available globally, the annual bestseller Lonely Planet's Best in Travel list names the top 25 destinations and top 25 experiences for the year ahead and includes local advice and essential experiences.
The Ikara-Flinders Ranges has long attracted travellers for its dramatic outback scenery, rich Aboriginal cultural heritage, and ancient geological wonders, being home to one of the world's most significant fossil sites holding the earliest evidence of complex life on earth.
The international listing adds to the State's recent accolades including Adelaide being named the #1 Best Place to Travel in 2026 by yahoo!creators and South Australia crowned Best Event State at the 2025 Australian Event Awards.
See Lonely Planet's Best in Travel list for 2026 at lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel.
Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said South Australians know the Flinders Ranges & Outback is one of the world's best destinations, and now it's official.
"Being named a top destination by Lonely Planet brings Ikara-Flinders Ranges global recognition on a monumental scale and comes as it moves one step closer to a UNESCO World Heritage listing," Minister Bettison said.
"As one of the world's best places to visit - the only one in Australia to make the list - this accolade will bolster the Ikara-Flinders Ranges' reputation as a must-see destination for travellers everywhere."
Lonely Planet Senior Director of Trade Sales and Marketing, Chris Zeiher said "I'm ecstatic to see the epic Ikara-Flinders Ranges and wider South Australian outback on our prestigious list, it's one of the world's most breathtaking environments perfectly primed for the world to discover in 2026."
"Each entry in Best in Travel 2026 reflects a personal experience from Lonely Planet's vast community of staff, contributors from around the world, publishing partners and more," Mr Zeiher said.
Prairie Hotel Co-owner, Ross Fargher said "I have always felt it imperative to share my passion for the Ikara Flinders Ranges both locally and internationally."
"My family came to the Flinders Ranges in the 1860's, the experiences, recollections, relationships and multi-generational stories of the Fargher family create a memorable journey of 550 million years from the dawn of animal life, through aboriginal custodianship and pastoral heritage to the protection of country for all time," Mr Fargher said.
