Spend your long weekend Camping, Hiking, Nourishing your body and Learning on Country.
A Hiking Retreat that actually gives you the skills you need to continue hiking on your own…
Allira Potter is partnering with Enliven Outdoor Adventures to bring you the Ikara Hiking Retreat.
This experience is designed for women who are craving more adventure in their life, want to learn more about Australian Aboriginal cultures and histories, and are ready to gain new hiking skills with other women…
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"You MUST join Elise on an outdoor adventure ASAP! She is a highly organised, caring and passionate person who clearly works hard (and loves) to immerse those she guides fully into the experience. Elise creates connections between people, culture and nature. She does this all with humour, warmth, inclusivity and obvious skill! ."
-Kylie, facebook review 2023
What thE Ikara hiking retreat is designed to do
Deepen your connection with nature through four days immersed in the spectacular landscapes of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park with cultural learning from Adnyamathanha Guides.
Build practical hiking skills and confidence through guided walks, “Hike Ready” workshop and expert instruction, so you feel more capable of planning your own adventures.
Connect with like-minded women, including hiking and wellness advocate, Allira Potter as well as newfound friends who share your desire for adventure, wellbeing and spending more meaningful time outdoors.
Return home feeling more self-led outdoors with the confidence, knowledge and inspiration to continue your hiking journey long after the retreat ends.
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"Get out of your comfort zone, do something for you, and meet some amazing people all with the support of a woman who is all about empowering and teaching women about the outdoors. Just perfect. "
-Hannah, google review 2024
This retreat is for you if:
You're craving time that's just for you - away from the demands of work, family and everyday responsibilities, with space to reconnect with yourself in nature.
You want to build your hiking confidence in a supportive, women-only environment, whether you're relatively new to hiking or looking to take the next step in your outdoor journey.
You're looking for genuine connection with like-minded women who value adventure, wellbeing, culture, personal growth and meaningful conversation.
You're ready to invest in yourself by developing practical hiking skills, creating lifelong memories and returning home feeling more capable, grounded and self-led outdoors.
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"Facilitation was brilliant - inclusive and considerate of everyone in our group. Highly recommend Enliven for anyone looking to spend time outdoors, in nature. Worth both your time and money!"."
-Operation Flinders Staff google review 2023
Itinerary
What you can look forward to over the 4 days
(click the + symbol for each day’s highlights)
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Morning - meet and greet/ toilets/ briefing/ last-minute purchases for a departure when we're ready.
Arvo - arrive at Wilpena and set up camp before a Welcome onto Adnyamathanha Country
Night - Dinner, dessert and debrief
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Morning - optional jog, breakfast, Yura Artu Cultural Tour with smoking ceremony, ancient rock art, fossils, and visit to Wadna store.
Arvo - Down time then Hike into Pound Gap.
Night - Dinner, Dessert & Debrief
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Morning - optional sleep in, breakfast, and Hike Ready Workshop. Begin Main Hike for the trip to Mt Ohlssen Bagge (or similar).
Arvo - Return from the day hike and enjoy a post-hike group stretch.
Night - Dinner, Dessert & Debrief
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Morn - Sunrise Ceremony, Breakfast, pack and checkout. Late morning final hike at Arkaroo Rock
Arvo - Return drive to ADL via Melrose.
Eve - Arrive at Plant 4, Bowden at approx 5:30pm (subject to change depending on road conditions, traffic etc.)
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“Elise has such an inclusive, welcoming and encouraging approach to how she works. Take it from this return adventurer.”
-Louise, google review 2025.
The Details
Dates: Friday 2nd - Monday 5th October 2026 (over the Long Weekend)
Group size: Minimum of 6 and a Maximum of 10 guests, ensuring plenty of one-on-one support and a close-knit community feel.
Inclusions:
Nourishing Meals (4 x lunches, 3 x restaurant dinners, 3 x buffet breakfasts)
Return bus transport ex ADL with accredited driver
3 nights camping accommodation at Wilpena Pound Resort
Welcome to Country with Adnyamathanha Guide
Yura Mulka Sacred Canyon Tour and smoking ceremony with Rehannah Coulthard from Yura Artu.
Hike Ready Education workshop with Elise Lavers
Guided Daily Hikes
Fireside chats with nightly debriefs
Final Morning sunrise ritual
Enliven Journal and Pen
a PDF Guidebook to accompany your stay
Access to your hosts, Allira Potter and Elise Lavers for the duration of the retreat
Digital Photos folder to remember the trip by
First Aid Supplies, Emergency Hiking Equipment, sunscreen, sanitiser, bug spray.
Tent, mattress, sleeping bag and camp chair hire.
Access to “The Outdoor Woman” closed enliven community so you can feel supported in your hiking journey and even find members in your area to hike with.
Access to enliven discounts on hiking gear and meals so that you can save money on your hiking kit.
PLUS some special surprise gifts to support your wellbeing on retreat
Not Included: Additional Snacks (BYO so you know you have exactly what you like, OR buy some there at the resort)
Travel insurance. Please purchase your own travel insurance policy in case of cancellation/ accident/ injury/ illness etc.
Investment:
$2970 inc GST
(image - Outback Glow, South Australian Tourism Commission, Harry Vick, Flinders Ranges & Outback)
meet your hiking buddy; Allira Potter
Allira Potter is a proud Yorta Yorta woman, intuitive reader, writer, model and empowerment and mindset coach. Her practice is deeply rooted in culture, cultural awareness, and education, with a focus on debunking the wellness narrative to drive diverse representation and the decolonisation of a traditionally white-dominated wellness space.
Hiking now frequently features in Allira's commitment to her health, wellness, and personal growth journey. In May 2026, Allira successfully hiked to Everest Base Camp, and upon her return to South Australia, hosted Australia's Slowest Bushwalk in the Adelaide Hills.
With a grounded, intuitive presence and a witty sense of humour, Allira is known for her warm personality and refreshingly authentic approach to life. Her work champions cultural diversity, body positivity, and mental wellbeing, using her platform to create content that is as engaging as it is educational.
Through her socially broadcast messaging, Allira empowers women to embrace their bodies and love who they are. An experienced professional speaker and writer, Allira has also released her first book ‘Wild & Witchy’ - a handbook for millennials about life, loss, spirituality, and women’s intuition.
Above all, Allira remains grounded in her truth and her connection to the roots of her Indigenous culture. Guided by her relationships with Elders and her own cultural learnings, she ensures her business model always puts First Nations people first.
Allira is passionate about getting diverse women hiking. Join her at Ikara, Wilpena Pound.
meet your hiking guide; Elise Lavers
I GREW UP IN THE MID-NORTH OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND AS A KID, I LOVED NOTHING MORE THAN HIKING THROUGH THE LOCAL FOREST AND CAMPING IN THE FLINDERS RANGES.
AFTER EXPERIENCING HOW MALE-DOMINATED OUTDOOR SPACES CAN BE, I BECAME PASSIONATE ABOUT CONNECTING WOMEN BACK TO THEMSELVES, TO OTHER WOMEN, AND NATURE THROUGH POSITIVE, LOW- BARRIER OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES IN SA.
I’VE NOTICED THAT MANY WOMEN HAVE A THIRST FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE, BUT THEY SOMETIMES DON’T HAVE THE SKILLS, THE EXPERIENCE, OR THE FRIENDS TO GO WITH, SO I DESIGNED HIKE READY TO TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE GUESS WORK.
I HAVE A BACHELOR OF HEALTH SCIENCE AND A BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, +10 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE OUTDOOR TOURISM AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION INDUSTRIES.
AWAY FROM WORK, I HIKED THE 1,000KM BIBBULMUN TRACK LAST WINTER, WITH 650KMS SOLO. I ALSO HIKED TASMANIA’S SOUTH COAST TRACK IN JANUARY THIS YEAR. I WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU TO DO THE SAME.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Health Science
Bushwalking Leadership SA Qualified Guide
Paddle Australia Qualified Instructor
Cert III in Maritime Operations
Wilderness First Aid trained
Find Connection, Hiking Craft and confidence on the ikara hiking retreat.
October Long Weekend, 2nd - 5th October 2026
Wilpena Night Sky - Matthew Storer, shared with permission from SATC.
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"Elise is great, her lovely personality and passion for the outdoors shines through her teaching and the time we had together. 10/10 recommended to everyone."
-Michelle, google review 2023
Frequently asked questions
Q: Do I need to be fit & have any previous hiking experience
A moderate level of fitness is required as we will be doing hikes that are both uphill & downhill, on uneven ground and that go for longer than 1 hour. All hikes will be adapted to suit the group. If you have any injuries, health conditions or body niggles, please let us know - it is important that you feel comfortable and able to do the activities on this retreat.
Q: How will we communicate as a group?
A WhatsApp group will be created for communicating before and during the trip, and for sharing photos afterwards. We will email you a link to the Whatsapp group to join in the week before our trip. Join the group and feel free to ask any questions you may have or introduce yourself to make yourself feel comfortable and ready before our exciting adventure. If you don't already have WhatsApp just download it for free from your app store.
Q:When and where will we meet?
We will meet in the carpark opposite Plant 4 Bowden IGA store on day one at 7:00am and depart shortlynafterwards. There are trains, trams and buses all nearby, and there is ample easy parking if you are getting a lift with a friend or a driver. We will return to the same place at approximately 5:30pm on day 4 (this arrival time may change due to road conditions and hold-ups along the way, so please be prepared for a slightly earlier or later arrival back). This carpark has a 3hr parking limit, so we recommend getting dropped-off if possible.
Q: Is there a waiver?
Yes. Please follow this link to complete your waiver as soon as possible so we can be prepared with all of your details before day one. Please ensure you include information on any injuries or health conditions Elise should be aware of.
Q: What will the food be like?
We want you to enjoy this experience and food has a big part to play! We regularly cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and lactose free customers, and the feedback on the options available to them has been great. On the journey to Wilpena we will stop in for lunch at a local gourmet cafe. At Wilpena, all our meals will be catered by the resort, including buffet breakfasts (cold and hot options), packed sandwich lunches, and delicious 2 course restaurant dinners.
Q: Will there be phone reception?
The phone reception around Wilpena is limited, and it's better with Telstra and we will have a satellite phone for emergencies. We recommend telling your friends and family that you will be out of contact for most of the weekend just to keep them informed. It is also a great time to step away from your phone! We recommend putting your phone on flight mode so it can still be used to take photos without being hassled or wasting battery searching for service. For any reason, my work phone number is below. Elise - 0428 032 232
Q:What will the accommodation be like?
We will be staying in individual private tents at Wilpena Pound Resort Camp Ground with access to hot showers and flushing toilets. Your retreat includes the hire of a tent, mattress, sleeping bag, and camp chair as well as a lesson on how to pitch your private tent.
Q: How much down-time will I have?
All evenings after dinner are for fire hang-outs/down-time. You will also have time on one of the afternoons dedicated to solo down-time. All activities are of course, optional. However, on previous retreats our guests have discovered immense integration benefits and beautiful connections when they have participated in all elements of the retreat.
Q: Can I drink the water there?
You will be supplied with a large bottle of water every day by the resort, as well as daily water refills with our lunch packs. You can fill your waterbottles up at the restaurant where we will have breakfast and dinners.
Ready? Join the Ikara Hiking Retreat
the pound landscape, Wilpena Pound by @saltythebus photographer - Madie Stevens