South Australia’s Flinders Ranges & Outback has been named as one of the world’s top travel destinations for the year ahead – and is the only Australian place to make the list. Available globally, the annual bestseller Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026 includes the top 25 Destinations and top 25 Experiences for the year ahead including local advice and essential experiences.

Global travel authority, Lonely Planet, has today unveiled its top destinations with the release of their Best in Travel list for 2026. The Flinders Ranges & Outback is listed amongst globally renowned tourist destinations such as Peru and Mexico City, reinforcing its place as a world-class tourism destination.

The majestic Flinders Ranges & Outback 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.

Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison welcomed the announcement. “Being named a top destination by Lonely Planet brings Flinders Ranges global recognition on a monumental scale and comes as it moves one step closer to a UNESCO World Heritage listing.”

“South Australians know the Flinders Ranges & Outback is one of the world’s best destinations, and now it’s official.”

“As one of the world’s best places to visit – the only one in Australia to make the list – this accolade will bolster the Flinders Ranges’ reputation as a must-see destination for travellers everywhere.”

Chris Zeiher, Senior Director of Trade Sales and Marketing, Lonely Planet shared his excitement.

“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.”

Owner of the iconic Prairie Hotel and fourth generation pastoralist, Ross Fargher, has always felt it imperative that he shares his passion for the 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.”

“Sharing the ancient & rugged beauty of this incredibly diverse landscape has always been important to me, as well as my commitment to the protection of the fossils and the significance of the Nilpena site.”

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.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026 – Complete list Places
• Botswana
• Peru
• Jeju-do, South Korea
• Flinders Ranges & Outback, South Australia
• Cádiz, Spain
• Liberdade, São Paulo, Brazil
• Sardinia, Italy
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park, USA
• Réunion
• Tunisia
• Barbados
• Solomon Islands
• Maine, USA
• Mexico City, Mexico
• Tipperary, Ireland
• Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala
• Jaffna, Sri Lanka
• Phuket, Thailand
• Utrecht, Netherlands
• Cartagena, Colombia
• Finland
• Quy Nhon, Vietnam
• British Columbia, Canada
• Siem Reap, Cambodia
• North Island, New Zealand/Aotearoa