Outback Camel Company - Desert Treks & Expeditions

Australia's living connection to 19th Century Desert Exploration & Afghan Cultural Heritage

The Outback Camel Company has been exploring the vast deserts of inland Australia since 1976 after successfully completing Australia's first commercial camel expedition - across the Simpson Desert. Using our string of packcamels to carry all the supplies and equipment, we honour the tradition of the pioneering 'Afghan' cameleers who played such a crucial role in the exploration, development and sustenance of inland Australia. Our camels represent the last living link to the golden days of exploration by camel in Australia, as we are the only camel tour operator in the country that actively explores all of the continents great deserts without restricting ourselves to one area, and in 2008 we present a range of distinctive educational treks & expeditions travelling through some of Central Australia's most remote areas.

All our desert journeys are walking treks - they are not "camel riding safaris." The most effective way to learn about the beautiful Australian deserts is to walk and live in them - and our journeys represent the most effective way to do this. Our camel string is totally self-sufficient – there are neither back-up vehicles nor wagons – which not only enables us to travel almost anywhere in the true style of the explorers of the 19th and early 20th centuries, but also provides an authentic, back-to-basics and comprehensive Australian 'bush experience'.

Your active participation is essential and you will be asked to contribute to the operation of your trek or expedition, assisting our cameleers with the daily tasks. The comprehensive pre-departure information will help to ensure that you are well prepared for the enriching experience of working with the camels. Duties would include shepherding them in the mornings & evenings whilst they feed and, under the supervision of the cameleers, helping to saddle the camels and load the equipment. Your Outback Camel Company cameleers cook all the meals on the campfire but help from aspiring chefs is always welcome!

Our short treks ranges from 12 to 16 days, exploring the Great Victoria Desert in South Australia, the Gibson and Great Sandy Desert's in Western Australia and the Simpson Desert & Finke River in the Northern Territory. In western Queensland and the northeast of South Australia we operate treks that combine the desert dunes with the extensive waterholes of the Diamantina River and Eyre Creek. We vary our operating area and schedule from year to year depending on the seasonal conditions in each desert.

The ultimate Australian desert experience would have to be our Simpson Desert Expedition – a complete west-east crossing of the Simpson Desert. This magnificent journey, the world’s longest and most challenging commercial camel expedition, takes 28 days to cross the over 1000 sand ridges from Old Andado Station in the Northern Territory to Birdsville in western Queensland. We are not running the west-east Simpson Desert Expedition this year.

In our 32nd year we present treks & expeditions that will enable you to explore and experience the Outback in a way that you may never have thought possible. Journeys that will reconnect you to the land. Trekking with the amiable, charismatic camels offers an intimacy with the soul of the country that is completely absent when travelling by vehicle. You will discover that the pace of nomadic life will re-awaken your senses as they become attuned to the life, beauty, diversity and moods of the surrounding desert. You will not forget the camaraderie, the seemingly endless vistas, the brilliant evening glow of the stars, the captivating serenity of the day and pure silence of the night, and of course the remarkable attributes of the camels.

Lake MacKay, Gibson Desert 2005

Our renowned Simpson Desert Expedition (from the Northern Territory to Queensland) is rated by

as one of the ‘25 Greatest Adventures In The World'.

click here to visit Australian Desert Expeditions and view their journeys for 2008

This site was last updated on August 6th 2008