Slow Travel: Pack-free Desert Bushwalking

Maximum group size: 12 trekkers

 

Eastern Simpson Desert Treks

Departure Dates: 

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Eastern Simpson 1

9 Day Trek - April 24 > May 2, 1 day flight & 4WD/7 days trekking/1 day 4WD & flight $5130

Nearly full!

Eastern Simpson 2

9 Day Trek - May 8 > May 16, 1 day flight & 4WD/6 days trekking/2 days 4WD & flight $4800
Nearly full!

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Trek Grade: 

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The Eastern Simpson Desert Trek is just the right duration for first time Desert Bushwalkers. This part of the desert is sort of 'our backyard' and we have been walking in this area since 1976.

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You walk alongside our team of packcamels accompanied by 5 cameleers who are your crew for the duration of the trek.

Our cameleers are not 'tour guides', they are experienced and seasoned stockmen/women who are specialists in handling and working with camels, and have a wealth of experience in walking the desert and knowledge of its flora & fauna, and are respectful of our First Nations people who call the desert home.

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We will be walking in the dune fields and swales of the eastern Simpson Desert, west of Birdsville in Queensland. The landscape consists of towering red/washed out white dunes and includes the floodplain of Eyre Creek which fringes much of the eastern side of the desert. We may pass through large stands of coolabah and gidgee (trees) interspersed with vast open sky country that is perfect for desert bushwalking.

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Walking in this landscape is on firm sand and occasional claypans and gibber (small stones) flats. If the eastern Simpson receives good soaking rain in late March/early April, there may be a profusion of yellow flowers such as poached-egg daisy & 'Yellowtop' covering the landscape, and supplying our camels with fresh feed.... however it's not until we actually get out there in April 2023 that we will know the extent of any rainfall.

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May, June and July is ideal walking weather in Central Australia and over the course of a 5 to 6 hour walking day you would walk approximately between 8 to 10 kilometres.  Our pace of travel is determined by the camels and their ability to negotiate the dunes or other landforms in the landscape. They carry all your personal gear, and all you have to carry is your day pack. 

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This is a very real, very Australian desert experience. Camels are the perfect cross-country vehicle and so we don't follow roads or tracks, and there is no vehicle back-up: we don't need it! Camps are chosen for the availability of camel feed, and we never camp in the same place twice. And in addition, as we are Australia's only trekking company that specialise in remote desert travel, you won't 'bump into' any other groups of trekkers. 

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All of our treks are active participation-based experiences and the cameleers will involve you with loading and unloading the camels as much as you wish to be involved. Similarly, your assistance is always greatly welcomed with the numerous camp chores to be done at the end of the day such as collecting firewood or helping to shepherd the camels as they feed.