Outback Spirit Tours

I didn’t travel with them… and I’m glad I didn’t. I was in Cathedral Cove at Purnululu National Park, taking in the beauty of it and John, a guide from outback spirit started to play music over a speaker which echoed so loudly. I thought he would just do one song but he played a second one. Completely disrespectful and inconsiderate of everyone in… Read more

the space and the cove itself.

I went up to him and asked him to please turn it off and he replied with ‘it’s a free country’

I would NEVER want to travel with a guide who was so disconnected with the special places in the Kimberly. I can’t believe a guide (who should be experienced in how to navigate around other visitors) could be so inconsiderate to other visitors.

Okay we found the tour guides to be very good (he was German she was Dutch) HOWEVER we found the tour itself nice but overly expensive and at least one hotel was really basic,, The company themselves is awful to work with, promises and promises but then the follow through does not happen,, as a travel agent yes they offer some good tour but you pay top dollar for them,, I would look around and try to find something or someone else,, MY OPINION Show details

9 Day tour Gems of the South West – We went on this tour in November 2024. It was the first tour in this area that the company had done and there were some teething problems. As we have never been given a feedback form to fill out after the tour I can only put comments here in the hope that the company is able to use them to improve future tours. There were 24 guests on the tour… Read more

and only the driver, no tour guide. This made it pretty difficult for the driver who tried his best and was pleasant at all times. Morning tea was always at the bus - there was tea and coffee and mainly biscuits, cheese and crackers etc. There was plenty to eat but it would have been nice to have a sit down morning tea now and then - there were plenty of little towns we either stopped at or drove through where we could have done that. However, the quantity was not an issue as the food in 90% of the places where we ate breakfast, lunch and dinner was plentiful and delicious. The exception was Bunker Bay Resort. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, the food was mediocre and the service was appalling. There were problems with meals at most places because we had to select our meal options 2 days in advance so by the time the meal came around everyone had forgotten what they'd ordered and the driver had to look at his records to sort it out. This worked out better in some venues that in others. A big shout out and thank you to Luke the waiter at Karri Valley Resort who sorted out all the meals with speedy professionalism and a big smile. A big no to Bunker Bay Resort. The company needs to liaise with the accommodation venues to smooth this out and look at their processes. The itinerary on paper sounded terrific but the reality was different. As someone in another review commented, the tour seemed to be driving around in the bus a lot of the time with not much to do other than stop for meals. If we had wanted a gourmet tour we would have signed up for that. The bus ws 4 wheel drive and very uncomfortable - obviously it is built for the outback tours not all - bitumen road tours. Each day we had 1, sometimes 2 "activities" which were often fairly underwhelming - The Dwellingup Forest Discovery Centre where we just wandered around on our own after a talk by the volunteer in the centre, The Pemberton Tram, A chocolate factory where we saw a short demonstration and then just shopped, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse where those who wished were escorted to the top of the Lighthouse and the rest left to explore the museum etc, Busselton Wharf - again left to our own devices, Mandurah cruise in a housing canal estate where the highlight appeared to be spotting dolphins and a full day to Rottnest Island. Some early mornings seemed unnecessary. We waited for a long time before boarding the Pemberton Tram and the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse climb could possibly have been booked for a bit later to give us a later start. This is the first and last tour we will be doing with this company. We have done many coach tours and expected better planning and organisation. It was not the driver's fault - he had to follow the itinerary set.

Kimberley Delight Tour - spectacular, amazing, sensational! – Outback Spirit Kimberley Delight 18 Day Tour was beyond expectations, everyday was spectacular, amazing, sensational. My first ever organised group tour, wasn’t sure how I’d go as I’m a very independent traveller. Show details

Excellent Kimberly trip – We had a fantastic trip of the Kimberlies. The journey was very well organised, and our driver/ guide was exceptional. He went out of his way to look after us, as well as being fun and doing his best in many different ways to make our holiday experience very successful. This was a great way to see Kimberlies which are amazing. Show details

Excellent! – A unique and outstanding scenic and cultural experience, a glimpse into places of exquisite beauty, sustaining a culture that has survived and evolved over 60,000 years. Our Outback Spirit guide/driver and the guides at the lodges were first rate, sharing their considerable knowledge with us and ensuring everyone was comfortable and able to… Read more

participate in the activities. Accommodation (all ensuite rooms), meals, attention to passenger comfort as well as the activities were top notch. The hotel staff at the lodges were welcoming, friendly and went the extra yards to give us the best possible experience. We were on the first tour of the year, and because the roads were still waterlogged, we were flown from lodge to lodge in 10-seater planes, avoiding long drives and allowing us to enjoy the spectacle of Arnhem land from the air. This year Outback Spirit are including a selection of spirits, wines and beers as well as soft drinks, to complement the excellent meals. The travellers were mostly “from an older demographic”. The walks were not arduous, the longest was about 4km, but they were on bush tracks, over rocky ground and not suited to wheelchairs or walking frames. A guide was always there to lend a hand to the less nimble and a shorter option was available to those who chose not to complete the trek. It is not a cheap holiday, you are enjoying the expertise of the guides, excellent accommodation and meals, comfortable well-maintained vehicles in places where it costs to bring all supplies by barge, truck or small plane. That is all the food and drinks, (at one lodge also drinking water), spare parts for vehicles, for air conditioners, all other equipment and consumables needed for passenger comfort every day from May till September. There is no mobile phone or internet connection from leaving Nhulunbuy till the final lodge before Darwin. And if you want intense physical activity or night time entertainment, it’s not the tour for you.

Fantastic Red Centre Tour – My wife and I have just returned from a 6 day Red Centre tour. Very comfortable new bus (26 seater), 1st class accommodation and beautiful weather. Had a wonderful time. Both guides were excellent, could not have done more for the group, and engaged with us at every opportunity. Their knowledge of the area including the local indigenous culture was respectful and incredibly detailed. Highly recommended. Show details

Below Expectations – My wife and I have just completed our 1st Outback Spirit trip ‘Pilbara and West Coast Expedition’. To say the tour was underwhelming would be an understatement. We were expecting a 5 star holiday to the West incorporating all of its indigenous culture, amazing experiences and sights. What we got instead was extremely long hours in the bus (8… Read more

hours approx. each day), 2nd rate lunches and a number of attractions closed or unreachable. Due to recent rain we could not get to Tom Price or Millstream-Chichester NP and there was also number of places closed at Karijini NP. The Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool were also closed off and had been closed since April 2021 some 15 months ago yet we still drove there. We were also rushed at the Pinnacles spending just 1 hour even though we were so excited given it was the first place we arrived at that was completely open. Each place we visited we were dropped off the Visitor centres to walk around and source our own information. Not once did we have a local indigenous elder or environmentalist join our tour for a culture or nature chat. Our biggest gripe was there was no Plan B for any of the sights that were closed. When you are paying that much money to see WA we expect to see things, not just sit in a bus. We made a suggestion to visit Kalbarri which was on the way to Geraldton and was advised ‘No, you will have to take the Wildflowers Tour to see that”. Given we had missed out on seeing so many parts of the tour and paid for these experiences, this should have been included as an alternative. Another complaint would be the lunches. We appreciate that it is often difficult to source lunch for a group in the Outback but every day we got a bread roll filled with salad. Despite stopping at towns and roadhouses where there were other options, we always had a bread roll outside of the bus. We pulled up at Carnarvon where it was raining and the whole group stood outside a hotel under their awning eating the bread roll, it was an appalling sight to see for a tour. The ‘picnic lunch’ soon lost its appeal. You would be best using some of that budget at alternative places or reducing the cost of the tour for people to buy their own. Not even a coffee was paid for. We have been left extremely disappointed and gutted that we spent so much on this tour and got nothing more than a glorified bus ride. This tour is over the top expensive and would only rate it 2 stars at best. We would not recommend this tour at all.

Racism – I am disgusted that after 2 tours with Outback Spirit that tour guides have racist views of First Australians. If you value cultural diversity and have a high degree of respect for First Australians, don’t travel with this company. Show details

Outback Spirit Tours is a very unreliable and unethical company – Outback Spirit Tours is a very unreliable and unethical company. After cancelling my tour date for the 4th time a week before departure, they said they would refund my full payment of more than $5000 by the end of the following week. I have received zero refund 12 days later and they now say it will take them 6 to 8 weeks to refund my money. We… Read more

booked a tour with them to Lake Eyre in flood on the soonest date available on their website. They cancelled that date and booked us on another date, we paid the deposit and sent in the forms, then they phoned to cancel that date and book a third date that was not so convenient. Then they phoned to cancel the 3rd date and offered us a date 10 days away. My friend could not travel on that date but I accepted the 4th date. They said I must pay the full amount that same day, having to pay the single supplement. This was a problem to realise more than $5000 with no warning and I lost interest, but I paid the full amount that same day in good faith. Three days later they phoned to say they had cancelled the 4th date due to low numbers of guests. This was 7 days before departure date when I had booked return flights to Adelaide and hotels in Adelaide. They offered me another date over Easter that I could not manage but by then I had zero trust left in Outback Spirit after all the cancellations. They offered me a full refund as they had cancelled the tour, and I have in writing on a Friday that 'this should be refunded by the end of next week' ie 7 days away. Nearly 2 weeks later I have received zero refund and when I phoned them they said they take 6 to 8 weeks to refund payments. This is disgraceful when they made me pay them the same day. They have use of my money for weeks while I lost interest by paying immediately when they cancelled the 3rd date and added another tour. Also I had to pay Qantas an extra $81 to change the flights, and Outback Spirit should pay that. This company is all promise and very unreliable. They were recommended by a friend who travelled with them several years ago but they have now been taken over I believe. They do not seem to be a member of ATAS or any travel organisation. They are very disorganised, could not find my deposits, and someone different handles my calls each time. My internet security software flags emails from Outback Spirit Tours as 'Possible Scam Detected' and now I can see why. This unethical company should be avoided.

Red Centre – Our group tour with an exceptional Outbreak Spirit team has been a fabulous experience.(prepaid with no extras.) The 27 seat bus is remarkably comfortable. The hotels were the best available in the Red Centre. My wife and I look forward to the our next adventure with Outback Spirit. Show details

5 Star prices 0 Star service – Booked an Arnheim Land tour very expensive but 5 star service and price. Tour cancelled because of corona virus. Fair enough told tour has been postponed not cancelled. Ok explained tour possibly last and dream tour for myself and partner because of her Alzheimer so cannot postpone. Basically told bad luck tell somebody who cares. Supposedly a 5 star tour company very disappointing would not recommend to my anyone.