Started on Passion and Plastic

Wayoutback started from humble beginnings (maxed out credit cards and a couple of Troop Carriers) in early 1999. Founded primarily on a love of Central Australia and, more importantly, that unique feeling you get when you're really out there and that fantastic feeling of solitude and timelessness descends upon you, our ethos was and still is based on a couple of fundamental characteristics that we believe are paramount to really getting an authentic taste of the outback as an adventure traveller.

• Small groups in 4 wheel drive vehicles (max. 16 people)
• Bush camping
• Cooking food over a campfire
• Sleeping under the stars in swags (Aussie bush bed)
• 4 wheel driving on outback bush tracks
• Keeping away from the crowds as much as possible
• Providing authentic Aboriginal interaction
• Employing and training guides that are, or become, the best in the business.

We’re Local and Bloody Proud Of It

Unlike our major competitors that are part of very large Multinational companies, Wayoutback is locally owned and operated from Alice Springs. We are highly passionate about what we do and with our sole focus on Central Australia, we know it extremely well complimented by a vast array of contacts around Alice, on Cattle Stations and Aboriginal Communities. We support a host of Alice Springs businesses, including a number with indigenous ownership.

However, we are not a tin pot cottage industry but a highly professional operation employing up to 10 full time staff, 10 part-time guides/contractors and we currently have 12 vehicles. Our reputation is first class within the tourism industry highlighted with Wayoutback receiving a 2010 Brolga Award, the industry’s highest accolade for the best tourism products and services in the Northern Territory. We pride ourselves on attention to detail and on developing innovative products, particularly around indigenous tourism and niche products like Photographic and Bird Watching Safaris.

You can be sure that in choosing to travel with Wayoutback, you will be swept up in the passion, knowledge and commitment we all feel for the area we choose to live and operate within our beautiful Red Centre.

Beware of 'Small Groups' and 'Buses' in the Same Sentence

When we started Wayoutback in our 9 seat Troop Carriers, virtually all the competition were running 22 seat Coaster buses or 45 seat Coaches and most still are. Without needing to be a brain surgeon, we realised this would not make us rich but Wayoutback was founded on passion first and foremost! Going to buses just wasn't an option. We wanted to get people looking for adventure into the Outback and take them off the beaten track to really give them something that they would remember forever – being part of a small group where the Guide and the group can get to know each other, getting bogged in river beds, seeing a shooting star burn across the night sky with that feeling that it's just you that saw it, being part of the bush. These things are very difficult to achieve on a bus tour.

In spite of this, our fares are extremely competitive to those carrying much greater numbers, so on a bang for buck basis, you're actually getting much better value for money.

Promoting Aboriginal Experiences

Wayoutback has always been a strong advocate of supporting Aboriginal culture, imparting as much information on their history and relationship with the land as possible, as well as promoting indigenous experiences so our customers can get an insight into their way of life first hand.

We have now been visiting the Oak Valley Aboriginal Community 110kms south of Alice Springs for a number of years on our 2 and 5 Day Safaris which has been a great success. Oak Valley is an inspirational community where people can learn directly from local Aboriginals about their way of life, art, hunting, etc. To read more visit the Oak Valley Aboriginal Community page.

Last year we introduced a new indigenous experience to our 3 and 5 Day Safaris. While at Uluru (Ayers Rock) you can take the optional Aboriginal Guided Kuniya Walk where you will learn directly from Anangu (indigenous custodians) about their mythological stories tied into Uluru and the intimate relationship they have with it.

This year we are introducing a new 2 Day Culture and Country Safari which visits four Aboriginal Communities set in exquisite locations. Learn of local Dreamtime stories, Indigenous Art, wildlife, bush tucker, medicine, as well as boomerang and spear throwing.

Safari Guides

At Wayoutback we pride ourselves on the very high standard of our guides. We are the only advanced ECO Accredited tourism operator based in Alice Springs and as such are very aware of our responsibility to provide well informed, highly trained tour guides. All guides have a sound knowledge of our local area focusing on its history, Aboriginal culture, geology and the natural environment.

By evaluating our guide’s performance after every safari we ensure that a high standard is maintained. All our guides are trained by an accredited tourism ECO guide, the only one in Central Australia.

Always Striving to Go One Better

As part of our philosophy to be the best tour operator in Central Australia, we have raised the bar with regard to the other aspects of our tours that can have a large bearing on your overall experience. Some of these include getting exclusive access to 4 wheel drive on bush tracks through two huge cattle stations, visiting the inspirational Oak Valley Aboriginal Community, offering the Kuniya Walk at Uluru, remote camp sites away from the crowds, fresh plunger coffee and herbal teas and chilled face clothes in summer to cool yourself off.

Wayoutback recently started up Walking Country which provides fully guided and fully catered Desert Walks along parts of the famous Larapinta Trail. The Larapinta Trail runs for 230km’s along the backbone of the West MacDonnell Ranges, from the Old Telegraph Station in Alice Springs through a variety of desert habitats before rewarding walkers with 360° vistas from Mount Sonder – the highest point and end of the Trail. Click here for more information.

Not for the Faint Hearted!

Most of our competitors stay in permanent camp sites with tents and permanent cooking facilities, usually right beside other tour operators. In our humble and perhaps not quite so objective view, this is what you would call soft camping, not an adventure of a lifetime. There are obviously people that this appeals to which is fine but, if you're really after an adventure experience, Wayoutback provides it in spades.