2026 Trekking Itinerary
Revised 2026 Great Desert Walks Trekking Schedule
Listed below, in sequential order from April to September, are all the walking treks for 2026, identified as either Outback Camel Company (OCC) or Australian Desert Expeditions +science (ADE).
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By clicking on each trek/expedition, you will be taken to the summary below, from where you can link to the appropriate webpage for full trip details, further information, and booking options.
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BOOKINGS ARE NOW OPEN​​​​​​​​
May 1 - May 8
May 10 - June 12​
June 19 - June 22
June 23 - July 2
July 3 - July 13
July 14 - July 20
July 21 - July 27
July 28 - August 6
​Western Red Dunes Survey - ADE
Simpson Desert Expedition - OCC​
Eastern Simpson Desert Trek - OCC
Eastern Munga-Thirri Survey - ADE
Watti Watti/Munga-Thirri Survey 1 - ADE
Western Red Dunes Survey
Australian Desert Expeditions +science
This shorter trek marks the first ADE survey we’ve conducted in the Northern Territory since 2021, and it will be our only survey on the western side in 2026. Walking amongst the red dunes, our field ecologists will be focusing on the rejuvenation of flora and fauna following the substantial rains of 2025.
Dates: May 1 to May 8
Walking days: 6
Departs from/concludes in: Alice Springs
Trek price: $7100
50th Anniversary Simpson Desert Expedition
Outback Camel Company
In tribute to Outback pioneer Rex Ellis, whose vision shaped a generation of desert travellers
Australia’s greatest - and most challenging - desert walk returns!
Next May, we return to our spiritual heart for the 50th Anniversary Simpson Desert Expedition: a 30-day, 430-kilometre journey that begins in the Northern Territory and concludes outside the Birdsville Hotel a month later.
This remarkable expedition celebrates not only half a century of exploration, but the enduring legacy of Walking Country, moving quietly, respectfully, and with deep connection to the land.
The entire route is walked cross-country - no roads, no tracks, no vehicle backup.
Just walkers, camels and the desert itself.
Raw. Remote. Real. A challenge for all who join, and for the camels who carry the journey with us.
Recognised far beyond Australia’s borders, this journey was featured in National Geographic Adventure as one of the “25 Greatest Adventures in the World.”
Dates: May 10 to June 12
Total days: 34
Walking days: 30
Departs from: Alice Springs
Concludes in: Brisbane
Expedition price: $20400 (Birdsville accommodation (2 nights) and Birdsville to Brisbane flight included)
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Munga-Thirri Explorer
Outback Camel Company
Like the previous trek, the Munga-Thirri Explorer is perfectly suited to first-time Great Desert Walk participants. On this short circuit around our base camp, we move through interdune swales where scattered coolibah and acacia thrive, all framed by the tall red dunes of the eastern Simpson Desert. It’s an inviting landscape, gentle yet immersive, and ideal for those seeking their first experience of walking with camels.
Dates: June 19 to June 22
Walking days: 3
Departs from/concludes in: Birdsville
Trek price: $3900
Eastern Simpson Desert Trek
Outback Camel Company
The eastern counterpart to our popular Western Simpson Desert Trek, this eight-day walk leads us through the dunes toward Eyre Creek and beyond, offering a rich diversity of country to explore.
We move through gibber swales, coolibah-lined floodplains, broad expanses of lignum flats, and of course the sweeping red dunes themselves.
Dates: June 23 to July 2
Walking days: 8
Departs from/concludes in: Birdsville
Trek price: $7600
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For the remainder of the 2026 Great Desert Walks program, we turn our attention to the
Australian Desert Expeditions +science ecological survey program.
Alongside our renowned Slow Travel approach, each of the following journeys incorporates a dedicated element of scientific research. The specific focus may shift from trip to trip, but the purpose remains constant: to study the flora, fauna, and cultural history of the Simpson Desert.
Eastern Munga-Thirri Survey including NightSky
Australian Desert Expeditions +science
Centred west of Eyre Creek, this nine-day trip focuses on the creek’s floodplain and the surrounding coolibah and gidgee woodlands.
With Eyre Creek having experienced extensive flooding over the past three consecutive years, we anticipate a strong surge in both flora and fauna, a rare opportunity to observe the desert in a period of heightened ecological activity.
Dates: July 3 to July 13
Walking days: 9
Departs from/concludes in: Birdsville
Trek price $8250
Watti Watti/Munga-Thirri Survey 1
Australian Desert Expeditions +science
With landscape photographer Carolyn Larcombe and ecologist Dr Dave Gibson
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Widespread rain across the eastern Simpson Desert promises a winter of rare abundance, and we intend to make the most of these exceptional conditions.
By the depth of winter, desert life should be vibrant, with ephemeral plants in bloom, birdlife active, and the landscape alive in ways seldom seen.
Our resident ecologist, Dr Dave Gibson, will continue his follow-up work on observations made in the eastern Simpson during the 2025 surveys, offering insights into the subtle and dynamic changes unfolding across the desert.
And joining us for the first time since 2022 is landscape photographer Carolyn Larcombe, who has trekked with us for many years. She will relish the opportunity to walk through this flourishing country and capture it at its most expressive.
While this is not a formal, structured "photography trek", Carolyn is always generous in sharing her knowledge with those who are interested, offering guidance, perspective, and a deeper way of seeing as we journey through the landscape.
Dates: July 14 to July 20
Walking days: 5
Survey price: $5900
Departs from/concludes in: Birdsville
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Watti Watti/Munga-Thirri Survey 2
Australian Desert Expeditions +science
With landscape photographer Carolyn Larcombe and ecologist Dr Dave Gibson
After a 2 day break, Survey 2 follows on from Survey 1, continuing the same ecological documentation.
Dates: July 21 to July 27
Walking days: 4
Survey price: $6200
(Optional flight: add $490)
Departs from/concludes in: Birdsville
Includes 2 nights accommodation in Birdsville with the OPTION of a scenic flight with Birdsville Aviation. This flight will fly over the area where you just walked in the eastern Simpson Desert, plus the flooded Goyder Lagoon and the Diamantina River.
Join both surveys for the special price of $11,000
GO TO FULL SURVEY DETAILS​​​
Watti Watti/Eyre Creek Ornithological Survey
Australian Desert Expeditions +science
For the fourth consecutive year, Eyre Creek is flowing through the dunes of the eastern Simpson Desert, a remarkable event and a reminder that this desert is part of the Lake Eyre Basin Catchment.
Whilst the flooding presents major logistical challenges, it is a spectacle to embrace, as the floodplains come alive with activity.
In 2025, we dedicated an entire survey to ornithology, recording 79 bird species over eight days, and this year, we return to build on that work, exploring a different area on the western side of Eyre Creek, encompassing dune fields and extensive gidgee forests.
Dates: July 28 to August 6
Walking days: 8
Departs from/concludes in: Birdsville
Trek price: $7500