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The tour group will link up in Birdsville by 11:00am on Day 1. The afternoon is busy and we will depart Birdsville in the morning of Day 2, so if you would like to take the opportunity to see some of the highlights around Birdsville before the tour starts we suggest arriving a day or two early. After a tour brief, we will head out to the iconic “Big Red” (Nappanerica) sand dune. This is the largest dune of the desert at some 40m tall, the symbolic eastern edge of the Simpson, and a bucket list challenge for any 4WD enthusiast. Having conquered Big Red, we will head back into Birdsville and refuel, before getting to know each other over dinner at the Birdsville Hotel.
The tour includes four desert camps as we make our way west across the desert. Our route across the 1,140 or so sand dunes will expose you to several desert tracks including the French Line, WAA Line, and Rig Road. A plus for doing the crossing east to west on the selected route is that we can wash off the desert dust by soaking in the 37 degrees water at a true desert oasis on the western edge of the Simpson, Dalhousie Springs.
As we make our way on back roads to Alice Springs, we will refuel and have lunch at the remote Mt Dare Hotel, make camp beside a special waterhole, take a small detour to find the geographical centre of Australia, watch the changing colours as the sun sets on Chambers Pillar, visit galleries of ancient indigenous rock carvings, and see some relics of the old Ghan railway.
After a full day (two nights) to yourselves in Alice Springs, we will set off towards Finke Gorge National Park; but our first stop will be the impressive Gosse Bluff which scientists believe to be the remnant crater from the impact of a 600m wide comet approximately 150 million years ago. From the bluff we will head to Palm Valley which is the last remnant of central Australia’s tropical past, being home to several rare plant species that are unique to the area, including the red cabbage palm which gives the area its name. The valley is impressive with its red gorges, desert palm trees, cycads and spring-fed pools.
We will stop at Hermannsburg (established in 1877 as a Lutheran Mission, and the birth place and home of Albert Namatjira) before heading down the Finke River 4WD track, which provides a challenging 4WD experience following a section of the Finke River bed. We will make camp at one of the stunning permanent waterholes which offer many scenic camp sites set amongst river red gums, white sand and green grass. Continuing our drive down the Finke River bed, we will visit another waterhole in Running Waters, see old stockyards, and visit the old gaol and police station ruins at Illamurta Springs, before making our way back to Alice Springs.
You will again have one full day (two nights) to do your own sightseeing or to simply reprovision before heading off on the final part of the tour.
We will camp at the spectacular Chambers Pillar, providing another opportunity to marvel at the changing colours as the sun sets or rises on this natural monument. We will also camp at Old Andado Station and learn a bit about Molly Clark, and visit the Mac Clark Conservation Reserve where the Acacia Peuce (or Waddywood) is found. From here, we are onto the Madigan Line. We will follow the path set by Madigan’s party as they made their way east to Birdsville, crossing claypans and hundreds of dunes. From Madigan’s Camp 15, we will follow the Hay River Track south before turning east again to stay on Madigan’s route through what is now National Park and private property.
After intersecting with the QAA Line we get to have another crack at Big Red before arriving back in Birdsville.
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Payment Options
To reserve a place on the tour of your choice, you can pay in full or pay a 30% deposit. If paying a deposit, we will email an invoice for the 70% balance payable six weeks before your tour starts. The option to pay a deposit is not available within six weeks of your tour start date.
Payment Methods
If paying online, at check out you can choose to pay by Apple Pay, PayPal, or by credit or debit card. If you would prefer to pay by bank transfer, you can request an invoice.
Please read our Terms of Service before booking.
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The selected route across the Simpson Desert, the Finke Gorge 4WD track, and the Madigan Line are not easy tracks for towing and require highly capable towing and towed vehicles. The nature of the track means some off-road camper trailers will not be appropriate. 4x4 Explore will assess trailer suitability for the tour on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to tow, please discuss with us before booking.
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