About Spirit Safaris – Australian Wilderness & Outback Tours
BACKGROUND • TOUR MENUS • TOUR EQUIPMENT/VEHICLES • LEADERSHIP • WEATHER
Yes – we are Ecotourism Certified and have the Green Tick
Outback Tours Australia
Spirit Safaris is a small Australian 4 Wheel drive tour operator, with an expert team of outback guides helping travellers discover the wild heart of Australia in personal, small-group 4WD tours.
Since 1993 we have been running genuine small-group, luxury GXL LandCruiser tours across the Kimberley, Lake Eyre, Corner Country, Gulf Savannah Way, the Red Centre, NSW Outback, Tasmania and more – with departures from Sydney, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Broome and Darwin.
Our Story
Spirit Safaris was created by Richard O’Neill, a fifth-generation Australian explorer, bushman,
adventurer and songman with a lifelong love of the land.
In the 1990s, Richard’s work with Aboriginal elders in the Kimberley and across Australia – including the
transformative “Bush University” experience – showed him how powerful direct connection to Country can be for healing, creativity and clarity in life.
He founded Spirit Safaris to take people beyond the tourist trail into remote, wild nature; to create real
connections with Aboriginal communities and culture; and to offer journeys that are not just holidays, but turning points in people’s lives. see more at Background
Our Mission & Values
Our Vision
To be Australia’s most preferred small-group outback tour company, by connecting people more deeply to the land and nature and inspiring their life journey. – We go the extra smile !
Our Mission
To give you the best tour experience of your life, so you return home with a greater sense of adventure, wonder, inspiration and purpose.
What We Stand For – our Values
- Integrity & Caring – We keep our word, look after people and Country, and prioritise safety.
- Adventure with Comfort – Real 4WD exploration with quality accommodation or easy, comfortable camping.
- Team & Family – Small groups (usually 2–4 guests per 4WD) that feel like travelling with friends.
- Service & Learning – Rich stories, geology, wildlife, Aboriginal culture and practical bush knowledge.
- Freedom & Vitality – Journeys designed to give you more energy, clarity and joy in life.
Our Tours & Experiences
We offer a wide range of Australian wilderness and outback tours by luxury 4WD, including:
- Kimberley Tours – Small-group 4WD journeys between Broome, Kununurra
and Darwin, including Gibb River Road, El Questro, Mitchell Falls and the Bungle Bungles. - Lake Eyre Tours & Flights – Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre
flights and shore visits via Flinders Ranges, Wilpena Pound, Cooper Creek and iconic outback tracks. - Corner Country, Simpson Desert & Canning Stock Route
– Classic expedition-style journeys along legendary outback tracks. - Gulf Savannah Way, Cape York & Outback Queensland –
Cross-continent 4WD routes, remote national parks, gorges and rivers. - NSW Outback & Blue Mountains Tours – From day trips and
short breaks to multi-day journeys to Mungo, Lightning Ridge, Cameron Corner, the Darling River Run and more. - Tasmania & Southern Australia – Wilderness,
coastal and Flinders Ranges tours with walking, wildlife and history. - Special Interest & Vision Quest Journeys – Nature-based
leadership, values and purpose retreats, Aboriginal art, photography and corporate tours.
All tours are small group, personal and mostly accommodated, with options for modern camping and tailor-made private itineraries.
Meet the Team
Richard O’Neill – Founder & Lead Guide
A fifth-generation Aussie explorer, bushman, engineer and business consultant, Richard has spent over 30 years guiding people across outback Australia. He is known for his relaxed, insightful guiding style, deep Aboriginal connections and big-picture view of life.
Lynne Irving – Senior Guide & Culinary Wizard
Lynne brings many years with National Parks & Wildlife as a Discovery Ranger, plus Eco Tourism and Outdoor Guiding qualifications. Guests love her knowledge of plants, wildlife and culture – and her excellent outback meals.
Adrian has an extensive career in tour guiding across Europe and South and North America, and now Australia. He shares his joy of travel with his people skills, experience, and practical knowledge of nature, geology, biology, the bush and outback.
Jim Diaz – Jim operated educational tours and holiday camps for youth from around the world, and in 1993 began guiding with adults to some of Australia’s most unique places. Born in the USA, schooled, worked and lived in Switzerland. Speaks fluent English, Italian, and French. Trully an international class assset for Spirit Safaris unique & international tours.
Martin Enock has a gentle prescence and competency that makes folks feel exceptionally well looked after. His love of sea, land, living and nature and his wonderful singing voice, guitar and banjo playing add a touch of class and fun around the campfire.
Lockey McKee – is also from the land in northern NSW and has travelled and tour guided extensiverly in outback Australia includuing Lake Eyre, Central Australia and the Kimberley. Lockey contributes a diverse range of practical and survival skills and a passion for people and the land.
More of Our Guiding Team
Across Australia you will meet experienced guides such as Adrian, Darren, Peter, Gerry, Jim, Martin, and others – each bringing deep outback experience, strong safety focus, practical bush skills and plenty of good humour around the campfire or fine dining in restaurants on our accommodated tours.
Why Travellers Love Spirit Safaris
- Genuine small groups – usually 2–4 adults per 4WD (up to 7 on private family tours).
- Personal & private tours – flexibility to follow your interests and the conditions of Country.
- Luxury 4WD GXL LandCruisers – safe, reliable and comfortable on outback tracks.
- Accommodated or easy camping – quality outback stays, plus modern camping options with great bedding.
- Deep Aboriginal connections – long-standing relationships with communities, access to rock art
and cultural sites where appropriate. - Eco-certified & licensed – Ecotourism Certified and T-QUAL Assured, operating under multiple
national park and protected area permits.
Guest Voices
Our guests often describe their tours as relaxed, flexible and deeply memorable – with guides who make everything easy and take them to places they would never find on their own. Many travellers return for multiple journeys, enjoying the personalised feel, rich conversation and sense of travelling with a small, like-hearted group.
You’ll Love Us If…
You’ll feel right at home on a Spirit Safaris tour if you:
- Prefer small groups over big buses and crowds.
- Value comfort and safety as much as adventure.
- Want to meet local people and learn about Aboriginal culture, not just tick off the sights.
- Enjoy photography, birdwatching, geology, story and time to explore.
- Are curious, open-minded and happy to travel with like-hearted people.
Community, Conservation & Country
Spirit Safaris is proudly eco-certified and operates under multiple national park licences and permits throughout Australia. We support Aboriginal communities and initiatives such as Bush University and community-based tourism projects, contribute to organisations including Australian Wildlife Conservancy and Outback Kids, and design our itineraries to respect sacred sites and minimise impact.
We are also a financial supporter of Australian Wildlife Conservancy.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and caretakers of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
History
Attending Bush University with David Mowaljarlai in 1997 was a life changing experience for Richard O’Neill, Managing Director of Excelink Pacific and Spirit Safaris . Richard is a 5th generation Australian who saw clearly how to bring people to new levels of peace, creativity and consciousness – through deep connection with Nature – as the Aboriginal dreaming stories tell – and as they have been lived for thousands of years.
Our 1 day journeys give you techniques to connect with your vitality and soul purpose. Our Outback journeys work with various Aboriginal communities and teachers. In the Kimberley we have worked since 1997 with the Ngarinyin Aboriginal people, re-building community on their traditional lands. We provide an introduction to the community, deliver the tours and support the teachings in liaison with the elders. During Bush University you will be taken on expeditions to incredible rock art galleries, with the custodians of those sites, who will explain the stories and meaning of these special high energy places. You will learn about Ngarinyin Law, men and women’s business, spirituality, medicines and bush foods, language and early history, ceremony, dance and song.
Accessibility & Inclusivity
We travel mainly in 8-seat 4WD vehicles that can be challenging for some mobility needs. We can provide a portable step by prior arrangement, welcome young families on suitable tours (with advance notice for baby seats), and are happy to carry sight and hearing-impaired passengers.
If you have specific access needs or health considerations, please contact us before booking so we can help you choose the right tour or design a tailored itinerary.
Trust & Booking Confidence
- Eco-certified, T-QUAL Assured tour operator.
- 30+ years of outback touring operations.
- Multiple state and national park licences and permits.
- Secure online booking system and clear Terms & Conditions.
Ready to Plan Your Outback Journey?
Visit our All Tours & Calendar page to check live dates and availability,
or contact us to talk through the best itinerary for you.
Phone: 1300 763 188 (Australia) |
+61 417 244 600 (International) |
Email: info@spiritsafaris.com
Book Your Outback Adventure Here Now
Accreditations
We operate tours under accreditations and licences provided by the following organizations.
- NSW Department fo Environment- National Parks & Wildlife Service
- SA Dept Environment, Water & Natural Resources
- NT Parks & Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory
- WA Dept Environment & Conservation
- Tasmanian Parks & Wildife Service
- Queensland National Parks
- Various Aboriginal reserves, restricted areas and IPAs (Indigenous Protected Areas)
INCLUSION STATEMENT * MAPS * MEALS ON TOURS * ACCOMMODATION FOR KIMBERLEY
* WISDOM FROM THE ELDERS * METEORITE MESSAGES * CAMPING SYSTEMS * EARLYBIRD SAVINGS *
FOOD CHOICES FORM * BOOKING FORM * 10 TOPS TIPS FOR TOURS * FREE RESOURCES
* WHAT TO BRING on ACCOMMODATED TOURS * WHAT TO BRING on CAMPING TOURS
Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions
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