Category: Blogs

Great Trip. Everyone is green with envy about such a wonderful trip. Here is a CD of photos I took.  Thanks a lot - Heather

I would like to order one of Paul Lockyer’s books on Lake Eyre please. Russell and I did your tour of Lake Eyre over Easter with Adrian and had a great time.Thank you.

Our trip to the Northern Territories was planned at the last minute and we chose just three travel groups to contact. We intended to fly to Darwin and during the approximately 2 weeks we had until our boat arrived, wanted to see Kakadu, Katherine's Gorge, Alice Springs and Uluru Rock. The other criteria we had was ,at some point, we wanted an Aboriginal guide. Richard of Spirit Safaris was clearly the most responsive and, in short order had a trip planned around the itinerary we had established. But travel is more than sightseeing and each person you meet brings something of themselves to the mix. It is exactly this point that, I felt, made being with Richard and Lynne the right choice. Victor was the perfect balance for an aboriginal guide. Still steeped in his traditions, he was, none the less, open to our curious nature and answered our questions warmly and with insight. His personalized views of his culture, the land and the rock art added to our understanding and appreciation of what we saw. The major attractions for each area are pretty much set, whether you 're on a river or at one of the famous rocks. The information, insights and personalized service distinguished how we experienced each area and was attributable to being with Richard and/or Lynne. Their lunches along the way were a real treat. We had a great time and, despite significant heat, made long hikes, met Victor, our aboriginal guide and accomplished our goal of a total experience. Spirit Safaris is aptly named; it's where Richard and Lynne come from as people. This is the 'secret sauce' they bring to the experience. My wife and I are very experienced travelers. I can't think of better people to have explored the Northern Territories with or...

Richard. This note is a little delayed but none the less heartfelt. We had an enjoyable few days with Adrian commencing in Broome on Monday 12 May. We felt as if we were on holidays with a friend who enjoyed exploring with us. His enthusiasm was contagious. His inquisitiveness & confidence encouraged us to tackle terrain that alone may have bluffed us, resulting in our getting into many rewarding & memorable locations without drama. His guidance on things such as balance, where & how to walk on loose rocks proved helpful both then & since. His wayside enquiries of locals contributed to this not being a mass produced trip. We reckon if Adrian were to specialize in Pilbara ramblings he would continue to come up with gems that escape the common throng. Each trip would build on its predecessor. We were most appreciative of his attention to detail & wish him well. Thanks foe an excellent experience. We will spread the good word. Regards. Jenny & John Denning

Dear Richard, I wanted to express my appreciation and pleasure for having had the opportunity to participate in one of your tours Tho’ a small group we were singularly fortunate with having an excellent and experienced driver, ideal weather, and good companions who readily shared their enjoyment of all parts of the tour . please pass on my appreciation to Adrian Beer for his well run tour I in turn will pass on recommendations to others who may like to similarly enjoy small group outback tours.

We’ve just spent a full month in and around Sydney with our three kids testing the full gamut of custom touring experiences. We wanted to make the chapter aware of two extraordinary companies in particular, because any chapter member would be dazzled by their ability to create “only-in-YPO” magic. - Richard and his partner Lynne create custom, personalized wilderness and outback tours. They obsess over every detail and go “all in” to create over-the-top experiences. Building phenomenal experiences is baked into the DNA of this company and I felt an introduction was in order. We’ve been traveling around the world (24 countries so far) now for 7 months with our children. We’ve worked with a spectrum of custom tour companies and this is the first time I’ve felt compelled to facilitate an introduction to YPO. - Jesse USA

Bernie and I are writing to express our complete satisfaction with our recent tour from Alice Springs. In particular we want to express our appreciation of the job done by Jerry. He was constantly on the alert for our needs and guided us through each day’s activities expertly. He was totally organised and nothing was too much trouble for him despite some very long days.

Jeannie & I enjoyed the Lake Eyre tour greatly and will be recommending your company to everyone we talk to about it. The flight over Lake Eyre was particularly spectacular with the sky being reflected in the lake for much of the time we were over it. We would also like to mention that Adrian made what was a great trip even better. An excellent and entertaining guide indeed. We’d travel with him again any day. Best regards.

Just a short message to thank you for all your efforts to make the 4 day Safari a worthwhile outback experience. I appreciated the comfortable accommodation and meals you organised. I thoroughly enjoyed the landscapes and would have liked to linger more, this I will do someday when I go back to see Wilpena Pound and other conservation areas. Kangaroo Island was amazing – lovely landscapes; sea lion and fur seal colonies observed up-close in the wild; great birds of prey show; wonderful mallee type vegetation and much more. The peninsula south of Adelaide is very scenic and lush looking. I have really enjoyed my break away. Suzanne  

"Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for the wonderful experience you gave us for our holiday with you.” HELLO! LYNNE & RICHARD – Don’t know where you will be – Richard but guess Lynne will have been to the Kimberley’s and back by now and either planning or embarked on her next tour! Merv & I would like to again say “Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for the wonderful experience you gave us for our holiday with you.” Despite the couple of “hiccups” – not inflicted by the bottle either,we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our fantastic tour with Spirit Safaris. We haven’t stopped talking about you and how we were looked after and still can’t believe that we could see and enjoy so much in 6 days. There is so much to see in that vast outback area! There is no doubt that Lynne does a fantastic job of Organiser, Packer-up, Driver, Mentor and even Photographer – I might add I have had 669 photos developed and put in 3 Albums. We feel privileged to have made a wonderful bond of friendship with you both – the booking and travelling was so personal. I am so glad I chose Spirit Safaris out of all those that flashed up when I googled – “Tours & Flights Lake Eyre” early this year. We had a lovely time at Glenelg after Lynne dropped us at the Tram stop – how many Tour companies would be so helpful? It was a day down memory lane as we had been there many years ago. Free tram trip – we were asked did we have a Seniors Pass – I said no but our Queensland Senior’s Card was sufficient and the Lady Inspector didn’t even want to see it. The next 2...

Hello Richard! – A short note to tell you how much Fran & I enjoyed our recent trip to Lake Eyre with you and the two other travellers Susan & Michael. We had not contemplated this trip over a long period of time, but all of a sudden it seemed attractive and we were very lucky to find your Group which fitted in perfectly with our timing and what we thought we wanted to see. Your choice of places to visit pleased us very much. I particularly enjoyed but was a little saddened by Farina. Our trip up and back was enjoyable (a) because we both felt comfortable with your driving and the vehicle (b) the stops were frequent enough but not too long (c) we didn’t have to drive & could enjoy the different scenery. The accommodation and meals were very good, much better than we expected considering where we were. Our flight was well worth the extension and our pilot (not much older than our eldest grandson) gave us confidence. We look forward to hearing details of your other contemplated tour itineraries, which sound interesting to us. All together a good trip, thank you.

My partner and I have done three amazing trips with Richard O'Neill of Spirit Safaris. In 2013 he took 2 couples Alice Springs to Broome across the Tanami Track, in 2015 he took us from Adelaide to Alice Springs via the APY lands to visit the Aboriginal Art Centres where we bought beautiful paintings. In 2016 Richard took 4 of us from Darwin to Broome through the Kimberly via Gibb River Road with an emphasis on Ancient Aboriginal Rock art hidden in the the stunning country. Our trips were a mix of camping and accommodation, and included flights arranged by Richard over Lake Eyre, the Bungle Bungles, Mitchell Falls and Horizontal Falls. We can't thank Richard enough for putting the "Spirit" into these trips for us. We appreciated his care and interest in each of us, and for sharing his knowledge of Aboriginal Culture, spirituality of both the land and life in general (Ekhart Tolle's CD added to the peace and calm on one long drive - loved it!) All three trips were excellent - good food, good company, lots of local information about places and peoples, a spirit of co-operation and fun helping to set up for meals and campsites, seeing amazing scenery, experiencing the vivid light, the night sky and changing colours of the country, plus the beautiful art at Aboriginal communities and on the ancient rocks. Richard is a very professional guide and such great company, we are working on another trip next year to visit another area of the APY lands (SA/WA/NT borders), this time all accommodated for my comfort!! We can't thank Richard and Spirit Safaris enough for opening our eyes to the beauty, depth of history of Central Australia. We highly recommend his tours for a great small group experience. Margaret A  

Jerry – Hope all is going well for you. Both Lee and I found it difficult to say goodby. You had been such a great guide but not just a guide a friend over the previous days and we did not know what to say. So it is a big thank you for a very special experience.

Hi there Richard – I want to thank you for three magic days of travelling in the outback. It was a luxury being driven to places I’d otherwise be a bit wary of tackling independently. You took the mystery out of those unreachable parts of this fascinating continent. It was also a great opportunity to get an insight into another dimension of life in Australia. I was stunned by the vastness of Lake Eyre and the never-ending terrain. So good to see a star-studded night sky again. Thank you for the precious bits of information you were able to impart to us. It was all so very interesting. I feel richer for the experience. Do let me know when you are doing other trips like these. The Arkaroola idea sounds very exciting. With very best regards

Spirit Safaris gave us the best experience in Australia! Unbelievable knowledge of the region we travelled to. We asked in 2015 Spirit Safaris to guide us from Darwin to Broome in the Northern Territorys, travelling the famous Gibb River Road. It turned out to be a great experience for me, my wife and another two friends. Linn, our guide had a deep knowledge of the nature and also the spiritual places, we were allowed to visit with her. I recommend to every one Spirit Safaris as the tour operator and guide. In total we spend 2 exciting weeks togehter with Linn. Visited September 2016 Manfred S - Switzerland

Hello Richard, Here is an image of a bronze sculpture I am exhibiting at a gallery in Melbourne. I thought you might like to see this one … as it was inspired by our wonderful Kimberley trip last year. Wishing you all the best for a busy and productive . Kind regards.

Hello Richard. What a nice surprise to hear from you! Thank you very much for the nice pictures! We chose some for you as well. We often talk about our trip to Australia and we are really glad that we decided to take part on your tour and got you as our guide! With your knowledge and telling stories it became a very interesting time. It was a great mixture of different sights! Greetings from Germany,

Oz highlight We had a fantastic five day Kimberley tour in June 2016. Spirit Safaris was the only operator we found which could offer a one-way (short) trip between Darwin and Broome covering all the major sights we wanted to see. Our guide went out of his way to tailor the trip to our particular interests and his knowledge of the region enhanced the experience for us. Because of our age (around 70) we chose the accommodated option and this proved to be a wise choice in view of the demands of the trip not least the mileage to be covered and the short days at that time of year. Unexpected things happened like a puncture in the Bungle Bungles at dusk but this is the outback! Overall it was for us the trip of a lifetime and we'd certainly use Spirit Safaris again. Visited June 2016 Ken N  - UK

Richard – Here is an unsolicited testimonial to you. I think looking at scenery is just a small part of the adventure, that the things we do together, like pitching the tent or visiting an aboriginal painting session, are far more important. The most significant part is interacting with the tour leader and the other participants, in this case, Kelvin and Wendy. So I enjoyed the company of you three. Having read the newspaper article referred to in the link below, I have a better appreciation of your role and I can see just how professional you are in conducting your business. It just made the trip very pleasant and satisfying. I look forward to renewing our acquaintance on a future trip. (Maggie is prepared to join a safari, with overnight accommodation, through the Kimberleys. For me, I would be quite happy camping on any trip, So, can you keep this in mind?). Thanks again for a wonderful time. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/confessions-of-a-multi-tasking-tour-leader/story-e6frg8rf-1226732419490

Dear Richard, – Just a short message to thank you for all your efforts to make the 4 day Safari a worthwhile outback experience. I appreciated the comfortable accommodation and meals you organised. I thoroughly enjoyed the landscapes and would have liked to linger more, this I will do someday when I go back to see Wilpena Pound and other conservation areas. Kangaroo Island was amazing – lovely landscapes; sea lion and fur seal colonies observed up-close in the wild; great birds of prey show; wonderful mallee type vegetation and much more. The peninsula south of Adelaide is very scenic and lush looking. I have really enjoyed my break away. Best wishes for your upcoming tour and spiritual awakenings. Have been reading the Inner Self magazine Issue 21 that I picked up in a Vegie cafe in Adelaide – the short Q&A with Eckhart Tolle caught my eye! Keep well and thanks again

Great personalised service We did the Adelaide to Lake Eyre tour and it was a real highlight! Flying over Lake Eyre in flood was amazing and on top of this experiencing some of the more remote and outback places was fascinating. We were a small group of 4 including the driver, who was knowledgeable and accommodating. We also like that Spirit Safaris can do trips like this one in a short time frame, eg 3 or 4 days which enables flexibility with timings and group sizes. Janine C - Sydney

Hi Richard, Doug and I are safely home and hope you are having a break. I want to thank you very much for putting the “Spirit” into the safari across the Tanami. I appreciated your care of, and interest in, each of us, and sharing your knowledge of Aboriginal culture, spirituality, both of the land and life in general, made what was quite a physical challenge for me more bearable especially over those couple of days totally in the bush! In fact it was enjoyable. Playing the Ekhart Tolle CD was very thoughtful and special for me, so thanks for sharing that too. The entire trip was really excellent – good food. good company, lots of local information about places and peoples, a spirit of co-operation and fun seeing amazing scenery and wonderful paintings at the art centres. You are a terrific guide and we look forward to another trip in the future (with bathroom amenities for me!!). I will attach a few photos for you. Again, thank you so much for everything. Best Wishes and may the Universe fulfil your dreams.

“Best Day EVER”

Wonderful personalised trip to Central Australia I went on a trip of Central Australia with Spirit Safaris last year through the Western MacDonald ranges to Uluru. We had a wonderful time in a very small group 4WD tour. We opted for the 'roof over the head' option instead of camping and also took the optional trip to Chambers Pillar which is a long day drive over dirt roads. The scenery was amazing and we were looked after really well. The tour was also flexible enough for changes if needed along the way. I highly recommend Spirit Safaris and I'd easily travel with them again and found Richard and Lynne professional and friendly guides. Places like central Australia really need to take a four wheel drive trip if you can. It makes a massive difference to what you will see. I loved Palm Valley, Ormiston Gorge, Gross Bluff meteorite crater and Kings Canyon. Visited September 2016 Kathy M  - Sydney  

Dear Lynne, Just a short note to thank you for your expert guidance on our tour of South Australia and Lake Eyre recently. Joan and I appreciated your depth of knowledge and your total professionalism. On behalf of my sister Joan, thankyou for the side trip to “Reilly’s” – Yours sincerely

An extra-ordinary experience”

Broome to Alice Springs along the Tanami Track Dear Richard, Many thanks for hosting us on a wonderful adventure and discovery journey from Broome to Alice Springs along the Tanami Track. You are an excellent and most accommodating guide, and your knowledge of places and peoples and your expertise of the bush and 4WD driving made it a really enjoyable and rewarding experience for everyone. Each day more than fulfilled our expectations, visiting astronomical wonders of Wolf Creek Meteorite Crater and Gosse Bluff Comet Crater, Palm Valley oasis, Glen Helen gorge and Newhaven wildlife sanctuary with streams and lakes full of water and Central Australia blooming with plants and wildlife from recent rains. The awesome presence, stories and geology of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Mt. Conner. As well as the opportunity to visit Aboriginal communities to view their iconic artwork, enjoy their love of Aussie Rules footy, and an appreciation and respect of Aboriginal culture, bushcraft and dreamtime legends. Cheers Joe and Coral

Hi Lynne, Thank you for a very informative, interesting tour. While the intention was always to do a flight over Lake Eyre and the flight met my expectations, I found the tour bent beyond what I expected. Your willingness to accommodate my wishes, to show me historical places I didnt even know about and to provide me with a great experience went beyond my expectations. I would have no hesitation in recommending you and your tours to anyon

Your ability to connect me with the land was extraordinary”

Brilliant 4WD Tour Including Lake Eyre in Flood We did this trip a few years ago. It was exceptionally well organised from booking to return. The guide was an excellent driver, and she was very knowledgeable and flexible. She provided perfect food, which meant we weren't stuck with having to return to a pub meal, and we were able to go to Coober Pedy, across to Lake William and Marree, and back through Wilpena Pound. We did a lot of our own research and she was very interested in it, and in getting to as many new places that we had found on top of her planned itinerary. Could not have been better.   Michael M - ACT Australia