Outback tours & holidays

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. It's important to understand that each country you visit may have its own specific entry requirements, and some destinations mandate travel health insurance for all foreign travellers, regardless of their nationality.

We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation, but minimum coverage may differ from trip to trip, so make sure you check the Travel Insurance section in your Essential Trip Information. You will not be permitted to join the group until your leader has sighted your insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number, and these details will be recorded on the first day of your trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.

For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or the USA, the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However, the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form, recognising personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise.

Read more about travel insurance

The Outback covers as much as 70 per cent of Australia, so the best time to visit depends on where you plan on visiting.

Most of the Outback is made up of arid to semi-arid climates, especially the desert, where average daily high temperatures in the summer months of December to February average 38°C. In winter, the average high sits around 20°C. In general, if visiting Uluru and Central Australia, the winter months from May to October offer the best weather since the days won’t get as hot as in summer. Just like other desert regions, daytime temperatures are hot but, in the evening, it can still get cold.

In the northern regions of the Outback, such as Gulumerrgen (Darwin), the climate is tropical and has two seasons: a wet and a dry. Between November to April, the wet season receives heavy rainfall and cyclones. From May to October, the dry season has an average daytime temperature between 20 and 35°C. The best time to visit these areas is during the region’s dry season, from May to October.

When visiting the Outback, one of the most important things to remember is to pack a variety of layers to suit the hot days and cool nights.

Most of the Outback is a desert and since many of the attractions are outside, it’s a good idea to wear breathable, long-sleeve pants and shirts that work as both sun and insect protection.

For evenings, have a warm outer garment like a fleece and even some additional layers like thermals, beanies and gloves to keep warm.

If you’re planning on doing several hikes or walks, be sure to bring good walking shoes, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a reusable water bottle and a daypack. There are often freshwater pools to cool off in, so bring a swimsuit, too.

We take the health and safety of our travellers seriously and take every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and inclusive for everyone. When you travel with us, you have access to our global support network and local on‑ground leadership, and you can rest easy knowing we have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination.

We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure. The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Travelling from Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to: Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to: Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to: US Department of State

Learn more about safe travels with Intrepid

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveller. Trips to Australia directly support our foundation partners, Blue Carbon Lab, Greening Australia and WWF-Australia. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Centre for Nature Positive Solutions

By integrating innovative restoration techniques with science-based solutions, the Centre for Nature Positive Solutions rehabilitates vital ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity, strengthening coastal resilience, and increasing their capacity to capture and store carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation. Donations from our trips help the Centre for Nature Positive Solutions to restore the natural coastal wetland areas across Australia. 

Find out more or make a donation  

Greening Australia

Greening Australia is taking action to rebuild resilient ecosystems across Australia, from the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef to the cool island ark of Tasmania. Donations from our trips help them tackle Australia's complex environmental challenges through large on-ground restoration projects and innovative research initiatives that help scale their impact.  

Find out more or make a donation

Country Needs People

Country Needs People support Indigenous land and sea management in Australia. Donations help them empower Indigenous communities to rehabilitate and protect places of significance on land and sea using traditional knowledge paired with modern technology.

Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Find out more or make a donation

We believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Although some destinations and itineraries may be more accessible than others, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs, make reasonable adjustments where possible or guide you toward the most suitable trips. Get in touch with our friendly adventure consultants to chat about your options.

Our Tailor-Made team can also help you plan a customised trip just for you.