JOURNEY TOGETHER
SEEK. LISTEN. WONDER. DISCOVER. SHARE.
AUSTRALIAN DESERT SPIRIT JOURNEYS, INC is committed to sharing the awe and wonder of the desert regions of Australia. We believe that an outward journey to the desert is an opportunity for an inward journey to our deepest self.
We are a not-for-profit incorporated association providing opportunities for people to experience the benefits of exploring spirituality through engaging in desert spirit journeys and related activities.
UPCOMING JOURNEYS
New weekend camping short journeys launched in 2026
Elachbutting Rock, 2020
Lake Barlee, 2020
Blue Silky Orchid
TWO DESERT JOURNEY FORMATS OFFERED BY ADSJ IN 2026:
ADSJ is now offering a new, shorter Spirit Journey format in addition to our highly successful 10-day Desert Spirit Journey.
2026 dates at a glance
Short Autumn Journey 17-19 April 2026 (Friday-Sunday)
Desert Spirit Journey 8-18 July 2026 (Wednesday -Saturday)
Short Spring Journey 18-20 Sep 2026 (Friday – Sunday)
Short Spirit Journey (3 days, 2 nights)
After an extensive period of consultation and reflection over the past 6 months, Australian Desert Spirit Journeys is offering you the chance to take a weekend away with us to find solitude and refreshment in the company of others.
Dates in 2026 - Friday 17-Sunday 19 April (Autumn Journey)
Friday 18 -Sunday 20 September (Spring Journey)
Places available - 6-8 participants, 2 or 3 leaders (both dates)
We have called this simply a Spirit Journey because we have chosen secluded camping opportunities within 4-5 hours drive of Perth. Although we will not experience the raw beauty and sense of isolation found in the desert (which are features of the longer Desert Spirit Journey), the shorter drive time will maximise the opportunities to share stories and experience the peace and quiet of the natural environment.
We will follow a simple pattern of reflection, living simply in community with others - growing in self-awareness as we take the opportunity to step away from regular busy lives and slow down to listen to what our own inner spirit is longing to tell us.
Estimated cost per person for the Spirit Journey weekend in 2026 is $500-600.
The shorter Spirit Journey is designed as both a ‘taster’ experience for those considering the longer Desert Spirit Journey format, and as a ‘refresher’ experience for those who have already participated in our 10-day journey format. While it is not essential to have participated in a Spirit Journey before expressing interest in joining a Desert Spirit Journey, the shorter form is clearly a very useful experience towards enhancing the benefits from the longer format.
If you have any questions, please use the form below to email us or email direct to spiritjourneywa@gmail.com
If you are ready to register your interest in joining us on one of our two Weekend Short Journeys in 2026, please complete the expression of interest form below, nominating which journey dates you prefer and press submit when completed. You should expect confirmation of receipt of your form within 2 weeks.
Meanwhile, check out the report on our most recent Winter Desert Spirit journey in June 2025 and the testimonials from some of the participants.
Interested in our Winter Desert Spirit Journey in 2026?
Desert Spirit Journey (11 days, 10 nights)
Dates in 2026 - Wednesday 8-Saturday 18 July (Winter Journey)
Places available - 8 participants, 4 leaders
ADSJ is offering one Desert Spirit Journey in 2026, which has been our format for the past 6 years. There is extensive information on this website about this form of journey - please read the reports of Recent Journeys, Testimonies from recent participants, What to Bring, and other background information such as ‘What is a Desert Spirit Journey’.
Estimated cost range per person for the Winter Desert Spirit Journey (10-11 days) in 2026 (10-11 days) is $1950-2300.
Further information relevant to both forms of Spirit Journeys
ADSJ provides all vehicles for transport on the journey, equipment, vehicles, food, camping equipment, safety equipment and emergency communication equipment. We provide comfortable swags for sleeping. All you need to bring is a sleeping bag and small pillow, and your personal clothing, toiletries/medications. Participants are responsible for arranging their own personal travel insurance.
Australian Desert Spirit Journeys is a not-for-profit Incorporated Association in Western Australia and governed by State Legislation. We are bound by a ratified document outlining the Rules of Association, and are governed by an annually elected committee and office bearers.
Fees for journeys are designed to cover the costs of providing each journey, while allowing for a small surplus to cover depreciation and replacement of equipment. Final fees for each journey will be provided once places are confirmed
Please use the form below to register your interest in joining a Desert Spirit Journey in 2026, nominating which journey dates you prefer and press submit when completed.. We use your answers to the questions in this form to help us provide the best experience for all on the journey. Even if you have joined us before, we ask that you answer all the questions – your perspective and intentions may have changed subsequent to your last journey.
Our Desert Spirit Journeys involve travel to remote desert areas where emergency response services are not immediately available. We take safety very seriously, which is why we need to arrange a meeting or telephone conversation with you prior to deciding to offer you a place on one of our journeys. Places are only confirmed when an offer of a place is accepted by you and full payment is received.
REFLECTIONS ON THE JOURNEY
De, 2025, Perth
From a practicalities perspective I went into the desert somewhat blind (I knew what to expect but chose to not think about it), I was quickly reminded that I didn’t really like being out in the elements – cold, wind, rain, sun! But once there, with no other options I had to embrace it and get on with it. Despite coming back to wind and rain, I am now drawn to be outside more often.
Swags. Campfires. Stars – so many stars. 10 days. 12 strangers; now friends. Mishaps. Teamwork. Reflection. Connection. Belly laughs. Cask wine. On country. Caves. Landscapes. Beauty. Stories. Learning. Growth. Full heart. Silence. Isolation but not alone. Amazing meals. Billy always bubbling.
From a personal perspective, I was looking for answers. Answers to questions that I hadn’t yet been able to form. Just something unsettled within. I didn’t have any major revelations until our journey was nearly over and even more so afterwards. I’d found what I was missing – connection. 11 strangers now feel like family – not just the sharing of stories, feelings and emotions; but the rolling up a swag together or learning that cutting kale with a bread knife was far more efficient. It was such a safe space to share as much as you felt comfortable to share. Although we were together, it still felt like an individual journey. Oh, and we laughed – depth of experience interspersed with light-heartedness.
It has left me feeling a little topsy-turvy but that is also exciting. I may be back in my physical reality but my journey is just beginning. I absolutely recommend joining an ADSJ desert spirit journey – speak with the leaders with any reservations and they will put you at ease.
James, 2025, Sydney
Spending nearly two weeks in the desert was a truly transformative experience. From start to finish, everything was thoughtfully organised—especially the food, which was superb. Each meal was pre-planned with quality ingredients, and preparing it in rotating cooking teams added a sense of community and fun to the process.
What made the journey even more meaningful was the group itself. There was a beautiful sense of openness among participants, with everyone contributing to deep, honest conversations. The connection we formed felt rare and genuine.
The leadership team deserves special mention. Their depth of experience and calm handling of all the behind-the-scenes logistics gave me the space to focus on my own personal journey. Knowing everything practical was taken care of made it much easier to be present.
Being in the desert—far from the noise of everyday life—helped me reflect deeply. It gave me clarity around what I truly need versus what I merely want. The vastness and stillness of the landscape offered a kind of introspection that’s hard to find elsewhere.
I walked away from the experience feeling lighter, more grounded, and more connected—to myself, to others, and to nature.
warwick - 2025 - Sydney
My son James talked me into going on this journey – more like told me. I had been aware of this trip for some time through brother Rich and was always too “busy” to go. James settled that. So, as I suspect often happens, I signed up with a level of trepidation. Having only been once before anywhere near the Australian desert (flying in to Uluru and staying in a hotel) I didn’t know what to expect – especially going with a bunch of strangers.
The journey was fantastic in so many ways. The vastness and raw beauty of the country, the feeling of space and remoteness, the interaction with indigenous locals which gave me a confronting reality check. But the real value for me was having the time to reflect on what is important in my life and to think about what I should do more of - and less of!
The journey was structured enough to promote interactions but there was time to be truly alone, time to have one-on-one chats, and time for group discussions. The group of twelve became very close over the 10 days and developed many friendships that I know will last.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 10 days and would recommend it to others wanting to spend some time in introspective reflection. The journey has not ended – it has just begun!
Recent Journeys
Recent Journeys - 2024 and 2025
In 2024, we travelled north from Perth, partly because many of our major access roads to the desert east of Laverton were still closed following the heavy rains that swept through the inland areas of the state in February/March, associated with a cyclone. The journey took us first to Mt Magnet where we spent a wonderful day with artists and staff from the Wirnda Barna Aboriginal Art Gallery, learning about aboriginal art techniques and painting our own mini-canvas scenes and sharing the stories behind the painted images. From there we travelled to Nallan Station and camped in the breakaway country east of the main station complex. After a full day exploring the caves and breakaways, we drove north to Meekatharra then west through Wiluna and south to a small nature reserve near Lake Wells. We camped in more stunning breakaway country and returned to Perth via Laverton and Kalgoorlie. The weather was perfect and with 3 scheduled non-travel days, there was plenty of time for immersing ourselves in the stillness and silence of the desert - refreshment for those weary from a busy life in the city! The journey included 12 travellers, 5 of whom were first-timers!
In 2025, the overall plan was a repeat of the previous year. The group included four leaders and 8 ‘journeyers’. Six of the 8 journeyers were experiencing a Desert Spirit Journey for the first time; the other two had completed a single journey a number of years previously. The age range was 35 - 78 years.
This group bonded exceptionally well right from the start - this may have been a result of the group forming relatively early, allowing time for two meetings prior to departure, one in March and a second in May. But most likely it was a combination of the people themselves and the benefit of spending the second day of the journey sharing a couple of group activities (at the art gallery).
After rain on Day 1 on the drive up to Mt Magnet and through the first night, there was a heavy dew for the next 2 nights, all of which made packing wet canvas a challenge, but the team still managed to have us ready to leave by 8.30am or soon after. The weather improved from then and we enjoyed sunshine and clear dry nights for most of the remainder of the journey.
The group enjoyed the non-travel reflection days where each person could choose how best to engage in self-reflection, either using some of the daily readings provided by the leadership group, their own materials brought from home, or simply engaging with the desert environment or sharing significant life stories around the campsite/campfire. In addition to working seamlessly together, the willingness of each of these people to embrace their own vulnerability, engage in self-reflection and share their life stories was remarkable. The sense of teamwork and trust was powerful. See the testimonials on this site for more insight into the personal learnings that were gifted to members of the 2025 Desert Spirit Journey.
Details of future journeys will be posted on this website in November, later this year.
Recent Journeys - 2023
Our 2023 journey mirrored the previous year’s journey in only one respect - the route was almost identical. In contrast, we spent a whole day immersed in aboriginal culture, travelling on country with a local elder, learning about Mallee Fowl nesting behaviour, how to find your direction using the Kurrajong tree (which is also a source of water in an emergency), and contemplating the customs and lifestyle of generations past who travelled across the land, stopping at different places at different times of the year. The group consisted of 12 people, 8 first-timers and a leadership team of 4 experienced desert travellers. The age range was late 20’s to late 70’s. The learning experiences from each other almost matched the deep learning from our aboriginal host and we returned enriched individually and collectively by our desert experience.
Recent Journeys - 2022
Once again we headed east through Laverton and out into the Great Victoria Desert, leaving on July 20 from Perth. A Native Title Determination had been awarded to the Nangaanya-Ku people in late 2021 and we successfully applied to the Board of the managing body for an entry permit. We enjoyed a cultural immersion experience with an aboriginal elder on our second day, and then travelled through Laverton to camp at Rason Lake before heading further east via the Anne Beadell Highway to camp east of Neale Junction. We completed our loop by returning once again to the Hanns Track, camping at Millar Range before returning to Laverton and then Perth. The journey took 10 days and covered over 3,000 km.
Perhaps not surprisingly, this journey was more impacted by the pandemic than the two previous journeys due to the WA border opening in February. At one stage we had 12 participants but due to a variety of factors the final group numbered only 7 - one of our smallest groups for some time. The group included a father and his 28 year-old-son who enjoyed sharing a unique experience of desert immersion, while the remaining members of the group appreciated the depth of their relationship!
Once again the weather was kind to us, and the stars were brilliant under moonless skies. Helen’s testimony about her experiences on the 2021 and 2022 journeys provides you with her personal perspective.
Recent Journeys - 2021
The Pilbara again beckoned for the 2021 Spirit Journey but restrictions on access to various parts of the east Pilbara again prevented us heading north. Instead we headed north to Mount Magnet and then east to Sandstone, Wiluna, onto the Gunbarrel Highway to Warburton, then south on the Connie Sue Highway and returned to Laverton via our favourite Hann’s Track, and Anne Beadell Highway.
The journey departed Perth in early July in the pouring rain, but by the evening of day 1 we had out-run the rain and we had only one wet morning in the entire 12 day journey, despite Perth receiving record rainfall for the month of July, with rain almost every day of the month. The 12 participants spanned a 50 year age gap, with 3 people experiencing their first journey and 5 only their second journey.
The dates were chosen partly to ensure we had many moonless nights, which made the night sky viewing stunning, and also pleased the camera enthusiasts. The 12 journeyers formed a great team, and a number of people returning with memories of deep and meaningful experiences from conversations, quietly sitting and listening to the desert, and observing the stunning environment.
For more details of these experiences, see the testimonies from Gill and Alice above.
Recent Journeys - 2020
2020 was of course a year full of uncertainty and interrupted plans for many businesses and individuals as the world population dealt with the first true global pandemic in a century.
Our initial plan was to undertake a journey to the Eastern Pilbara and we had a large group signed up and deposits paid before the pandemic started to seriously impact Australia in March. Although the virus was well-controlled in WA, sufficient uncertainty over the presence of the virus in the community even in June forced a change in plans to stay closer to medical help if a situation arose that required urgent medical evacuation.
So instead we had a delightful 10 day journey to the Manning and Helena and Aurora Ranges, part of the banded ironstone country to the north of Southern Cross. The weather was very kind and travelling in August (around 4-6 weeks later than our usual time of year for Spirit Journeys) gave us the added benefit of longer daylight hours so more time to explore in the daytime. The Helena and Aurora Ranges are stunningly beautiful and remarkable in their vegetation remaining undamaged by the grazing of cattle and sheep due to the lack of permanent water sources.
Six people enjoyed their first Desert Spirit Journey with us in 2020.
Recent Journeys - 2019
In 2019, our three journeys were conducted sequentially involving three vehicles and a total of 23 spirit journeyers, 9 of them ‘first timers’ enjoying a totally new experience. The weather was superb for all three journeys. The lack of rain over the previous months was very evident, with many rockholes dry and evidence of recent bushfires in many areas.
Highlights of the first journey from Perth to Alice Springs were camping in a grove of whispering desert oaks on the Sandy Blight Junction track for two nights, and spectacular views of both sunset and sunrise from our campsite near Haasts Bluff, just south of Papunya.
The second journey immersed us in the Simpson Desert with rest days spent on the Colson Track and camped in the Finke Riverbed just north of Mt Dare Station. Return to Alice was again via the Finke River Gorge, a spectacular and challenging 4WD track.
The return journey from Alice Springs to Perth saw us retrace our route from the first journey down the Sandy Blight Junction track, and included a unique experience of a flock of Zebra finches gathering to drink at one of the few remaining watering spots in Bungabiddy Rockhole, only to be hunted out by a pair of athletic and acrobatic Peregrine Falcons as they zoomed overhead. Return to Perth included a rest day in the beautiful Millar Range on the Hann’s Track.
