What are the best backpacker tours in Australia?
The east coast run, Uluru in a swag, and the west coast up to Exmouth are the three that fill up. All of them sleep in hostels, swags or camps, travel in small groups, and include the transport between stops — from $729 for three days at Uluru to a few weeks up the coast.
Checked on 5 October 2026.
Backpacker travel in Australia is really a question of distance. The country is enormous and the interesting bits are far apart, so the trips that work are the ones that carry you between them and sort the beds out at each end. These are the ones that sell.
The east coast — the classic run
Brisbane or Sydney up to Cairns, stopping at K'gari, the Whitsundays and the reef. Bus passes between towns are booked before you travel, and you sleep in hostels, on the sailing boat and camping on the island.
| Trip | Length | Route | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Day Brisbane to Cairns Highlights | 7 days, 6 nights | Brisbane / Cairns | $1449 |
| 10 Day Brisbane to Cairns Highlights | 10 days, 9 nights | Brisbane / Cairns | $1999 |
| 14 Days Sydney to Cairns Budget | 14 days, 13 nights | Sydney / Cairns | $1999 |
| 14 Days Brisbane to Cairns Highlights | 14 days, 13 nights | Brisbane / Cairns | $2339 |
Uluru — the cheapest way into the centre
Swag camping under the stars is the backpacker version and the one people come back talking about. Three days covers Uluru and Kings Canyon.
| Trip | Length | Where you sleep | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Day Uluru Budget | 3 days, 2 nights | Swags | $729 |
| 3 Day Uluru Adventure | 3 days, 2 nights | Swags | $759 |
| 4 Day Uluru Adventure | 4 days, 3 nights | Swags | $819 |
| 2 Day Uluru Tour | 2 days, 1 night | Swags or Safari tents | $749 |
The west coast — the one fewer people do
Perth north to Monkey Mia, Ningaloo and Exmouth. Longer, emptier and the best snorkelling in the country.
| Trip | Length | Route | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Day Perth to Monkey Mia | 4 days, 3 nights | Perth / Perth | $1299 |
| 6 Day Perth to Exmouth | 6 days, 5 nights | Perth / Exmouth | $1449 |
| 7 Day Perth to Exmouth & Return | 7 days, 6 nights | Perth / Perth | $1699 |
| 10 Day Perth to Broome | 10 days, 9 nights | Perth / Broome | $2905 |
What makes these work on a budget
- Transport is included between stops, which is the expensive part of Australia and the part that goes wrong on your own.
- Overnight buses on the long legs save you a night's accommodation as well as a day.
- Meals are included on the outback trips — the guide cooks at camp, so you are not buying dinner in a town with one roadhouse.
- Small groups, usually capped around 20, so it is a van of people rather than a coach of them.
- You can book one leg at a time if you would rather keep your plans loose.
If you are short on money rather than time
People also ask
- What is the best way to travel the east coast of Australia?
- Where do you sleep on an Uluru tour?
- What is Uluru like month by month?
- Where should I go in Tasmania?
Where this comes from. Each trip's own transport, accommodation and inclusions sheet, as held on its page here. Prices are the current from price and update on their own.