Getting Around Australia with Loka

Updated On 14th December, 2016

When planning your adventure around Australia, one big factor to take into account is transport.

Australia is a freaking MASSIVE country {so much bigger than you think} and, particularly if you are on a tight time frame, i’d advice looking into and booking your chosen transport in advance. You may even want to consider some overnight buses to maximise your time on ground for activities.

Unless, of course, you can afford to fly between destinations which saves so much time, but that comes obviously with a price tag.

Most backpackers that embark on an Australian adventure will book onto one of the hop on hop off bus services. There are a few companies to choose from, all of which run the popular routes and give you the flexibilty to explore at your own pace.

Like me, you’ve probably heard of Greyhound, Contiki and OZ Experience but today, I found out about another company that i had never before come across.

Introducing… Loka

I discovered Loka through my dorm buddy Pete, who is currently making his way around Australia with Loka. Pete didn’t have a bad word to say about his new transport choice, so I was instantly intrigued.

I thought about you guys and wanted to get more information on, what seems to be, a company worthy of legitimate consideration when planning your OZ adventure. Pete kindly agreed to answer a few questions for me, seeing as I haven’t yet had the opportunity to travel with Loka myself…

Here’s a little insight into Loka Travel…

Q1 How does Loka work?

Pete: Loka is a simple hop on, hop off transport service up and down the East Coast of OZ, allowing similar freedoms to other bus companies. Loka gives the added bonus of a professional tour guide with you, helping you get the very most out of your trip. It’s a nice mix between a fully independent bus/rail service and a backpacker bus tour.

Mollie: It’s good to add in here that the average group size is 15-20, with a maximum capacity of 24. In NSW, transport is on board the 24 seater coaches. In Queensland, the travel is by train with the choice of guided / unguided journeys for added freedom.

Q2 How would you describe Loka in 3 words?

Pete: Family. Unique. Adventure.

Q3 Why did you choose Loka over the other Australian bus companies?

Pete: Loka allowed me the freedom to be independent on my travels but had the additional offering of the unique stops and the tour guide on top. At my time of purchase the Loka pass was a similar price to the Greyhound one, and I liked the idea of the added value extras.

Q4 Give me 3 main advantages you enjoyed travelling with Loka?

Pete:

1) You really feel like part of a family, as you have shared similar experiences and the bus size is much smaller so it’s easier to get to know people.

2) Guides are there to support you 24/7 and with their ‘locals’ knowledge, they can help with everything from “what is that animal?!” to “I need a job do you know anywhere?”

3) The buses go to and stops in places that you would never think of going, making it very unique. Even the tour guides will sometimes detour slightly just to show you a beautiful view or a koala.

Cheeky 4) If you need a wee / food on the bus they will stop. It’s more of a personalised service.

Q5 Any downsides / things to note about travelling with Loka?

Pete: Honestly the bus tour has been fab, every tour guide I’ve had (I had 5 guides out of around 10) were brilliant. One thing to note is that there is no wifi on the bus, but honestly i never felt I needed it as your always with the family. Having no access to WIFI encourages people to talk, look out of the window and create experiences and memories. There are plenty of opportunities to access WIFI when you arrive to destinations / your hostel if you want it.

Mollie: Since hearing about Loka and writing this post, one downside i’ve heard when asking people about Loka is that the timetable isn’t as frequent as e.g. Greyhound. The buses won’t necessarily run every day from every location so this could become an issue if you are working on a tight time frame. Loka, it seems, could be more suited to relaxed travel.