Day 1
Welcome to Perth
Welcome to Perth! Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to your accommodation where you can settle in and relax in Australia's sunniest capital city.
With soft sandy beaches, impressive skyscrapers, vast green parks, and a thriving street art scene, Perth is a fascinating city to explore. It’s home to one of the largest city parks in the world – Kings Park & Botanic Garden – right in the heart of the city. This is a perfect spot to get your bearings with sweeping views of the Swan and Canning rivers.
Perth's urban villages and small bar-bistros offer plenty of dining options to fuel you up for exciting adventures along the Western Australian coast tomorrow.
Accommodation: Adina Apartment Hotel Perth Barrack Plaza - 1 Night
Day 2
Perth to Cervantes: The Pinnacles Desert - Approximate Distance: 200 km | 124 miles | Total Driving Time: 2 hours 15 mins
Collect your rental vehicle this morning and begin your adventure by travelling along the Indian Ocean Drive to the coastal fishing town of Cervantes and one of Australia’s most unique landscapes: the Pinnacles Desert. Located in Nambung National Park, ancient limestone pillars known as the Pinnacles rise straight out of the sand and are a must-see for visitors to Cervantes. The formations are best viewed at dawn or dusk when they cast long, strange shadows over the rippling yellow sand dunes. Get up close to the Pinnacles on a scenic drive and walking trail, which includes an amazing lookout over Nambung National Park.
Accommodation: Pinnacles Edge Resort Cervantes - 1 Night
Day 3
Cervantes to Kalbarri via Jurien Bay: Sea Lion Tour - Approximate Distance: 410 km | 255 miles | Total Driving Time: 4 hours 30 mins
En route to your next destination, Kalbarri, stop at Jurien Bay for an easy 15-minute boat ride to the island-based breeding colonies of the Australian Sea Lion.
The Australian Sea Lion is a protected species found only on the coasts of Western Australia. Here in Jurien Bay, you can interact with and experience the sea lions in their natural habitat. Watch for dolphins during your short boat journey, and once your vessel is anchored, you'll have around 1 - 1.5 hours to observe the curious sea lions as they come to interact with visitors.
Kalbarri: Where the Outback Meets the Sea
Sitting at the mouth of the Murchison River, the popular holiday spot of Kalbarri is known for its seaside cliffs, estuary beach, and wild pelicans. Discover 400-million-year-old river gorges, dramatic coastal rock formations, and a rainbow of wildflowers as you explore the secrets of this ancient landscape tomorrow.
Accommodation: Kalbarri Edge Resort - 2 Nights
Day 4
Kalbarri Half Day Guided Canoeing and Hiking
Enter the pristine landscape of Kalbarri National Park on a remote wilderness tour. Enjoy the excitement of driving along a real outback 4WD track leading to the river.
Hike down into 4-Ways Gorge where you will hop into your canoe to paddle along the river, exploring a remote section of the gorge. After a relaxing swim in the secluded waterholes, hike through breathtaking scenery and climb a waterfall back to the top of the gorge for your return journey.
Day 5
Kalbarri to Denham and Monkey Mia - Approximate Distance: 400 km | 249 miles | Total Driving Time: 4 hours 15 mins
Continue north to Denham and the Shark Bay World Heritage Area – famous for its friendly dolphins. Keep an eye out for the world’s oldest living fossils – the Hamelin Pool Stromatolites, believed to be about 3.5 billion years old. This is one of only two places in the world that they can be seen. Head to the Discovery and Visitor Centre to learn about Shark Bay’s hidden treasures, or relax at Shell Beach and enjoy the sunshine.
Just north of Denham, the Monkey Mia Reserve is surrounded by red sand dunes, white sandy beaches, and waters brimming with marine wildlife. Scientists from all over the world come to Monkey Mia to unravel the mysteries of the marine world, including wild dolphins, green turtles, and dugongs. During warmer months, you may also spot sea snakes, sharks, stingrays, and even manta rays and whales.
Accommodation: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort - 2 Nights
Day 6
Francois Peron National Park 4WD Tour
Join an unforgettable 4WD adventure with a local Aboriginal guide and explore the amazing Francois Peron National Park. Immerse yourself in the nature and culture of this world-class park, where the red desert sands meet the Indian Ocean's beautiful turquoise waters. Visit fantastic lookouts like Skipjack Point, Point Peron, and many other scenic locations, providing breathtaking views across the beautiful bays.
Look for turtles, rays, sharks, dugongs, manta rays, birds, and much more. We also look for the amazing thorny devil lizard, the elusive echidna, kangaroos, snakes, and other rare and endangered wildlife.
Guests can even enjoy a refreshing snorkel and swim in one of the many sheltered bays if the weather permits. The tour finishes with a relaxing dip in the natural hot tub at the Peron Homestead.
Day 7
Monkey Mia to Coral Bay - Approximate Distance: 585 km | 364 miles | Total Driving Time: 6 hours
After departing from Monkey Mia, continue north and stop off to marvel at the Carnarvon blowholes, which can reach up to 20 metres high. This natural spectacle occurs when the ocean forces water through sea caves and up through holes in the rock.
Coral Bay & Ningaloo Reef
Arrive at the amazing Coral Bay & Ningaloo Reef; this is Australia's only fringing reef, where the coral starts right at the water's edge.
Accommodation: Ningaloo Coral Bay - 2 Nights
Day 8
Swim With Manta Rays
Search for the majestic Manta Ray in the pristine waters of Coral Bay. Manta Rays have a wingspan of around 4 metres but are completely harmless, and an underwater dance with a Manta Ray is one of life’s greatest experiences! This incredible eco-interaction tour uses a spotter aircraft to help find the best Manta Rays to interact with. Once spotted, your boat will travel to search for, and where possible, snorkel with these graceful creatures. Snorkelling amongst beautiful coral gardens, you may also observe other wildlife, including turtles, dolphins, and dugongs.
Day 9
Coral Bay to Exmouth - Approximate Distance: 155 km | 96 miles | Total Driving Time: 1 hour 45 mins
Continue along the coast to Exmouth, a small resort town on Western Australia’s North West Cape. Exmouth is the perfect base to explore the grandiose landscapes of Cape Range National Park and the northern reaches of Ningaloo Marine Park. Visitors flock here from around the world to swim with whale sharks and humpback whales. Exmouth is also the gateway to the rugged Cape Range National Park, which features breathtaking canyons, limestone ranges, and 50 kilometres of unspoiled coastline.
Accommodation: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth - 2 Nights
Day 10
Marine Adventures in Exmouth
Embark on an exciting ocean adventure today with Exmouth Dive Centre. Depending on the time of year you travel, you will be able to experience the following:
Whale Shark Swim (March to August)
Swim and snorkel with gentle whale sharks, getting up close and personal with the world’s largest fish as they cruise the waters of Western Australia’s Northwest Cape.
Humpback Whale Swim (August to November)
Thousands of humpback whales grace the waters off Exmouth between June and the end of October. You will have the opportunity to swim with them, or observe them from the comfort of the boat if you prefer.
Snorkel the Reef by Boat (Rest of the Year)
Snorkel the Muiron Islands and Ningaloo Reef for a holiday experience you’ll never forget. Enjoy a genuine coral reef adventure in a location unlike anywhere else in the world.
Day 11
Travel to Karratha - Approximate Distance: 550 km | 342 miles | Total Driving Time: 6 hours
It’s another beautiful day in Western Australia as you travel on National Route 1 up the coast to Karratha. It’s a big drive from Exmouth to Karratha, but the gorgeous beaches and secret swimming spots, free from tourists, make it feel like the journey is never long enough. Karratha is a satellite town supporting the local port and mining operations in the Pilbara.
Accommodation: Best Western Plus The Ranges Karratha - 1 Night
Day 12
Travel to Karijini National Park - Approximate Distance: 475 km | 295 miles | Total Driving Time: 5 hours 15 mins
Stock up on snacks: it’s a full day's drive from Karratha to the deep red sands of remote Karijini National Park. But your prize will be some of the most spectacular landscapes in Australia, from dramatic creeks & gorges to towering chasms up to 100 metres deep. Situated in the dynamic Pilbara region, Karijini National Park is the second largest national park in Western Australia and has been carved out over two billion years.
This isolated wonderland is home to red kangaroos, rock-wallabies, echidnas, geckos, goannas, dragons, and snakes, not to mention the termites, whose giant mounds are a feature of the landscape.
Accommodation: Karijini Eco Retreat, Karijini National Park - 2 Nights
Day 13
Explore Karijini National Park at Your Leisure
Suggested Activity: Karijini Guided Coach Tour
With two whole days to discover the Outback, we recommend getting your bearings with a full-day guided tour (with an air-conditioned coach to keep you cool in the outback heat!).
It's a great way to survey the highlights of the park, including spectacular views from Oxers and Circular Pool Lookouts, a walk through Weano Gorge, Joffre Falls, and a peaceful swim in Fern Pool.
Touring the park with a local guide gives you historical and cultural insights you could otherwise miss, as well as access to more rugged areas of the park where car rental companies do not permit you to take their vehicles.
Day 14
Karijini to Port Hedland - Staircase to the Moon - Approximate Distance: 375 km | 233 miles | Total Driving Time: 4 hours 30 mins
Get set to head to Western Australia’s famous Pilbara region, known for its rich cultural landscape, red earth, and vast mineral deposits. Port Hedland is a hub for major resource activity and a powerhouse of the Australian economy. If the dates are right, you may witness the Staircase to the Moon.
This natural phenomenon is caused by the rising of a full moon reflecting on the exposed mudflats at extremely low tide, creating a beautiful optical illusion of a staircase reaching up to the moon (check for dates).
Accommodation: Discovery Park Port Hedland - 1 Night
Day 15
Port Hedland to Broome - A Spectacular Sunset - Approximate Distance: 610 km | 379 miles Total Driving Time: 6 hours 30 mins
Today you will drive onwards to your final destination: Broome, a welcoming and laid-back oceanside town in the Kimberley region. Broome is known as "the pearl of the North" due to the beautiful South Sea pearls harvested here. Pearl shells were discovered in the 1880s, creating an industry that brought Aboriginal, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, European, and Filipino cultures together as it grew and thrived. Broome's multicultural history can be seen in Chinatown's distinctive old corrugated iron buildings, which once housed noodle restaurants, boarding houses, and shops for workers.
Sunset at Cable Beach
With 22 kilometres (14 miles) of white sand and warm water with gentle waves, sunset at Cable Beach is the perfect way to end your last night in Australia. Perhaps make the end of your trip more memorable with a sunset camel ride along the beach! (own expense, 100kg weight limit).
Accommodation: Cable Beach Club Resort, Broome - 1 Night
Day 16
Depart Broome
Say farewell to Broome today as you board your onward flight, taking with you the magical memories of a truly exceptional Australian experience. We know you will enjoy your 16 Day Perth to Broome Self Drive holiday and we hope you will return soon to discover even more highlights of this incredible continent.
