Perth to Exmouth, Karijini & Return

Welcome to sunny Perth, where your overland journey begins. Meet your group early this morning and leave the city, driving north to Nambung National Park to explore The Pinnacles. These are ancient rock sculptures that rise out of the desert. Travel through Geraldon then on to Western Australia’s own Pink Lake at Port Gregory. From here continue on to the quiet beach town of Kalbarri, where you’ll stay the night.

Today take a short drive to Kalbarri National Park. Hike around some of the park’s diverse scenery, including Kalbarri Skywalk overlooking the Murchison River Gorge and Nature’s Window. It’s a steep descent into Z-Bend Gorge. After lunch visit the beautiful Shell Beach, which is one of only two beaches in the world composed entirely of shells. Get back on the road and continue towards Denham and Shark Bay.

This morning head down to the beach for the Monkey Mia dolphins experience. The idyllic shores around the Francoise Peron National Park are perfect to stretch the legs and admire another slice of Western Australian coastline. The next stop is Hamelin Pool where you’ll see the fascinating stromatolites, these marine rock formations are some of the world’s oldest and largest living fossils. After a short break, continue along the highway through Carnarvon to Coral Bay – known as the ‘Jewel of the Northwest’.

Today explore picturesque Coral Bay, home to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. Snorkel equipment is available to hire (own expense), you could cruise the reef in a glass-bottom boat to observe the tropical life teeming below the surface. The marine park is home to 250 species of coral and over 500 species of fish. You might prefer to take an optional scenic flight over the reef.

Spend the morning snorkelling right off the beach in the stunning Cape Range National Park. Depending on the time of year, you have the option to snorkel or scuba dive in search of whale sharks and manta rays. Take a visit to Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, one of the few places in Australia where you can see the sun both rise and set. Enjoy taking a wander around the town of Exmouth before settling down in our overnight accommodation.

Head inland today through the vast cattle stations of the Pilbara region. The sparsely populated Pilbara desert is known for its red earth and rich mineral deposits. In the afternoon pass through the little town of Tom Price, which is renowned for its iron ore mining. Continue on to your campsite overlooking the magnificent Hamersley Range in Karijini. Before you go to sleep, take a minute to gaze up at one the most magnificent night skies you’re ever likely to see.

Over the next two days explore the almighty gorges of Karijini National Park. Formed over 2,500 million years ago, the Hamersley Ranges feature some of the most unusual landforms on Earth. You’ll be able to take some great photographs while you’re here. Hike deep into the gorges, where you’ll come across cascading waterfalls and fresh waterholes ideal for swimming in. Dales Gorge and Oxlers Lookout, Fortescue Falls, Fern Pool, Weano and Hancock Gorge’s are just some of the places you can visit. This part of the journey is a real highlight.

Head back into the gorges today for further exploration of this fascinating national park.

We travel south through the vast areas of the Pilbara region, via the outback mining town of Newman, the iron ore Mecca of the North. We will travel through many large historical sheep and cattle stations (some over 1 million acres in size) and modern mining centres. We share our last night together at one of our outback campsites.

Leaving early we travel to the gold mining town of Mt Magnet. A short break and once more we are on our way to Perth. As the kilometres slip by we soon find ourselves in the wheat and sheep farming districts North-East of Perth. Early afternoon will find us at the picturesque town of New Norcia, built as a mission by Benedictine monks in the 1840’s. As the day draws to a close we arrive into Perth.