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Welcome to Perth
Welcome to Perth! Pick up your rental car, settle in to your comfortable accommodation and relax in Australia's sunniest capital city.
With soft sandy beaches, epic skyscrapers, huge green parks and a thriving street art scene, Perth is a fascinating town to explore. It's home to one of the biggest city parks in the world – Kings Park & Botanic Garden – right in the heart of town. This is a great place 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: Perth - 1 Night
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Perth to Cervantes: The Pinnacles Desert
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.
Pinnacles Desert
Located in the 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 seen 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 that includes an amazing lookout over the Nambung National Park.
Accommodation: Cervantes - 1 Night
Approximate Distance: 200 km | 124 miles Total Driving Time: 2 hours 15 mins
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Cervantes to Kalbarri via Jurien Bay: Sea Lion Tour
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.
Jurien Bay Sea Lion Tour
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 when your vessel is anchored you'll have around 1 - 1.5 hours to watch the curious sea lions as they come to interact with their 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 - 2 Nights
Approximate Distance: 410 km | 256 miles Total Driving Time: 4 hours 30 mins
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Kalbarri: Canoe the Gorges of Kalbarri National Park
Kalbarri Half Day Guided Canoeing and Hiking
Enter the pristine landscape of the Kalbarri National Park on a remote wilderness tour. You'll 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, you hike through breathtaking scenery and climb a waterfall back to the top of the gorge for your return journey.
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Kalbarri to Denham and Monkey Mia
Continue north to Denham and the Shark Bay World Heritage Area – famous for its friendly dolphins.
Denham: Shark Bay World Heritage Area
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.
Monkey Mia
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 can also find sea snakes, sharks, sting-rays and even manta rays and whales.
Accommodation: Monkey Mia - 2 Nights
Approximate Distance: 400 km | 249 miles Total Driving Time: 4 hours 15 mins
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Monkey Mia: Francois Peron National Park 4WD Tour
Join an unforgettable 4WD Adventure with a local Aboriginal guide and explore the amazing Francois Peron National Park.
Francois Peron National Park
Immerse yourself in 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 which provide 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 the many sheltered bays, if weather permits. Your tour finishes with a relaxing dip in the natural Hot Tub at the Peron Homestead.
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Monkey Mia to Coral Bay
After departing from Monkey Mia, continue north and stop off to marvel at the Carnarvon blowholes which can reach up to 20m high. This natural spectacle is caused by the ocean forcing water through the 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.
Approximate Distance: 580 km | 360 miles Total Driving Time: 6 hours
Accommodation: Coral Bay - 2 Nights
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Best of Ningaloo Trip
Search for the majestic Manta Ray in the pristine waters of Coral Bay.
Best of Ningaloo Tour
Manta Ray have a wing span 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 assist in finding 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 have the chance of observing other wildlife including turtles, dolphins and dugongs.
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Coral Bay to Exmouth
Continue along the coast to Exmouth, a small resort town on Western Australia’s North West Cape.
Exmouth
Exmouth is the perfect base to explore the grandiose landscapes of the Cape Range National Park and the northern reaches of the 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: Exmouth - 2 Nights
Approximate Distance: 155 km | 96 miles Total Driving Time: 1 hour 45 mins
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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 through to 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.
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Travel to Karratha
Exmouth to Karratha is 550km, on the way you can see the town of Onslow, and there are plenty of beaches along the way to admire.
if you're keen to explore there are ancient Aboriginal rock engravings on the Burrup Peninsula and the picturesque beach at Hearson's Cove are within a twenty minute drive of Karratha, as is the port town of Dampier. Fun fact - the city's name comes from the cattle station of the same name, which derives from a word in a local Aboriginal language meaning "good country" or "soft earth".
Approximate Distance: 550 km | 342 miles Total Driving Time: 6 hours
Accommodation: Karratha - 1 Night
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Travel to Karijini
Stock up on snacks: it's a full day's drive from Karratha via Port Hedland 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.
Karijini National Park
Situated in the dynamic Pilbara region, the Karijini National Park is the second largest National Park in Western Australia, and has been carved out over the course of 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.
Experience the Outback: Karijini Eco Retreat
For the next three nights you will be stay close to nature in an outback eco retreat, nestled in the pristine bushland at the heart of the Karijini National Park.
Accommodation: Karijini National Park - 2 Nights
Approximate Distance: 484 km | 398 miles Total Driving Time: 5 hours
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Karijini National Park: Free Day to Explore
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 the 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.
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Karijini to Port Hedland: Staircase To The Moon
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 is 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: Port Hedland - 1 Night
Approximate Distance: 345 km | 214 miles Total Driving Time: 4 hours
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Port Hedland to Broome: A Spectacular Sunset
Today you will drive onwards to your final destination: Broome, a welcoming and laid-back oceanside town in the Kimberley region.
Broome
Broome is known as "the pearl of the North" due to the beautiful South Sea pearls harvested here. Pearl shells were discovered here 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 the 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: Broome - 1 Night
Approximate Distance: 610 km | 379 miles Total Driving Time: 6 hours 15 mins
What Elizabeth says about this tour: "When you think of Australia, do you picture red earth and vast rugged landscapes? Unspoiled, isolated beaches? If this is the Australia you long to discover, our 16 Day Perth to Broome self-drive package is the dream HONEYMOON you've been searching for. This incredible journey takes you over 2500 km (1553 miles) and does feature one or two longer driving days, but you're rewarded with some of the oldest, most mysterious, isolated landscapes on the planet, including dinosaur footprints, living fossils and gorges carved over millions of years. Don't worry, we'll be a phone call away if you need support while you are on the road."
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