arrow_back

16 Day itinerary in Australia, Oceania

Wild Western Australia

The Coral Coast is amazing, little known, you feel like you have it all to yourself.... It stretches for almost 1000 kms from the Pinnacles desert north of Perth to the Ningaloo reef. This coastal route offers unusual views between the rock formations of Pinnacles and Kalbarri. This coastline is cha... Read More

1 / 17
All Photos
Christophe

By Christophe

Overview

Physical Difficulty

Easy
help_outline

Recommended Age

Everyone

Operated in

English, French

GUIDANCE

On Some Day Trips

starting point

Perth

trip type

Private

trip attributes

Hiking

Rural home stays

Indigenous culture

Snorkeling/Diving

Outdoors & Nature

Beach & Sea

Start

Night

End

Highlights

1

Rottnest Island one of the prettiest islands in Western Australia

2

Nambung National Park, with its famous Pinnacles Desert

3

Shark Bay National Park one of the world's largest marine reserves.

4

Ningaloo Reef, a long fringing reef that offers an amazing underwater biodiversity.

Itinerary

double expand_more

Day 1

place Welcome in Perth

Shuttle transfer from Perth Airport to your accommodation.

Accommodation:

  • double: Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges
Day 2

place Fremantle

TIME TO RELAX AND DISCOVER FREMANTLE Fremantle, a 30-minute drive from Perth, has many attractions. The city centre has retained its historic heritage and has been carefully restored, certainly one of the most beautiful in Australia. It has a relaxed atmosphere, nice little cafes, good restaurants and the beach. The World Heritage listed Fremantle Prison is the city's main historical attraction, and there are also other interesting museums.

Accommodation:

  • double: Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges
Day 3

place Meet a Quokka on Rottnest Island

DISCOVER ROTTNEST ISLAND BY BIKE Located less than 20 km from the coast, Rottnest Island is considered to be one of the prettiest islands in Western Australia. The island only broke away from the mainland about 7,000 years ago, but it has an original ecosystem. Although it is only 19 km2, there are indeed very diverse landscapes: beaches, salt lakes, swamps, forests, villages... and above all, the great specificity of this island is that cars are forbidden there! To get to this small natural paradise, you will embark on a ferry from Perth. When you arrive on the island, a bicycle will be waiting for you. The bike is the best way to get around Rottnest Island and discover its many treasures. You can, at your own pace, ride all or part of the 50 kilometers of the Wadjemup Trail, admire one of the many salt lakes (Herschel Lake, Serpentine Lake, Garden Lake...), go photograph the Bathurst lighthouse or enjoy the quiet beaches. Keep your eyes open, as Quokkas, small marsupials only found in Australia, have taken up residence on the island!

Accommodation:

  • double: Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges
Day 4

place Fremantle- Pinnacles Desert- Jurien Bay

Pick up of your rental vehicle in Perth. Leave Fremantle to reach the Nambung National Park, with its famous Pinnacles Desert. The entrance to the park is 20 kms South of Cervantes, and about 180 kms from Perth. Strange limestone formations sometimes as high as 5 meters high stand in hundreds in the desert. You can also take a relaxing break on the beautiful beaches of Kangaroo Point and Hangover Bay.

Day 5

place Cervantes- Kalbarri

You will continue this day on the road to the North, plan an early departure. You will drive through Dongara and reach Geraldton via a beautiful coastal road. This city is the largest between Perth and Darwin. It has a brand new marina, some good restaurants and nice cafés. Visit the "HMAS Sydney" Memorial, which dominates the city and commemorates a tragedy that cost the lives of 645 sailors. You will then head off to Port Gregory to discover its Pink Lake, which is well worth a photo break. We suggest to visit Kalbarri National Park and the spectacular Murchison River gorges. Between July and November, the park is covered with wildflowers. Several sites are available for hiking (see details in your Road Book). Don't miss Nature's Window, one of the main attractions of the region.

Accommodation:

  • double: Gecko Lodge
Day 6

place Kalbarri National Park

Discover the Kalbarri Nature Park and in particular the short walk called "The Loop”: the start is located about 400m from the car park, it takes about 20 min to access the "Nature's window" site. We also suggest that you take a break at the Z-Bend point of view. After 500m of walking you will reach the viewpoint, located 150m high and offering you a plunging view of the gorges of the national park.

Accommodation:

  • double: Gecko Lodge
Day 7

place Kalbarri- Denham

Head towards another of Western Australia's flagship national parks: Shark Bay National Park, which is one of the world's largest marine reserves. Classified as a World Heritage Site, Shark Bay National Park is best known for the Monkey Mia dolphin watching spot.

Accommodation:

  • double: Heritage Resort Shark Bay
Day 8

place Discover the Francois Peron NP with an aboriginal guide

DAY TRIP TO DISCOVER THE FRANCOIS PERON NATIONAL PARK Enjoy an unforgettable 4x4 adventure and explore the spectacular François Péron National Park. This tour will take you to discover one of Australia's most beautiful National Parks and allow you to immerse yourself in nature and learn more about Aboriginal cultures. You will understand why visitors from all over the world want to travel here, where the red desert sand meets the beautiful turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. You will visit fantastic scenic spots such as Skipjack Point, Cap Peron and many other picturesque places that offer breathtaking views of the bay. You can also observe turtles, rays, sharks, dugongs, manta rays, birds and so much more. Lunch is served in a stylish beachfront house and you can swim in one of the many sheltered bays (subject to weather conditions). On the way back, stop to relax in the natural hot spring in Peron Homestead.

Meals: Lunch

Accommodation:

  • double: Heritage Resort Shark Bay
Day 9

place Shark Bay and Monkey Mia

FREE TIME TO EXPLORE DENHAM AND THE SHARK BAY AREA: Denham is Australia's most westerly town and the gateway to Monkey Mia with its dolphins and Francois Peron National Park. There is much to discover and much that can be done on your own but we suggest a scenic flight over the beautiful multi-coloured lagoons from the air, a trip with an Aboriginal guide in a 4WD vehicle required to explore the Francois Peron (ask us). This will leave you with lasting memories. It is also possible to take a wildlife cruise to Dirk Hartog Island and see dolphins, dugongs, whales, turtles and many other marine creatures along the way.

Accommodation:

  • double: Heritage Resort Shark Bay
Day 10

place Denham- Coral Bay

Leave early today so you get to Carnavon for lunch, a pleasant stopover along the way. The fishing and market gardening industries have given a certain prosperity to this small town with wide streets. You will then continue on to Coral Bay. This tiny seaside village is not bigger than one street and a huge white sand beach bordered by the Ningaloo Reef. The Reef here can be directly accessed from the beach.

Accommodation:

  • double: Ningaloo Coral Bay - Bayview
Day 11

place Cruise on the Ningaloo Reef

CRUISE ON THE NINGALOO REEF, HOME OF MANTA RAYS Here you are, meeting the hosts of Ningaloo Reef: the manta rays. It is one of the best sites for snorkelling in Australia. The reef is a sanctuary with many species of colorful tropical fish, such as clown fish, lion fish or scorpion fish, morays... explore the biodiversity with spectacular coral formations, anemones, shark varieties, turtles, eels, rays and much more. This day promises you a unique face-to-face experience... Ningaloo Reef is a long fringing reef that offers an amazing underwater biodiversity. Classified as a Marine Park, the entire area offers a wild and authentic environment.

Accommodation:

  • double: Ningaloo Coral Bay - Bayview
Day 12

place Coral Bay- Exmouth

You can enjoy Ningaloo Reef before heading towards Exmouth at about 2h30 by car. Exmouth is located at the very end of Cape North West, just North of Ningaloo Reef and not far from Cape Range National Park. So you can explore this park according to your timing.

Accommodation:

  • double: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth
Day 13

place Cruise to meet the Humpback Whales

CRUISE TO MEET HUMPBACK WHALES AT NINGALOO REEF Embark on a day cruise on the West Coast in search of Mantas rays, humpback whales and perhaps even orcas. Totally harmless to humans, you can swim within 30 m of these animals, while respecting their wild state. Humpback whales migrate to the turquoise waters of Ningaloo Reef from August to the end of October. Manta ray colonies are numerous from June to October. On the other hand, the discovery of orcas is more rare, but if you are lucky, you may have the opportunity to experience it. For the observers on board the boat, the show will be fantastic. The boat will park 50 m from the animals, so you can admire and take pictures of them.

Meals: Lunch

Accommodation:

  • double: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth
Day 14

place Discover Cape Range National Park

SAFARI 4X4 CAPE RANGE (3 hours) The must-see Cape Range National Park is located on the West Coast at Ningaloo Reef, just 40 km from Exmouth. The 2 canyons of Charles Knife Canyon and Shothole Canyon are accessible on the east coast of Cape Range by leaving the main road from Exmouth along the Gulf Coast, the Exmouth to Minilya road. This trail offers the most beautiful views of Cape Range National Park. Keep your eyes open as you travel through the National Park to observe the local wildlife: red kangaroos, euro (also called wallaroo), emus, bungarras and bustards.

Accommodation:

  • double: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth
Day 15

place Exmouth

Enjoy free time in Exmouth and the surroundings.

Accommodation:

  • double: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth
Day 16

place Exmouth Departure

Return of your rental vehicle at Exmouth Airport. Connection with your international flight.

What’s Included

Accommodation expand_less

  • Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth
  • Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges
  • Gecko Lodge
  • Heritage Resort Shark Bay
  • Ningaloo Coral Bay - Bayview

Meals expand_less

  • Lunch (2)

Transport expand_less

  • Car Rental

Activities expand_less

  • Safari 4x4 in the Cape Range
  • Cruise to meet Humpback Whales
  • Cruise on the Ningaloo Reef
  • Bike rental and ferry to Rottnest Island

Not Included expand_less

  • Domectic & International flights

About Christophe

TEAM LEAD

verified Baboo Certified

star_outline 5 (1 reviews)

Eternal traveler, curious by nature, I have traveled the planet with the thirst to discover, explore, meet its inhabitants. Being able to share my experiences and emotions is a kind of achievement.

Travel that Makes a Difference

By choosing to travel with us, you support local communities, wildlife, and the environment. We are dedicated to positively impacting the world through every journey we offer.

Let’s regenerate the planet together

We overcompensate your entire journey’s carbon footprint including flights - for free.

Learn more
FROM PRICE PER TRAVELER

$6,387.00 USD