22 Day Perth To Darwin Ultimate Adventure!

Perth’s one of those places that are practically impossible to dislike. The weather’s great year-round, the vibe’s decidedly easygoing and there’s a good beach never too far away. If you have the time, book in a few days here before the trip starts. You’ll be happy you did. Two-hours north by road, on the edge of Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region, is Nambung National Park. The Pinnacles Desert is the highlight attraction here, with giant shards of limestone thrusting up from the earth to create an atmosphere that some find kinda spooky. The local emus don’t though – you’ll probably see them strutting about, wondering what all the fuss is about. From here it’s on to the dunes of Jurien Bay, where you might like to give sandboarding a shot. Then it’s back on the road Kalbarri, our base for the night.

Note: Total driving time today is about four-and-a-half hours. Total walking distance is approximately two kilometres.

This morning we drive to Kalbarri National Park for a hike through its diverse scenery. Following the Loop Walk, we arrive at Nature’s Window, which frames impressive views of the Murchison River Gorge below, before walking down for a dip in Z-Bend Gorge (at extra cost, there’s also the option to abseil down). After lunch we drive on to Shell Beach, supposedly one of only two beaches in the world composed completely of shells. We finish up the day in Shark Bay.

Note: Total driving time today is about four hours. Total walking distance is approximately five kilometres.

Monkey Mia, on the other side of the Peron Peninsula, is a pretty little headland of white sands and turquoise waters. Better yet, it’s a place where, every day for the last 40 years, a pod of local dolphins has swum into shore for a free feed. This morning we’ll be there to welcome them, and then we’ll continue on to Carnarvon to see the stromatolites of Hamelin Pool. While not as visually impressive as their cousins, stalagmites, these rocky clumps are some of the oldest living things in the world. The day’s final driving will bring us to Coral Bay.

Note: Total driving time today is about five-and-a-half hours. Total walking distance is approximately two kilometres.

World Heritage-listed and one of the largest fringing coral reefs in the world, Ningaloo Reef is a right national treasure. More than 500 species of fish and 200 species of coral are said to live here, along with turtles, dugongs, manta rays and whale sharks, so strap on a snorkel, head out, and see what’s swimming about. If you’re the type who prefers keeping dry, there’s also the option of cruising out to sea in a glass-bottom boat. Today’s a free day and what you spend it doing is entirely up to you. If you’re sea-shy, snub the beach altogether and head out on a quad bike ride. Tonight we make camp at our exclusive tent site in Yardie Creek.

Note: Total driving time today is about one-and-a-half hours. Total walking distance is approximately two kilometres.

Today’s a free day, so do whatever you feel. Head out on a dive trip in search of whale sharks (seasonal dependent and at extra cost) or wander up to Vlamingh Head Lighthouse with your guide and stake out your own little slice of tranquillity in Turquoise Bay.

Note: Total driving time today is about one-and-a-half hours. Total walking distance is approximately two kilometres.

Leaving the coast behind, we head into the Pilbara – a region famous for its wild, rust-coloured terrain and underground riches. Mining is big business here, which you’ll come to see when we pass through the iron-ore outpost of Tom Price on the drive to Karijini. Our campsite tonight overlooks the Hamersley Range. How many 5 Star resorts can boast that?

Today’s travel will take around six-and-a-half hours in total.

Were it not slap-bang in the middle of nowhere, Karijini National Park would likely attract visitor numbers that would rival Kakadu and the Daintree. Fortunately though, it is. So it doesn’t. Which means the two days you’ll be spending exploring Karijini should be relatively crowd-free. Today you’ll visit Dales Gorge, Weano Gorge, Circular Pool, Fern Pool and Fortescue Falls – lovely places to swim, each and all.

Note: Total driving time today is only around 40 minutes, but you could be walking up to six kilometres.

Accommodation

• Karijini National Park Camp (1 night)

Meals Included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Prepare for a bit of driving today; we’ve got a fair distance to cover. On the plus side, the scenery is pretty captivating and you’ll get a good sense of the region’s immense scale. The major stop for the day is lunch in Port Hedland, and we spend the night at a working cattle station.

Today we drive for about five hours

Prepare for a bit of driving today; we’ve got a fair distance to cover. On the plus side, the scenery is pretty captivating and you’ll get a good sense of the region’s immense scale. The major stop for the day is lunch in Port Hedland, and we spend the night at a working cattle station.

Today we drive for about five hours

Located at what often feels like the ends of the earth, with the ocean on one side and desert the other, Broome is a great place to chill out in for a few days. And that’s exactly what we do. With no scheduled activities for the next two days, how you spend your time here is completely up to you. Potter down to Chinatown, check out the Staircase Night Market, bask yourself on Roebuck Bay and perhaps sign up for a sunset camel safari along Cable Beach.

Broome may well be beautiful, but it has a pretty dark side too. The pearling industry, which made the town its fortune, was one largely built on the practice of ‘blackbirding’, in which enslaved indigenous people were forced to dive for the shells. When slavery was abolished, the Japanese took up the work, and the town’s Japanese cemetery contains more than 900 headstones commemorating the lives lost. In 2010 a memorial was also established in honour of the Indigenous Female Pearl Divers. Learn more about the town’s history at the Broome Historical Museum, then perhaps catch a flick at the world’s longest-running outdoor cinema.

PICK UP DAY 13: Kimberley Klub, 6:30am

The town of Broome made its fortune from the pearling industry, though these days it’s better known as an easy-going tourist town with a pretty striking strip of coastline. We set off into the West Australian wilds pretty early today, so consider arriving a day or two early if you fancy getting to know Broome better. After a bit of highway driving, we reach the Fitzroy River, then it’s all off-road to the Napier Range. The main attraction here is Tunnel Creek, a vast cave system that extends 750 metres underground. It’s from here that the indigenous renegade Jandamarra waged his
rebellion against the colonial authorities – a legacy you’ll learn more about on walk through the tunnel with your guide.

Note: Total driving time today is around four hours. Total walking
distance is
approximately six kilometres.

It might be hard to imagine these days, but Windjana Gorge was once an underwater reef. During the wet season, a river flows all the way through it, but during the dry, it’s really more a series of ponds and billabongs. We’ll set out on a bit of an explore, hopefully spotting a freshwater crocodile or two. The western Kimberley region is full of endless stunning gorges that have to be explored and this afternoon is no exception. After lunch, we adventure to Bell Gorge home to a stunning cascade of water flowing from the previous wet season rains that fall in the King Leopold
Ranges. We enjoy an afternoon swim in the large plunge pool before making our way back to camp.

We spend the morning exploring Adcock or Galvans gorge before making our way to Mt Barnett Station which will be our camp for this evening. After lunch, we have the whole afternoon to explore and enjoy Manning gorge. After stretching your legs on the hike in you will be rewarded with a swim in a large rock pool at the base of Manning Falls.

Note: Total driving time today is around two hours. Total walking distance is approximately 6-8 kilometres.

Fording rivers and weaving through gorges, travel by 4WD along the wild Gibb River Road – a 600-kilometre stretch that winds right through the heart of the Kimberley. We’ve got a fair bit of ground to cover today, so there is a fair bit of drive time, but we’ll be breaking the journey up with lunch and at a few stop-offs along the way. This journey includes the iconic Pentecost River crossing in our 4WD. How Australian is that? Note: Total driving time today is around five hours. Total walking distance is approximately 2 kilometres.

Originally established as an enormous cattle station, El Questro is now a vast wilderness reserve sprawled over more than one million acres. Camping out here, you’ll really feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere – albeit an extremely beautiful middle of nowhere. The ochre-coloured massifs of the Cockburn Ranges frame the landscape whichever way you turn and numerous natural springs offer plenty of opportunities for a refreshing cool-off. Following a soak in Zebedee Springs, enjoy a short trek to either El Questro or Emma Gorge (where there’s a very pretty waterfall).
Then it’s another night camped out in El Questro.Note: Total driving time today is only around 45 minutes. Total walking distance is up to six kilometres.

So long El Questro, hello Bungle Bungles. Today we drive through the rugged landscape of Carr Boyd and the Durack Ranges into Purnululu National Park. This park is home-ground of the Bungle Bungles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dominated by massive sandstone karsts that rear hundreds of metres above the surrounding grasslands. We arrive at our bush camp in time to sit back and watch the sunset over the Osmond Ranges. If you’ve had enough of tent camping by now, you might want to spend tonight sleeping out beneath the stars snuggled up in a swag.

Note: Total driving time today is approximately five hours. Total walking distance is approximately five kilometres.

Strangely enough, given their size, the Bungle Bungles only became known to white Australia in 1983 when they were ‘discovered’ by a film team – who then had to fly over the top by plane to find a route in by land. We know the way in, but you can sign up for a helicopter ride over the site if you wish. At ground level, we’ll go on a walk through Echidna Chasm – a long and narrow ravine banked on either side by 200-metre high rock walls – and enter the massive natural Amphitheatre of Cathedral  Gorge. Note: Total driving time today is around an hour. Total walking distance is
approximately five kilometres.

Today we leave the Bungle Bungles for Kununurra, the largest town between  Broome and Darwin. Tonight’s campsite is on the shores of Lake Argyle. There are no further activities booked for the rest of the day, but an optional sunset cruise out on the lake is highly recommended.

Note: Total driving time today is around three-and-a-half hours. Total walking distance is approximately three hours.

Lake Argyle is actually a man-made lake, though you’d never have guessed so from looking at it. For a body of water situated in the centre of the world’s second driest continent, it looks pretty at home. Barramundi, birds and freshwater crocs thrive in these waters, and the islands look like they’ve always been there (they used to be mountains). In the afternoon we push on across the state border into the Northern Territory.

Note: Total driving time today is around six-and-a-half hours. Total walking distance is approximately one kilometre.

On the final day of the trip, the group will either stop at the secluded gorge of Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) or take one last plunge into the cool waters of Edith Falls. In the afternoon, make your way to Darwin, where your adventure comes to an end. There are no more activities planned for today and you’re free to explore Darwin, but please book any onward travel the following day.

Note: Total driving today is around four hours. Total walking distance is approximately two kilometres.