Walk Western Australia's Karijini & Ningaloo Reef

Trip Type: Walking & Trekking
Australia | 10 Days | 1 - 15 People
Starts From:

NZD 3,980.00 /Person

Minimise the driving time and maximise the adventure on this 10-day camping trip in Western Australia. Snorkel in the clear waters of Turquoise Bay...

Walk Western Australia's Karijini & Ningaloo Reef

Minimise the driving time and maximise the adventure on this 10-day camping trip in Western Australia. Snorkel in the clear waters of Turquoise Bay at Ningaloo Reef, take a dip in secluded swimming holes fed by tumbling waterfalls, explore the rugged landscapes of Karijini National Park hike to scenic locations with your group of likeminded adventurers. With the perfect combination of activities and relaxation, surrounded by some of Australia’s most incredible scenery, this trip is perfect for hikers and nature-lovers – you'll also have the opportunity to swim with whale sharks!

Welcome to Paraburdoo! Your Australian adventure will start right away with a pickup from the airport. Your group will then drive into Karijini National Park – home of the Banjima, Innawongka and Eastern Guruma peoples. This is Western Australia’s second-largest national park, with a landscape more than 2.5 billion years old and home to some of the best hiking trails in the state. When you arrive, get to know your group over sunset drinks and dinner before settling into your comfortable tent for the night.

Today you’ll walk to Kalamina Gorge for your first walk of the trip. Don’t forget your swimmers today, as you’ll have the chance to cool off in one of park’s swimming holes at the bottom of the gorge. After your swim, drop into the Visitor’s Centre to learn more about the park and perhaps grab an ice cream or cool down. From here, it’s off to Dale’s Gorge for a swim in Circular Pool and Fern Pool – two of the park’s most beautiful waterholes. With deep red rocks, lush ferns and waterfalls, you’ll feel like you’ve discovered your own private paradise.

After breakfast, lace up your hiking boots for the hike to Mt Bruce – Western Australia’s second highest peak. This full day ridge walk has it all, from paths that feel like you’re taking a gentle stroll to rock scrambles and climbs so steep there’s a chain for support. When you reach the top of the mountain, the 360-degree views of the Karijini Range and its red landscape make the challenge worthwhile.

Today’s occasionally challenging walk has four major highlights including two of Karijini National Park’s most famous gorges, Hancock and Weano. The trail to Junction Pool Lookout is relatively flat and has terrific views of Hancock and Joffre Gorges. Cool down as you wade through pools and streams to reach your destination and soak up the scenery. Go for swims in Kermit’s Pool and Handrail Pool then make the return trip to camp for a shower and dinner under the stars.

We are venturing further a field today to the very western side of the national park - Hamersley Gorge. It will take us an hour and a half to drive there this morning, but you will be enraptured by the ever changing scenery on the drive. The organic shapes of geology of Hamersley Gorge is interesting in itself as the bedding planes cascade into the water. It almost looks as if the land has tipped sideways! There is a shaded lookout at the top and we will embark o the short walk along the rock staircase down into the gorge to be rewarded with a dip in the gorge pool. In the afternoon we depart for Cheela Plains, a true outback station stay where you will enjoy a delicious meal under the spectacular desert sky!

Grab your favourite tunes or a good book and settle back and rest your legs on the drive from Cheela Plains to Exmouth. There will be time to stop and stretch your legs along the way and have lunch together before you arrive at your campsite at Yardie Creek, near Exmouth in time to watch the sun set into the Indian Ocean.

Less than 1 in 3 million people have swum with whale sharks and today, you could be one of them! Book early for the opportunity to go on an (optional) experience of a lifetime and swim with whale sharks – the world’s biggest fish – off Western Australia’s Coral Coast. It’s not unusual for these gentle creatures to grow up to 10 m in length, which makes swimming alongside them an incredible experience. You might instead like to take a half-day snorkelling glass bottom boat tour or just chill out at the accommodation.

Get set for a day of adventure in Cape Range National Park, with a series of short walks, snorkels and swims along the coast. First, you’ll explore Mandu Mandu Gorge on a walk that follows the route of an ancient riverbed. Then, spot rock wallabies in Yardi Creek Gorge. From here, you’ll head to Turquoise Bay on Ningaloo Reef – part of the traditional lands of the Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinigurdira peoples – for swimming and snorkelling among the corals. Tonight, you’ll sit down for a group dinner back at Yardi Creek.

Today you’ll head out on the Badjirrajirra Trail, with gorges cut into the limestone karst and views that seem to stretch on forever. Compared to some of your walks in Karijini National Park, this trail is relatively easy, but it can be extremely hot, so your leader may have to alter today’s itinerary. Once you’ve explored Charles Knife Canyon, cool off in Ningaloo’s sparkling waters and go in search of turtles around the small islands known as the Oyster Stacks. After another full day of exploring, it’s back to camp at Yardie Creek for the last night of the trip.

After breakfast today, you’ll be transferred to Exmouth Airport for your flight back to Perth. If you’d like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.

Meals
9 Breakfast(s), 7 Lunch(s), 9 Dinner(s)

Transport
Private Vehicle , Walking

Accommodation
Semi-permanent tented camp (shared facilities) (9 nights)

Included Activities
  • Karijini National Park - Dales Gorge
  • Karijini National Park - Kalamina Gorge walk
  • Karijini National Park - Karajini Visitor Centre
  • Karijini National Park - Mt Bruce Summit walk
  • Karijini National Park - Hancock Gorge
  • Karijini National Park - Kermit's Pool
  • Karijini National Park - Weano Recreation Area
  • Karijini National Park - Weano Gorge & Handrail Pool
  • Cape Range National Park - Mandu Mandu Walk
  • Cape Range National Park - Yardie Gorge Trail
  • Ningaloo Marine Park - Turquoise Bay
  • Cape Range National Park - Charles Knife Canyon & Badjirrajirra Walk trail
  • Explore Karijini National Park with visits and hikes to Kalamina, Dales, Weano and Hancock Gorges and swims in Kermit's and Handrail Pools. Then, take the challenge and summit Mt Bruce – Australia’s second highest peak.
  • Chill out and enjoy the scenery! There’s no need for a map or GPS on this walking trip – with an expert local leader that knows the area inside-out, all you have to do is enjoy the journey.
  • Snorkel Ningaloo Reef, where you’ll see rich and diverse marine life plus vibrant coral creating a rainbow of colours underneath the turquoise waters.
  • Take the opportunity for an (optional) experience of a lifetime and go swimming with whale sharks, the world’s biggest fish, off Western Australia’s Coral Coast.
  • Enjoy breakfast at your campsite, fresh picnic lunches in incredible locations and delicious campfire dinners prepared by your leader – with all meals taken care of, you can focus on soaking up the landscape.
  • This trip involves plenty of walking over varied terrain and is best suited to travellers with a good level of mobility. Good footwear, plus perhaps walking poles are recommended. Details on physical activities can be found in the itinerary. If you need a break from walking, you can always have a day or sometimes an afternoon off to relax if you feel like it. Your guides will attempt to find alternative activities where possible. This trip is operated and run by Inspiration Outdoors, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Inspiration Outdoors customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Inspiration Outdoors to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time away. The majority of our campsites are unpowered, so be prepared to be without electricity for most nights. Please note that you will need to bring your own sleeping bag, or hire one at an additional cost. This will need to be requested prior to the trip via your booking agent. Please note that swimming with whale sharks is not included on this trip and is an optional activity. It is very important that you pre-book any whale shark experiences, as these can sell out far in advance. You are able to book this service with us (subject to availability). Please let us know well ahead of time if you would like to add this option to your booking. Please also note that whale sharks visit the region between mid-March and mid-September only, so please make sure you schedule your trip accordingly if you would like to include this experience in your trip. To join this optional tour it is important that you can swim unassisted in the open ocean.

Departing

Finishing

Availability

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00

Price: NZD 3,980.00
Provided by
Intrepid Travel
Reference Code:
PJXN
Trip Location
Trip Starts:
Paraburdoo, Australia
Trip Finishes:
Exmouth, Australia
Countries Visited:
Australia
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Booking Enquiry

Destination Details
Australia | 10 Days | 1 - 15 People

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