Perth to Broome 'Coastal Bliss' - Itinerary

Welcome to Perth! On arrival you will transferred from the airport to your accommodation where you can settle in  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.

Two Feet and a Heartbeat: Perth's Premier Pathways Walking Tour

Step into the heart of Perth and experience a journey through its most iconic laneways, arcades, and cultural highlights. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a Perth native, this tour will leave you with a newfound appreciation of the city’s art, history, and culture.

Accommodation: Perth - 1 Night

Collect your rental vehicle this morning and begin your adventure by travelling to the coastal fishing town of Cervantes via one of Australia’s most unique landscapes: the Pinnacles Desert. 

Just ten minutes from Cervantes, prepare for a weird and wonderful sight. The sandy yellow Pinnacles Desert is filled with rocky spires as far as the eye can see. There are thousands of these strange limestone formations, like giant stony desert mushrooms.

As evening falls, the Lumineer Adventure Tour adds magic with a sunset dinner among the Pinnacles, followed by guided stargazing. With minimal light pollution, the night sky comes alive, making it a memorable mix of nature, food and outback wonder.

Included Meals: Dinner

Approximate Distance: 200 km | 124 miles   Total Driving Time: 2 hours 15 mins

Accommodation: Cervantes - 1 Night

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.

Approximate Distance: 410 km | 255 miles   Total Driving Time: 4 hours 30 mins

Accommodation: Kalbarri - 2 Nights

Discover the surreal beauty of the Pink Lake, or Hutt Lagoon, just one hour south of Kalbarri, where vivid pink waters create a photographer’s dream. 

With guidance from knowledgeable guides, continue along the rugged coastline to the towering Kalbarri cliffs, dropping more than 100 metres into the Indian Ocean. Explore Natural Bridge and Island Rock, then, from June to November, watch for migrating humpback whales. Visit the dramatic ocean gorge of Pot Alley, enjoy a walk at Red Bluff Beach, and finish the day at historic Wittecarra Creek, where adventure and history meet.

Included Meals: Morning Tea

Travel north to Denham and the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, famous for its friendly dolphins. Spot the Hamelin Pool Stromatolites, some of the world’s oldest living fossils at 3.5 billion years old, visible in only two locations globally. 

Visit the Discovery and Visitor Centre to learn about Shark Bay’s natural treasures or relax at Shell Beach. Just north, explore Monkey Mia Reserve, with red dunes, white beaches, and abundant marine life. Scientists study wild dolphins, dugongs, green turtles, and, in warmer months, sea snakes, stingrays, manta rays, and whales.

Approximate Distance: 400 km | 249 miles   Total Driving Time: 4 hours 15 mins

Accommodation: Monkey Mia - 2 Nights

Join an unforgettable 4WD adventure with a local Aboriginal guide and explore the amazing 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.

Included Meals: Lunch

After departing from Monkey Mia, continue north and stop off to marvel at the Carnarvon blowholes which can reach up to 20 meters high. This natural spectacle is caused by the ocean forcing water through the sea caves and up through holes in the rock.

Experience a magical sunset over the Indian Ocean while discovering the wonders of the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. A sunset cruise is the perfect time to relax, laugh and enjoy good food and company. Bring along your favorite drink and savour a complimentary grazing platter as you keep an eye out for the incredible wildlife that calls Ningaloo Reef home. 

Approximate Distance: 585 km | 364 miles   Total Driving Time: 6 hours 

Accommodation: Coral Bay - 2 Nights

Discover the breathtaking beauty of Ningaloo Reef on an unforgettable adventure! Dive into crystal-clear waters and snorkel with graceful manta rays, explore vibrant coral gardens and encounter a stunning variety of colourful fish. 

Cruise the pristine coastline in search of dolphins, turtles, reef sharks and other incredible marine life. With a stop at one of the crews favourite outer reef sites, you'll have the chance to swim in one of the most spectacular underwater ecosystems in the world.

Continue along the coast to Exmouth, a small resort town on Western Australia’s North West Cape. 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.

Approximate Distance: 155 km | 96 miles   Total Driving Time: 1 hour 45 mins

Accommodation: Exmouth - 2 Nights

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.

It's another beautiful day in Western Australia as you take to National Route 1 up the coast to Karratha. It’s a big drive from Exmouth to Karratha, but the gorgeous beaches, and secret swimming spots free from tourists make it feel like it just isn’t long enough. 

Karratha is a satellite town supporting the local port and mining operations in the Pilbara.

Approximate Distance: 550 km | 342 miles   Total Driving Time: 6 hours

Accommodation: Karratha - 2 Nights 

Located in the heart of Western Australia’s stunning Pilbara region, Karratha offers a mix of natural beauty, adventure, and cultural heritage. 

Surrounded by rugged landscapes, pristine beaches, and ancient Aboriginal sites, it’s an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts and history lovers alike. Hike to breathtaking lookouts at the Karratha Hills or Mount Bruce for panoramic views, or relax on the serene beaches of the Dampier Archipelago. For a deeper connection to the past, explore the Yaburara Heritage Trail, where ancient rock art and significant Aboriginal sites provide insight into the rich heritage of the region’s First Nations people.

Stock up on snacks: it's a full day's drive from Karratha 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. 

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.

Approximate Distance: 475 km | 295 miles   Total Driving Time: 5 hours 15 mins

Accommodation: Karijini National Park - 2 Nights

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.

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).

Approximate Distance: 375 km | 233 miles   Total Driving Time: 4 hours 30 mins

Accommodation: Port Hedland - 1 Night

Today you will drive onwards to your final destination: Broome, a welcoming and laid-back oceanside town in the Kimberley region. 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).

Approximate Distance: 610 km | 379 miles   Total Driving Time: 6 hours 30 mins

Accommodation: Broome - 2 Nights

Broome is a unique town, on a peninsula, where one of the world's last great wildernesses meets the Indian Ocean. Broome's exotic pearling town past has left a rich history and a unique multi-cultural mix of people. 

Pristine waters, wide empty beaches, abundant wildlife, tropical climate and breath-taking colours attract thousands of visitors each year. Check out the Broome Bird Observatory it is the ultimate paradise for bird enthusiasts. See dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point. Broome is renowned for being a location where many fossilised dinosaur trackways are visible. Catch a movie at Sun Pictures - the world's oldest operating picture gardens.

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).

Say farewell to Broome today as you board your onward flight, taking with you the magical memories of a truly exceptional Australian experience. We know you will enjoy your 16 Day Perth to Broome Self Drive vacation and we hope you will return soon to discover even more highlights of this incredible continent.