Wonders of the West Coast & Kimberley
Wonders of the West Coast & Kimberley
Wonders of the West Coast & Kimberley
21 Days Starting in Perth, Australia and ending in Darwin, Australia
Visiting: Perth, Geraldton, Monkey Mia, Carnarvon, Exmouth, Karratha, Karijini National Park, Port Hedland, Broome, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Emma Gorge, El Questro Wilderness Park, Kununurra, Katherine, Darwin
Tour operator:
Tour code:
WPBD26
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable journey through Australia's stunning West Coast and Kimberley region with the "Wonders of the West Coast & Kimberley" tour. This adventure takes you from the vibrant city of Perth to the tropical landscapes of Darwin, offering a rich tapestry of experiences. Discover the ancient Dreamtime stories and bush tucker at Yanchep National Park, marvel at the surreal Pinnacles, and meet the friendly dolphins of Monkey Mia. Explore the ancient stromatolites at Hamelin Pool and cruise the vibrant Ningaloo Coast. Experience the dramatic landscapes of Karijini National Park and the cultural richness of the Mimbi Caves. Conclude your journey with a cruise through the majestic Nitmiluk Gorge. This tour promises a blend of cultural immersion, breathtaking natural wonders, and unforgettable wildlife encounters, all while staying in premium accommodations and enjoying expertly guided experiences.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome To Perth
Location: Perth
Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Perth
Meals Included: Dinner
The Western Australian capital is colourful in more ways than one. There are alleys lined with eye-popping street art and installations, an homage to the state’s creatives. And wildflowers and natives blanketing 400-hectare Kings Park and Botanic Garden, set on a pretty bend of the Swan River. At the middle of it all is the Anzac Memorial, a spot as humbling as it is serene. Discover the sights on a tour with your Travel Director, then head to your Welcome Dinner to meet your fellow adventurers.
Day 2: Perth - Geraldton
Location: Geraldton
Accommodation Name: Nesuto Geraldton Apartment Hotel
Talk about starting on a high. First stop is Yanchep National Park, where, on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, your Aboriginal guide decodes native plants and tells Dreamtime stories of how the land was created. Prepare to get hands-on, tasting bush tucker and even playing the didgeridoo. Well, trying to play it… Just as scene-stealing are Nambung National Park’s Pinnacles, a staggering collection of natural limestone structures, jutting into the sky. Some 30,000 years ago, the sea receded and left deposits of shells. Over time, coastal winds removed the sand, leaving behind this surreal moonscape. Arriving in Geraldton, pay homage to the 645 Australian sailors who were lost off the WA coast during WWII at the HMAS Sydney Memorial. Then discover the rest of the seaside town at your own pace, wandering the foreshore or visiting the cathedral.
Day 3: Geraldton - Monkey Mia
Location: Monkey Mia
Accommodation Name: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort
Arriving at Kalbarri National Park, enjoy spectacular views from the Kalbarri Skywalk over the Murchison River Gorge. If you’re here during wildflower season, expect acacia, banksia and caladenia in full bloom. And just when you thought the outlook couldn’t get any better, you arrive at Monkey Mia.
Day 4: Monkey Mia Free Time
Location: Monkey Mia
Accommodation Name: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort
If you didn’t fall in love with the gin-clear waters, powdery sand and rusty-red dunes of Monkey Mia last night, you certainly will today. Meet the wild resident dolphins that turn up to the shore every morning to interact with humans. They arrive in a pod, and splash about in the shallows, before dancing off to catch a few waves. When it’s time to tear yourself away, the afternoon is yours, at leisure. You might choose to enjoy a bird’s-eye perspective of Shark Bay on an optional scenic flight.
Day 5: Monkey Mia - Carnarvon
Location: Carnarvon
Accommodation Name: Best Western Hospitality Inn Carnarvon
Prepare yourself for the ‘living fossils’ at Hamelin Pool, home to the most abundant colony of stromatolites in the world. These astounding creatures show us what life was like 3,500-million years ago, when there was no other complex life on Earth. You’re officially in the state’s World Heritage listed Shark Bay, the largest of its kind in Australia with more than 1,000 kilometres of beaches. Not all of them sandy – welcome to Shell Beach. Here, the snow-white colour comes from billions of tiny coquina bivalve shells, up to 10 metres deep and stretching for 70 kilometres. From this thriving marine ecosystem to overhead attractions, your next stop is the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum. Did you know it played a role in the 1969 moon landing, and was instrumental in the space race? These are among the gallery’s claims to fame, as you’ll discover touring the collection. Your visit here is interactive, so prepare to try on space suits and climb aboard a supercraft simulator.
Day 6: Carnarvon - Exmouth
Location: Exmouth
Accommodation Name: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort
Don’t want to get your hair wet? You’re in luck. Today’s cruise in a glass-bottomed boat allows you to glimpse the World Heritage listed Ningaloo Coast, and its extraordinary marine life, in comfort. Gliding around Coral Bay, your guide will point out colourful corals, turtles and playful fish – more than 500 species call this protected patch of ocean home. This pocket of the state is also blessed with Cape Range National Park, where immense gorges and waterfalls characterize the countryside. But your focus here should be firmly on the ocean, whether you’re swimming in it or cruising above it, or gazing over it from Vlamingh Head Lighthouse.
Day 7: Exmouth Free Time
Location: Exmouth
Accommodation Name: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort
Depending on the time of year, Ningaloo Reef is home to both whale sharks and humpback whales. Thanks to the region’s ethically minded operators, you can now opt to snorkel with both. There’s nothing quite as humbling as spotting these enormous creatures in the wild. But if you prefer to stay dry, there are still ways to take in the coastline. Book an optional sunset cruise and you may well see a humpback breaching and blowing, dolphins in your wake. The decision is all yours today. We wouldn’t blame you for simply strolling along the sand…
Day 8: Exmouth - Karratha
Location: Karratha
Accommodation Name: Comfort Inn, Karratha
Take one last look over the Exmouth waters before continuing north to Western Australia's famous Pilbara region. Known for its rich cultural landscape, red earth and vast mineral deposits, the region's diverse landscape will fascinate you.
Day 9: Karratha - Karijini National Park - Tom Price
Location: Karijini National Park
Accommodation Name: Tom Price Motel
Meals Included: Lunch
Bring your stamina and your camera – today’s Karijini tour weaves deep into the national park. It took billions of years to create the geological wonders you see: the red layered cliffs, the quiet gorges, the soaring gum trees and distinctive termite mounds. It covers a staggering 630,000 hectares just north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Hamersley Range, making it WA’s second-largest national park. Its location also makes it steamy – if you packed your swimsuit, cooling off under waterfalls and drifting about in waterholes comes highly recommended.
Day 10: Tom Price - Port Hedland
Location: Port Hedland
Accommodation Name: Hospitality Port Hedland
The eye-opening colours of the Pilbara region are your backdrop today – rich red earth streaked with mineral deposits. It’s sparsely populated, but you will find people in the major hub of Port Hedland. Before you leave, head to a lookout to spot migrating humpback whales and snubfin dolphins cruising along the coast, season pending.
Day 11: Port Hedland - Broome
Location: Broome
Accommodation Name: Cable Beach Club Resort
The reason Broome was born is because of pearls – the waters here grow some of the best oysters in the world, as you’ll discover on a city tour. The ‘pearl rush’ saw fortune-seekers from around the world descend. And many never left, making Broome one of the most multicultural destinations in Australia. Today, the city is just as well known for its sizzling Indian Ocean sunsets, best enjoyed from a vantage on, or near, Cable Beach. This stretch of sand is long. So long that it can accommodated 4WDs, camels and foot-traffic. Perch here, order a drink, and settle in for dinner.
Day 12: Broome Free Time
Location: Broome
Accommodation Name: Cable Beach Club Resort
Today is a day of exploration and endless possibilities. Take your time to discover the charms of the town, indulge in the delightful pearl boutiques, and embark on a leisurely stroll along the magnificent Cable Beach, stretching over 22 kilometres. Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of Chinatown, with its colourful streets and cultural offerings. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can choose to embark on an optional tour that will take you to breathtaking destinations. One such experience is a visit to a pearl farm, where you can witness the fascinating process of pearl cultivation and learn about the rich history of the industry. Marvel at the intricate craftsmanship and discover the allure of these exquisite gems.
Day 13: Broome - Fitzroy Crossing
Location: Fitzroy Crossing
Accommodation Name: Fitzroy River Lodge
In Broome, the magnificence is on a grand scale, even in the remnants of ancient dinosaurs at Gantheaume Point. Over 125 million years ago, these prehistoric creatures left their footprints along the coastline, leaving a fascinating legacy. Take a moment to catch a glimpse of their stomping ground before embarking on a journey towards Fitzroy Crossing, a remote town that serves as a gateway to captivating natural wonders. The Kimberley boasts a geological history that is nothing short of spectacular. The rugged terrain showcases a diverse range of natural wonders, including towering ancient rock formations, dramatic gorges, cascading waterfalls, and expansive river systems.
Day 14: Fitzroy Crossing - Halls Creek
Location: Halls Creek
Accommodation Name: Kimberley Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch
This morning stop at the spectacular Mimbi Caves to observe the delicate limestone formations, brilliantly vivid colours and crystal-clear freshwater pools that remain from the Devonian Great Barrier Reef that formed over 350 million years ago. Take a deep dive into First Nations culture with an Indigenous guide, discovering ancient rock paintings before hearing Dreamtime stories over billy tea and damper. More Aboriginal history and culture awaits at a local art gallery. The Yarliyil Art Centre in Halls Creek provides a place for local cultural expression by ensuring the ethical production and sale of Indigenous art. Yarliyil artists paint in a variety of styles and palettes, depicting stories that embody a rich culture of country, history and lifestyle. Visit the spectacular Mimbi Caves with an Indigenous guide and take a deep dive into First Nations culture, discovering ancient rock paintings and Dreamtime stories. Observe the limestone formations and crystal-clear freshwater pools that remain from a 350-million-year-old Devonian Great Barrier Reef. More Aboriginal history and culture awaits at the Yarliyil Arts Centre in Halls Creek.
Day 15: Halls Creek - Emma Gorge
Location: Emma Gorge
Accommodation Name: Emma Gorge Resort, Tented Cabin with private facilities
From here, get a taste of the Gibb River Road, a wild adventure that traverses 660 kilometers across the Kimberley, before arriving to El Questro Wilderness Park, backdropped by the rusty red Cockburn Range. Hidden among the pandanus and palms are a string of slick safari-style tents. Which means you can gaze at the stars while you drift off to a chorus of frogs and cicadas. When darkness falls, expect a bedazzlement of stars overhead.
Day 16: El Questro Wilderness Park
Location: El Questro Wilderness Park
Accommodation Name: Emma Gorge Resort, Tented Cabin with private facilities
No alarm-clock necessary: nature wakes you here. The Kimberley’s sounds follow you across the mighty Pentecost River to Chamberlain Gorge, a dreamy fresh waterhole where wallabies and crocs play (not with each other). Your boat is dwarfed by the gorge’s soaring 60-metre escarpments, a brilliant shade of orange in the morning sun. Days in this part of WA can heat up. This afternoon’s remedy? A splash in the resort’s pool, perhaps. Be sure to be back on your patio in time for sundowners.
Day 17: Emma Gorge - Kununurra
Location: Kununurra
Accommodation Name: The Kimberley Grande
Kununurra appears to have been dropped in the middle of nowhere, born through the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. It now waters crops like sugarcane, turned into lip-smacking rum at family-owned Hoochery Distillery. Go behind the scenes with the owners; there’s time for a tasting (own expense) before sitting down to morning tea. See what life was like in the region for early pioneers at the Durack Homestead Museum, which was meticulously moved and recreated before the land it formerly sat on was flooded as part of the Irrigation Scheme. The same project not only helped water the countryside but created Lake Argyle. A cruise to sunset here, surrounded by freshwater crocs and birds, is something you won’t forget in a hurry.
Day 18: Kununurra
Location: Kununurra
Accommodation Name: The Kimberley Grande
Today is one of decisions: An optional flight over (or 4WD tour of) the dramatic World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park, home to the Bungle Bungles, perhaps? Or a wander with your Travel Director through Mirima National Park, known as a ‘mini Bungles’, while hearing about how the landscapes were formed. In between, explore the Waringarri Aboriginal Art Centre on a guided tour, meeting Indigenous creatives at work and maybe picking up a piece to take home. The ultimate souvenir.
Day 19: Kununurra - Katherine
Location: Katherine
Accommodation Name: Contour Hotel Katherine
Meals Included: Dinner
Say goodbye to WA and hello to the NT, your introduction to the state the vast pastoral lands that characterise the outback here. Locals come with plenty of country swagger, as you’ll discover at the Katherine Outback Experience, celebrating the Northern Territory’s unique pastoral history and culture. After songs and entertainment, your special Be My Guest evening of dining under the stars begins.
Day 20: Katherine - Darwin
Location: Darwin
Accommodation Name: Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront
Nature takes over at Nitmiluk National Park on Jawoyn land. The history and culture of the Traditional Landowners comes into full focus as you set off on a cruise through dramatic Nitmiluk Gorge. Remarkably, this is one of 13 gorges carved through the national park, and at every bend in the river, the sun casts its soaring sandstone cliffs a different colour. Your northern sojourn begins with yet more insights into the region’s historic events – the huge impact WWII had here is remembered in a war cemetery on the banks of the Adelaide River. It’s a sombre affair. More reminders of WWII await in sultry Darwin, where a city tour showcases architectural style as well as the events that have shaped it over the years. A Darwin waterfront restaurant is the location for you to join your fellow travellers to reminisce about your travels during your Farewell Dinner.
Day 21: Farewell From Darwin
Location: Darwin
It’s hard to believe this epic adventure has come to an end. Three weeks of incredible memories to take home with you.
What's Included
What's Not Included
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Flights
Flights to and from the start/end of your trip are not included in the trip price.
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Extreme weather preparation
Guests should be prepared for extreme temperatures and have a moderate level of fitness.
The walk to Emma Gorge is considered 'Difficult' and not all guests will be able to complete it. -
Personal items
Personal items such as warm layers in cooler months, camera, comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, and water bottle are not included.
Mode of Transport
Travel in comfort with a specialist team of a Travel Director and Driver Guide, ensuring a seamless journey through Australia's breathtaking landscapes, from Perth to Darwin, with all necessary transfers included.
Accommodation
Experience a variety of accommodations including the Crowne Plaza Perth, Nesuto Geraldton Apartment Hotel, Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, and more, offering comfort and convenience throughout your journey across Australia's stunning landscapes.
Dining Summary
- 13 Dinner with Wine (DW)
- 19 Full Breakfast (B)
- 2 Lunch (L)
- 1 Be My Guest Dinner (BGD)
- 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)
Cultural Immersion
- Explore the spectacular Mimbi Caves with an Aboriginal guide, where you'll observe the delicate limestone formations, brilliantly vivid colours and crystal clear freshwater pools.
Fitness Requirement
- Extreme temperatures can be experienced in this remote region of Australia. Guests should be made aware that this trip is recommended to guests with a moderate level of fitness. In addition, the walk to Emma Gorge considered “Difficult” and not all guests will be able to complete the walk. Some sections of Mimbi Caves have very low light and are rocky in parts. A torch is recommended.
Flight information
- Flights to and from the start/end of your trip are not included in the trip price. Day 1 – flights to arrive prior to 12 noon into Perth AirportDay 21 – flights to depart anytime from Darwin Airport Return arrival and departure airport to hotel transfers are included.
Local Connection
- Explore the Waringarri Aboriginal Art Centre on a guided tour, meeting Indigenous creatives at work and maybe picking up a piece to take home.
What to Bring
- Warm layers in cooler months Camera Comfortable walking shoes Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Water bottle
World Class Nature
- Have you ever wondered what life was like 3,500 million years ago? At Hamelin Pool you’ll find out while witnessing the world’s most abundant colony of stromatolites.
Check out our Q&As
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What unique experiences are included in the tour?
The tour includes unique experiences such as exploring Yanchep National Park with a First Nations host, tasting bush tucker, and learning Dreamtime stories. You will also have the opportunity to meet wild dolphins at Monkey Mia, explore the Mimbi Caves with an Indigenous guide, and cruise through Nitmiluk Gorge surrounded by towering sandstone cliffs.
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What kind of wildlife can I expect to see on this tour?
You can expect to see a variety of wildlife including wild dolphins at Monkey Mia, marine life and coral reefs on the Ningaloo Coast, and possibly whale sharks and humpback whales depending on the time of year. In Karijini National Park, you might encounter wallabies and crocodiles.
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Are there any cultural experiences included in the tour?
Yes, the tour offers several cultural experiences, including learning about First Nations culture at Yanchep National Park and the Mimbi Caves, as well as visiting the Waringarri Aboriginal Art Centre to meet Indigenous creatives.
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What are some of the natural wonders visited during the tour?
The tour visits several natural wonders including the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, the ancient stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, the dramatic landscapes of Karijini National Park, and the stunning Nitmiluk Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park.
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What is the level of physical activity required for this tour?
The tour requires a moderate level of fitness. Some activities, such as the walk to Emma Gorge, are considered difficult and may not be suitable for all guests. The Mimbi Caves also have sections with low light and rocky parts, so a torch is recommended.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
The beauty of taking a holiday with us is you’ll have the opportunity to meet and travel with people from all over the globe.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
It is important to adhere to departure times while on tour for the comfort of everyone on-board, and to make sure no one misses out on the planned experiences. The coach will not be able to wait for you, and in some instances, if you miss a departure time you will need to make your own way to the next destination to re-join the tour.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
AAT Kings operated Guided Holidays have competitive single supplement rates available if you prefer to confirm your own room. Or we can match you to share with a guest of the same gender at no extra cost. If we fail to match you, we will accommodate you in a single room at no extra cost.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Over 100 years
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
We will email your documents to you approximately four weeks before your departure date provided you have completed your pre trip registration using the My Travel Portal. If you’ve booked through a travel agent, your documents will be emailed directly to your agent.
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Free Date Changes
CTS demo white label allows you to make 20 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 0 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
CTS demo white label requires a minimum deposit of 55% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 30 days before departure.
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