24 Day Perth to Darwin Overland

Today we take the short drive to Kalbarri National Park where we explore some of the park’s diverse scenery like Murchison Gorge, Natures Window, the Loop and Z-Bend Gorge (a steep descent but worth the effort for a refreshing swim). There is also the option to abseil here for those looking for even more adventure (own expense). After lunch we visit the beautiful Shell Beach – one of only two beaches in the world made entirely from shells, before getting back on the road towards Denham and Shark Bay. (BLD)

After a short drive across the Peron Peninsula we make our way down to the beach and pay a visit to the world famous Monkey Mia dolphins – sure to become your new best friends. Via the fascinating stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, we continue along the highway to Coral Bay, the ‘Jewel of the Northwest’. (BLD)

Take a day to explore Coral Bay – which is just as relaxing as the name suggests. We’ll also take a visit to the Ningaloo Reef the amazing marine life that lives below the waterline. Take a snorkel or cruise on a glass bottom boat to see for yourself. (Activities at own expense and subject to availability). When late afternoon comes around it’s time for the short drive into Exmouth to prepare for another day of freedom and relaxation. In the evening, kick back on Yardi Creek Station and watch the sunset as kangaroos hop about the grounds. In the morning, go snorkelling or diving, search for whale sharks (seasonal and at own expense) or view Vlamingh Head Lighthouse then choose to laze on the pristine beach at Turquoise Bay and soak up the sunshine. (BLD/BLD)

We head inland past many Aussie cattle stations to reach the outback oasis of Karijini National Park. This afternoon we will pass through Tom Price, a little town known for its iron ore mining, before reaching our camp overlooking the magnificent Hamersley Range. We have a full day of adventure to explore Karijini National Park and its amazing gorges. Formed over 2,500 million years ago, the Hamersley Ranges are some of the most unusual landforms on earth. You’ll be able to take some great photos while you’re here – perfect for your Facebook and Instagram feeds. Deep in the gorges you’ll come across cascading waterfalls and fresh, still waterholes that are ideal for swimming. Dales Gorge, Fortesque Falls, Fern Pool, Circular Pool, Weano Gorge and Hancock Gorge are just some of the unforgettable areas we’ll visit. Definitely a highlight! (LD/BLD)

Say your sad farewells to Karijini this morning as we travel towards the coast and the iron ore town of Port Hedland. We have time for a quick town tour and to marvel at the incredible size of the iron ore industry. After lunch we continue on towards the Pilbara region, where we spend the night together at Sandfire. (BLD)

Enjoy a leisurely break and take in the glory of the stretching sands of picturesque 80 Mile Beach, one of Australia’s most remarkable hidden gems. Take a stroll along the white sandy beach and get some fantastic photos of the azure water, before we continue north to Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on the Dampier Peninsula. (BL)

A morning tour of the Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm (included) provides insight into this remote pearling industry, concluding with an in-depth pearl grading and appreciation session that will leave you feeling like a pearl expert. We then journey further north to the One Arm Point Aboriginal Community to tour a local aquaculture hatchery perched right on the tip of One Arm Point overlooking the impressive Buccaneer Archipelago. Returning south, we aim to reach Broome in time for one of the famous sunsets on Cable Beach. (BL)

Enjoy a fabulous 4 day break at the Kimberley Travellers Lodge in beautiful Broome: relax on one of the best beaches in the world – Cable Beach, enjoy a brew at Matsos Broome Brewery, search for dinosaur footprints on the rugged coastline, checkout the local art galleries and jump on a local Broome tour or two. (B/B/B/B). This break is free time for independent adventures – on your own, or with new your new travel mates.

We set off into the West Australian outback pretty early today and 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 warrior Jandamarra waged his rebellion against the colonial authorities – a legacy you’ll learn more about on walk through the tunnel with your guide. We camp overnight at Windjana Gorge, 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. (LD)

Spend the morning exploring Windjana Gorge while in the afternoon we journey to Bell Gorge, home to a stunning cascade of water flowing from the previous wet season rains that fall in the King Leopold Ranges. A great place to swim! Further east, Mt Barnett Station will be our camp for this evening. (BLD)

Stretch your legs on a morning hike and you will be rewarded with a swim in a large rock pool at the base of Manning Falls. After lunch we discover Adcock or Galvins Gorge, before heading back to camp to relax around the campfire. (BLD)

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 stops along the way. This journey includes the iconic Pentecost River crossing in our 4WD. How Australian is that! 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 (BLD/BLD).

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 sun set 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. Unbelievably, only the locals knew it existed until the early 1980’s 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. (BLD/BLD)

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. (BLD)

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 crocodiles 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. (BLD)

The final leg of our journey takes us through to Darwin, with stop-offs made en route at either Katherine Gorge or Edith Falls. (BL)