Perth To Ningaloo Reef Drive – After completing this drive countless times, I’m happy to share my epic guide to Perth to Exmouth’s best road trip.
As Australia’s largest state, Western Australia offers destinations for more than 33% of the country’s adventure and nature lovers.
Perth To Ningaloo Reef Drive
If you love to travel, Western Australia is the place for you! For those who want to explore Western Australia, the Perth to Exmouth road trip is the norm.
Sal Salis Hotel
From Western Australia’s rugged outback and stunning coastline, we will take you to the famous Ningaloo Reef.
This Perth to Exmouth drive can be done in as little as 3 days. You can spend as many days or as many weeks as you want by cutting off some days all spent in one place or dividing the stops into separate days.
For most of your journey from Perth to Exmouth, you will follow the North West Coast Highway and take you to Coral Bay, Pink Lake and more along the way.
If you have your car, you plan to travel. However, if you want to rent one, the best and cheapest option is to get one from a car rental company.
Day Perth To Exmouth Adventure Tour
Western Australia’s national parks usually charge per vehicle, not per person, so the pass will cover everyone in your vehicle.
Note: To enter the outback parks in Western Australia you must purchase a holiday pass ($25 for 5 days, $40 for 14 days or $60 for 4 weeks) or an annual pass each park is valid for 12 months and costs only $120.
Also keep in mind that when looking at directions in Google Maps, it is easy to overestimate the uncertainty of the location. So don’t let the recipe fool you. Lots of parking, lots of places to go and things to do!
Depending on the time of year (expect lots of traffic during the school holidays), driving from Perth by public transport can take a long time.
Perth To Exmouth Road Trip
After leaving the main area of Perth, the road is long and fast through mostly flat hills surrounded by bush.
Although there is not much distance to cover today. But this part of the drive from Perth to Jurien Bay has many stops where you can spend a lot of time.
Read more: If you have a few days in Perth, check out these great activities to keep you busy.
Just 50km (about 40 minutes) north of Perth, Yanchep National Park is open daily and is a great place to enjoy the wooded beaches, wildlife and limestone caves. Walk the 240-meter koala boardwalk and see some koalas in their natural habitat.
Things To Do In Ningaloo
Yanchep National Park is also home to western gray kangaroos, which can be seen in the morning and evening. The park has 9 trails for all ages, interests and physical abilities and more than 400 caves for you to enjoy.
For those looking to travel from Perth to Exmouth, this is a great place to spend a day or two.
After enjoying some wildlife watching and caves in Yanchep National Park, continue 72km to Lancelin.
Lancelin is famous for its sand dunes, so if you have a 4WD and experience, you will have a lot of fun here.
Scuba Diving In Ningaloo, Exmouth And Coral Bay
Lancelin is also a good place to stay for a few nights if you want to continue this trip. There are campsites and you can enjoy the beautiful local beaches.
The Pinnacles are remarkable limestone formations formed after the sea returned and left shell deposits about 25,000 to 30,000 years ago.
Walking through the desert is something you can imagine in the moon scene in the movie! Pinnacles is best in the afternoon when the weather is cooler.
These rocks are made of bacteria that the human eye cannot see. The microbes that formed the blood vessels in Lake Thetis resembled the earliest life on Earth!
Road Tripping To Australia’s ‘other’ Great Reef
An easy 1.5km trail wraps around the waterfront, giving you an insight into the buildings and the environment that supports them.
After exploring Lake Thetis, head to the town of Cervantes for dinner at one of the popular seafood restaurants and try the famous Western Rock Lobster.
For your first night stay, we recommend Julien Bay because there are more campsites and the larger town of Cervantes.
Since it’s a big day, we recommend that you book something before you get there so you don’t spend time driving around looking for something to say.
Perth To Exmouth And Karijini Tour
If you are tired from your first big day, you can spend the night in Cervantes and continue driving to Julien Bay in the morning.
The drive from Jurien Bay to Geraldton is a closed road along the beautiful Western Australian coast.
Since you will not make many stops today, you can enjoy the peace of Jurien Bay along the coast of each beach in the morning. If you have snorkeling gear, head to the old wooden jetty to see some coral up close.
For an even more unique experience, be sure to consider a trip to swim with Sea Lions. I personally recommend Turquoise Safaris.
Explore The Five Regions Of Western Australia
Between Jurien Bay and Geraldton, there is not much to see. You can stop in Dongora for gas and coffee, otherwise just push on and go to Geraldton.
It’s a quick ride, easy access, easy parking, and a great time to stretch your legs!
Geraldton is a small town that has grown over the past few years into a major travel destination for those who don’t want to leave Perth too far.
It has some beautiful beaches, charming cafes, holiday markets, the Sanji Aboriginal Arts Center and the Geraldton Museum.
The Battle Of Ningaloo Reef
Head to Ellendale Pool for a swim or rock jump in the beautiful rocks on the side of the pool.
Your stay in Geraldton can be long or short. If you have more time, we recommend going to the Abrohos Islands, 60km from Geraldton.
The 1629 Batavia Shipwreck is an underwater museum and a great dive site for experienced divers. You can take a scenic flight or charter boat to the island.
If you are staying for a short time, spend the morning at one of the cafes in Geraldton, have breakfast at one of the cafes, then go for a swim at the beach before heading north to our next stop.
Australia’s Coral Coast Self Drive
Head north from Geraldton to Kalbarri and within an hour you’ll arrive at Hutt Lagoon, one of Western Australia’s pink lagoons.
The color comes from the presence of carotenoid-producing alga Dunaliella salina. The best place to see Pink Lake from land is Port Gregory Road, where you can park and walk to the shore.
The best time to visit the lake is between 10 am and 2 pm, when the sun is overhead and at its highest. This will bring out the best shade.
Cloudless days are also great as clouds block the sun and sometimes make the lake look beautiful.
Where Is Ningaloo Reef? Diving
Tomorrow you will spend the whole day in the inland of the national park, so today is a good time to relax.
Explore the Coral Coast and see the beautiful coastal cliffs of Red Bluff, which offer incredible ocean views and great places for whale watching.
If you are planning a few short hikes, the 3km trail to Mushroom Rock will take you to a beautiful spot.
Head to Island Rock and Sky Bridge for beautiful sunset views and photos, swim at Pot Alley or pack your snorkeling gear and have fun at the Blue Holes.
The Best Things To Do On The Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Kalbarri itself guarantees a 3 day trip. So you can easily connect this branch and enjoy the view of the national park as part of the Perth to Exmouth drive.
Take in the forest view from the picnic area, take a short hike to Eagle Head Mountain overlooking the Murchison River, or follow the Z Bend Lookout trail across the river.
The Loop to Nature’s Window is only 800m long, and the Murchison Riber’s changes can be seen from the natural rocks that make up the landscape.
The Fourth Route (Idinggada Yina) is a 6km return route that is more difficult and descends to the river and offers interesting scenery, geology and landforms.
Days Perth To Broome Tour $2995
For travelers with time, you can opt for a 4-day trek that covers a 38-kilometer route through canyons and rivers.
You won’t get many views on the main road from Kalbarri to Shark Bay, but the drive is easy.
The world’s most diverse and abundant example of marine stromatolites (or “living bones”) is in Western Australia!
View of the stromatolites from the boardwalk
