Wonders of the West Coast & Kimberley

Perth knows how to ease you into a trip. It’s a capital city, sure, but it also has a laid-back side, with colourful laneways, creative street art and loads of green space to balance things out. Join your Travel Director for a city tour, then stretch your legs in Kings Park and Botanic Garden, where wildflowers and native plants spread across 400 hectares above the Swan River. Right in the middle sits the Anzac Memorial, a peaceful spot that stops you in your tracks. Later, meet your fellow travellers over dinner and get ready for the adventure ahead.

Talk about starting on a high - your adventure kicks off at Nambung National Park’s Pinnacles, a surreal landscape where thousands of limestone spires pierce the sky. These formations rise from the sand like a natural art installation, and the whole place feels delightfully otherworldly. By the time you reach Geraldton, there’s one more stop that leaves a mark: the HMAS Sydney Memorial, honouring the 645 Australian sailors lost off the WA coast during WWII. Then discover the rest of the seaside town at your own pace, wandering the foreshore or visiting the cathedral.

Today starts with a trip through Kalbarri National Park, where the scenery quickly goes from impressive to show-off. Head to the Kalbarri Skywalk for huge views over Murchison River Gorge, with red cliffs, layered rock and wide-open space in every direction. If you’re here during wildflower season, there’s even more colour in the mix, with native blooms putting on a proper display. Prepare yourself for the ‘living fossils’ at Hamelin Pool, home to the most abundant colony of stromatolites in the world. 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. Then continue north to Monkey Mia, where the landscape shifts again. Think bright water, pale sand and that unmistakable feeling of being somewhere a bit special. It’s a big day on the road, but the reward at the end is more than worth it.

If Monkey Mia didn’t win you over yesterday, it probably will this morning. The big draw here is the wild dolphins that regularly swim into shore, often arriving in a pod and splashing around in the shallows before heading back out into the bay. It’s one of those moments that feels pretty special, especially because they’re wild and do exactly as they please. Aboriginal communities have lived in Shark Bay for 65,000 years; you’ll discover this history when you join proud Nhanda man, Darren 'Capes' Capewell. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience, hear how stories are told, before a didgeridoo performance.

Today travel to Coral Bay and the spectacular Ningaloo Coast. 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.

Depending on the season, you may have the chance to snorkel with whale sharks or humpback whales with ethically minded operators, which is about as bucket list as it gets. Seeing these huge creatures in the wild is equal parts humbling and thrilling. Or skip the schedule entirely and keep things simple with a walk on the sand and a long, lazy afternoon by the water. Ningaloo does the rest without trying too hard.

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.

Bring your bathing suit, your camera and a bit of stamina because Karijini does not do things by halves. Today’s exploration takes you into one of Western Australia’s most remarkable national parks, where billions of years of geology are on full display. Expect red layered cliffs, deep gorges, quiet waterholes, tall gums and those famously oversized termite mounds. Karijini covers a huge 630,000 hectares, and every part of it feels wild and dramatic. It can get steamy out here too, so if the chance comes to cool off beneath a waterfall or drift in a waterhole, take it. You’ve earned it.

The Pilbara keeps showing off today, with its rich red landscapes, wide roads and mineral-streaked earth rolling out around you. This part of Australia feels vast in every direction, and that’s a big part of its appeal. While it’s sparsely populated, Port Hedland is a major hub and one of the busiest ports in the country, which gives it an energy all its own. Before arriving, stop at a lookout where, depending on the season, you may spot humpback whales migrating along the coast or snubfin dolphins cruising by. Out here, even the quick roadside stops can turn into a proper moment.

Broome owes a lot to pearls, and you’ll get the story behind the town on today’s sightseeing tour. Back in the day, the pearl rush drew fortune-seekers from all over the world, and many stayed, helping shape Broome into one of Australia’s most multicultural destinations. These days, it’s just as famous for its sunsets, and once you see one over the Indian Ocean, you’ll understand why. Cable Beach is the main event, a long, sweeping stretch of sand big enough for camels, 4WDs and sunset seekers all at once. Settle in near the shore tonight, order a drink and enjoy dinner with an excellent view.

Broome gives you plenty of ways to fill a free day, whether you want to keep it relaxed or head off in search of something extra. You could browse the town’s pearl boutiques, wander through Chinatown or take a long walk along Cable Beach, which stretches for more than 22 kilometres and somehow makes even a simple stroll feel special. If you’re after something more hands-on, there are Choice Experiences to consider, including a visit to a pearl farm where you can learn how these famous gems are cultivated. It’s an easy place to spend a day, with just the right mix of history, character and beachy charm.

Before leaving Broome, there’s time to see another side of this region’s story at Gantheaume Point, where ancient dinosaur footprints remain stamped into the coastline. They date back more than 125 million years, which is a decent reminder that this landscape has been doing its thing for a very long time. Then it’s on to Fitzroy Crossing, your gateway to the Kimberley. This part of Australia is all rugged beauty and geological drama, with ancient rock formations, river systems, gorges and waterfalls shaping the land at every turn. The scenery starts shifting in a big way today, and the Kimberley doesn’t waste time making an impression.

This morning, head to the remarkable Mimbi Caves, where the remains of the Devonian Great Barrier Reef still shine through in delicate limestone formations, crystal-clear pools and vivid natural colour. It’s a striking place in its own right, but what really brings it to life is the perspective of your Indigenous guide. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, you’ll discover ancient rock art, hear Dreamtime stories and connect more deeply with the land and its history. Over billy tea and damper, the stories keep flowing. It’s one of those experiences that slows everything down in the best possible way and stays with you long after you leave.

Waking up in El Questro is not hard to enjoy. There’s the morning light through the tent, birds and wildlife all around and that sense of being tucked deep into the landscape. Today you’ll travel to Wyndham, the northernmost town in Western Australia, to discover its outback setting, local wetlands and surrounding landforms. It’s a small place, but the scenery around it certainly isn’t. Later, cool off however you like, whether that’s back at the resort pool or in the waters near Emma Gorge. Then perhaps settle in on your patio for sundowners as the day winds down. This part of the trip knows how to make itself memorable.

Kununurra might feel remote, but it has a big story to tell. The town grew out of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme, which transformed the region and made agriculture possible on a whole new scale. You’ll get a taste of that local spirit at the family-owned Hoochery Distillery, where there’s time to hear from the owners and try a tasting if you fancy it. Then step into the past at the Durack Homestead Museum, carefully relocated before the original site was flooded. Later, Lake Argyle takes centre stage. A sunset cruise here, with birdlife all around and freshwater crocs in the shallows, is one of those travel moments that really lands.

Today is yours to choose how you want to experience Kununurra. You could join a Choice Experience and take to the skies on a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles, or join a Choice Experience 4WD tour to get closer to these extraordinary striped domes on the ground. Either way, it’s a pretty spectacular sight. Prefer to stay local? Join your Travel Director for a walk through Mirima National Park, often called a mini Bungle Bungles thanks to its similar layered rock formations. It’s a chance to stretch your legs and hear how the landscape was shaped. Big adventure or easy exploration, the choice is entirely yours.

Cross from Western Australia into the Northern Territory, swapping one vast outback landscape for another. The scenery remains gloriously wide open, with pastoral lands stretching across the horizon and giving you a proper introduction to this part of Australia. In Katherine, things get lively at the Katherine Outback Experience, where the region’s pastoral history comes to life through songs, stories and plenty of local personality. It’s not a polished performance or a standard sightseeing stop. It’s something more real than that, full of country swagger, humour and a good dose of honesty. Which, frankly, makes it all the more memorable.

Nature and history both step up today. First, head into Nitmiluk National Park on Jawoyn land, where a cruise through Nitmiluk Gorge reveals soaring sandstone cliffs, changing colours and a landscape shaped over millions of years. This is just one of 13 gorges in the park, and each bend of the river feels like it deserves its own photo, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Later, the mood shifts as you reflect on the region’s wartime history at the Adelaide River War Cemetery. Then continue to Darwin, where a city tour uncovers the events and influences that have shaped this tropical capital over time. Tonight, gather with your fellow travellers for a final dinner by the waterfront.

It’s hard to believe three weeks have passed since you first set out. Since then, there’s been a lot: reefs and red earth, dolphins and dinosaur footprints, gorge walks, Aboriginal experiences, outback towns and more big-sky moments than most cameras can do justice. After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to your Travel Director and fellow travellers and bring this epic journey to an end.