Pilbara Explorer / Ningaloo Adventure

Tour Details

Operator

The Adventure Collective

Destinations

Perth, Exmouth, Karijini, Monkey Mia, Coral Bay and Ningaloo Reef

Departs From

Broome and Exmouth

Tour Description

Welcome to the 'Real Australia'. Where nature had designed its own garden. Where it is harder to find a noisy place than a quiet one. Where the beaches are unspoilt, the scenery amazing, the sky big and the faces are friendly. The adventure of a lifetime awaits with the chance to cycle through parts of this wonderland.

Make your way down the spectacular Coral Coast on our Ningaloo Adventure, where you will find pristine beaches, exotic marine life, national reserves and the bluest ocean you will find anywhere in the world. From the ocean paradise of Ningaloo Reef, to the friendly dolphins at Monkey Mia, and the extraordinary rock formations known as the Pinnacles, you will be spolit by the best of Western Australia's amazing coastline.

7 days / 6 nights

2009 dates: Pilbara Explorer 11-17 September / Ningaloo Adventure 19-25 September

Pilbara Explorer
Day 1
Leaving Broome, we stop for breakfast along the way as we make our way into the Pilbara. Catch glimpse of the Great Sandy Desert just before we get to Sandfire, where we have lunch. Jump ups begin to appear, where the rock formations seem to bulge out of the landscape. The Pilbara covers some 500,000 square kilometers and is a premier adventure holiday destination. Cycle through spectacular scenery this afternoon. Our camp for tonight is near De Grey River. (L, D)

Day 2
Explore rock art and grave sites this morning. After our river campsite, the country opens up and becomes flatter, with wattle, gum and corkwood trees. Soon we’re back amongst the ranges and we continue parallel. Cycle the final 34 km into Marble Bar, an historic gold mining town that holds the title of the hottest town in Australia. Have a look around town and grab a drink at the Iron Clad Hotel, and we’ll have lunch in town. We camp out tonight with a backdrop of stark rolling hills, white gums standing out against the rock faces. (B, L, D)

Day 3
Our third day is spent continuing through the Pilbara as the country changes from flat and open to rocky gorges. This afternoon you’ll cycle into Hammersley Gorge, where we make our bush camp for the night. (B, L, D)

Day 4
Into Karijini National Park, famous for its beautiful waterfalls, cool plunge pools and deep gorges. Two billion years in the making, Karjini National Park is one of Western Australia's most spectacular natural attractions offering amazing hiking trails through ancient gorges. Explore tunnels of marbled rock, clamber over boulders, squeeze through narrow tunnels, paddle through waterways and descend deep into ancient chasms. There's also easy access to stunning lookouts and walk trails of varying levels so everyone can experience this awesome landscape. Permanent water pools means there's always the chance for a refreshing swim. We camp tonight within the National Park, where there are facilities. (B, L, D)

Day 5
Cycle this morning to the information center, before visiting Dales Gorge recreation area. In Dales Gorge, a four kilometer walking trail runs along the bottom of the gorge. Here you can go swimming in the stream, permanent water pools and beneath waterfalls. Lush green ferns and the occasional gum tree contrast with the red terraced cliffs weathered by time. Return to our camp via Kalamina Gorge before we spend another great evening at camp. (B, L, D)

Day 6
Leaving spectacular Karijini, we make our way towards Tom Price, and you’ll jump on your bikes to pedal into town, which is nestled deep in the Hamersley Ranges at the base of the beautiful Mount Nameless. At 747 metres above sea level, it’s the highest town in WA and a haven for the weary traveler. It is a modern fully serviced town designed to blend with the natural environment and the ideal base for those who wish to explore the natural wonders of the Karijini National Park. Whichever way you approach Tom Price, you will be rewarded with some of the best scenery in the state. The rich Pilbara colours of fiery reds, golds and the most brilliant blue skies will never cease to amaze. After Tom Price, we continue on to our bush camp where we spend our last evening together on this amazing adventure. (B, D)

Day 7
We set off this morning and soon you’ll jump on your bikes for a morning ride. There’s a chance to swim or perhaps even snorkel before we arrive in Exmouth, a small town of approximately 2500 people and situated 1270 km north of Perth. The town was originally established to support the Communications base located at the North West Cape. While the base is still operating at a reduced capacity the town has reinvented itself as the gateway to Ningaloo. Tourism is now the major industry contributor to the town’s economy. Ideally positioned, Exmouth offers access to the rugged beauty of the Cape Range National Park contrasted with the aquatic splendour of the world renowned Ningaloo Marine Park. Where else in the world can you snorkel with the majestic giant of the deep - the whale shark - then cruise up rugged gorges to spot native birds and animals as you can at Yardie creek. Meet the local wild emus that roam the streets of town or view the kangaroos trimming the green grass of the local ovals as the sunsets. The NorthWest Cape covers a huge area with the Ningaloo reef stretching 260 km from slightly north of Exmouth to Amherst Point, south of Coral Bay. Our Pilbara Explorer tour ends here in Exmouth, and if you’d like to experience more of WA you can join us for our Ningaloo Adventure tour. (B, L)

Ningaloo Adventure
Days 1 & 2
Departing Exmouth, spend today lapping up the glorious sunshine and coastal scenery as you cycle along the coast. Swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters tops off the first day of our Ningaloo Adventure. Ningaloo Marine Park is located along the coast of Western Australia, stretching from Red Bluff up to Bundegi Reef in the Exmouth Gulf. The Park covers 5076 km2 and includes both Commonwealth Waters (2436 km2) and State Waters (2640 km2). The Park protects a diverse range of environments, flora and fauna. The State component includes habitats from the shorelines, lagoon, reef and the waters extending approximately three nautical miles out to sea from the edge of the reef. The major habitats of the Commonwealth component are the waters and seabed of the continental shelf and slope which extend 3 to 9 nautical miles seaward from the State boundaries. Tonight we camp in Cape Range National Park. On Day 2, we continue our exploration of Ningaloo Marine Park and camp overnight at Ningaloo Station. (Day 1 - L, D; Day 2 – B, L, D)

Day 3
Our west coast journey continues, passing through the town of Coral Bay, where we stop for lunch. Our overnight stop is in Carnarvon, a bustling, tropical town which is the hub of the Gascoyne Region. The town boasts a reputation as a great fishing spot, and the local produce is renowned for being delicious. (B, L, D)

Day 4
Today is a special day as we encounter the world famous dolphins of Monkey Mia. In the heart of Western Australia’s Shark Bay is a place where you can experience the mystical world of wild dolphins. Monkey Mia is one of the world’s premier natural dolphin sighting areas; a destination of magical encounters. Located at Dolphin Beach, famous for its kilometers of secluded crystal blue waters and pristine white-shell beaches, Monkey Mia has attracted schools of dolphins to its tranquil shores daily for more than forty years. This dolphin interaction is known to be one of the most reliable meeting places for dolphins in the world. Dolphins have visited everyday in the last five years excluding only four times. It is the only place in Australia where dolphins visit daily, not seasonally, and costs nothing. You’ll have the chance to swim in the bay and see the dolphins up close for yourself. We camp overnight within the Francois Peron National Park. (B, L, D)

Day 5
Our next stop is Kalbarri, a holiday mecca, where people go to relax and enjoy some of the most breathtaking scenery in Australia. It’s a friendly town located 590 km north of Perth. The abundance of clean, pure fresh water made it an ideal respite for early Cornish miners. Their leases were right in the Murchison River bed, upstream of what is now the National Park. They were subject to periodic flooding from distant cyclonic rains. Once closed, the mines could take weeks to dry out. So it was off to the coast for well-earned rest and recreation, a tradition which has flourished to this day! We spend this afternoon walking along the Murchison River, WA’s second longest river, which has over millions of years carved a gorge through the Kalbarri National Park. (B, D)

Day 6
Leaving Kalbarri, we continue our adventure southwards. Today we visit the unusual landform known as the Pinnacles Desert, which is found within Nambung National Park. The Pinnacles are limestone formations, formed over thousands of years by wind and erosion, with the soft limestone wearing away leaving the columns of limestone that you see today. Our last night together on this trip will be spent camping near the Pinnacles, either in Badgingarra National Park or Jurien Bay. (B, L, D)

Day 7
Our final day of this Ningaloo Adventure Tour is spent making our way towards Western Australia’s capital city, Perth, where our tour finishes. You’ll have one last chance to jump on your bike today, and we’ll arrive in Perth in the mid-afternoon, knowing that you’ve experienced some of WA’s most spectacular natural landscapes. (B, L)