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    Itinerary

    3 Weeks in Western Australia: Perth to Exmouth and Back

    Three weeks in WA sounds generous until you look at the distances. Perth to Exmouth alone is 1,270 km. This itinerary does the south-west first, then runs north up the Coral Coast, then comes back — it does not attempt Broome or the Kimberley.

    Length
    21 days
    Total distance
    ~4,600 km
    Season
    April–October
    Vehicle
    2WD for the coast. Karijini's inner gorges need a high-clearance vehicle on some access roads.
    Suits
    Couples, Friends Group
    3 Weeks in Western Australia — Western Australia

    Route map

    Approximate route: Perth → Margaret River → Albany → Kalbarri → Denham → Exmouth → Karijini National Park → Meekatharra. Shown for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route. Always check current road conditions before you travel.

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    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Route stops in order: 1. Perth, 2. Margaret River, 3. Albany, 4. Kalbarri, 5. Denham, 6. Exmouth, 7. Karijini National Park, 8. Meekatharra.

    If the Kimberley is the priority, do not combine it with the south-west. Fly to Broome and give it its own three weeks.

    Wildflower season (roughly August–October) transforms the drive north through the Mid West. If you can time it, do.

    Day by day

    3 Weeks in Western Australia — stage plan
    DaysRouteDistanceDriveWhat you doSleep
    Days 1–2Perth——Kings Park, Fremantle, Rottnest day trip by ferry. Collect the vehicle and gear.Perth or Fremantle
    Days 3–5Perth → Margaret River280 km3hCellar doors, Cape to Cape day sections, Lake Cave or Jewel Cave, Surfers Point at Prevelly.Margaret River
    Days 6–7Margaret River → Albany (via Pemberton)400 km5hKarri forest and the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. Albany for The Gap, Natural Bridge and the National Anzac Centre.Albany
    Days 8–9Albany → Perth420 km4h 30mStirling Range detour if you are walking Bluff Knoll (6 km return, steep). Otherwise a straight run back and a rest day.Perth
    Day 10Perth → Kalbarri (via Pinnacles)590 km7hNambung National Park's Pinnacles early, then the long haul north. Big day — leave at dawn.Kalbarri
    Day 11Kalbarri100 km local1h 30mNature's Window and the Z-Bend in the inland gorges (morning only in warm months), coastal cliffs at sunset.Kalbarri
    Days 12–13Kalbarri → Shark Bay (Denham / Monkey Mia)390 km4h 30mHamelin Pool stromatolites, Shell Beach, Eagle Bluff. Monkey Mia dolphin experience is a morning event.Denham
    Days 14–16Shark Bay → Exmouth (Ningaloo)670 km7h 30mTurquoise Bay drift snorkel, Oyster Stacks at high tide, Yardie Creek. Whale shark tour on one of these days if in season.Exmouth or Cape Range
    Days 17–19Exmouth → Karijini National Park570 km6h 30mDales Gorge, Fortescue Falls, Hancock and Weano Gorges. Kalamina is the easiest; Hancock's Spider Walk is Class 5 and not for everyone.Karijini Eco Retreat or Dales campground
    Days 20–21Karijini → Perth1,400 km2 daysTwo long transit days via Newman and Mount Magnet, or fly out of Paraburdoo and drop the car there.Meekatharra or Mount Magnet

    Cost and booking notes

    • One-way vehicle hire with a Perth pickup and Exmouth or Paraburdoo drop-off carries a substantial relocation fee, but it saves two full days of driving. Price both.
    • Whale shark tours run roughly $400–$500 per person and sell out in the April–June peak.
    • Karijini has no fuel inside the park. Fill at Tom Price or Auski Roadhouse.

    Common questions

    Enough for either the south-west and Coral Coast, or the Kimberley — not both. WA is roughly a third of Australia's land area and the drive times punish any plan that tries to cover the whole state in one trip.

    April to October. The north is out of the wet, the Coral Coast is comfortable, and August to October adds the wildflower season through the Mid West. Summer in the north-west regularly tops 40°C.

    The main sealed and formed roads to Dales Gorge and the visitor centre are 2WD-passable in good conditions, but several access roads are unsealed and corrugated. Check current conditions with DBCA, and note most hire agreements exclude unsealed roads.

    Useful services on this trip

    Related guides

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