Boutique Small Group, 8 Days

Overview

Eight days, one road, and a cap of 16 travellers: this Autopia Tours trip runs from Perth up the Coral Coast and finishes in Exmouth, covering the Pinnacles, Kalbarri National Park, Shark Bay, Monkey Mia, Carnarvon, Coral Bay and Cape Range National Park. Transport is in a private small-group vehicle, with boat trips at Kalbarri and Coral Bay built into the route. Accommodation is sorted for all seven nights, in boutique-style hotels and resorts with ensuite rooms, from Hospitality Inn Geraldton through to Ningaloo Lodge Exmouth.

The trip leans heavily on wildlife and First Nations culture rather than long drives with photo stops alone. In Kalbarri there is a rock lobster pot pull boat trip, and at Monkey Mia a local park ranger leads dolphin spotting in the conservation park plus an evening First Nations experience. Further north, the Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre is included, and at Coral Bay a glass bottom boat cruise and snorkelling experience sits over Ningaloo Reef.

Breakfast is included on all seven mornings; other meals are bought along the way, which the operator frames as a chance to support local businesses. It suits mobile travellers who can walk unaided and handle light physical activity, and it is not a wheelchair-accessible trip. Travellers over 75 need a medical clearance or doctor's certificate submitted at least 30 days before departure.

Itinerary

1. Perth welcome meetingMeet at Quality Hotel Ambassador Perth, 196 Adelaide Terrace, at 8:30am for a welcome meeting with the guide.
2. Day 1: Pinnacles and Jurien BayThe first day includes stops at Geraldton (3 hours), The Pinnacles (3 hours, admission included) and Jurien Bay (3 hours), overnighting at Hospitality Inn Geraldton in a Standard Queen Room. Meals this day are not included.
3. Day 2: Northampton to KalbarriThree stops from the Northampton First Nations Gallery to Kalbarri National Park: Northampton (2 hours), Hutt Lagoon (1 hour) and Kalbarri National Park (3 hours, admission included). Overnight at Kalbarri Edge Resort, with breakfast the next morning.
4. Day 3: Kalbarri to Shark BayStops at Kalbarri (3 hours) and Hamelin Pool (1 hour) before Monkey Mia (4 hours), with two nights at RAC Monkey Mia Resort. Breakfast included.
5. Day 4: Shark Bay to Monkey MiaA full day in the Monkey Mia Reserve (8 hours, admission included), including dolphin spotting with a local park ranger and the First Nations night experience.

Road Distances From Perth

1. Day 5: North to CarnarvonFour stops: Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum (1 hour, entry at your own cost), Gwoonwardu Mia heritage centre (2 hours, admission included), Bumbak's (1 hour) and the Gascoyne region (2 hours). Overnight at Hospitality Inns Carnarvon.
2. Day 6: Coral Bay and ExmouthCoral Bay (4 hours) for the Ningaloo Reef glass bottom boat cruise and snorkelling, then Vlamingh Head Lighthouse (2 hours, admission included) before settling in at Ningaloo Lodge Exmouth.
3. Days 7 and 8: Ningaloo and finishExmouth (4 hours) and Cape Range National Park (3 hours, admission included) on day 7, then breakfast and check out by 10:00am on day 8 at Ningaloo Lodge Exmouth, 1/3 Lefroy St, where the tour ends.

Common Questions