Broome to Perth 2 Week Road Trip Itinerary – Western Australia

If you are planning on coming to Western Australia there are 2 main road trips that you need to complete: Broome to Perth and Perth to Esperance. Western Australia is one of the most spectacular parts of Australia, it is full of incredible landscapes and experiences to enjoy from unique canyons to hike in to swimming with whale sharks to seeing kangaroos on the beach. This article will outline my full 2 week itinerary for a west coast road trip from Broome to Perth including all my top tips!

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What is the distance from Broome to Perth?

If you were to drive directly from Perth to Broome without any stops you would drive 2,230 km, taking you just under 24 hours (of solid driving). My road trip itinerary will take you past all of the main sights (luckily breaking the driving up a bit!) which is over 3346 km.

Perth to Broome OR Broome to Perth?

The first step to planning your ultimate Western Australia road trip is to decide where to start from.

We drove from Broome to Perth as car hire was 500$ CHEAPER than Perth to Broome, so make sure you research prices and decide what is best for you!

How to get from Broome to Perth?

There are two ways to get between Perth to Broome, the first one is by using your own transport the second is by public transport.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Integrity Coach Lines is the only bus service running between Broome and Perth, these only run three times a week so you will need to be more flexible on the length of your trip.

CAR HIRE

Personally I hired a car so I could be fully in change of my road trip itinerary. I looked on rentalcars.com, a car hire comparison site, to find the best deal. I looked at both Perth to Broome and Broome to Perth, and found that Broome to Perth was cheaper for my dates (remember to also research flights to/from Broome).

If you are on a tight budget you might want to consider picking up and dropping off the car in the same place, as this will save you the one way car hire fee. But this means you will be driving nearly 2300 km extra (so taking up a couple of extra days too).

If you wish to be flexible in where you visit along your road trip and get off the beaten path than I would recommend getting a 4×4.

VAN HIRE

If you want to travel slowly and are on a budget you might wait to consider hiring a van. The overall hire will be a lot more than a car, however you will save money on accommodation. Please note that in Australia you are not allowed to just camp anywhere, so you will generally still need to pay a small fee to park somewhere. The most affordable van hire company in Australia is Wicked Campers.

Western Australia National Parks Pass

If you are planning on road tripping through Western Australia then you will most probably visit a few different national parks. In order to save you time and money I would recommend buying a national parks pass online and printing it before your trip.

Most national parks cost around $12-13 per car, so if you are planning on visiting more than 4 the 14 day Holiday Pass will be a lot more cost effective (see below).

Main stops on the Perth to Broome drive

This West Coast Australia road trip itinerary will detail everything you need to know about the main sights from Perth to Broome, including the most instagrammable spots! If you are planning on driving from Perth to Broome these are the main stops you will want to include:

1. Perth
2. Lancelin (Sand dunes)
3. The Pinnacles (Nambung National Park)
4. Jurien Bay (Sea lions)
5. Hutt Lagoon (Pink Lake)
6. Kalbarri National Park
7. Shark Bay (Monkey Mia)
8. Coral Bay
9. Exmouth (Cape Range National Park)
10. Karijini National Park
11. Broome

You will need at least 13 days to comfortably complete this, if you have less time you can remove some stops from your itinerary.

This blog will detail my road trip itinerary from Broome to Perth but you can easily do it the other way around (Perth to Broome).

DAY 1 – BROOME

Broome is a beach resort town in western Australia’s Kimberley region. Depending on what you want to do I would spend around 1 to 2 days here.

Spend one day going off roading to Roebuck Bay (just don’t swim here!). The bright red rocks and blue water are quite a unique site (plus the drive there is fun and gives you a good taste of what off roading is like!). You want to drive out of Broome and turn right onto Crab Creek Road then follow it to the end (where it splits).

Head to Cable beach in the afternoon (I saw people swimming here but there’s also a sign warning you about crocodiles and jellyfish). This way you’ll be in the right spot to see the camels on the beach at sunset.

Personally I was a bit disappointed by this experience as I was hoping to take a photo like the one on the left, but the tide was out and the beach was covered in car tracks which ruined the aesthetic of the beach.

If you choose to stay a second day you could do a tour to Willie Creek Pearl Farm or Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek & Boab Prison Tree.

Where to stay in Broome – I stayed at the Roebuck Bay Hotel.

DAY 2 – DRIVING DAY

We spent the morning enjoying Broome before heading to our next destination of Port Hedland.

This was a long driving day of around 6 hours, we only stopped once to have lunch. We prepared sandwiches and I’d advise you to do the same as there is only one petrol station along the way.

I would also use this day to stock up on food and big bottles of water for Karijini National Park .

Where to stay in Port Hedland – I stayed at the Hospitality Port Hedland.

DAY 3 – KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK

Karijini is Western’s Australia second largest national park. It has a super unique landscape with a number of gorges and waterfalls.

You will need to drive about 3 hours from Port Hedland to get to the entrance of Karijini National Park. I would recommend stopping at the Auski Tourist Village just before the park to fill up with petrol. You could also stay the night here instead of Port Hedland.

As well as filling up with petrol make sure you come to Karijini National Park with plenty of water  (at least 5l per person) and whatever you intend to eat during your stay. There is NO water or shops there.

On your first day in Karijini I would recommend starting with the sites to the east of the park. Head to Fortescue Falls (only 15 minutes from the car park) and the Fern Pool (another 15 minutes walk) for a refreshing swim. Or try the two-hour return hike to the picturesque Circular Pool.

Where to stay in Karijini National Park – There aren’t any hotels in Karijini, so you will need to camp either at Dales Campground (free but no water) or the Karijini Eco Retreat ($20 per person, water and bbqs). If you don’t have you’re own camping supplies you can also pay to rent one of their tents.

DAY 4 – KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK

Wake up early and start your day at the Hancock gorge. A beautiful red gorge where you can walk through the river and clamber along the rocks to finish at Kermit’s Pool. Make sure you bring sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting wet to do this hike. It will take you about one hour each way.

Please be aware that there are times when your bottom half will be completely submerged, unless you are able to climb along the rocks on the side.

Next head over to Hamersley gorge, about an hour and a half away from Hancock Gorge. Here you will find a couple of waterfalls as well as a big swimming hole surrounded by incredible layered cliffs.

If you want to find the insta-famous waterfall then you want to head off the path to the right and follow the river upstream to the spa pool and waterfall. Please note that this path has recently been ‘closed’ due to a few accidents at the waterfall (it’s super slippy!).  There aren’t any barriers to prevent you but there is occasionally a park ranger walking round.

Where to stay near Karijini National Park – You could either choose to stay near Tom Price (which is next to Karijini National Park), however there is very limited accommodation here so you will need to book in advance. As we were heading to Exmouth next we decided to stay an hour out of Tom Price (in the direction of Exmouth) at Cheela Plains.

DAY 5 – DRIVE TO EXMOUTH

This will be a long driving day so I would set off early! It’s around a 5 to 6 hour drive from Cheela Plains to Exmouth, with a couple of gas stations along the way.

Once you get to Exmouth you might want to drive round to check out some of the beaches at Cape Range National Park (you will need a national parks pass).

Where to stay in Exmouth – We wanted to be near Cape Range National Park and the beaches so we stayed at Ningaloo Lighthouse Holiday Park. The accommodation was nice for the price but there was no cell signal.

DAY 6 – EXMOUTH

If you are visiting Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef during the whale shark season (March to August) I would use your first full day in Exmouth to swim with the biggest fish in the ocean, the whale shark! This way if you don’t end up seeing them you have another day to try again (most companies will let you try again for free!).

The Ningaloo Reef in Australia is one of the few places in the world where you can sustainably swim with wild whale sharks! It is an absolutely incredible experience, they are so huge but graceful! Definitely one of my favourite animal encounters in Australia.

There are a lot of different tour companies operating and they are all around the same price. Most include pick up, food and snorkelling gear, but not all of them include photos, spotter planes or free repeat tours if no whale sharks are sighted. Spotter planes mean that you have a high chance of swimming with whale sharks but I still think it’s good to book a tour with a free repeat tour just in case! This tour includes everything!

DAY 7 – EXMOUTH

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If you are visiting Exmouth from November to March, it is Turtle nesting season. Hundreds of turtles come to shore to laying eggs, an incredible experience to encounter in person. So make sure to go to the beach at sunrise or sunset to see them in action (just please be mindful not to disturb them).

DAY 8 – DRIVE TO CORAL BAY

Continue your journey to Perth by driving 1.5 hours south to Coral Bay. Coral Bay is a small town also located on Ningaloo reef. It is surrounded by beautiful beaches and is the best place to swim with manta rays. As Alex and I had recently swam with manta rays we decided to just go snorkeling.

Where to stay in Coral Bay – There are only 4 different accommodations in Coral Bay so make sure you book in advance. We stayed in a private room at Ningaloo Coral Bay Backpackers.

DAY 9 – DRIVE TO SHARK BAY

This will be another long driving day with around 6 hours on the road from Coral Bay to Monkey Mia in Shark Bay. However there are a few fun stops to make along the way.

First stop – Tropic of Capricorn

A couple of hours south of Exmouth is the tropic of Capricorn. You will see a sign post on the road marking this line. It’s nothing big but it’s cool to stop for a bit!

Second stop – Carnavon

Half way between Coral Bay and Shark Bay is the town of Carnavon. This is a great spot to stop for lunch as well as check out the insta famous Cactus garden. Just drive along South River Road by Gascogne River (South Plantations) and you should find it.DT

Third stop – Hamelin Pool

Next up hire a kayak for half a day (you can do this at the RAC Monkey Mia Resort) and kayak over to Francois Peron National Park. The  beaches along this strip are only accessible by water (and occassionally a 4×4) so you might be able to have it all to yourself!

Along this stretch you will find the shark nursery where you can walk in the shallows spotting baby nervous sharks, shovel nose rays and sting rays! A really unique animal encounter in Australia!

DAY 10 – DRIVE TO KALBARRI

Spend the morning exploring more of Shark Bay. I would recommend checking out shell beach and the view from Eagle Bluff Point (if you’re lucky you might be able to spot dugongs!) Find out more things to do in Shark Bay.

You can then start the 4 hour drive to Kalbarri.

Depending on what time you get to Kalbarri you might want to spend the rest of the day exploring the coastal Kalbarri National Park. Here you just need to drive along the coast and you’ll see signs for the main attractions, I recommend stopping for:

• Island rock and natural bridge 

The look out for Island Rock and Natural Bridge is just a short walk from the carpark (200m return). Not only can you enjoy views of the amazing coastline here but you might be able to spot whales or dolphins!

• Pot alley

Another great viewpoint is from Pot Alley. Here you can also take the winding, rocky walk down to the beach, It’s a beautiful beach but unsafe to swim at.

• Red Bluff lookout

Red Bluff is the highest viewpoint in the area with 100m of soaring cliff face. The lookout is a 500m return walk from the car park.

If you have more time and wish to explore more of the coastal Kalbarri National Park you might want to try a few of the local hikes.

Where to stay in Kalbarri – We stayed at the Kalbarri Backpackers YHA.

DAY 11 – KALBARRI NATIONAL PARK & HUTT LAGOON

I would recommend starting your day at sunrise so that you can explore Kalbarri National Park without the crowds nor the midday heat. Remember to have your national parks pass ready.

• Nature’s Window

Nature’s Window is the most iconic attraction at Kalbarri National Park. It is a wind-eroded opening in layered sandstone that frames a view of the river. It is only a 1km return walk from the carpark.

If you are a fan of hiking you might want to do the 9km loop walk that starts from the same car park. Allow 3 to 4 hours to complete this hike.

• Z Bend

The Z Bend has a lookout 600m from the carpark, it’s built on an overhanging rock formation that provides spectacular views of the Murchison River Gorge.

If you want a closer look you might want to hike down (1.2km return) into the gorge to access the river’s edge.

I was very unlucky upon my visit here as it had not rained for a long time and so the river was dry, usually it looks a lot more impressive than my photos.

• Hawks Head

Another great look out to see the Murchison River Gorge is from Hawks Head. The viewpoint is just next to the carpark.

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If you started at sunrise you will probably be done visiting Kalbarri National Park by midday. Head into Kalbarri for lunch before driving 30 minutes to the Hutt Lagoon. This pink lake is such an unusual site, and it’s well worth the stop! The best time to go is around midday as the sun makes the colours in the lake really pop! There are a few different cool photo spots at the Hutt Lagoon so be sure to explore!

Spend the afternoon driving the 3.5 hours to Jurien Bay.

Where to stay in Jurien Bay – We stayed at Jurien Bay Hotel Motel which was ideally located near to the beach.

DAY 12 – JURIEN BAY

Jurien Bay is the best place in Australia to swim with sea lions!

You can find large colonies of sea lions in a few different spots around the Coral Coast of Western Australia (WA). You might be able to spot some in the Jurien Bay Marine Park, however for the best opportunity to swim with them you should book onto a snorkelling tour with Turquoise Safaris in Jurien Bay.

Easily the most interactive swimming companion, sea lions are just like underwater puppies and are extremely curious and playful! Have fun with them by blowing bubbles and doing somersaults under water. I spun around in the water and had a sea lion copy me! Turquoise Safaris have two morning tours a day lasting 2.5 hours.

Spend the afternoon chilling out on the beach at Jurien Bay or head to Sandy Cape Recreation Park to check out some of the beaches there.

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You could also use the afternoon to drive the 40 minutes to the Pinnacles Desert (in Nambung National Park) to see them at sunset (you’ll need your national parks pass again).  I would advise getting there for an hour before sunset so you have time to explore and take photos during golden hour. The Pinnacles is really big so even during the day the people are spread out so you can still take instagrammable pictures.

DAY 13 – LANCELIN TO PERTH

If you didn’t have time to visit the Pinnacles last night you can stop there on your way to Perth. From the Pinnacles you will need to drive another 50 minutes to Lancelin where you can try sand boarding!

Lancelin sand dunes are bright white and it is honestly so much fun to sand board down them! Head to Have A Chat General Store to rent some sand boards for just $10 (you will need to leave ID or something as a deposit).

You then only have 1.5 hours to drive until you make it to Perth and the end of your road trip (unless you want to continue to Esperance or Rottnest Island). The Broome to Perth road trip is definitely a trip of a life time with so many incredible landscapes and animal encounters to enjoy, however be prepared for A LOT of driving!

I hope this itinerary helps you to plan your Western Australia trip! Head to my Instagram story highlights (WA1) to see my full trip!

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