Kalbarri and Monkey Mia Explorer

The six day, 1,854-kilometre journey from Kalbarri to Monkey Mia encapsulates Western Australia’s penchant for breaking the rules of time and space. Ancient gorges and living fossils, an abundance of wildlife including charismatic wild dolphins, water-borne pursuits and land-based adventures. Starting in Perth, cruise up Indian Ocean Drive, flanked by spellbinding coastal scenery and vast blue expanses. Kalbarri is your gateway to outback adventure. Take in the magnitude of the region from the clifftop perch of the Kalbarri Skywalk. The Murchison River, 100 metres below, has spent 400 million years carving a zigzag of dramatic gorges into the flaming-red rock. Listen to birdsong on a dreamy canoe ride, get your heart racing abseiling the cliff faces or simply enjoy a spot of fishing and a walk along the many trails. Next, head towards a duo of rare sights. Hamelin Pool stromatolites, the world’s oldest living fossils, fascinate scientists and natural history buffs alike, while billions of tiny shells replace the sand at Shell Beach. These curtain-raisers prepare for the wonderment of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area and spectacular Monkey Mia. Monkey Mia abounds with wildlife encounters destined to stay with you forever. Interact with wild bottle-nosed dolphins from the shore, and swim beside sea turtles, manta rays and dugongs. Then flop down on a white-sand beach where a towel and bathers are the only essentials. Break up the return journey to Perth at Geraldton. A haven for wind-sport enthusiasts, spot a pro controlling the wind and the waves, and get among the action. Celebrate the bounty of the sea with a seafood feast, or listen to the wind whistle past on a boat-tour or scenic flight to the remote, nature-rich Houtman Abrolhos Islands.