Walk Western Australia's Karijini & Ningaloo Reef
Trip Code: PJXN
Why we love it
Explore Karijini National Park with visits and hikes to Kalamina, Dales, Weano and Hancock Gorges and swims in Kermit's and Handrail Pools. Then, take the challenge and summit Mt Bruce – Australia’s second highest peak., Chill out and enjoy the scenery! There’s no need for a map or GPS on this walking trip – with an expert local leader that knows the area inside-out, all you have to do is enjoy the journey., Snorkel Ningaloo Reef, where you’ll see rich and diverse marine life plus vibrant coral creating a rainbow of colours underneath the turquoise waters., Take the opportunity for an (optional) experience of a lifetime and go swimming with whale sharks, the world’s biggest fish, off Western Australia’s Coral Coast., Enjoy breakfast at your campsite, fresh picnic lunches in incredible locations and delicious campfire dinners prepared by your leader – with all meals taken care of, you can focus on soaking up the landscape.
Is this trip right for me?
This trip involves plenty of walking over varied terrain and is best suited to travellers with a good level of mobility. Good footwear, plus perhaps walking poles are recommended. Details on physical activities can be found in the itinerary. If you need a break from walking, you can always have a day or sometimes an afternoon off to relax if you feel like it. Your guides will attempt to find alternative activities where possible.
This trip is operated and run by Inspiration Outdoors, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Inspiration Outdoors customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Inspiration Outdoors to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time away.
The majority of our campsites are unpowered, so be prepared to be without electricity for most nights. Please note that you will need to bring your own sleeping bag, or hire one at an additional cost. This will need to be requested prior to the trip via your booking agent.
Please note that swimming with whale sharks is not included on this trip and is an optional activity. It is very important that you pre-book any whale shark experiences, as these can sell out far in advance. You are able to book this service with us (subject to availability). Please let us know well ahead of time if you would like to add this option to your booking. Please also note that whale sharks visit the region between mid-March and mid-September only, so please make sure you schedule your trip accordingly if you would like to include this experience in your trip. To join this optional tour it is important that you can swim unassisted in the open ocean.
Important information
START & END TIMES
The trip begins at Paraburdoo Airport on day 1. For pick up times for the different days of the week please read the joining point instructions carefully. The trip finishes finishes with a transfer to Exmouth or Exmouth Airport on the last day.
SINGLE TRAVELLERS
Single travellers will have their own tent for all camping nights.
LUGGAGE LIMIT
Luggage limit is strictly one small-medium sized soft sided back, maximum weight 12kg per person. Sleeping bag, pillow, day pack and walking poles can be carried in addition to your main luggage.
OPERATOR
This trip is operated and run by Inspiration Outdoors, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Inspiration Outdoors customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Inspiration Outdoors to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time away.
SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS
Swimming with whale sharks is not included on this trip and is an optional activity. It is very important that you pre book any Whale Shark experiences, as this can sell out far in advance. You are able to book this service with us (subject to availability). Please also note that whale sharks visit the region between mid-March and mid-September only, so please make sure you schedule your trip accordingly if you would like to include this experience in your trip. To join this optional tour it is important that you can swim unassisted in the open ocean.
ITINERARY VARIATIONS
The itinerary for each trip departure may have variations due to flight arrival times, gorge access, weather conditions and other factors beyond our control. Rest assured our team of professional leaders will bring you a very memorable experience.
What to bring/pack
LUGGAGE LIMIT:
Luggage limit is strictly one small-medium sized soft sided back, maximum weight 12kg per person. Sleeping bag, pillow, day pack and walking poles can be carried in additional to your main luggage.
ESSENTIAL ITEMS:
• Pillow, sleeping bag and sleeping sheet (in a sturdy plastic bag if they don't fit in your luggage).
• Day-pack - with a thick waist strap to help take some weight off your shoulders.
• Shorts/long pants and shirts for walking - lightweight and quick-dry material are best.
• Socks - whichever thickness you're comfortable walking in.
• Warm clothing in case of cold evenings and mornings - jumper, tracksuit pants, beanie, fleece jacket.
• Comfortable, sturdy walking shoes or boots (ankle support is recommended as many surfaces are
rocky and uneven)
• Reef sandals/shoes for walking in water. Make sure they have good grip even when they're wet.
• Ankle gaiters/sock protectors suitable for hot weather (not plastic).
• Waterproof jacket*.
• Sun protection - hat, sunglasses, sunscreen (and consider your clothing)
• Casual clothes for evenings and rest days.
• Bathers, rash vest and small swimming towel (lightweight so you can easily carry them).
• Small bath towel.
• Toiletries, hand sanitiser and personal medication.
• Reliable headlamp with spare batteries (much better than a torch because you can use both hands when wearing a headlamp).
• Any preferred first aid supplies - such as your favourite blister treatment! (Your guide will carry a full first-aid kit).
• Water bottle/s or camelback - 2 to 3 litre capacity.
• A lunch container
• Fly net (especially for walks in warmer weather)
• Camera and charger/batteries
• Gaiters for snake bite protection are recommended unless you are wearing long pants and long socks. They're also good for keeping sand out of your shoes.
• Sock protectors (to keep sand out of your boots)
• Robust sandals for wading/beach sections
• Bathers and towel
• Small towel to carry during the day
OPTIONAL ITEMS:
• Snacks and alcohol - there will be time to purchase more during the week if you need to. Some people like to have some muesli bars, nuts, lollies etc
• Walking poles
• Snorkelling gear*
* You may bring your own but if you would like to hire on the ground the price per day at time of publishing is: $8 mask and snorkel, $8 fins or $16 mask, snorkel and fins.
Physical rating
All walks on this trip are less than 10 km but each has its challenges. The terrain is rocky and there is a lot of ascending and descending - both for the peaks and the gorge walks. A reasonable level of fitness is required to fully enjoy the trip. Cardiovascular fitness is always important for walking holidays and a regular routine of walking, dancing, swimming, cycling etc will help with that. What's also important for a tour like this is strength, balance and joint mobility. Regular walking on a variety of terrain and surfaces, incorporating hills and/or stairs, will be of great benefit. The most important thing is to have fun. Enjoy your preparation and think of it as a challenge rather than a punishment. A better holiday and better overall health are your reward.
We know that this type of preparation is difficult to fit into a busy schedule. If you don't have the time to do long walks, we recommend doing regular stair walking sessions. Walking small distances frequently helps a lot as well. For instance, walking 3 - 5km four times a week, and 8km once a week, is a great help. If you're doing short training sessions, make sure you get yourself puffed and sweaty. Otherwise you won't benefit from your efforts. And start walking in the shoes you will wear on the walk now!
To join the optional swimming with whale sharks tour it is important that you can swim unassisted in the open ocean. Whale Sharks are big fish and as such can only be found in deep water. The tour will go beyond the reef to a depth where you won't be able to see the sea floor. To swim with the whale sharks all participants MUST BE physically fit and capable of pulling themselves up and out of the water. All participants must be confident swimming in the ocean and be able to swim unassisted. The crew on board are the experts and listening to them will ensure your safety. Some days can be rough, so we do recommend anti-nausea tablets if you a prone to sea sickness. The tour operator has the discretion to prohibit individuals from entering the water if they are deemed a safety risk to themselves or are clearly incapable of looking after their well-being while in the water.
Joining your group
Paraburdoo Airport, , Paraburdoo, AUSTRALIA, Phone: +61 8 9159 8300
Alternate Joining Point
Joining instructions
This trip is scheduled to meet the following flights on arrival at Paraburdoo Airport:
Monday to Friday trip start day: QF1620, departs Perth 13:30, arrives Paraburdoo 15:20
Saturday trip start day: QF1842, departs Perth 07:30am, arrives Paraburdoo 09:20am
Sunday trip start day: QF1624, departs Perth 15:50, arrives Paraburdoo at 17:35
Finishing your trip
Ningaloo Aquarium and Discovery Centre, 2 Truscott Cres, Exmouth, AUSTRALIA, Phone: +61 899493070
Alternate Finish Point
Meals & dietary information
Breakfasts included: 9
Lunches included: 7
Dinners included: 9
We cater to all dietary requirements and will make sure you are well fed and looked after on tour. Please let us know in advance of travel if you have any dietary requirements.
You will be surprised at just how good the food is! Breakfast comprises of cereal, fruit and toast. Lunch is cold meats and salad with sandwiches, rolls or wraps. Dinner is a 2-course meal. Morning tea is supplied and fresh fruit is always available. If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know when you book, we are happy to adapt our tasty, nutritious meals to suit a variety of dietary needs. We are not able to have campfires in Karijini; food is cooked on gas stoves. All eating utensils are provided.
Drinking water is always available. Guests may bring a small quantity of alcohol. If possible please purchase beer and wine in either cask or cans as opposed to glass. There will be an opportunity to purchase alcohol in Tom Price on Day 5 and then again on Day 6 on your way through Exmouth. There is limited capacity for cooling drinks.
Climate & seasonal information
Days are usually dry in the mid to late 20s. However, some evenings can be very chilly, particularly in June, July and August in Karijini National Park, with overnight temperatures sometimes dipping to single figures. We recommend packing a warm fleece jacket, gloves and a beanie for those very chilly nights. It can rain at any time, so please be prepared.
In case of emergency
While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.
We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.
You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.
For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us
In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:
1300 544 882 or +61 8 6219 5164
Accommodations
This is a camping tour with lots of comforts. (As we like to say it's a camping tour for noncampers!) Each person will have the use of their own semi-permanent tent and a comfy camping bed. Even if you are travelling with a friend or a significant other you will have access to your own tent or you are more than welcome to share. You will need to bring a pillow and sleeping bag or you can purchasea sleeping bag from us at an additional cost. There are flushing toilets and showers in all the campgrounds. When we are out and about during the day there are long drop toilets available. There is also ample opportunity for swimming on most days. On some departures (due to flight availability) guests will stay a night in a motel in Tom Price or Exmouth. All departure dates will still go to all the same gorges and sights.
Transportation
Transport is by an air-conditioned tour coach. Our vehicles are comfortable and regularly serviced to ensure safety and reliability. Seats are not pre-allocated, so to ensure all participants get to enjoy seats close to the front and window seats we encourage guests to change where they sit each day. In the case of a breakdown or other unforeseen circumstances affecting the vehicle or guide, the operator reserves the right to substitute vehicles and guides other than those specified, to ensure the operation of a tour.