Exploring Ningaloo, A Campervan Road Trip from Perth
Ningaloo is the reef most Australians don't know exists. While everyone is talking about the Great Barrier Reef, Western Australia has its own, and you can snorkel straight off the beach to get there. No boat required. The drive up from Perth is long, but every kilometre of it is worth it.
We've driven Gloria and Grace to Ningaloo and back and it's one of our favourite trips to recommend to guests.
When to go
Whale sharks visit Ningaloo from March to July. Humpback whales pass through from July to October. Manta rays are year-round. For snorkelling and swimming, April through October is ideal, before the summer heat arrives.
The route
Day 1: Perth to Geraldton (420 km, approx. 4.5 hours)
Head north on the Brand Highway. Geraldton is the perfect first overnight stop, a proper coastal city with great beaches and excellent fresh seafood. Don't miss the HMAS Sydney II Memorial on the hill above town a moving and beautifully designed monument. Camp at one of the foreshore caravan parks with Indian Ocean views.
Day 2: Geraldton to Carnarvon (480 km, approx. 4.5 hours)
Continue north through Northampton and Kalbarri if you have time for a detour, the gorges are spectacular and well worth an hour. Otherwise push on to Carnarvon, a fascinating agricultural town known for bananas, tomatoes and tropical fruit. Walk the Carnarvon Heritage Precinct and out to the end of the One Mile Jetty at sunset. Camp in Carnarvon and restock the fridge with local produce from the roadside stalls.
Day 3: Carnarvon to Ningaloo (300 km, approx. 4 hours)
The final leg north brings you to the Ningaloo Coast. You can base yourself at Coral Bay for a more relaxed, resort-town feel, or push on another hour and a half to Exmouth for access to Cape Range National Park and the best snorkelling on the reef. We recommend the RAC Exmouth Cape Holiday Park and the Poeples Park Caravan Par in Coral Bay.
What to do at Ningaloo
Snorkel Turquoise Bay, the drift snorkel along the coral garden is one of the best experiences in Australia, full stop. Book a glass bottom boat tour with Ningaloo Glass Bottom Boats for a guided reef experience. If you're there between March and July, book a whale shark swim, it's a bucket list experience that words don't do justice to.
The drive home
Most people drive straight back the way they came. We recommend breaking it up differently, come home via the inland route through Meekatharra and Cue, or spend an extra night in Geraldton.
Glory tip
Your WA National Parks Pass covers entry to Cape Range National Park, included free with every hire. Book your Cape Range campsite well in advance through the Parks and Wildlife website, especially in school holidays.
Book Gloria or Grace at camplify.com.au