Ultimate Perth to Kalbarri Road Trip – Your Complete Itinerary!

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If you’re looking for a road trip that will take you from the most remote city in Australia, through moon-like landscapes, beautiful wildlife and epic nature, a Perth to Kalbarri road trip is perfect for you!

Before we made it over to Western Australia, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the vastness of this state. The East Coast is far less sparse and is packed full of all the famous Aussie activities. But Western Australia is fantastic to road trip and the Perth to Kalbarri drive has some of the best lesser-known things to see and do.

You don’t need a 4×4 to explore this part of the Indian Ocean Drive and although it’s quite a distance, the day-to-day distance to travel is quite easy. This is the perfect road trip for everyone and one you need to add to your Western Australia bucket list!

This Perth to Kalbarri road trip guide will tell you everything you need to help you plan your Western Australia road trip.

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Perth to Kalbarri road trip highlights

• Perth
• Yanchep and the Pinnacles Desert
• Jurien Bay
• Geraldton
• Port Gregory/Hutt Lagoon
• Kalbarri

Perth to Kalbarri Distance

You’ll be hugging the coastline via the Indian Ocean Drive for this road trip. The distance from Perth to Kalbarri is 570km which amounts to 6.5 hours worth of driving. In Australian terms, this is not a lot of driving which is also why it’s such a great road trip!

How long do you need for your Perth to Kalbarri road trip?

Including the days you’ll spend in Perth, I recommend at least 8 days to make your way to Kalbarri. Some of the highlights are things your visit along the way and others will need you to spend a day there to really experience what it has to offer.

Where to hire a car in Perth

If you don’t have your own vehicle then be sure to hire something that is going to be pretty comfy for the road trip. This itinerary is 2wd friendly so you don’t have to have anything fancy. I recommend looking on rentalcars.com to compare car or campervan hire.

Perth to Kalbarri road trip itinerary

Perth – days 1-3

While it might be one of the worlds most isolated city, it feels anything but that. It’s a vibrant place that has combined some of the best bits from Australia’s other cities, bundled them together and made them its own thing. There are a string of incredible beaches to choose from, buzzing nightlife, great food spots, street art, viewpoints and of course, Quokkas!

To get a little bit of everything, I recommend spending 1 day exploring Perth city, 1 day in Fremantle and 1 day over on Rottnest Island.

What to see in Perth city:

• Take a free walking tour of the city centre.
• Relax by Elizabeth Quay
• Explore Kings Park and get epic city views from the top of the hill
• Catch the water taxi across the Swan River to South Perth
• Find the street art in the laneways
• Relax at one of the many beaches and try your hand at kite surfing, SUP, surfing or just relax!
• Spy fancy yachts at Hilary’s Boat Harbour. It’s also a nice spot for sunset!

One day in Fremantle

Although Fremantle is a separate city from Perth, it’s close by and well worth spending a day there. If I had to compare it to anywhere else, it would be to Melbourne. It’s cool, quirky, full of great independent eateries and shops as well as some great history.

Best things to do in Fremantle:

• Take a tour around Fremantle Prison – the guides are fantastic and full of knowledge of the dark (and incredibly recent) history of the prison. Check out their website for tour times and to book tickets in advance.
• If you’re there on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, don’t miss out on a visit to Fremantle Markets for some delicious food, sweet treats and homemade goods.
• Wander the streets and enjoy the architecture. A walk down South Street (aka Cappuccino Strip) is a must!
• Visit the iconic Rainbow Sea Container
• Visit the Little Creatures Brewery and indulge in one of their tasting paddles
• Grab (another) drink at the brightly coloured bars at Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour and enjoy the sea views.

Day trip to Rottnest Island

It’s impossible to think about Perth without thinking about Rottnest and the cute smiley Quokka’s that live there. Rottnest is so incredibly beautiful that you can’t not spend a day there exploring it. There is a bus that goes around the island but the best way to explore is by bike.

How to get to Rottnest Island from Perth

There are a few ferry companies that go over to Rottnest but the most affordable is the SeaLink ferry. You also have the option to add on bike hire with your ticket so you’re ready to go when you arrive on the island. If you don’t do this, don’t worry as bike hire is available from a Pedal and Flipper when you arrive (which is what we did). Book your SeaLink ferry and check times here.

Don’t miss these on your day trip to Rottnest:

• Get a Quokka selfie! These smiley little creatures are incredibly cute and you’ll see them all over Rottnest. Don’t forget that they are wild animals though and it’s illegal to touch or feed them.
• Go Beach hopping – there are over 60 beaches on this incredible island so make sure you take your swimmers and snorkel. The Basin is a great swimming spot just a few minutes ride from the ferry terminal, Little Salmon Bay is another calm area great for a dip and so is Little Armstrong Bay. Basically, pick a beach and you won’t be disappointed!
• Take in the sea views from Bathurst lighthouse. This is right near the ferry terminal and overlooks The Basin, so nice and easy to get to.
• Take in the views over the island from Wadjemup Lighthouse. This lighthouse is more in the centre of the island and up a pretty steep hill. Tom made it up on the bike but I ended up walking most of the way. The views are great though and it’s perfect for a break.
• Spy seals on the Westernmost point of the island. It’s a bit of a bike ride to get there but it’s well worth it! Keep a lookout for dolphins and whales while you’re there as well.

Yanchep and the Pinnacles Desert – Day 4

Distance from Perth to Yanchep: 51km, 40 minutes drive

On your way north from Perth you’ll reach Yanchep National Park, just an hours drive away. This National Park has a huge variety of things to see and do and you could easily spend a day there. Unfortunately when we visited, the weather was not on our side but we did manage a walk along the Koala Boardwalk to see the only Koalas in WA. Koalas are not native to Western Australia but there has been a colony of them here since the late 1930s.

Things to do in Yanchep National Park:

• Explore the network of limestone caves in the park. The most popular is the Crystal Cave and tours are run to learn more about it.
• Complete the treetop obstacle course at Yanchep Tree Adventure.
• Take your pick from the many walks and trails in the park.

Distance from Yanchep to the Pinnacles Desert, Nambung National Park: 156km, 2 hours drive

A couple more hours north on your Perth to Kalbarri drive and you’ll feel like your almost on another planet. The Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park is full of bizarre-looking limestone stacks that jut up from the ground. They have been formed over 25-35,000 years ago and is essentially an ancient sea bed.

How to visit the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park:

There is an entry fee of $15 per vehicle to visit the Pinnacles Desert but it’s definitely worth getting a WA Parks Pass if you’re going to be visiting more than a couple of national parks. You can buy a 4-week pass that will give you unlimited access to all WA National Parks for $60 per vehicle. These can be bought online or at a parks pass outlet.

Jurien Bay – Day 5

Distance Perth to Jurien Bay: 219km, 2 hours and 15 minutes drive

Distance The Pinnacles to Jurien Bay: 40km, 25 minutes drive

Jurien Bay might seem like an unassuming seaside town but it packs an awesome sealife experience punch! The main draw of people to Jurien Bay is its colony of beautiful sea lions nearby and the chance to get up close to them on a sea lion tour.

Tom and I did a tour with Jurien Bay Oceanic and they were fantastic! There are a lot of tour operators at Jurien Bay but these guys were professional, eco friendly and provided us with wetsuits, snorkels and even the use of an onboard shower for afterwards.

The experience in the water with the sea lions was definitely a highlight of the Perth to Kalbarri road trip and I highly recommend it. It’s also one of the more affordable wildlife experiences in WA, so it’s great if you’re on a budget.

Geraldton – Day 6

Distance Perth to Geraldton: 417km, 4.5 hours drive

Distance Jurien Bay to Geraldton: 196km, 2 hours drive

Geraldton is a great spot to stop and spend a night and relax. I don’t know what it is about Gero, but it has a really nice feel about it. It’s got everything you need from a small town but also fantastic beaches, quirky cafes and shops and some fantastic nearby wildlife spots.

Things to do in Geraldton:

• Watch the sunset over one of its many beaches
• Visit the Geraldton Lighthouse
• Hit the waves if you’re into surfing
• Learn about the indigenous people from the area on the Yamaji drive trail. On this drive, you can visit 14 sites and learn about the importance of the land to the aboriginal people.

Kalbarri via Hutt Lagoon – Days 7-8

Distance Perth to Kalbarri: 572km, 6 hours 15 minutes drive

Distance Geraldton to Kalbarri: 155km, 1 hour 45 minutes drive

On this is the final stretch on your Perth to Kalbarri road trip, you can stop off at yet another unusual site. Hutt Lagoon is a famous pink lake which gets its colour from the algae and bacteria that lives in it. It’s a fun place to stop for photos, but one thing no one seems to mention – it does smell a bit funky!

Kalbarri is one of my favourite national parks in Western Australia. It has 2 distinct parts – an incredible coastal area and a dramatic island area to explore. The coastal area allows you to experience to beautiful rugged coastline with plenty of boardwalks and viewpoints. The inland area is where you can visit the famous Natures Window and walks around the gorge. Take a look at my full guide to visiting Kalbarri to plan everything.

Top things to do in Kalbarri:

Coastal area – Natural Bridge, Island Rock, Shellhouse Grandstand, Eagle Gorge

Inland area – Nature’s Window, The Loop Trail, Z Bend Lookout and trail, Kalbarri Skywalk

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