Discover the amazing beauty of WA!
The west coast, undiscovered by most visitors because of its remoteness, is well worth the effort. It offers spectacular coastal cliffs alongside coral reefs, pristine clear water, and miles of beaches.
Explore historic Fremantle, taste Margaret River wines, be amazed by Karijini Gorge and swim with a whale shark! You will also experience station life, learn about the Southern Ocean whaling industry and see an ancient rock bigger than Uluru.
Highlights – 17 days, 28 hours, 2500 nm
Day 1 – Fremantle / Perth
Welcome to Australia and the beginning of your adventure!
After meeting in our hotel lobby we proceed directly to the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia [RACWA] at Jandakot airport. There you will meet your Lead Pilot and your plane. Charts and resources you will need for the trip will be distributed at this time. The Tour Director will give an overview of the trip and and the Lead Pilot will give an initial pilot briefing.
Passengers are encouraged to attend this session.
Day 2 – Fremantle / Perth
Pilots return to RACWA where they will continue their briefings and check rides. While at the airport, you may want to take time to enjoy an optional joy ride in a Tiger Moth.
If you are a passenger and do not wish to attend the briefings, the Tour Director can recommend several in-town activities for you, such as the popular prison tour, going into downtown Perth or staying in Fremantle to enjoy the shops, restaurants and its unique ambiance.
Days 3, 4 – Dirk Hartog Island
Wheels up! Our first day is primarily a flying one as we head north along the beautiful west coast over miles of beaches interspersed with rugged high cliffs on the right and the vast Indian Ocean on the left.
Our destination is Dirk Hartog Island, a privately owned family homestead that now welcomes tourists. Our host is the great grandson of the pastoralist who originally ran the station on the island.
Here we will take a guided tour to see the incredible beauty of the island close up but there will also be opportunities to slow down to enjoy the beach, the Indian Ocean at the doorstep of your room, and the warm hospitality of our hosts.
Days 5, 6 – Exmouth
More beautiful costal flying over colourful coral reefs brings us to Exmouth, near the tip of Cape Range. It serves as our jumping off point to explore Ningaloo Reef, Australia’s largest fringing reef and home to a wide variety of sea creatures, including migrating whale sharks and humpback whales.
After arriving at our beautiful waterfront hotel, you will have the afternoon to relax and enjoy the scenery, the local shops and the resort facilities.
During our time here, we will take a full-day cruise to Ningaloo Reef where we will do some snorkelling, learn about the ecology of the reef and, with a bit of luck, see some whales or even swim with a whale shark! Or, if you prefer, photograph them from the deck of the boat.
Day 7 – Bullara Station
Bullara Station, a very short hop from Exmouth, is a small outback station owned and operated by our hosts Tim and Edwina. After a home cooked meal and their warm welcome and Outback hospitality, you will settle in in no time. To finish off the evening we will have drinks and canapés and watch the sunset from a nearby sand dune. Our accommodation is a converted shearer’s quarters. For the “ultimate Aussie experience”, we recommend that you take a traditional outdoor (but private) shower, fed with water from an overhead drum.
Days 8, 9 – Karijini National Park
Karijini is WA’s second largest national park. It boasts a rugged landscape, stunning gorges and breathtaking waterfalls. During our stay here we will have a full-day guided tour and enjoy some of the best views and experiences the park has to offer. We will be staying at the Eco Resort, in the heart of the park nestled near one of the gorges, in deluxe eco tents. There are many trails so you can also do some walking on your own.
Days 10, 11 – Wooleen Station
Wooleen Station is a ¼ million acre station whose owners are dedicated to the preservation of the unique ecology of the area.
Wonderful home cooled meals, Australian wines and a magnificent formal dining room combine to provide a wonderful Australian Outback experience.
We will have a full day tour of the property, at the end of which we will have gained a true appreciation of the ecology of the region, including Wooleen Lake and its heritage listed wetlands.
Days 12, 13 – Albany
Continuing south, a long travel day will bring us to the Southern Ocean coast. En route we will have a brief stop to see Wave Rock, a very unusual rock formation.
Here we will have a full day tour to see the spectacular coastal cliffs and to visit Whale World, a museum located at the site of the city’s former whale processing plant. It is an informative and well-designed facility that does an excellent job of communicating the history and conveying the spirit of the southern ocean whaling industry in its prime.
In Albany our accommodation is a boutique hotel, only a few minutes from the beach.
Days 14, 15 – Margaret River
The Margaret River Region is home to one of Australia’s great wine growing areas. It’s also a favourite vacation area for the citizens of Perth. While here we will visit a winery or two, take in some beautiful coastal views and see some historical sites. We will definitely get a real “taste” of the region!
Day 16 – Rottnest Island
Our final overnight is on a small island just west of Perth. Its most famous “residents” are the quokkas, known as “the happiest animal” because they always seem to be smiling. Rottnest Island has the single largest population of quokkas in the world and because of the amount of human contact, they have no fear and are therefore more than happy to pose with you for a selfie.
While on the island we will take a Segway tour (optional of course) and stay at a beautiful eco-lodge beside the beach.
Day 17 – Fremantle
You can have a very relaxed morning and explore more of the island on your own before our final quick flight back to Jandakot and Fremantle. Or you may opt for a different experience and choose to take the ferry to the mainland and go directly to the hotel.
Our farewell dinner will be back in Fremantle on the waterfront.
Day 18 – Departure
After breakfast we say our goodbyes as you depart for your next destination.
Thank you for choosing Air Safaris International to help you create vacation memories. We look forward to seeing you on tour again soon!
Happy travels!