The Itinerary will change due to weather, wildlife, whim or National Parks directive, this is an example of what we will do during our week in Exmouth. Change is all part of the Adventure, and we are sure to have a fabulous time!
Day 1 - Sunday
We arrive in Exmouth, Western Australia (Learmonth Airport). Our guides meet us for transfer to the depot to gear up for the next five days of kayaking, snorkelling, hiking and camping. After a bottle shop stop, we head to Cape Range National Park, our home base for the next five nights. You'll have time to settle in after the base camp orientation. Enjoy our first sunset on the reef with a cold beverage, getting to know your fellow adventure lovers. After a delicious dinner, your guides and host will detail the plan for our adventurous week exploring Ningaloo Reef by sea kayak and snorkel!
Accommodation: Camping Cape Range National Park
Meals included: D
Day 2 - Monday
After a continental breakfast, we drive our kayaks and gear south to Yardie Creek, our launch site for today. Your guides ensure we're familiar with our equipment and kayaks. They'll deliver a safety briefing before heading north with the prevailing breeze. Morning tea and lunch stops on the beach along the way allow us to stretch our legs and go for a guided snorkel or two. Expect to see hundreds of colourful reef fish! We head back to base camp for a quick solar shower, and a relax before another lovely dinner under the stars.
Distance: 8-10 km
Accommodation: Camping Cape Range National Park
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 3 - Tuesday
We head back to the kayaks at Osprey Bay, on our way to South Mandu. We’ll paddle across the stunning turquoise lagoon and crystal clear waters of Sandy Bay, spotting turtles and rays on the way. We stop at a beautiful sandy point to swim off the beach and snorkel amongst the coral and colourful fish life at Pilgramunna bombies. Finally, we leave the kayaks on the beach and return by vehicle to our base camp.
Paddling Distance: 8-10 km
Accommodation: Camping Cape Range National Park
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 4- Wednesday
Today, we continue north on the beautiful lagoon on our way to Tulki, stopping along the way for a spectacular shore-based snorkel. The South Mandu drift, Oyster Stacks drift, and Turquoise Bay are world-famous sites we'll see on the reef. This afternoon, we travel back to Yardie Gorge to enjoy a sunset walk along the edge of this beautiful water-filled gorge, the only permanent freshwater source in Cape Range National Park. Keep an eye out for Black Flanked Rock Wallabies as they leave the safety of the gorge to feed at dusk and the massive Osprey nest tucked into the gorge wall.
Paddling Distance: 8-10 km
Accommodation: Camping Cape Range National Park
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 5 - Thursday
After a hot-cooked breakfast this morning, we take a guided walk in one of the many ancient gorges in the range. Marvel at the forces of nature that have created the gorge over millennia, and look for fossilised corals amongst the rock beneath your feet. Enjoy sweeping views over the fringing reef system of Ningaloo from the top of the gorge. On the way to our kayaks, we'll stop at the Milyering Visitor Centre, home to interpretive displays where you can learn more about the area's flora, fauna, geology and history. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the Milyering Visitor Centre before swapping our bushwalking clothes for paddling attire. We'll enjoy a snorkel in the Lakeside Sanctuary Zone – a site that never disappoints! The kayaks spend the night at Lakeside tonight, and we return by vehicle to our base camp home-away-from-home.
Paddling Distance: 5-8 km
Accommodation: Camping Cape Range National Park
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 6 - Friday
Today is the last day of our Ultimate Safari tour with Exmouth Adventure Co. After packing our belongings and saying goodbye to our camp, we load the bus and travel back to continue our sea kayaking journey. Today, our destination is a special place called Mangrove Bay which supports a remnant patch of mangroves that hug the coastline and act as a nursery area for the entire reef ecosystem. Look for juvenile green turtles, rays and baby reef sharks in this wildlife hotspot.
We'll finish at Mangrove Bay, where we will load our kayaks on the trailer to head back to Exmouth town and our resort accommodation. We'll have time for a lovely hot shower, a cool drink at the bar and a lounge by the resort pool before our casual PJ Party Pizza dinner. An early night in preparation for our big day tomorrow!
Paddling Distance: 6-8 km
Accommodation: Resort Exmouth
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 7 - Saturday
Today is the icing on the cake...swimming with one of the ocean's most amazing creatures, the Whale Shark! After a cruise through the lagoon, we stop for a quick morning snorkel while our spotter plane locates the largest fish in the sea. Our highly trained '3 Island Whale Shark' Guides determine if and when it's safe for our in-water interaction. Whale Sharks are known to be quite curious creatures, so the interaction is up to them; if we're lucky, they may approach for a closer look or swim on by. Our tour is conducted with the utmost respect for these amazing sea creatures. Swimming with a Whale Shark in their natural environment is an extraordinary life-changing experience, one not to be taken for granted; even though we are in prime whale shark season, there's no guarantee they will appear. Each day presents a unique experience; we might even see turtles, manta rays, humpbacks, and dugongs! We'll finish off a terrific day with our Celebration Dinner at Whalers Restaurant, a real treat for the senses.
Accommodation: Resort Exmouth
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 8 - Sunday
Fancy a bit of a sleep-in? We've earned it! Relax this morning, lounge by the pool, grab a coffee and breakfast at the resort (at your own expense), or wander into town to grab any last-minute souvenirs. We'll head to the airport in the early afternoon, leaving with new found adventure friends and memories of a week we will all treasure forever.
Meals included: 0
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