Come and explore the underwater playground of Ningaloo Reef
Fancy swimming with the world's biggest fish (AKA, the whale shark), manta rays and turtles? Or how about gliding over a World Heritage-listed coral reef on a glass bottom boat? Ningaloo Reef is your ticket to an unforgettable underwater adventure. When you've had your vitamin sea fix, there's plenty of fun to be had on dry land, too. Like walking along an ancient riverbed in Mandu Mandu Gorge, exploring hidden caves in Shothole Canyon, and marvelling at the Milky Way at your campsite in Yardie Creek.
Between June and October, Ningaloo Reef is a fantastic place to see whales as they migrate north from the Antarctic to mate and birth their calves. Jump onboard a whale watching cruise to see these incredible animals leaping into the air as they breach and spray water. If you want to get a little closer, you could even join a swim tour.
Cape Range National Park covers more than 50,000 hectares and is filled with rugged cliffs, canyons and untouched beaches. Keep an eye out for native wildlife such as emus and echidnas on the walking trails and marvel at the dramatic contrast created by the red dirt and sparkling blue sea.
Stretching over 260 kilometres, Ningaloo is one of the world’s largest fringing reefs. It's also one of the healthiest, with over 500 species of fish and 250 types of coral. Snorkelling Ningaloo Reef is a magical experience, with opportunities to swim with rays, turtles, dolphins and even dugongs if you're lucky.
Swimming with whale sharks, the biggest fish in the world, features at the top of many a bucket list. These gentle giants can grow up to a mighty 12 metres long, and floating alongside them is a feeling you'll wish you could bottle up forever. Whale shark season typically runs from April to July, but it often stretches through into August and September.
Jump in your sea kayak and get ready to get up close and personal with Ningaloo Reef and the many sea creatures that call it home. Look out for turtles, stingrays and schools of colourful fish in the waters below or grab your snorkel and dive in.
Drive to the top of Charles Knife Canyon Road and enjoy spectacular views of this vast canyon, Exmouth Gulf and the gorge that stretches into the distance. Stop at some of the scenic lookouts along the road to admire the views, colours and shapes from different angles.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to
share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that
include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip
or reveal personal details.
Filter by rating
Perth to Broome Safari
Wanda · Traveled August 2024
Perth to Broome Safari is a must do. Superb trip including Mantas, Whale Sharks, and Canyons.
Great camping experience and tasty meals.
Our guide Wakka was amazing.
Review submitted 19 Aug 2024
Walk Western Australia's Karijini & Ningaloo Reef
Beverley · Traveled July 2024
My trip to WA to Karajini NP and Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef was informative, challenging, restorative and lots of fun. The guides cared for us, educated us, befriended us and opened up a world of magnificent gorges, swimming holes and snorkelling. Congratulations on a well planned and smoothly executed camping and hiking trip.
Review submitted 06 Aug 2024
Walk Western Australia's Karijini & Ningaloo Reef
Margaret · Traveled July 2024
Don’t put it off! Just book and hope you get Dan and Camry as your Inspiration tour guides. They will help you conquer the gorges and hikes with likeminded travellers in your group. Safely enter and swim in gorges, hike trails and explore Karijini NP, Exmouth (climb Mt Bruce).
Review submitted 14 Jul 2024
Perth to Broome Safari
Alison · Traveled June 2024
F rom the moment my tour guide Michael pick me up I felt safe and comfortable. His knowledge of this area of Australia was phenomenal, and his demonstrations of how the land formed were very engaging. Our group consisted of ages 25 to 84, with vegans, gluten and nut allergies, but Michael catered to everyone’s needs. His culinary skills amazed, along with his organisation we were all able to enjoyed our trip. My highlight was Karijini National Park. We had an amazing day swimming in the reef with Manta Rays, an optional extra, and of course a day swimming with the Whale Sharks, a must that needs booking in advance. Thank you Michael and Intrepid for giving me an awesome experience that I will remember for ever.
Review submitted 24 Jun 2024
Walk Western Australia's Karijini & Ningaloo Reef
Caroline · Traveled May 2024
Highly recommend this trip. The itinerary was a perfect mixture of experiences, action packed but adequate catered down time like amazing sunset dinners and drinks. Our guides Tom and Dan were caring, considerate, knowlegeable , a lot of fun and great cooks too.
Review submitted 26 May 2024
Ningaloo Reef travel FAQs
Flights depart from Perth to Learmonth Airport which is the closest airport to Ningaloo Reef. When you land at Learmonth Airport, bus transfers are available to take you to your accommodation, or you can hire a car and self-drive. It takes around 13 hours to drive from Perth to Ningaloo Reef.
The best time to visit Ningaloo Reef largely depends on the marine life you want to see. Whale sharks are more prominent between April and July, humpback whales from June to October, and turtle hatchlings in February and March.
That being said, there isn’t really a ‘best’ time to visit as the weather is warm and marine life is abundant all year.
Ningaloo Reef is all about action and adventure so there's no need to bring any fancy clothes. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are a must, even in winter, as the sun reflects off the water and the white sand.
Bring a good pair of walking shoes if you're planning on exploring the national park. A light jumper is useful if you're camping.
Ningaloo Reef is a casual place so there's no need to dress up. If you're going out for dinner at one of the better restaurants in Exmouth, smart casual clothes are fine.
Internet signal is available at Exmouth and Coral Bay for Telstra customers. Most bars, restaurants and cafes also have wi-fi.
Mobile phone coverage is available at Exmouth and Coral Bay for Telstra customers. Outside these towns, internet coverage can be unreliable. If you're with a carrier other than Telstra, you may have more trouble getting signal in and around the Ningaloo Reef region.
If you'd like to do a particular tour at Ningaloo Reef such as swimming with whale sharks, you should book sooner rather than later as popular tours often book out.
We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations.
We are always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.