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Karijini Explorer
Explore the gorges, canyons, caves and bushlands of Karijini National Park
Journey through the natural wonders of Western Australia on this five-day adventure through Karijini National Park. Explore the curved waterfall at Joffre Gorge, visit the Hamersley Gorge and take in the colourful layered stone walls, walk the Badjirrajirra Trail to the Charles Knife Canyon and swim at the Handrail Pool at Weano Gorge. Hike to the Kermit Pool and Spider Wall at Hancock Gorge, wander through the rock pools at Kalamina Gorge and learn about the rich First Nations history of the area from Traditional Custodians.
5.0
2 reviewsStart: Exmouth, Australia
End: Exmouth, Australia
- Duration
- 5 days
- Group size
- 1 to 12
- Minimum age
- 15 years old
- Style
- Original
- Theme
Our themes categorize trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Explorer, Short breaks
- Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
From
USD $3,020
USD $2,265
Why you'll love this trip
- Spend three days in the Karijini National Park – Western Australia’s second-largest national park, with a diverse landscape of gorges and canyons more than 2.5 billion years old.
- Learn about station life with a stay at Cheela Plains – a family-owned and operated Outback cattle station.
- Travel inland and immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the Outback. Explore the National Park’s diverse landscape at Weano Gorge and Charles Knife Canyon.
- Walk through Hamersley Gorge and learn about the swirling, multi-coloured layers of rock formations unique to this area.
- Visit Kalamina Gorge – the shallowest gorge in the Karijini National Park. Walk through the small rock pools and swim in the Rock Arch Pool.
Itinerary
Welcome to Exmouth. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 8.30 am this morning, then you’ll set off through the beautiful Outback landscape to Nanutarra Roadhouse. Today is a bit of a long travel day, so it's a good idea to get stuck into your book or favourite podcasts. When you arrive at the roadhouse, stop for lunch before continuing to Cheela Plains Station, where you’ll stay tonight. This afternoon, maybe set off on one of the station hikes to explore the area. Tonight, enjoy dinner at the station under the Pilbara night sky.
Accommodation
- Cheela Plains Station Stay (shared facilities) (1 night)
Meals
- Dinner
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Today is an early start as you travel from Cheela towards Karijini National Park. On the way, stop at Tom Price and spend some time walking the streets of this small mining town. This is also your opportunity to buy yourself a picnic lunch for later on in the national park. Continue to Karijini National Park – land of the Banjima, Innawongka and Eastern Guruma peoples. This is Western Australia’s second-largest national park, with a landscape more than 2.5 billion years old. Your first stop is Dales Gorge, a diverse and rewarding walk with time for a swim in Fern pool. You’ll visit Knox gorge next, slightly more challenging, rugged and very deep, before checking into your accommodation at Karijini Eco Retreat. This afternoon, explore Joffre Gorge – a curved waterfall forming a natural amphitheatre. When you arrive, take in panoramic views from the lookout platform or maybe walk down into the gorge to see the towering cliff faces reflected in the calm water.
Accommodation
- Ensuite Deluxe Tents at Karijini Eco Lodge (1 night)
Meals
- Breakfast
Included activities
- Karijini National Park – Joffre Gorge
- Karijini National Park - Knox Gorge
- Karijini National Park - Dales Gorge
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
The hike at Dales Gorge is a 5km class 4 (moderate-difficult) walk. It starts with a rim walk which is relatively flat before the steep descent into the gorge, which requires slow steady steps. Along the gorge floor you will follow a creek line to explore fern pool, before ascending back to the top.
Knox gorge is a short, but challenging 2.5km class 5 (difficult) walk. The descent and ascent is the most challenging so take it slow and you’ll be rewarded with a flat shady walk along a creek line at the bottom.
The Joffre Gorge walk is a 1.6km class 5 (difficult) walk that leads hikers to the foot of Joffre Falls. The trail crosses the watercourse near the top of the falls before a steep scramble into the gorge itself.
UPDATE 2026: Over the past wet season, the Karijini and Pilbara region has experienced significantly lower-than-average rainfall. As a result, water levels in the Gorges of Karijini National Park have been impacted. At present, Dales Gorge - featuring Fern Pool and Circular Pool - is the only location with consistent flowing water. In all other gorges we visit, water is limited to standing pools, many of which are becoming increasingly stagnant due to natural conditions, including algae growth. In line with official guidance swimming is no longer advisable at Hancock, Weano, Knox and Joffre Gorges on departures for the remainder of 2026. We will continue to explore these spectacular locations, but some walking routes may be shortened depending on conditions, and access around certain pools may be restricted where safety is a concern.
Today is a full day of exploration in Karijini National Park. Travel to Hancock Gorge this morning for your first hike of the day. After climbing down a ladder, you’ll walk through the narrow rock passages and shallow pools to the well-known Spider Wall. Weave your way through the tight, twisting gaps in the rocks before arriving at the green waters of Kermit’s Pool. This afternoon, set off on a hike through Weano Gorge. Follow the trail through the towering red walls, along the stepping stones to the Handrail Pool. Spend some time relaxing among the cool rocks or take a dip in the clear waters.
Accommodation
- Ensuite Deluxe Tents at Karijini Eco Lodge (1 night)
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Included activities
- Karijini National Park – Hancock Gorge, Spider Wall & Kermit’s Pool
- Karijini National Park – Weano Gorge & Handrail Pool
Special information
The hike at Hancock Gorge is a 1.5km class 5 (difficult) hike, descending a series of solid metal ladders to the gorge floor. From there you wade through cold pools, negotiate rock ledges on the gorge walls and clamber through stony creek beds. You then continue with the so-called "spider walk" (where you stretch your arms and legs out to straddle the gap and move along the walls) to the end of the gorge.
Weano Gorge offers a 1.5km class 5 (challenging) scramble over boulders and through narrow passages to Handrail Pool. For the less adventurous, there is an easier option, as the first part of the trail is class 3 (moderate).
After breakfast, you’ll start your journey back towards Cheela Plains. On the way, stop for one final walk at Hamersley Gorge. As you walk, take in the swirling rock formations and the colourful layers of stone. At the bottom, maybe cool off with a swim in the pool or relax under the shade of the trees beside the stepped waterfalls. Then, leave the landscape of gorges and waterfalls behind, and return to your station stay Cheela Plains. When you arrive, enjoy your last dinner with your fellow travellers to celebrate the last night of your adventure.
Accommodation
- Cheela Plains Station Stay (shared facilities) (1 night)
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Included activities
- Exmouth – Charles Knife Canyon Lookout
- Hamersley Range – Hamersley Gorge Visit
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
The Hamersley Gorge Walk is a 1km class 4 (moderate-difficult) walk. The Hamersley Waterfall Walk is a 400m class 4 walk.
This morning, travel back to Exmouth, stopping at the Charles Knife Canyon along the way. From the lookout soak up the panoramic views of the surrounding terrain of rocky gullies, narrow gorges, open spinifex (coastal grass) bushland and over the Exmouth Gulf. After lunch at the canyon, you’ll continue to Exmouth, where your trip will come to an end. If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours.
Your trip will come to an end upon arrival back into Exmouth at around 3pm. Please take this into consideration when booking your onward flights. On the way into town we can also drop you at Exmouth Learmonth Airport.
Swimming with whale sharks is not included in the price of this trip and is an optional activity that can be done after the end of the trip. It is very important that you pre-book any whale shark experiences, as these can sell out far in advance. Keep in mind that whale sharks visit the region between mid-March and mid-September only, so it’s important to make sure you schedule your trip accordingly if you would like to include this experience in your trip. Please book your whale shark experience for a date after the trip has ended.
Inclusions and activities
Destinations
AustraliaMeals
4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle
Accommodation
Station Stay (shared facilities) (2 nights), Ensuite Deluxe Tents (2 nights)
Included activities
- Karijini National Park – Joffre Gorge
- Karijini National Park - Knox Gorge
- Karijini National Park - Dales Gorge
- Karijini National Park – Hancock Gorge, Spider Wall & Kermit’s Pool
- Karijini National Park – Weano Gorge & Handrail Pool
- Exmouth – Charles Knife Canyon Lookout
- Hamersley Range – Hamersley Gorge Visit
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Before you book you should know
- This trip requires a moderate to good level of fitness as it involves some walking, allowing you to really get among nature. Please bring sturdy, comfortable walking shoes and comfortable clothing.
- When travelling in Western Australia, temperatures can be very hot during the day and drop quite dramatically at night. Have a think about what time of year suits you best to travel and pack accordingly.
- As Western Australia is so big, you can expect a few long travel days. Driving through the every-changing scenery can be a great way to rest and recharge or get to know your fellow travellers a little better!
START & END POINT TIME & LOCATION
Your trip starts in the morning of day 1 at 8:30am with a pick-up from our joining point location in Exmouth. Please see the joining point details in the Essential Trip Information. The trip ends in the afternoon of the last day at approximately 3pm back in Exmouth. Please take this into consideration when booking your arrival and departure flights.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A Single Supplement can be booked if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, subject to availability.
PHYSICAL RATING
Please read the itinerary carefully to make sure you are aware of the included hikes and walks on this trip.
SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS
Swimming with whale sharks is not included in the price of this trip and is an optional activity that can be done after the end of the trip. It is very important that you pre-book any whale shark experiences, as these can sell out far in advance. Keep in mind that whale sharks visit the region between mid-March and mid-September only, so it’s important to make sure you schedule your trip accordingly if you would like to include this experience in your trip. Please book your whale shark experience for a date after the trip has ended.
Visa information is provided by Sherpa, a third-party. The "Add connection" feature shows transit visa requirements only and does not include full entry visa needs. Please note, additional service fees apply if you choose to purchase a visa through Sherpa.
Travel and visa requirements
Station Stay (shared facilities) (2 nights), Ensuite Deluxe Tents (2 nights)
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Potshot Hotel Resort
561 Murat Road
Exmouth
AUSTRALIA
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Reviews
5 . 2 reviews
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Don
Traveled June 2026
Justin
Traveled June 2026