10 Days of Red Dirt, Rock Pools and Reef – My WA Walking Adventure with Inspiration Outdoors
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I’d been wanting to visit Karijini National Park for years, and when I saw that Inspiration Outdoors ran a tour that also included Ningaloo Reef and Exmouth, I figured it was the perfect time to do it. Ten days, lots of walking, no planning needed? Yes please.
From the moment I met the group in Paraburdoo, I felt like I was in good hands. Our guides were friendly, organised, and full of great local knowledge—plus they made everything feel really easy. The first few days were all about exploring Karijini’s gorges, which were absolutely stunning. We hiked into places like Hancock Gorge and Weano Gorge, waded through cool streams, and swam in some of the most beautiful waterholes I’ve ever seen.
One of my favourite moments was sitting at the bottom of Hamersley Gorge, surrounded by ancient rock layers, with nothing but the sound of water and birds. It’s hard to describe just how special it felt to be in those places without the crowds—and without having to think about where we were going next or how to get there.
About halfway through the trip we swapped red earth for turquoise water, heading west to Cheela Plains Station (a proper outback experience) and then on to Exmouth. Some people chose to swim with whale sharks (which looked incredible!), but I stuck to snorkelling on the reef and a glass-bottom boat tour, which was equally amazing.
The trip wrapped up with a couple of slower days by the coast—sunsets, seafood, reef swims, and beach walks. It was the perfect way to end such an active trip.
What I really appreciated was not having to organise a thing. The walking was pack-free, the accommodation was comfortable, the food was excellent, and the guides genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a great experience.
If you’re looking for a walking holiday that takes in two of WA’s most epic landscapes—Karijini and Ningaloo—I can’t recommend this enough. It felt like I got the best of both worlds: adventure in the outback and time to unwind by the sea.
I’ve guided walking tours all across Western Australia, from the red gorges of Karijini to the white sands of Cape Le Grand. With years of experience in the field, I love helping travellers discover WA’s remote beauty on foot — one step at a time.
