Whilst we are totally spoilt for possible road trips around this fascinating continent, the 4040km campervan trip from Perth is the most adventurous of them all. We always recommend to take at least 21 days for this trip – and yes, there is a lot of dust in between but you will soon discover some of the most beautiful scenery Australia has to offer! To help you plan your route here’s a tried and tested itinerary.
Perth to Shark Bay via the Pinnacles
First Leg
Approximately 600km apart, the first leg of your adrenaline-pumping road trip begins at Perth and culminates at Shark Bay, both lying on the Western Coast of Australia. We advise spending a couple of days in laid back and beautiful city of Perth and indulging in some sightseeing. You can then head to Nambung, through the Pinnacles Desert and after resting there for a day, head to Kalbarri, another beautiful city and natural preserve situated amidst beautiful gorges and the wonderful countryside.
The Shark Bay is just a few hours from Kalbarri. We recommend you spend at least three days touring Shark Bay and catching a glimpse of the handsome dolphins and other aquatic mammals in the ocean beyond.
Shark Bay to Karijini via Ningaloo Reef
Second Leg
From Shark Bay, you can move to Coral Bay and the Carnarvon shore which is almost entirely made of tiny beach shells. If you like, you can also visit Cape Range in the vicinity, which has some of the most spectacular isolated beach stretches in the world – for more information about the Ningaloo Reef click here.
From there,Karijini is just a few hours away via the Nanutarra Roadhouse with serene gorges along the way. Karijini, with its sophisticated delights and natural wonders, deserves at least a four day stopover.
Karijini to Nitmiluk
Third Leg
You’ll have to head east from Karijini to reach Nitmiluk, which is more than 2,500km away. This is the most scenic half of the journey, where you tread past lofty mountains (the Hammersley Range), venture out along the North Eastern Coast to beaches such as Cleaverville Beach, and reach Broome, a quaint town with gorgeous views of the sea. Via the Kimberley (which has some best gorges in the world!) and the Purnululu Bungle Bungles, you’ll finally reach the wonderful village of Nitmiluk, where you can take a well-deserved one day halt before moving on.
Nitmiluk to Darwin
Fourth Leg
At last – the last leg before you conclude your tour! Nitmiluk and Darwin are nearly 400km apart and you will need not more than three days to completely skim through the sights you find on the way. After basking in the glory of the Katherine Gorge at Nitmiluk, head to Kakadu, one of Australia’s most important national parks ever with a wide variety of flora and fauna available for you to gawk at.
After spending some time at the wildlife preserve, you can explore Litchfield in the vicinity, famous for its river swimming options (minus the crocs!), and finally reach Darwin, where you can hope to stop for at least a couple of days before heading home.
Explore other popular road trips around Perth
Check out some of our other popular road trips from Perth
- See Our Perth to Broome Road Trip Itinerary
- See Our Perth to Esperance Road Trip Itinerary
- See Our Perth to Ningaloo Reef Road Trip Itinerary
- See Our Perth to Melbourne Road Trip Itinerary
Looking for more? Check out other Perth road trips. Find a huge range of different routes and road trip itineraries across Australia.
Get the cheapest rates on Campervan hire in Perth for your next road trip
Taking a road trip? Early reservations give you access to the best campervan rental prices in Perth before the peak season kicks in.
FAQs about Perth to Darwin road trip
Driving from Perth to Darwin is a 4000km trip that would take around 42 hours to complete by car if you drove straight through to Darwin. We suggest taking a slow trip up, by doing a 21-day road trip where you stop along the way at some of the amazing coastal towns and experience what the West Coast has to offer as you head north.
Between Perth and Darwin, there are numerous places to stop, so many that you need to be wise with your choices. We recommend stopping at Shark Bay first. Here you can see some amazing aquatic mammals! Following this, Coral Bay and Carnavon Shore also won’t disappoint.
Eventually, you’ll hit some amazing mountain ranges as you hit Nitmiluk, where you can relax to stretch your legs and explore. In this are,a there are some epic hikes, hot springs, and you can check out Katherine Gorge.
Yes, we have a facility in Perth and in Darwin, so you are able to collect your campervan hire in Perth and drive it to Darwin where you can drop it off.
The best time of the year to take a trip to Darwin from Perth would be in the cooler months, May to November. The weather during these months is milder and more comfortable and there are generally fewer crowds.
Booking your campervan ahead of time is smart, and not just because it keeps things organised. Many rental companies offer early bird or off-season discounts, which means you could save some serious cash. Plus, when you book in advance, you’ll have a wider range of campervans to choose from, giving you a better chance of getting the one that fits your trip just right.
There are no tolls on the route between Darwin and Perth. It’s a long stretch through the outback, and none of the roads along the way have tolls. You won’t pay anything from start to finish.
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