5 Day Pilbara Tour
17th August 2022 only
Arrival Day into Karratha- Wednesday 17th August 2022 (D)
Upon arrival into Karratha, please make your way to our hotel.
This evening, we'll meet at the hotel restaurant for our first dinner as a group and your driver guide will run through the itinerary for the next 6 days.
Overnight accommodation- Karratha International Hotel- motel room with en-suite
Day 1- Thursday 18th August (B,L,D)
We'll depart our Karratha hotel at 7.30am this morning to begin our 5 day 4WD tour through the Pilbara.
We spend today in Millstream Chichester National Park, which is a lush oasis of deep gorges and palm fringed rock pools which provides a stark contrast to the surrounding landscape of rocky escarpments and rolling spinifex- covered hills.
We enter the park from the north and have a swim at Python Pool, a permanent freshwater plunge pool at the base of a cliff in the Chichester Range escarpment.
We also take a walk to the top of Mount Herbert, where we are treated to a splendid view of the savannah lands, including Pyramid, Sherlock and Warambie stations.
Departing the park, our destination this evening is tom Price, the highest town in WA at 747 metres above sea level.
Dinner tonight is included at the hotel restaurant.
Overnight accommodation- motel room with en-suite, Tom Price Hotel Motel
Day 2 - Friday 19th August (B,L,D)
This morning there's time for you to take the guided tour to the Rip Tinto Iron Ore Mine site (at own expense). At the time of putting together this Pilbara tour, it was uncertain whether or not the mine tour would run in 2022, so it's subject to availability.
After the tour, we continue into Karijini National Park, in the Hamersley Range. Karijini is Western Australia's second largest national park, encompassing some 627,442 hectares of spectacular, rugged scenery, ancient geological formations and a variety of arid-land ecosystems.
Massive mountains and escarpments rise out of the flat valleys. The high plateau is dissected by breathtaking gorges, and stony, tree- lined watercourses wind their way over the dusty plain. The slow process of erosion has carved the shape of the land out of rocks that are 2,000 million years old, to form this intriguing landscape and complex ecology.
A variety of ecosystems are represented in the park and these are home to a range of wildlife including a variety of birds, native rodents, native marsupial carnivores (such as the Pilbara ninguai- resident, but nocturnal but shy), red kangaroos, euros, Rothschild's rock wallabies, bats, dingoes, reptiles and amphibians such as frogs, geckos, goannas, dragons and legless lizards. Termites and the pebble mound mouse also make their homes here in the form of mounds.
Our first stop within the park is Hamersley gorge, where we'll find amazing coloured banded iron formations. Take a dip in the natural spa pool at the gorge and enjoy a spa treatment the way nature intended- surrounded by amazing rock formations almost as old as the earth itself.
We make our way to our accommodation and after checking in, you may like to walk to nearby Joffre Lookout where rock steps take you down to the lookout to view this spectacular curved waterfall forming a natural amphitheatre.
Dinner for the next 3 nights is included at the Eco Retreat
Overnight accommodation - Karijini Eco Retreat, in eco tents with en-suites (3 night stay) on a Dinner, Bed and Breakfast basis
Day 3 - Saturday 20th August (B,L,D)
We travel to the western side of the park today, to Dales Gorge, through to Fortescue falls, Fern Pool and Circular Pool.
Have a refreshing swim in the spring- fed permanent falls of Fortescue Falls, ramble along the gorge floor to the lovely fern framed Fern Pool and enjoy the hidden gardens of Circular Pool.
This afternoon we take a walk through Kalamina Gorge, one of the most picturesque in Karijini. A short walk takes you down a steep track to the base of the gorge to a small permanent pool, complete with waterfall and draping ferns. There is a longer, more difficult walk for those who feel energetic. If you follow the trail deep into Kalamina Gorge, you will be rewarded with a lovely walk downstream, past rock pools and beautiful rock walls, finishing at Rock Arch Pool.
Overnight accommodation - Karijini Eco Retreat
Day 4 - Sunday 21st August (B,L,D)
This morning is spent exploring Handrail Pool, which is reached by walking through Lower Weano Gorge. We also enjoy the scenery at Junction Pool and Oxer Lookout, located at the junction of four mighty gorges and offering oen of the most stunning panoramas in WA.
This afternoon we explore Hancock Gorge, where we climb down a ladder and walk deep into the gorge, through narrow chambers and to beautiful rock pools, for a swim.
We finish the day at Knox Lookout, where we'll take the steps down to the lookout and watch the view spread out in the distance.
Overnight accommodation - Karijini Eco Retreat
Day 5 - Monday 22nd August (B,L,D)
We depart Karijini this morning and drive north to the mining town of Port Hedland, one of the largest and busiest iron ore ports in the world.
We'll arrive mid-afternoon and after checking into the hotel, it's time to jump on our private harbour cruise, operated by the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre. This tour consists of a quick presentation at the Seafarers Centre, followed by a lap around the harbour in one of the working Seafarers Launch Service boats. You will beaccompanied by an informative member of the Seafarers Centre Staff who will provide commentary and to answer any of your questions, while picking up seafarers wishing to come back to the Seafarers Centre.
Tonight we have our final group dinner and say farewell to our new friends.
Overnight accommodation - Motel room with en-suite in Port Hedland
Day 6 - Tuesday 23rd August- departure day (B)
Your tour finishes after breakfast. Please make your way back to Port Hedland for your onward flight.
END ITINERARY
B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / D = Dinner
5 Day Pilbara tour, Karratha to Port Hedlando
This tour departs on 17th August 2022 only, starting in Karratha
AUD $3869 PER ADULT, TWIN SHARE
$3669 PER CHILD, TWIN SHARE (10-15 years)
$4985 PER PERSON, SINGLE ROOM
Child age 10- 15 years
**solo travellers must have single room unless twin share of the same sex can be found. Solo travellers can also request single room and pay the single supplement**
Maximum 15 passengers
Prices include GST
Inclusions:
• Seat in 6WD tour coach, with professional driver guide
• All meals, as stated
• 6 nights en-suite accommodation
• National Park entry fees
• Private 1 hour harbour cruise at Port Hedland
Exclusions:
• Arrival / departure flights
• Travel insurance
• Alcohol or soft drinks
• Mine tour at Tom Price
Itinerary is exclusive to Sacred Earth Safaris and is subject to availability, road, weather and cultural conditions.
Please enquire for private charter prices and details.
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