Perth to Margaret River road trip

Itinerary in brief: 

• 3 nights Perth
• 2 nights Albany
• 1 night Pemberton
• 2 nights Margarets River
• 1 night Fremantle 

Day 1: Arrive Perth 

On arrival in Perth, you'll be met at the airport and driven to your hotel in the city. Spend the afternoon exploring the city or head straight to the popular suburb of Fremantle, where you can explore the markets and have a beer on the beach as the sun sets. 

Included: Arrival transfer, 4* hotel 

Day 2: Rottnest Island day tour

Today we’ve included a bike & ferry day trip to the car-free paradise of Rottnest Island. You’ll head over on the ferry and pick up your hire bike on arrival in Rottnest. Bring along your snorkel and fins in your bag and head off to discover the stunning island! Our favourite beaches are Little Parakeet Bay, Ricey Beach and Little Salmon Bay. You can also kayak along Pinky’s Beach and relax in the warm shallow waters of Porpoise Bay.

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for adorable quokkas, the tiny local marsupials that have made Rottnest their home. You won’t need to go out of your way to meet the little animals – you’ll find them munching on berries in the shade of the trees or lurking behind fishermen in search of a snack. They are very friendly and cheeky, but you mustn’t feed them – hard to resist as they are so cute!

Included: Rottnest day tour, 4* hotel 

Day 3: Drive to Albany

After breakfast, you’ll head off to begin your journey south, towards the coastal town of Albany, around a 5 hour drive. On arrival in Albany, why not head to Middleton Beach – grab fish and chips and a large cold beer from Hooked and eat on the beach watching the sun go down.

Included: Hire car, 4* hotel        

Day 4: Albany

Today is yours to explore the interesting town of Albany. Spend the morning at the National ANZAC Centre, the museum that celebrates Australia and New Zealand’s military history. It’s fascinating place, with most of the exhibits about WWI and the role the ANZACs played in Gallipoli. The museum has huge windows that overlook the Frenchman’s Bay, where hundreds of ships were gathered in 1914, taking soldiers off to war. The museum has a clever system – when you arrive you are given a card with a real soldier on it, who experienced the war. As you go around and learn about different things, you can scan your card and learn how the war unfolded for that particular man.

In the afternoon, why not drive out to Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. Explore Little Beach, a beautiful cove tucked away on the east coast. The beach itself is relatively secluded already but if you walk to the end and follow a little path, you will come to an even more secret beach with perfect warm waters for a swim.

Included: Hire car, 4* hotel   

Day 5: Drive to Pemberton

This morning, you’ll drive over to Pemberton, along the coastal road before heading inland. There are lots of places to explore along the way. First, we’d recommend a stop in the region around Denmark and Williams Bay – this whole area is full of vineyards and breweries that are just waiting to be explored – why not have a mooch through some of the nicest ones before stopping for a woodfired pizza for lunch with views over the wineries? It’s also a spectacular area of the coast – both Elephant Rocks and Greens Pool are stunning beaches with shallow bays to float in and enormous boulders from which you can leap into the water.

As you continue your drive, stop in at the Valley of the Giants. This treetop walk takes you up into the canopy of the vast tingle trees that cover this area – it’s a magical walk through the dappled sunlight under the rustling leaves above.

Included: Hire car, 4* hotel        

Day 6: Drive to Margaret River

Before you depart leafy Pemberton, make sure you visit the remarkable Gloucester Tree just outside the little town. Once used as a fire lookout, this incredible tree offers panoramic views over the forests below. Karri trees are the third tallest in the world, and the climb up is not for the faint-hearted but worth it for such a unique experience. Enjoy the local area where there are lots of walking trails and tracks to explore while looking out for rare birds including the elusive red-tailed black cockatoos.

Continue on your drive north to the small town of Margaret River, in the heart of Western Australia’s famous wine region.

Included: Hire car, 4* hotel        

Days 7: Margaret River

The morning is yours to explore the Margaret River region. The scenery here is breath-taking, and the coastline is spectacular, making it the perfect spot to go hiking or diving. If you want to explore a little further, head to Hamelin Bay to watch the rays surfing in the waves and strolla long the white sands of Cosy Corner Beach. There are also several caves in the region that you can explore – Jewell Cave is one of our favourites. 

In the afternoon, you'll head out on a half day tour, with a local guide to show you the best of locally made product in this region. First you'll head up to Cape Naturaliste to soak up the views from the lighthouse before driving along the Caves Road, visiting two wineries and other gourmet producers of chocolate and cheese, tasting the best of Margaret River!

Included: Hire car, Wine and sights tour, 4* hotel                        

Day 8: Drive to Fremantle

Leave Margaret River behind and head north towards Perth. Stop in at Busselton to walk along the famous jetty that juts nearly 2 kilometres out into the water before heading to Fremantle, a beachy suburb of Perth, where you’ll drop off your hire car and settle into your hotel for your final night.

Spend the rest of the day enjoying the lovely suburb of Fremantle. Full of quirky shops, delicious restaurants and bustling beaches, Fremantle has a very cool vibe and is the perfect place to spend your final day in Western Australia. Stop in at the WA Shipwrecks Museum, where you can see the Batavia shipwreck, as well as learning about the history of this iconic but dangerous coastline.

Sip cold ales at Little Creatures Brewery, shop for souvenirs in Fremantle Market, tour the World Heritage Fremantle Gaol and take a ride on the famous Ferris wheel in Esplanade Park. Finish your final night with Asian street-food on Bathers Beach, where you can sip a Matso’s Mango beer and watch the sun set on the end of your dreamy Perth to Esperance road trip. 

Included: Hire car, 4* hotel              

Day 9: Depart Perth

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven to the airport in time to catch your flight home.   

Included: Transfers, international flights