A Perth to Broome road trip is around 2,200 kilometres by the most direct sealed route, but a campervan trip through Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range and Karijini National Park covers much more ground. Allow around 4,000 to 5,000 kilometres for these 14- and 15-day itineraries once local sightseeing, campground access and detours are included.

Fourteen days gives you time for the main coastal highlights and two full days in Karijini, although it includes some long driving days. We recommend allowing 15 days if possible, with an overnight stop in Port Hedland to break up the long drive north from Karijini. Three weeks is ideal if you want more time around Ningaloo, Karijini and Broome.

Travelling by campervan suits a road trip from Perth to Broome particularly well. You can carry your food, water, cooking setup and sleeping space with you as the distances grow and towns become smaller. If you want to finish the rental in Broome rather than returning to Perth, confirm one-way availability with Home On The Road before booking the rest of your trip.

Quick Summary

Perth to Broome Road Trip at a Glance

Distances are approximate. The inter-town distances do not include all driving to beaches, gorges, lookouts, shops and campgrounds. Your actual total can reach 4,000 to 5,000 km, depending on the side trips you choose.

How Many Kilometres Should You Budget?

The 3,300 km figure is only a guide to the main transfers between overnight stops. It leaves out plenty of real-world driving: Kalbarri’s inland gorges, Denham to Monkey Mia, the return trip from Exmouth into Cape Range National Park, and the roads between Karijini’s widely spaced attractions.

For example, the Kalbarri Skywalk is around 37 km from town, adding roughly 74 km for the return trip. Turquoise Bay is around 60 km from Exmouth, or roughly 120 km return. Those two outings alone add almost 200 km, before visiting other attractions.

How Many Days Do You Need for Perth to Broome?

If you only have 10 to 12 days, remove a major detour rather than rushing this full route. Fourteen days is achievable if you are comfortable with long driving days. We recommend the 15-day trip for most travellers because it breaks up the drive from Karijini to Eighty Mile Beach without losing time in the national park.

The full 15-day alternative, including the changed overnight stops and driving distances, follows the 14-day itinerary below.

14-Day Perth to Broome Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Perth to Geraldton

Leave Perth early and head north along Indian Ocean Drive. Lancelin, Cervantes and Jurien Bay all make easy breaks, but choose one or two rather than trying to stop everywhere.

Use Geraldton as your first major supply stop for groceries, drinking water and fuel. If you arrive with enough daylight, walk the foreshore or visit the HMAS Sydney II Memorial.

Day 2: Geraldton to Kalbarri

The short drive leaves most of the day for Kalbarri. Explore two or three coastal lookouts on the southern approach, such as Natural Bridge, Island Rock and Red Bluff, then finish near the Murchison River.

Our Perth to Kalbarri road trip itinerary covers the smaller coastal stops and longer walks in more detail.

Day 3: Kalbarri National Park

Start early and head inland for Nature’s Window and the Kalbarri Skywalk.

Fit travellers visiting in cooler conditions can make the nine-kilometre Loop Trail the main activity. Do not treat it as a quick add-on. Carry plenty of water and check current DBCA advice, forecasts and trail conditions before setting out.

Day 4: Kalbarri to Denham

Drive north towards Shark Bay and stop at Shell Beach before continuing to Denham.

Once you arrive, keep the afternoon easy. Walk the waterfront, organise supplies and settle in for two nights rather than trying to fit Monkey Mia into the same day.

For a slower version, see our Perth to Monkey Mia road trip itinerary.

Day 5: Shark Bay and Monkey Mia

Visit Monkey Mia in the morning, then spend the rest of the day around Denham and the Shark Bay coastline.

This slower day is useful before the longer drive to Coral Bay. Do not plan Francois Peron National Park in a standard 2WD campervan, as much of the park requires 4WD access.

Day 6: Denham to Coral Bay

Return to North West Coastal Highway and use Carnarvon for fuel, lunch, groceries and water.

Continue to Coral Bay and aim to arrive before dark. Once you have checked in, walk down to Bill’s Bay for a swim or sunset rather than trying to squeeze in a major activity.

Day 7: Coral Bay and Ningaloo Reef

Leave the campervan parked and give Ningaloo a full day.

Snorkel from shore around Bill’s Bay and Paradise Beach, or book a marine tour. Depending on the season, you may be able to swim with whale sharks, while humpback whales are commonly seen from July to October and manta rays can be encountered around Coral Bay throughout the year.

Our Perth to Ningaloo Reef road trip goes deeper into reef stops and seasonal planning.

Day 8: Coral Bay to Exmouth

Enjoy a final morning swim before following the main sealed route to Exmouth.

Use the afternoon for supplies, the Ningaloo Aquarium and Discovery Centre or a coastal drive. Avoid tracks shown closer to the western coastline, as some require 4WD access.

Day 9: Cape Range National Park

Start around Turquoise Bay, then choose one or two additional stops such as Oyster Stacks, Osprey Bay or Yardie Creek. These beaches are spread along the peninsula, so the return drive from Exmouth adds considerably more kilometres than the town-to-town route suggests.

Do not try to visit every beach. More time swimming and snorkelling at a few good locations makes for a better day than repeatedly packing up the van.

Our Perth to Exmouth road trip itinerary covers Cape Range in more detail.

Day 10: Exmouth to Karijini National Park

This is one of the longest driving days of the trip, so leave early.

Take proper breaks, share the driving if possible and refuel when the opportunity makes sense. The scenery changes dramatically as you leave the coast and enter the Pilbara.

Home On The Road permits Karijini travel subject to its current rental conditions and applicable fees, so check these before departure.

Day 11: Karijini National Park

Give Dales Gorge a proper day. Start at Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool, then decide whether to spend more time on the Dales Gorge walk or enjoy the lookouts. You no longer have to squeeze the whole park into one day.

Start early and choose walks that suit your fitness and the conditions. Trails range from short lookout paths to steep, rocky gorge walks. Check DBCA park alerts and the forecast before setting out, especially during periods of heat or rain.

Day 12: More Time in Karijini National Park

Spend a second full day exploring another part of Karijini, such as the Weano Gorge area, Joffre Gorge or nearby lookouts. This gives you time to enjoy the park without rushing through long walks immediately before or after a big highway drive.

Some gorge walks involve steep rock sections or water, so choose routes to match your experience. Several main visitor areas now have sealed-road access, but other detours are unsealed. Check current access, weather and Home On The Road rental conditions before choosing your route.

Day 13: Karijini to Eighty Mile Beach via Port Hedland

This is a long driving day, so leave Karijini early and keep sightseeing stops to a minimum. Travel towards Port Hedland and use it as a practical stop for fuel, groceries, drinking water and a proper rest before continuing north.

Continue to Eighty Mile Beach only if you have enough daylight and feel rested. The aim is to finish at the beach campground, rather than spend a separate night in Port Hedland, so you can keep your second full day in Karijini within the 14-day plan.

Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park is reached via a 10 km unsealed gravel road. Check its current condition, your booking and the campervan rental terms. This is a demanding driving day after two full days exploring Karijini. For a more manageable pace, we recommend the 15-day itinerary with a night in Port Hedland.

Day 14: Eighty Mile Beach to Broome

The final leg takes you north into Broome.

Aim to arrive with enough time to settle in and watch the sunset at Cable Beach. The 14-day itinerary finishes on arrival in Broome, so add at least one further day if you want to explore Gantheaume Point, Chinatown and the town’s pearling history.

Better-Paced 15-Day Perth to Broome Itinerary

For most travellers, we recommend 15 days rather than 14. You still follow Days 1 to 12 above, including two full days exploring Karijini and three nights in the park. The extra day simply splits the long journey from Karijini to Eighty Mile Beach into two more manageable drives.

In the 14-day itinerary, Day 13 combines Karijini, a supply stop in Port Hedland and Eighty Mile Beach into one 600–700 km day. In the 15-day version, you stay overnight in Port Hedland before continuing north. Nothing needs to be removed from Kalbarri, Ningaloo or Karijini.

What changes?

• Only the final three days change.
• Port Hedland becomes an overnight stop instead of a quick supply stop.
• Eighty Mile Beach moves from Day 13 to Day 14.
• You reach Broome on Day 15.
• The total route distance is broadly the same, and you should still budget approximately 4,000 to 5,000 km including local driving.
• Neither itinerary includes a full sightseeing day in Broome, so consider another night if you want time to explore the town.

If you must finish in 14 days but would rather break up the drive north of Karijini, another option is to drive directly from Perth to Kalbarri on Day 1, stopping around Geraldton on the way. That combines the first two driving days into roughly 575 km and frees a night for Port Hedland later. However, it creates a very long first day, so the 15-day version is still the better-paced choice.

Where to Stay Between Perth and Broome

Book well ahead around Ningaloo, Karijini, Eighty Mile Beach and Broome during the dry season. Port Hedland is an optional overnight stop if you choose the 15-day version.

Can You Drive Perth to Broome in a 2WD Campervan?

Yes. The main sealed route between Perth and Broome can be completed in a 2WD campervan.

Karijini includes unsealed roads, and Eighty Mile Beach accommodation may involve unsealed access. Check current conditions before travelling and ask Home On The Road when you are unsure about a planned detour.

Best Time for a Perth to Broome Road Trip

May to September gives the best overall balance for the complete route. If Ningaloo wildlife is the priority, choose your dates around the species you most want to see.

What to Pack for the Drive to Broome

Pack for long drives, warm weather, gorge walks and remote camping. Keep the following items within easy reach:

Home On The Road campervans already include core cooking, camping and safety equipment, so check the inclusions for your chosen vehicle before packing duplicates.

Useful Resources for Your Perth to Broome Road Trip

• Main Roads WA Travel Map: Check current road closures, incidents, roadworks and regional driving conditions.
• Explore Parks WA: Check national park access, campground information, trail conditions and park alerts.
• FuelWatch WA: Compare current fuel prices before longer driving sections.
• Bureau of Meteorology WA forecasts: Check weather forecasts, heat, rainfall and severe weather warnings.
• Tourism Western Australia: Find broader destination information, itineraries and trip-planning advice across WA.
• Visitor centres: Find local information centres along the route for maps, current regional advice, accommodation and tour bookings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Northern WA Road Trip

If one part of the route deserves more time, use our dedicated Perth to Kalbarri, Perth to Monkey Mia, Perth to Ningaloo Reef, Perth to Exmouth and Perth to Karijini road trip guides to plan it in more detail.

Explore Broome with Home On The Road

A Perth to Broome road trip shows you just how much Western Australia changes as you head north. You can move from the Indian Ocean coast to Ningaloo Reef, into the red gorges of the Pilbara and finally reach Broome’s tropical coastline.

Home On The Road’s Toyota Hiace campervans include comfortable sleeping areas, an outdoor cooking setup and practical storage, helping you carry what you need as the road becomes more remote.