Karijini National Park - The Ultimate Guide
About
There is no denying it. Karijini is one of the most unique and picturesque National Parks in the whole country. Famous for its crystal clear swimming holes, sheer rock faces and adventure-filled hiking trails, I would be sending it soaring straight to the top of your Aussie bucket list! It’s also Australia’s second largest national parks and one of the most remote, located almost an entire days drive from the closest city (Perth). The scorching heat, lizards and red dirt make you feel like you’re in the middle of a desert but then these wild gorges appear out of no where, revealing the most incredible hidden oasis! I visited Karijini National Park in October, 2020 with my dad and little brother Riley and it instantly stole the title of my favourite place in Australia.
As you’re climbing down the layers upon layers of rock into the gorges, you get the sense that you’ve stepped back into the dinosaur ages, which you basically have, except further. The gorges have slowly eroded over time from rocks that are more than 2 billion years old. They’re some of the oldest exposed rocks in the country. If that’s not crazy enough for you, Karijini used to be an ancient sea floor. Mind blowing right!?
The National Park is on the traditional lands of the Banyjima, Kurrama and Innawonga people of the Pilbara region. Evidence of their interactions dates back over 20,000 years and they still play a large part in how the park is run today. Fire-stick farming practises impacted heavily on the flora and fauna you will see when you visit. Initially named Hamersley National Park back in 1969 after an explorer’s friend, the park was renamed to Karijini in 1991 in recognition of it’s Indigenous history. Karijini is the Banyjima people’s name for the Hamersley Range.
Whilst it is possible to do day trips here, I would implore you to stay at least three nights! There is SO much to see and even with four nights, we still missed so many gorges and hikes! Scroll through to the bottom for a free five day itinerary with all of my must-see locations.
When to visit
MARCH - AUGUST
It’s best to plan a trip to Karijini during Australia’s Winter as temperatures during Summer can far exceed 40 degrees celsius. The area experiences its wet season during Spring and Summer (Sep-Feb) which makes the gorges too dangerous to enter due to their susceptibility to flash flooding. Any time between March-August would be ideal. Just remember to pack some warm clothes as the nights do get cold in Winter.
In saying this, we visited in October (early Spring) and were told it was going to be unbearably hot but we found it to be perfect with daily temperatures sitting around 33 degrees. We spent the days staying cool in the gorges and the water was really pleasant to swim in as it had been given the chance to warm up a little. It did rain every afternoon we were there though which was really strange to experience considering the clear mornings and high temperatures.
Getting there
You will need a car for this one and preferably a 4WD. The roads to the park are sealed but many within the park are gravel. Even with a 4WD and our tyre pressure lowered, we still managed to get two punctured tyres within the space of an hour. In saying that, you could one hundred percent get around with any car or van. You just need to drive much more carefully than we did and keep an eye out for big, sharp rocks amongst the corrugation. We met lots of other travellers who were in vans from hire companies.
Click here to check out vehicles for hire (especially 4WD’s).
Located 1,443km from Perth, a direct route straight up through the centre of WA will take you roughly 15.5 hours without breaks. We took the scenic route along Australia’s Coral Coast and I cannot recommend this option enough if you have the time! We spent a week exploring the West Coast before cutting in from Exmouth. Check out my Ultimate Instagram Itinerary for some of the must-see photo spots along the drive.
Being as secluded as it is, there is no public transport to the park so your only other option would be to hop on a tour. Scroll to the bottom to see all of your tour options.
The closest airport is Parabadoo but you would still need to hire a car as it is about a one and a half hour drive from here to the park. If you’re interested in flying, click here to book some flights.
Accommodation
There are only two options for accommodation within the National Park itself and they are:
Dales Campground
Dales Campground was my favourite place we stayed purely because of its close proximity to some of the best swimming holes in the park. As soon as we arrived and set up camp, we went for a short walk down into Dales Gorge. If you’re feeling lazy (like we did a few times) you can drive to the top of the stairs that lead down into the gorge.
Key info:
Walking distance to Dales Gorge which includes Fortesque Falls, Fern Pool and Circular Pool
Sealed bitumen road to the entrance
Well maintained drop toilets available
Large, unpowered sites (FYI, it’s a real struggle to push pegs into the red dirt)
Communal picnic tables and gas BBQ’s
Bookings are recommended
Showers are available at the visitor centre, 12km from the campground
Pricing: $11 adult per night, $7 concession card holder per night, $3 child per night (over 5 and under 16 years)
Karijini Eco Retreat
Karijini Eco Retreat is the fancier, glamping option for staying the National Park. We stayed here on our final night purely so we could have a shower before we headed for home but the retreat offered so much more than we expected! Did someone say dinner at an alfresco restaurant?! So luxe after three weeks on the road and such beautiful food. I would recommend trying the crocodile! We only booked a campsite so I would love to return and try out one of the eco tents or cabins!
Key info:
The Eco Retreat is designed with the environment in mind and you can rest easy knowing the most sustainable practices are being used
It is owned entirely by a local Aboriginal corporation; Gumala Enterprises Pty Ltd (GEPL) and any profits go towards supporting the local Indigenous people of the Pilbara region and conserving the park itself
Offers a kiosk to purchase ice, ice creams, hot drinks and souvenirs
Alfresco bar and restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (ring 08 9189 8013 to secure your spot as they do book out)
40 Deluxe eco tents
10 Dorm style eco tents
8 Dorm style eco cabins
64 Campsites
Communal picnic tabels and BBQ’s
3km of unsealed road to get there
10 minute walk to Joffre Gorge
20 minute walk to Joffre Falls lookout
Optus mobile coverage
Accommodation outside of the park
The closest township is Tom Price and there are a range of accommodation options available including Airbnb’s and hotels.
Essentials
Fuel - The closest fuel station is in a little mining town called Tom Price which is about an hour drive (100km West) from the campgrounds within the park OR Auski Roadhouse (around 135km to the east)
Water - There is no drinking water on tap within the national park so make sure you bring along enough for your stay
Costs - To enter Karijini National Park there is a fee of $15 per car per day but we just bought a holiday pass for $25 which covered us for 5 days. There are heaps of other options if you are planning on spending longer in WA’s national parks which you can purchase here.
Airport - the nearest airport is Parabudoo (140km from the park). Press here to view flights and here to book a hire car.
Pets - pets are not permitted within Karijini National Park
Fires - camp fires are not allowed within the national park
Rain - the gorges are susceptible to flash flooding so if it rains while you’re down below, it is advised that you leave promptly
Walks - For any walks listed, I have included the Australian hike grading system. See here for definitions of each grade.
What to bring:
insect repellant (essential! I would recommend a fly net too if you’re brave enough to rock one)
large water bottle
torch
sun protection (gazebo, hat, sunscreen, glasses)
bathers
reef shoes (or shoes you can get wet for walking through gorges)
warm clothes (for the cool nights)
Attractions
Karijini Visitor Centre
The visitor centre was such an unexpected surprise! We went seeking cool drinks and ended up spending over an hour reading up on the history of the park. I gained a huge appreciation for the Indigenous history of the park and the part they play to this day in maintaining the environment. A stop in at the centre is an essential in my opinion.
Dales Gorge
Fortesque Falls
This swimming hole and waterfall holds a pretty special spot in my memories as it was the first one we visited. As you descend into the gorge via the manmade staircase, you have views of the magnificent Dales Gorge. Sheer, red rock faces follow the right of the stairs and the open gorge, carpeted with trees on the floor below is to your left. As you get lower, you begin to hear the sound of running water and when you see the falls for the first time (every time for that matter) you will experience the magic for yourself. Just unreal.
Karijini National Parks’ only permanent waterfall
Located within walking distance from Dales Campground
800 metre return walk (1 hr)*
Grade 3 walking trail
Manmade staircase most of the way
Step-like rocks right down into the swimming hole (perfect for sunbaking and drying out on!)
Gets busy so try to arrive early (we got there at 7am and had the whole place to ourselves for an hour)
Fern Pool
Okay.. this one is a close tie with Spa Pool for my favourite place in the entire Pilbara. Think fairy gardenesque ferns and moss, and waterfalls you can climb inside. Offering the biggest oasis vibes of the bunch, it is easy to forget you’re basically in the desert when you’re swimming in the paradise that is Fern Pool.
300 metres walk from Fortesque Falls (turn right when you reach the bottom of the manmade stairs)
Grade 4 walking trail
Keep an eye out in the trees above! We saw heaps of bats when we visited in October 2020
Wooden entry platform
Little fish who clean you like they do in Bali - except in the wild!
Waterfall you can climb inside
Shaded sitting area (perfect for that Karijini heat)
Circular Pool
Circular Pool was closed when we visited in October 2020 due to unsafe rocks. From photos I’ve seen, it looks like another magical swimming hole. With so much to see and do at Dales already, we were kind of glad this one was closed as it just gives us an excuse to return!
800 metre return walk (2 hrs)*
Sounds like it’s a bit harder to access than Fortesque Falls as the steps don’t continue right to the bottom
Grade 4 walking trail
Carpark is just a bit further down from Fortesque Falls or you can walk
Surrounded by high cliffs on three sides
Creek-side Trail
I cannot recommend this walk enough! It follows the creek at the bottom of Dales gorge, linking Circular Pool and Fortesque Falls. See if you can find the tree that hangs over the creek. We strung up the hammock and spent hours jumping off into the water. Some of my favourite memories from the whole trip! Also keep an eye out for lizards sunning themselves. We counted more than 5!
2km return walk (3 hrs)*
Grade 4 walking trail
Leave early in the morning so you miss the heat of the day
Don’t forget to bring your bathers so you can have a swim at both pools (you will have earned one!)
Find the tree from my first photo! You can jump straight off into the creek (or string your hammock up and relax all day!)
Carry at least 2 litres of drinking water with you
Don’t feel like returning the same way? Start or end with a walk along the gorge rim!
Hammock is from Well Hung Hammocks
Gorge Rim Walk
This walk is exactly what it sounds like. A walk along the rim of the gorge. If I was to return to Karijini, I would start with the rim walk from Fortesque Falls to Circular Pool and then follow the creek-side trail back to Fortesque Falls. This way you miss the heat of the day while you’re exposed at the top of the gorge, and then you get to finish with a swim at Fortesque or Fern Pool! Such a dream!
2km return walk (1.5 hrs)*
Grade 3 walking trail
Views into Dales Gorge from above
Limited shade so I recommend you do this one early
Hancock Gorge
Kermit’s Pool
One of the more adventurous gorges, the hike to Kermit’s Pool was unlike any I’ve ever done before. With steep, uneven, natural stairs, metal ladders, narrow passageways between rocks and water crossings, the trail to Kermit’s Pool was on a whole other level. We started this one in the afternoon and were pretty pleased we did as the clouds had covered the sky and offered some relief from the heat. Mind you, we had to wade through waist-deep passages of water to get there! Arriving at the pool at the end of the trail was so surreal. Huge rocky walls surrounded the pool on all sides, leaving only narrow entry ways. We spent a good hour watching Riley jump from the rocks into the pool below. I have to admit, this one was the coldest pool we visited by far.
400 metre return walk (1 hr)*
Grade 5 walking trail
One of the most adventurous hikes
Made even more adventurous with a guide (tours listed below)
The colours and textures of the rock are just incredible
Don’t forget to wear reef shoes or old runners because your feet (and whole body for that matter) will get wet
Don’t try to avoid getting wet by scaling the rocks on the side. Heaps of people hurt themselves doing this
Jump off the rocks into the deep pool at the end of the trail (this one is COLD)
Weano Gorge
Handrail Pool
After a full day of hiking to three other gorges, Dad was so done by this point (too much exercise for one day). Riley and I couldn’t leave the area without hiking down to the infamous Handrail Pool though so he waited at the top for us. He wished he’d made the effort when we got back! It’s located really close to Hancock Gorge so I would definitely recommend visiting both in the one visit. We powered down the rocky stairs and then wandered along the bottom of the gorge (turn right at the bottom) to the start of the Handrail Pool track. This is where it gets interesting! The gorge closes in on itself and you follow a small stream to the entrance of an impressive pool. When the sun hits the upper parts of the rock face, the different colours are just insane! I would say the handrail turns a lot of people away but it is well worth clambering down and around to go in for a swim. It started raining while we were swimming so we followed the advice and left the gorge in case of flash flooding. The sun shining on the rain while climbing through the gorge is still one of my favourite memories from the trip.
1km return walk to lower Weano Gorge and then 150 metres to Handrail Pool from here (1.5 hrs)*
Grade 5 walking trail
Quite an easy walk after making it down the initial stairs
Wear your reef shoes for this one too!
Use the handrail attached to the rock wall to clamber down into the amphitheatre-like pool area
Another cold one as the sun struggles to reach the water to warm it up (not as cold as Kermit’s though!)
Hamersley Gorge
There are not enough words to tell you how insanely beautiful this gorge is. Lots of people don’t make the effort to go here as it’s located so far away from the other gorges but all of them told me how much they regretted not going once they got home. Let me tell you, it is well worth the effort. And boy was it a lot of effort to get there. We woke up early on our last day for the two hour drive to Hamersley Gorge from Dales Campground. The road was unsealed and rough, vibrating so much we lost two hub caps along the way. The final little road to the gorge had some sharp stones and once we parked and opened the car doors, we all heard the dreaded sound of air flow. We’d popped a tyre. We decided it was a problem for future us and headed down into the gorge anyway.
We must have arrived at 7:30am and there was no one else there. We had the whole, spectacular place to ourselves for at least two hours! I cannot recommend getting there early enough! The second we laid eyes on the gorge, the first thing we noticed was the incredibly intricate patterns in the rock face. Apparently this is from the rocks bending and buckling under pressure and the circular patterns this created almost seem to flow like water. The bottom of the gorge is much easier to access than others in the park and the trail leads you to a small waterfall. The reflections on the water pooled at the bottom were magic. Turn right at the bottom of the trail, follow the creek and clamber over the rocks up to Spa Pool (possibly the most photographed place in the entire park). I stacked it big time in this little pool. I was climbing up the ledge on the side for a photo and then lost my footing and.. well, you can see for yourself in the video below. Thankfully only receiving a bruised knee from the fall, Riley and I laughed about it for ages so I hope you get a laugh from it too!
Eventually, more people arrived and after showing them how to reach Spa Pool, one of them lost their footing and slipped, grabbing my towel in the process. My phone, which was wrapped up in the towel for safe keeping, went flying into the gorge and sunk straight to the bottom. Riley swam down and got it but it wouldn’t turn on. I was pretty shattered, mainly about losing all my photos from the trip. Amazingly, all it needed was a screen replacement! So thank goodness for that. If you turn left at the bottom instead, go for a swim through the gorge for about 400 metres. It was such a crazy experience to swim between two impressive rock walls. Even better, bring some noodles or a floatie and be carried down stream.
When we finally decided to face the flat tyre, we wandered back up, pulled everything out of the car and changed it (well dad did). We then took some more pressure out of the tyres for the return journey. After shoving everything back into the boot, we headed for the Eco Retreat. We got lost on the way back, popped out on the bitumen miles away from anywhere, and felt another tyre go flat. Having already used the spare, we luckily were able to use the one bar of reception to sign up to RACV roadside assistance, call a tow truck and have our tyres replaced in Tom Price. A $700 exercise but one that was far less stressful than it could have been! We all agree that two lost hub caps, popped tyres, a sore knee, and broken phone were all worth it for the experience.
Spa Pool
It’s hard to find any information on how to get to this insta-worthy spot and it’s not even listed on any of the parks brochures.
500 metres return (1 hr)*
Grade 4 walking trail
Turn right once reaching the bottom of the stairs
Follow the small round trail markers and creek, to reach the pool (only about 100 metres from the bottom of the stairs)
Be careful climbing down and over the rocks to get there as these ones are REALLY slippery
Pack your bathers!
I could describe it for you but the picture below speaks a thousand words
Take lots of photos and leave nothing behind
We didn’t visit any of the places or complete any of the tours listed below but I wanted to include them so you can plan your own trip.
Kalamina Gorge
One of the easiest to access gorges
Always listed as a ‘great introduction’ to the park
Picnic area
Easy, 5 minute walk to the base of the gorge and a permanent rock pool
There is a longer walk for those interested
3km return walk (3 hrs)*
Grade 4 walking trail
The trail ends at Rock Arch Pool
Keep an eye out for fish in the rock pools
Joffre Gorge
Both Joffre and Knox have lookouts that are an easy walk from Karijini Eco Retreat. I was disappointed we missed these ones but it just gives us something new to see when we return!
3km return walk (2 hrs)*
Grade 4 walking trail most of the way, but final descent is Grade 5
Have heard it’s a great, challenging climb!
Main attraction is the huge waterfall when it is running (will be able to see form the lookout if it’s flowing or not)
Knox Gorge
2km return walk (3 hrs)*
Grade 5 walking trail
One of the more challenging climbs in the park
Skirt the walls in some places and wear your reef shoes as there’s some water crossings
Take your bathers as apparently there’s a beautiful green pool at the end of the track
The track ends at the ‘Gorge Risk Area’ sign
Mount Bruce
This is another one I will be saving for my next trip to the park! Not a gorge, but the second highest mountain peak in Western Australia.
9km return walk (6 hrs)*
Grade 5 walking trail
Amazing views of the Karijini landscape and Hamersley Range
The aboriginal name for the mountain is Punurrunha
1,234 metres high
Leave early in the morning as the heat and snakes can be dangerous in the exposed landscape (I recommend 4am)
Take PLENTY of drinking water
Remember your sun protection and fly net/spray
Keep an eye out for rock wallabies
Few shorter hikes at the beginning of the trail where you can view the Marandoo Mine Site
*All walking trail times and grades sourced from Karijini National Park brochure.
Wittenoom
Not technically in the National Park, Wittenoom is a small abandoned township north of the park. Removed from all maps in 2007, I only heard about this old asbestos mining town through family. It has been given the titles of ‘Most Dangerous Town in Western Australia’ and ‘Largest Contaminated Site in the Southern Hemisphere’ and shouldn’t really be entered into at all. Of the 20,000 people who lived in Wittenoom from 1950-1960, 2,000 have died from asbestos related diseases. Power was cut off from the town in 2006 to try and force the last remaining residents from the town. Even after a legislation was made in 2017 to forcibly remove anyone still living in the area, they say there’s still a few people who never left. If you do decide to drive through and have a look at this derelict town, follow this healthy and safety advice:
Keep to the main roads at all times
Pay careful attention to warning signs
In windy or dusty conditions keep car windows closed
Do not park or walk on or near the tailings (children are the biggest risk here)
Do not take asbestos ore as a souvenir
Tours and Events
The Karijini Experience 2021 (6th-10th April)
A 5 day celebration of food, culture, art and music on the traditional lands of the Banjima people. Held during the school holidays this is an event you will need to book accommodation for early. There a number of ticketed events you can check out here.
West Oz Active Adventure Tours
Offering rock climbing, abseiling and rafting tours, West Oz can take you into some of the Grade 6 trails which are otherwise inaccessible. Check out there tours and pricing here.
Lestok Tours
Sharing their passion for the Pilbara, the local guides will show you around the gorges, the mines in the area or you can organise a private charter. Check out Lestok Tours.
The Flying Sandgroper Adventure Tours & Travel
Taking advantage of the local flight options, the Flying Sandgroper offer pre-planned, or custom charters into and around Karijini National Park. You can check them out here.
Karijini Tours
Karijini Tours offer small group tours all over the Pilbara region. They have received lots of positive reviews.
Free 5-day Itinerary
If you’ve got any questions at all, are planning a trip out to Karijini or have some memories to share, please leave a comment below or Contact Me. I’m always up for a chat!
