Ningaloo Reef WA kayaking adventure
Sun August 14 - 21, 2022
Ningaloo Reef WA
Ningaloo Reef is one of Earth’s last remaining ocean paradises.
Located near Exmouth in WA, it is 320km long and is Australia’s largest fringing coral reef. Running parallel to the coast and ideal for kayaking and snorkeling, with 500 species of tropical fish and 220 species of coral. Famous for its warm, shallow waters and huge variety of sealife. This will be our 11th trip to Ningaloo and our best yet. For the first time we’re including a historic tour of the Exmouth area and swimming with the whale sharks will be aboard the most comfortable vessel on the Reef.
Freedom Outdoors has conducted ten very successful trips to the Reef. Now it’s your turn to experience Western Australia’s most spectacular natural attraction, accompanied by a Freedom Outdoors host Cathy Miller and our local guiding team in Exmouth headed by legendary Neridah Grieves, who has looked after all our Freedom Outdoors groups at Ningaloo. You’ll be in good hands. Come on your own or bring your partner or friends - our groups are great fun.
Only $3,895 per person
Includes two nights at the spectacular 4.5 star Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort on a twin share basis (single supplement available), all meals, accommodation in the Park, kayaks, guiding, a full day Whale shark tour, a guided tour of historic Exmouth and more! Itinerary exclusive to Freedom Outdoors and cannot be purchased from a travel agent.
8 days, 7 nights in May, the best time of the year on the reef. The price maintains Freedom Outdoors tradition of great value for money and includes everything except airfares and items of a personal nature.
The sheltered, beautiful turquoise waters of Ningaloo Reef, rarely more than 4 metres deep, perfect for kayakers and even novice snorkelers.
Highlights Include
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Get up close and personal with an amazing coral reef which is host to a huge array of tropical fish plus glorious ocean creatures like humpback whales, manta rays, dolphins and dugongs. Kayak and snorkel at over 10 separate sites, some shore based, others using kayak moorings on the Reef. Snorkeling gear provided or BYO.
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The golden, sandy beaches are important breeding grounds especially for the loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles. Within the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park there are numerous sanctuary zones totalling 36% of the entire area. Rarely more than 4 metres deep, inside the reef is perfect for snorkelling. You’ll visit “un-named” spots only accessible by kayak.
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We locate for the week at an exclusive, well-equipped base camp in the park and drive each day to the kayaks as we paddle from south to north. Camper trailer at base camp has all mod cons, No mozzies or midges.
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Plus...
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Same kayaks as we use in Sydney – Barracuda Duos plus singles, supplied with full instructions and safety briefing. Kayaking is at a pace to suit the group – no one is rushed. Tents are new, large and twin share – or you can have one to yourself if you wish at extra cost. Sleeping bags and mats provided. You’ll be amazed how well you sleep. Solar showers, recharge facilities for cameras.
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Special visits planned to the Milyering Centre to view interesting historical and geographical displays and a walk into Yardie Creek, a wildlife hotspot with over 105 bird species and home of the rare black-footed rock wallabies.
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Full day Swim-with-the-Whale-Sharks experience aboard the most luxurious, spacious and comfortable vessel on the Reef. A once in a lifetime opportunity not to be missed. Expert guides, a marine biologist, all equipment, gourmet breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and champagne to celebrate a stunning adventure. A professional photographer will cover the experience for you at no cost. Rave reviews from our previous groups.
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Two nights in Exmouth at the 4.5-star Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, with dinner Saturday night finale at Exmouth’s best restaurant, Whalers.
Itinerary
Every day is different - every day is special.
Sunday, August 14
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Flights from Sydney to Learmonth Airport at Exmouth go via Perth. It would make most sense to depart Sydney early today to connect with the afternoon flight to Exmouth. Your Freedom Outdoors host will meet you at Perth airport. Exmouth is 1,260kms from Perth and your option is to drive over two days. Avis usually has the best rental car deal. Alternatively, you may care to arrive in Exmouth a day or two early. You can add extra nights at the Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort at our specially negotiated rate. We can arrange pre or post extensions.
If you are already in Exmouth, we’ll pick you up from your accommodation. You’ll meet your local lead guide Neridah Grieves, who has been taking groups onto the Reef for years and her assistant. You’ll have the opportunity to pick up any last-minute needs in Exmouth before the scenic 90-minute drive to our base camp in Cape Range National Park. There’ll be time for a swim or wander along the beach. We take everything we need into the park, including fresh water. The base camp kitchen trailer contains gas cookers, fridge, eskeys, awnings, chairs and tables. Once your tent is in place it will be your home in the bush for a week. At the end of each day we drive back to our base camp. Solar showers and a toilet are available. Dinner at camp followed by our first night under the stars. Day temps at this time of the year range from 20 to 32 degrees. Desert breezes can make the nights chilly. Bring long pants and warm top for evenings.
Meals: D.
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Monday, August 15
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Breakfast options are porridge, fruit and cereal, muesli, toast and freshly brewed coffee and tea. Bright and early we’ll walk protected Yardie Creek and experience its incredible birdlife. Then we paddle about 1km offshore from the Creek, inside the reef. We anchor our kayaks and jump over the side! It’s easy, we’ll show you how. Water depth is only 2 metres, with a sandy bottom interspersed with porities, coral bombies, staghorn coral slots of smaller tropical fish inside the coral gardens. On to Osprey Bay’s snorkel mooring sites and our first taste of snorkeling. It’s great fun. We’re in a really sheltered lagoon, with very big coral outcrops and a white sandy bottom. Often seen are big rays and tawny nurse sharks (harmless) and multitudes of tropical fish.
B, L, D.
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Tuesday, August 16
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Today we kayak northward 13kms from Osprey Bay to South Mandu. Inside the Sanctuary Zone, we drift approx 400 meters in a gentle current – too easy! Blue Lagoon is a beautiful offshore snorkel site – a turquoise pool just inside the fringing reef, full of life. Beautiful white sandy beach and we snorkel over shallow staghorn coral gardens, habitat to lots of tiny fish. More snorkelling at Pilgrammuna Bombies with its huge porities, coral bombies the size of a bus and bigger fish than we’ve seen so far. You’ll enjoy ample fresh food throughout your stay and special diets can be catered for. All fresh water is brought into the park – so we ask you to use with care.
B, L, D.
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Wednesday, August 17
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Mandu Mandu Gorge walk in the morning, then back into our comfy sit-in double sea kayaks with rudders for the paddle from South Mandu to Tulki (single kayaks an option throughout trip). At South Mandu we snorkel and see oyster stacks - and beautiful Turquoise Bay. We walk straight in off the beach and see over 20 varieties of coral and the most impressive bombies, with lots of sheltering fish. Rays, reef sharks, turtles and lion fish all line up for our cameras. This is an amazing place!
B, L, D.
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Thursday, August 18
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Kayak along this beautiful coast close to shore with the reef on our left, from Tulki to Neds. At Tulki Hole, just 700 meters off-shore and just inside the fringing reef, we set an anchor, slide over the sides of the kayaks for our visit to one of the best snorkel sites. It’s like a long, deep, white sand bottom swimming pool, surrounded by shallow coral gardens with big outcrops of coral. Rays and small sharks, lots of tropical fish of all sizes. Then a call to Milyering Visitor Centre – fascinating displays. By now you’ve settled into the gentle, relaxing rhythm of life in this beautiful part of the world. After another scrumptious dinner at base camp, relax and enjoy life without mobile phones and the internet (no coverage in the park). Look up and wonder at the stars overhead.
B, L, D.
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Friday, August 19
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We pack up camp and kayak from Neds to Tantabiddi. The sheltered waters of Mangrove Bay act as a nursery for marine life, with juvenile turtles, stingrays and baby black-tipped reef sharks. Our last session of kayaking on the tropic of Capricorn, 26 degrees south of the equator, in Ningaloo Marine Park. Enjoy the warm water and watch out for huge white bellied sea eagles and You’ve earned this – two nights at a luxury resort! pelicans. Then we board our bus and drive back to Exmouth for two nights at the fabulous 4.5-star Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort. Do a few lazy laps in the pool, enjoy a cocktail in the bar over-looking the ocean and take the longest
shower. Just relax and enjoy an evening meal at the resort.
B, L, D.
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Saturday, August 20
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Today we are with the whale sharks, aboard the most comfortable vessel on Ningaloo Reef. We make an early start and enjoy a gourmet breakfast aboard the Latitude 22. You’ll appreciate its spaciousness and comfort. A professional, educated, fun and experienced team will ensure a memorable day. The team includes a certified marine biologist and professional photographer to capture your day. Downloads are our gift to you (no cost). If you can swim, you’ll be able to swim and snorkel with the whale sharks - they are gentle giants and are quite happy to have you swimming alongside them!
We like to end our Freedom Outdoors trips with a flourish, so tonight enjoy a spectacular dinner and lots of laughs at Exmouth’s best restaurant, Whalers, where we can swap stories and relive the great moments with our guides. A fitting end to a week you’ll never forget.
B, L, D.
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Sunday, August 21
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After a nourishing breakfast at the Resort, you’ll depart on an Exmouth Town History bus tour. You’ll be taken on an interesting stroll through the town - its fascinating World War 2 history will be revealed (Exmouth was an American military base). Pick up some lunch, enjoy a coffee, then you’ll be driven through the gorges to the airport in time for your flight to Perth. Freedom Outdoors holiday concludes and you are free to return to Sydney or extend your stay in WA.
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Ask a question about this tour?
Your package includes airport transfers to/from Learmonth airport for the designated flights, Cape Range National Park entry fees, large tents (twin share), bedding, day pack and transfer of luggage. Quality Barracuda double and some single sea kayaks and necessary
accessories, snorkeling gear, professional guides and Freedom Outdoors host.
Mantarays Ningaloo Reef Resort share twin/double with ensuite accommodation with dinner Friday night and breakfast. Whale shark day, including breakfast and lunch. Dinner at Whalers Restaurant Saturday night. Excludes flights Sydney Exmouth return and any additional travel you may do in Western Australia together with purchases of a personal nature.
Upgrade to single accommodation at Mantarays Resort for an additional $280.
If you would prefer your own tent rather than share, add $200.
Book pre or post trip accommodation at the Resort for $320 per room per night (subject to availability).
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How to sign up for this great adventure:
Email Tony at tonycarr@ozemail.com.au or call 0417 502 056 to register.
A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure your booking.
Balance payable by May 15, 2022 - $3,395.
The balance is non-refundable after May 15, 2022. We strongly recommend you take out travel insurance including trip cancellation cover. While we are confident that demand for this trip will be strong, if fewer than 8 people register, Freedom Outdoors may choose not to proceed. All payments made, including the deposit of $500 will then be refunded.
Transfer to the following Westpac account, with your name in the message field:
Freedom Outdoors BSB 032 123 Account 22 32 86
If you do not bank electronically, payment may be made at any Westpac branch or by cheque or cash (add $5 for cheque processing). No credit card payments. Limited numbers – allocations strictly in order of deposits received.
… and other things you should know.
Itinerary and trip details correct as at January 18, 2022 but are subject to change. Our activities in the Park and on the Reef are controlled by the WA Department of Wildlife and Conservation. Should you decide to voluntarily alter your travel arrangements after the commencement of your trip, Freedom Outdoors is not responsible for any additional costs.
Your personal safety on the water is always our top priority. For that reason, it may be necessary to alter, substitute or abandon planned itineraries without advance warning. The programme outlined above may not be carried out in the order suggested. If conditions on the water are not suitable for kayaking, we may substitute walks. All paddlers must wear PFDs (supplied) while on the water. Trip guides will decide on safety matters, coordinate the group and advise changes.
No compensation will be paid should itinerary changes be necessary. Guides will carry a first aid kit and have Senior First Aid Certification, however no doctor will accompany the group. You should ensure you are in sufficiently good health and are of at least average fitness. Guides cannot provide prescription medication. It is your responsibility to bring sufficient quantities of any specific medications you require. It’s a good idea to have a check-up prior to departure.
Please advise any specific dietary requirements. The planned route involves remote locations and paddling on consecutive days. Accommodation in the park is in tents. Inappropriate behaviour will result in you being required to leave the trip without compensation.
We strongly recommend you undertake at least three Freedom Outdoors day paddles in the three months leading up to the trip and that you attend one of the company’s Skills Workshops. Click on www.freedomoutdoors.com.au for details of upcoming trips and workshops. The fitter you are and the more aware you are of paddling technique, the better you will enjoy the trip.
This trip is not suitable for children under 14 years of age. All participants will be required to sign the standard Freedom Outdoors Risk Waiver document and complete a personal information form. There will be no shopping opportunities once we start paddling so you should bring everything you need. Freedom Outdoors has for sale suitable dry bags, kayaking gloves and shoes, which should be purchased before departure from Sydney. We recommend you bring a camera that is waterproof and while masks and snorkels will be provided, you may bring your own if you wish. The trip is Paddle NSW Covid Compliant. Full refund if borders are closed.
Freedom Outdoors is not a travel agency. From the monies transferred by you to us, we pay the companies providing the services and retain an amount to cover the administration of your booking.
Questions? Just email tonycarr@ozemail.com.au or call 0417 502 056
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