Best Margaret River tours

There are several Margaret River tours available, focusing on different aspects of the region. Margaret River wine tours, beer tours and nature tours are on the menu.

The Margaret River region of Western Australia has shot to fame on the back of its wines. But south west WA has more strings to its bow, and several Margaret River tours show off different sides to the region.

winery in Margaret River, Western Australia — The wineries are the main reason for making the drive from Perth to Margaret River in Western Australia. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Margaret River wine tours

Many of the 180-odd wineries in the region have their own cellar door, and are open to visitors coming in for a sampling session. There are obvious flaws to this if you’re self-driving, so it’s far better to book on a Margaret River wine tour. Margaret River Tours runs full day gourmet tours, including lunch at Xanadu Wines, for $190. These tours stop off at six wineries on the way. Brown Hill, Leeuwin Estate, Xanadu, Voyager Estate, Cape Grace and McHenry Hohnen are amongst the region’s best. There are also cheese and chocolate tasting stops on the way, for full-on gluttony. Margaret River Tours can arrange private tours and half-day tours as well.

Margaret River beer tour

Taste The South also runs wine tours, but perhaps more interestingly, it has separate $115 tours for craft beer lovers. This may be wine country, but the Margaret River craft breweries are muscling in. They’re using much the same tactics – offering samplings and tasting notes at breweries in pretty countryside locations. Taste the South’s route picks out the best of around a dozen breweries. These include Bootleg Brewery, which has a mini-museum covering West Australian brewing history. The Margaret River beer tour price doesn’t include samples, so you can pick which beers you like the sound of most and pay as you go.

Margaret River Discovery Co tours

The Margaret River Discovery Co’s $208 full day tour also visits a winery – the Fraser Gallop Winery. But it’s more in-depth, having lunch in the barrel room.

The Margaret River Discover Co’s focus is on showing off region’s other aspects, however. This starts off with a canoeing trip down the river. It Margaret River tour continues with a visit to the notoriously feisty surf breaks at the river’s mouth.

After that’s there’s some four wheel drive rough and tumble, which finishes with a walk along the particularly scenic Wilyabrup Cliffs stretch of the Cape To Cape Track.

Margaret River tours: The caves

Many of the best wineries are along Caves Road, and there’s a clue to the region’s other abundant attraction in the name. There are numerous show caves, all showing off impressive flowstone, stalagmite and stalactite formations. Ngilgi, Mammoth, Jewel and Lake Caves all have the wow factor. If pushed for time, and you can only visit one, make it Jewel Cave in Deepdene. These tours cost $22.50.

Dolphins tours in Western Australia

The drive from Perth to Margaret River takes just under three hours. On the way down to Margaret River, it’s worth stopping at the seaside town of Bunbury. Here, handily-sheltered Koombana Bay is mighty popular with bottlenose dolphins. The Koombana Bay dolphins come very close to the shore, and the Dolphin Discovery Centre offers swimming with dolphins encounters from the beach. Snorkels and masks are provided.

The Dolphin Discovery Centre also runs Bunbury dolphin cruises that head out to watch the dolphins in the water.

Other potential stops on the way to Margaret River include the Lane Poole Reserve near Dwellingup, Lake Navarino near Waroona and the Yalgorup National Park near Preston Beach.

9 Margaret River experiences worth booking

1. Wine tours. 2. Wine & chocolate tasting. 3. Whale-watching. 4. River canoeing. 5. Cave tours to Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Jewel Cave and Mammoth Caves. 6. Nature and culture tour. 7. Surfing lesson. 8. Stand-up paddleboarding. 9. Coffee discovery experience.

Other options in the region include Margaret River farm tours.

Why you should stay in the town of Margaret River

There are plenty of great places to stay in the Margaret River region. But stay in the town itself has one massive advantage – you can walk to the bars and restaurants in the evening after a day’s wine-tasting.

If you’d like to avoid driving in the evening, these are the best accommodation options in the town of Margaret River.

For apartments with a pool (honestly, this is the best choice): Margarets In Town.
For chalets by the river: Riverview Tourist Park.
For a centrally-located motel: Margaret River Motel.
For a bit more style: Prideau’s of Margaret River.