Exmouth to Broome road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
The best stops on an Exmouth to Broome road trip include Charles Knife Canyon, Onslow, Point Samson. The 1,372km drive should take around 14h20m.
The drive from Exmouth to Broome is an epic slog through the red dirt-lined and largely empty Pilbara region of Western Australia. It connects the hub for the Ningaloo Reef to the Kimberley resort town on Roebuck Bay.
For many travellers, the Exmouth to Broome drive forms the second part of a road trip from Perth to Broome.
If you can do just one thing in Exmouth, make it snorkelling with whale sharks. Seeing the biggest fish on earth gracefully gliding towards you is utterly awe-inspiring. Out of whale shark season, other great Exmouth experiences include swimming with humpback whales, full day lagoon kayaking adventures, Cape Range National Park trekking tours, whale-watching cruises and snorkelling with turtles.
For Exmouth accommodation deals, hunt here.
Broome offers trips to natural wonder Horizontal Falls, sunset camel tours on Cable Beach, boat cruises to 120 million-year-old dinosaur footprints and pearl farm tours by helicopter. To check out a great range of Broome activities and tours, browse here. For Broome accommodation, book here.
9 great Broome experiences to book today
- 1. Sunset camel ride – take in the changing colours of Cable Beach on camelback.
- 2. Horizontal Falls flight – see one of nature’s most extraordinary natural phenomena
- 3. Crocodile park visit – watch big crocs being fed up close.
- 4. Half hour helicopter ride – see the extraordinary red rock coastline from above
- 5. Dinosaur footprints adventure – including a wildlife spotting boat ride down Dampier Creek.
- 6. Sunset cruise – enjoy an Indian Ocean sunset with wine in hand
- 7. Windjana Gorge day trip – venture deeper into the rugged Kimberley.
- 8. Town tour – learn Broome’s fascinating history along the way.
- 9. Mud-crabbing experience – catch crabs in the mangroves then eat them after they’re cooked by a pro.
Exmouth to Broome distance and driving time
The distance from Exmouth to Broome when travelling by car is 1,372km. This makes for a driving time of 14h20m.
Very few people are going to attempt that sort of drive in one day. That’s where this guide to the best stops to add to an Exmouth to Broome road trip itinerary comes in…
8 amazing Exmouth experiences to book in advance.
- Swim with whale sharks – using a spotter plane for maximum shark snorkelling time. This is an experience you’ll genuinely remember forever.
- Ningaloo wildlife adventure – see much more than just the whale sharks.
- Full day kayaking tour – stopping to snorkel at parts of the reef the boats can’t reach.
- Sunset cruise – with dolphin-spotting, snacks and drinks.
- Cape Range trekking adventure.
- Dive on the Ningaloo Reef.
- Swim with humpback whales – they come after whale shark season is over.
- Kayak and snorkel with turtles.
This first section of the drive out of Exmouth involves a hefty backtrack down the North West Cape.
You’ll drive south down the Minilya-Exmouth Road, passing Pebble Beach, Shothole Gorge, Charles Knife Canyon and Learmonth Airport. Of these, Charles Knife Canyon is the most appealing to explore, and it offers tremendous views of the rugged Cape Range National Park.
Later on, you’ll cut through Giralia Station along Burkett Road, and this will take you to the NW Coastal Highway. This is National Highway 1, and make friends, as you’re going to spend a long time on it.
Click through to the next section: Onslow detour?