Orcas, Numbats & Birds of the South West

Perth to Pemberton

Day 1: After being picked up from your Perth CBD hotel, we'll enjoy a relaxed morning journey along the stunning Western Australian coastline. Our first stop is Lake Clifton, home to the remarkable Thrombolites. While there, we'll also keep an eye out for local birdlife, including Red-necked Stints, Red-capped Plovers, Australasian Grebes, and Grey Plovers.

Following lunch at a local café, we travel across the Darling Scarp—known as Wagyl by the local Noongar people—toward Manjimup. Here, we'll explore the majestic Karri forests, home to the world's second tallest flowering plant. Amid these towering trees, we'll search for White-browed Babblers, Western Yellow Robins, Red-winged Fairy-wrens, and, with a bit of luck, the elusive Western Brush-wallaby.

Our day concludes with a drive to Pemberton, where we'll spend the night.

Accommodation: 1 night at Best Western, Pemberton | Meals included: Lunch and dinner

Pemberton & Albany

Day 2: Pemberton is steeped in both Indigenous and European history. It's almost hard to imagine that this tranquil town was once a bustling timber hub - today, its forests flourish with towering trees, lush undergrowth, and abundant wildlife.

There are several beautiful areas to explore, and your guide will choose the best locations based on recent wildlife sightings reported via eBird and iNaturalist. Options may include Big Brook Dam, Beedelup Falls, the historic Pemberton Swimming Pool, the Gloucester Tree, the Cascades, and the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree.

We'll set out just after sunrise to explore one of these scenic spots, returning to town for breakfast before packing up and checking out of our hotel. As we wander, we'll keep our eyes peeled for native wildlife such as quokkas, bandicoots, and the vibrant Scarlet Robin.

The rest of the morning will be spent exploring the Pemberton region on a series of short, easy walks. After lunch, we'll drive to Walpole-Nornalup National Park, where we'll take a gentle 800-metre loop walk through the ancient tingle forest. These extraordinary trees can reach girths of over 24 metres and are home to unique birdlife such as the Red-eared Firetail and the "Twenty-eight Parrot," a subspecies of the Australian Ringneck.

Accommodation: Tree Top Walk Motel, Walpole Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 3: The wildlife is best early, so we make the most of this with an early morning trip out to The Coalmine Knolls to search for Quokka, Western Grey Kangaroo, Yellow-footed Antechinus and maybe even dolphins. After this we travel to the nearby Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk.

Here we walk on a suspended boardwalk up in the canopy of the towering red tingle trees, 40m above the forest floor of swordgrass and endemic tassel flower. If uncomfortable with heights there is a self-guided 500m loop walk on terra firma.

After lunch, we drive to Albany with stops at Morley Beach where we will look for shorebirds, such as Pacific Golden and Grey Plover, Common Greenshank and Red-capped Plover.

Accommodation: Country Comfort Amity Motel, Albany. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Albany & Bremer Bay

Day 4: In Albany, we begin our day exploring Lake Seppings, a haven for birdlife. Here, we'll look for species such as the Spotless Crake, Buff-banded Rail, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, and the Magpie Lark—an uncommon sight in Western Australia. With a bit of luck, we might even spot a Honey Possum foraging among the flowering banksia.

After returning to the hotel to pack and check out, we journey to the Porongurups—a remarkable 1.2-billion-year-old mountain range, the remnants of an ancient geological formation. Isolated for millions of years, the Porongurups are home to a diverse range of endemic flora and fauna. As we explore, we'll search for fascinating trapdoor spiders—totemic animals of the local Noongar people—and look out for birding highlights such as the Rufous Treecreeper, White-breasted Robin, and Western Yellow Robin.

We'll enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by the natural beauty and cultural significance of this unique landscape, before continuing our journey to Bremer Bay.

Accommodation: Bremer Bay Resort | Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 5: Today, we set out on one of the most extraordinary adventures of the tour—a full-day expedition to search for orcas in the renowned Bremer Canyon. This deep-sea marine hotspot offers not only the chance to encounter orcas but also the possibility of spotting blue and sperm whales, along with a variety of remarkable seabirds such as Black-browed and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, Flesh-footed Shearwaters, and both White-faced and Wilson's Storm-Petrels.

This unforgettable experience takes us beyond the Continental Shelf, nearly two hours offshore. The day begins at 8:00 AM and concludes around 4:30 PM, offering ample time to take in the vast oceanic environment and its incredible wildlife.

Accommodation: Bremer Bay Resort | Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Stirling Ranges & Dryandra

Day 6: Today we return to our regular rhythm, beginning with an early morning outing. We'll explore the airport area in search of Grey Currawong, Western Whipbird, and Southern Emu-wrens, followed by a visit to the inlet where we may encounter Pelicans, Peregrine Falcons, Spotted Harriers, and a variety of terns and waders.

After breakfast and hotel checkout, we make our way to the Stirling Ranges—an awe-inspiring sandstone range with peaks rising over 1,000 metres above the surrounding plains. Nearly as ancient as the Porongurups, the Stirlings are equally remarkable for their ecological significance, boasting a wealth of endemic flora and fauna.

We'll enjoy a picnic lunch in this stunning landscape before continuing on to Kojonup, where we'll visit The Kodja Place—a powerful cultural site that celebrates the shared history and ongoing reconciliation between Indigenous Australians and the local community. It stands as a symbol of unity, healing, and hope.

In the evening, we embark on a truly special experience: a nocturnal visit to Barna Mia, a wildlife sanctuary and breeding refuge for some of Australia's most endangered marsupials. Here, we'll have the rare opportunity to see Bilbies, Brush-tailed and Burrowing Bettongs, and Rufous Hare-wallabies—species that are nearly impossible to encounter in the wild. This visit not only allows us to witness these remarkable animals up close but also supports vital conservation efforts aimed at bringing them back from the brink of extinction. There's also a chance to spot the elusive Western Quoll and Red-tailed Phascogale.

Accommodation: Bella's Bed and Breakfast | Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 7: This morning is dedicated to the elusive and charming Numbat. Dryandra Forest is one of the best places in the world to see these small, termite-eating marsupials in the wild. Late summer to early autumn offers the ideal viewing window, particularly mid-morning—exactly when we'll be out exploring a few key sites in hopes of spotting one.

Afterwards, we'll head toward Perth for lunch at a local waterhole known for its abundant waterfowl. With a bit of luck, we may spot species such as the Blue-billed Duck, Pink-eared Duck, and Australasian Shoveler.

Following lunch, we begin the return drive to your Perth CBD accommodation, with arrival expected between 3:00 and 3:30 PM, depending on traffic.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Terms & Conditions
_{**Prices are per person based upon 2 sharing. Your Travel Specialist will confirm the exact price based upon your tailored requirements and travel dates. Flights and additional arrangments aren't included, but can be added as part of your bespoke holiday quote. Discover the World is fully bonded and offers full financial protection.}