Island Birds & Whale Sharks & Ningaloo Reef - WA wildlife and conservation tour

Make your own way to Exmouth. Airport pickup on day 1 is included in your tour price. Your guide will provide a trip briefing in the evening at Potshot Hotel Resort, meet at 5pm. Accommodation: Potshot Hotel Resort

This relatively unexplored group of atolls sit in the Indian Ocean at the entrance to Exmouth Gulf and are surrounded by coral reefs rich with sea life and birds. This morning we’ll board our vessel and motor out into the World Heritage Area to explore around the island in search of leopard sharks, manta rays, Wilson's Storm petrels and with a little luck, a dugong. If you wish to snorkel or swim we’ll have the equipment and the expertise to assist you to do that. En route we may see our first dolphins and around the islands we may also see turtles, rays, sea snakes and a myriad of colourful fish. Very little scientific research has been carried out in the region of the Muiron Islands, so our citizen science recording will be very important. Accommodation: Potshot Hotel Resort Breakfast and Lunch provided.

Many people who visit Exmouth and Ningaloo miss out on visiting this incredible National Park with its extraordinary diversity of arid land flora and fauna, limestone gorges and magnificent white sand beaches. The entire park is embedded in the World Heritage Area and consists primarily of limestone with an underlying layer of freshwater which provides water to many plants and animals in this arid park. Today we’ll explore on foot and by vehicle. We’ll visit a secret gorge with our local guide to monitor and record sightings of the rare Black-footed Rock-wallaby as they move about with incredible agility amongst the red rock faces of the gorge. Western Bowerbirds move about in the gorges and we also often see lizards and occasional geckoes. In the early morning Dingoes may be seen finishing hunting expeditions and, as the day warms, Spotted Harriers course low over the saltbush looking for prey along with other birds of prey including Osprey, Wedge-tailed Eagles and various species of falcon. Bustards are sometimes seen in the park. On the coast we’ll visit a mangrove bird hide to search for waterbirds and waders and also take a walk along white sand beaches beside coral lagoons searching for sea and land based wildlife. At Yardie Creek Gorge we walk inland into the range high over the water of the gorge. In the past we have been very lucky and spotted shy Spinifex Pigeons on this magnificent walk. Accommodation: Potshot Hotel Resort Breakfast and Lunch provided.

On this very special day we will travel by boat, with Exmouth Dive company, to the peaceful waters of Ningaloo reef out into the ocean to search for feeding Whale-Sharks. Ningaloo is unlike any other location where you can swim with Whale Sharks. With its warm, calm waters and abundance of food, Ningaloo Reef attracts hundreds of Whale Sharks in March and April each year. Their habits are very reliable in this region so there is a very good chance you will see them. For those of you who wish to swim with these Whale Sharks you will be fully equipped with snorkel gear and receive a pre-whale shark snorkel and instruction from local dive masters before you reach the Whale Sharks . You will also learn about whale shark feeding patterns, sex, behaviour, how to photograph them, and how to approach and swim with them before you jump in. Whale Sharks are generally undisturbed by swimmers, and are calm, slow moving and naturally curious fish making your encounter with them in close proximity unforgettable. If you prefer not to swim you will see the Whale Sharks from above the water, and can still enjoy the snorkelling opportunities offered away from the Whale Sharks, as this day also includes the opportunity to snorkel over Ningaloo Reef where we may see turtles, sea snakes, rays, dolphins, sharks (safe ones) and thousands of fish sheltering around the coral bommies. Morning-tea, lunch, afternoon-tea and refreshments are included on this 8 hour trip. Spotter planes are used to locate the Whale Sharks and the pilots talk directly to the in-water guide to ensure a great interaction on this exceptional day. As there is a spotter plane there is also a slim chance of seeing a late travelling humpback whale. Once again all sightings are recorded as part of our tour research program. Accommodation: Potshot Hotel Resort Breakfast and Lunch provided.

The eastern side of Cape Range is very different from the west side. Shallow gorges give way to long, deeply incised canyons. Some of the highest points in the Park look out over Exmouth Gulf giving this location a juxtaposition of colour and topography found in very few places on earth. Today on a number of walks and drives we’ll document the fauna and flora of this region. We’ll carefully photograph and list the species we find and try and identify them as we go. We’ll keep an eye out for kangaroos, goannas and Bustards and numerous species of birds including honeyeaters, finches, galahs, corellas, and fairy-wrens that we may find around some of the waterholes deep in the canyons. Primarily this day is about awesome landscapes and the thrill of ridgetop and canyon walks mixed with wildlife spotting. Accommodation: Potshot Hotel Resort Breakfast and Lunch provided.

Today we return to the western side of North West Cape to explore further along the magnificent Cape Range and Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area. There is so much to see it’s difficult to fit it all in which is why we do this side of the peninsula over 2 separate days (see day 3 for more information). The day ends on a pristine white sand beach where you can take one last free swim in the turquoise waters of the Ningaloo reef or just sit on the beach and watch the waves of the Indian Ocean crash over the outer reef. Accommodation: Potshot Hotel Resort Breakfast and Lunch provided.

This morning enjoy a relaxing breakfast before checking out of your accommodation and taking our transfer vehicle to the airport. Why not add a special optional extra (at client’s own expense): Chartered light aircraft flights of various durations are available from Exmouth Aerodrome. These flights give you the opportunity to see the entire region from the air and can be arranged for the morning before you fly out in the afternoon (on your scheduled flight). You’ll be able to see all the places you’ve been on your tour and may even see whale sharks and other sea life from the air – an extraordinary opportunity at a reasonable price.