6
Moderate to Challenging
Activities
  • 5 days sea kayaking
Accommodation
  • 5 nights wilderness camping
Meals
  • 4 Dinners
  • 5 Lunches
  • 5 Breakfasts

6 Days$2560AUD

Child$2310AUD*

* See below for further details.

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THIS TRIP IS
100% CARBON OFFSET
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Trip Code: EAD

Trip highlights

  • Travel this stunning coastline in your self-sufficient sea kayak - an amazing and unique way to immerse yourself in the ancient landscape and get back to nature
  • As we sea kayak around the islands of the Dampier Peninsula north of the Burrup Peninsula, we'll catch glimpses of incredible petroglyphs. With over 1 million individual engravings, we'll be paddling amongst the largest outdoor art gallery in the world!
  • Between June and September, humpback whales are commonly seen in the Dampier Archipelago whilst migrating between their Antarctic feeding grounds and Kimberley calving grounds. Four species of turtles (flatback, hawksbill, loggerhead and green) can be seen in the area, with flatback, green and hawksbill turtles nesting on several of the outer islands. Osprey and white-bellied sea eagles are a common sight, and if you look carefully you may be lucky enough to spot the shy Rothschild’s rock wallaby on some of the larger islands.
  • Camp at island camp sites in your very own 'million-star hotel' each night: enjoy the peaceful lapping of the waves, spectacular west coast sunsets and clear night skies

The Dampier Archipelago and Murujuga National Park are located in the Pilbara area of north western Western Australia, adjacent to the town of Karratha. The traditional custodians of Murujuga, the Ngarluma-Yindjibarndi, Yaburara-Mardudhunera, and Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo have taken the lead in putting this area forward for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in early 2023 – this is currently pending approval.

The tour is an expedition-style tour for guests who have prior sea kayaking experience; you will spend 6 days and 5 nights exploring Murujuga/Dampier Archipelago Islands, camping on beaches as you go, carrying everything in the kayak with you. The focus area of this tour is the islands immediately to the north of the Burrup Peninsula and Murujuga National Park: Angel, Gidley and Dolphin Islands, and Flying Foam Passage.

Join us to explore a sea kayaking paradise, with numerous islands, tidal channels, mangrove creeks and sweeping beaches to explore. The combination of an incredible cultural landscape, checkered European history, and diverse marine ecosystems make this tour one not to be missed.

Activities:

Itinerary

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Guests fly into Karratha (KTA) airport at 3.20pm. Our staff will meet you at Karratha airport arrivals area, and after a brief stop in town for any last-minute essentials, transfer you to our campsite (in Dampier town) for the night. For guests arriving in Karratha a day early, pick up can be arranged from a central Karratha city location at approximately 3.45pm. Upon arrival at our campsite, your guides will ensure you are familiar with your camping equipment, and we set up tents for the night. Dry bags for packing personal items will be issued, and if time allows we will fit some of our activity equipment. At approximately 6pm we’ll head to a local Dampier restaurant SOAK for a group dinner (at own expense), where we can discuss the plan for the next 5 days.

Meals:  Nil

We have an early start this morning, as we have to pack up our camp, have breakfast, load the bus and drop off our excess luggage for storage, all before 8am. This morning we head to the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) at 8am to participate in a Cultural Awareness presentation, followed by a rock art tour at Nganjarli. The presentation will provide guidance on how to be culturally safe and enjoy the wonders of Murujuga; provide an insight to the history and management of the area, as well as the opportunity to yarn with one or more of the indigenous rangers. At the conclusion of the rock art tour (around 11am), we take the 15-minute drive to our expedition launch point. Your guides have a lot of talking to do today, as the group navigates getting the kayaks and gear packed and prepped to be self-sufficient for the next 5 days. Following a paddle briefing and safety talk, we’ll launch our kayaks and head north towards Flying Foam Passage. Along the way we may stop to look at some more incredible examples of rock engravings and a late picnic lunch on the beach, before we arrive at our campsite for the night. After setting up camp there may be time for a swim or some beach combing before we start dinner prep for the evening meal. Enjoy your first night of island life under the stars!

Meals:  B,L,D

The prevailing weather conditions determine the exact itinerary for this tour: every tour will be different depending on the forecast wind, tide and swell. Luckily there is plenty to explore amongst the Dampier Archipelago Islands: shallow mangrove habitats alive with juvenile turtles , rays and baby reef sharks; jumbled rock piles etched with thousands of years of artwork; sandy coves and turquoise water tucked amongst towering cliffs, and remains of early European pearling operations are some examples. If conditions allow we may enjoy a snorkel (either by anchoring the kayaks and sliding over the side, or swimming from shore) at some locations.

Meals:  B,L,D

We pack up our tents for the last time this morning and begin the paddle back to the mainland. We aim to arrive back at our launch site by noon, to allow ample time to unpack our kayaks, load them on the trailer, and return to town to pick up extra luggage, before we drive to the airport around 3pm for the 5pm Qantas Karratha to Perth flight.

Meals:  B,L

Inclusions

What's included

  • Complimentary Karratha airport or Karratha city pick up to Dampier town camping accommodation on Day 1
  • Transport to and from KTA Karratha Airport (only for flights indicated in the itinerary)
  • Cultural Awareness presentation and rock art tour delivered by Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation indigenous rangers
  • Double sit-inside expedition sea kayaks with rudder for comfortable cruising, paddles
  • PFDs (life jackets), spray decks and gloves
  • Long sleeve sun shirts and broad-brim hats
  • Camping gear includes: twin-share tents, pillows, self-inflating mattresses, sleeping bags and liners, camp chairs
  • Dry bags for packing clothing, sleeping gear, etc.
  • Snorkelling gear: snorkel and mask
  • All meals - 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 4 Dinners + Snacks
  • National Park entry and camping fees
  • Qualified and experienced guides
  • Group first aid kit, risk management, emergency planning and communications
  • Complimentary tour photos taken by your guide

  • Flights to and from departure points
  • Pre or post tour accommodation
  • Travel insurance
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Alcoholic beverages (BYO welcome)
  • Group dinner at Dampier restaurant SOAK on the first night

Accommodation

Wilderness Camping

The sites that we use on this tour are publicly accessible ‘wilderness’ camp sites on Angel, Gidley and Dolphin Islands. We operate under a strict ‘minimal impact’ ethos – we pack all of our waste out with us (yes, even human waste). There are no facilities at any of the campsites; we have developed a good system involving a portable camp toilet to take care of business. All of our camping gear is carried with us in the kayaks. Camping equipment supplied includes twin-share (3-person) hiking dome tents (private ‘single’ tents are available for a $100 single supplement), self-inflating Thermarest-style mattresses, sleeping bag and liner, inflatable pillow and camp chair. No fires are permitted at any of our camp sites, however the star gazing opportunities are second to none!

Suitability

Moderate to Challenging

6

This tour is suitable for those with a good level of fitness and agility, and prior experience participating in a sea kayaking expedition. Group members will be asked to assist in carrying at least a 20kg share of loaded sea kayaks up and down the beach each day, sometimes over soft sand or extended distances (200m +) and helping to carry group gear to and from the kayaks each morning and afternoon. Participants must be able to embark and disembark their kayak independently in an efficient manner. The distances that you will paddle each day will mostly be between 10 to 14km per day with one day being approximately 20km. The distances and daily paddle time will depend on the conditions and the group. The group will try to paddle for a couple of hours at a time with 4 to 6hrs of active paddling per day which might be crossing bodies of water between islands or easier paddling near the shore. Due to the remote location of this tour, and the variety of paddling conditions we may experience (including tidal currents, wind and swell), this tour is only available to guests who have previously participated in a multi-day sea kayaking tour or expedition. Suggested preparation: We recommend one hour of aerobic type exercise, four times a week. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions, kayaking or road cycling is also recommended depending upon the activity you plan to undertake.

Departure dates


Notes

NB:
All pricing is on a twin-share basis. For those wishing to have a private 'solo' tent, a $100 single supplement applies. You are welcome to bring your own lightweight, hiking style tent to avoid the single supplement, as long as it is compact and will be appropriate for the trip (please provide details of the tent to confirm).
NB:
We are happy to cater for vegetarians and other special dietary requirements. Please note that there is a $25 surcharge for dietary requirements (other than vegetarian) including vegan, gluten free/coeliac, FODMAP etc, due to the costs of sourcing special ingredients from our small, remote town. You are welcome to bring your own alternatives to avoid this surcharge. Please contact us if you have any questions.
NB:
Experienced sea kayakers may request exclusive use of a single kayak for the duration of the tour (limits on how many we can provide each departure) for an additional supplement of $100.You may be asked to provide evidence of past multi-day experience successfully paddling a fully loaded single expedition sea kayak in a variety of sea conditions for this option.
NB:
Child pricing is for ages (14 – 17)

Priceper person from

Adult$2560AUD

Child$2310AUD** See right for further details.

Options & Supplements*
  • Dietary Requirement - Excluding VegetarianAUD$25
  • Single Supplement - TentAUD$100
  • Single KayakAUD$100
  • Child price (14-17 yrs)AUD$2310
*Prices listed are per person

Essential Information

Ready to book? Make sure you download and read the detailed Dampier Archipelago and Murujuga Sea Kayak Expedition trip notes which contains all the essential information you need to know before booking. Once you’ve booked, we will supply you with a Pre-Departure document which contains a detailed gear list and other important information to help you prepare for your adventure ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sharks are not really a concern on this trip but if you are lucky, you will see some small reef sharks in the shallows. Sharks are not something to be worried about and the guides have policies around not swimming at dawn and dusk.

On this trip you will be paddling in the Dampier Archipelago which is approximately 1000km south of where saltwater crocodiles are sighted on a regular basis. The Dampier Peninsula is generally where saltwater crocodiles start being sighted which is not where you will be paddling. In saying this, there is a rare chance that a crocodile may venture further south. This sometimes happens once every 5 – 6 years and the company is advised by Parks & Wildlife if there is a crocodile sighted in the area that you will be visiting and the company has strict guidelines that they adhere to if something like this was to occur.

Minimum age for this tour is 14 years old, due to the remote location and the physical aspects of the tour.

All levels of swimming ability are welcome. All of our guests wear PFDs (lifejackets) whilst kayaking and are welcome to wear them whilst snorkelling if needed. However, as there can be some strong currents in this area, if you are not a confident swimmer/snorkeller, our guides may ask you to refrain from going into the water at some locations.

We need a minimum of 6 people to confirm tour departure, and take a maximum of 12 guests, plus guides and volunteers.

Yes, prior sea kayaking experience is required to participate in this tour. We usually paddle anywhere between 8 and 20 kms over the day, depending on how the group is travelling and prevailing weather conditions. The distances and daily paddle time will depend on the conditions and the group. The group will try to paddle for a couple of hours at a time with 4 to 6hrs of active paddling per day which might be crossing bodies of water between islands or easier paddling near the shore. There may be some longer days if the conditions require it. The daily itinerary is designed to make the most of the conditions on the day. We make stops on the beach for lunch, and to view points of interest.

This tour is ‘expedition’ style, meaning we carry all of our gear (including food, water, camping and personal gear) with us in the kayaks for 5 days, and set up camp at a different location each day. We provide all the gear to make you as comfortable as possible: quality tents, self-inflating mattresses (Thermarest-style), sleeping bags and liners, inflatable pillows, camp chairs. The campsites we use are un-developed with no established facilities; we carry a portable toilet with us. Access to fresh water for washing is very limited as we carry all our fresh water in the kayaks.

Yes, as long as we have ample notice, it is no problem catering for specific dietary requirements, intolerances and allergies. Please note there is a $25 surcharge to cover catering costs for specific dietary requirements (except vegetarian).

There is limited mobile phone reception in the tour area, we carry a satellite phone for emergencies. This is usually reserved for outgoing calls only (to preserve battery life). If you need to be contacted urgently, our office can be contacted on 0477 685 123, and if necessary, our emergency plans can be actioned to deliver a message.

With the exception of night one, when we are camping at a campsite in Dampier town, we are completely off-grid on this tour. We recommend bringing spare batteries for camera and Go Pros, and switching your phone to 'flight mode' to save battery. If you have a small power bank or solar charging device, these can be handy to bring to recharge your devices if necessary.

Trip reviews

Positive Impact Travel

By joining this trip you are directly supporting positive impact projects in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We’ve offset the carbon emitted by this trip by purchasing credits that support important projects that address the UN’s seventeen SDGs, like reducing poverty, affordable and clean energy, reducing hunger, clean water and climate action.

Proceeds from this adventure purchase carbon credits through the world’s largest and most awarded carbon project developer, South Pole, which are invested into projects accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources in developing countries.

Supported projects are based on internationally recognised standards and are third-party audited. They entail a series of positive impacts on the ground, which benefit local communities and ecosystems, that are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.