Save $10 Small group · max 3
Perth
20 Minutes
Photo: Gypsy Denise · CC BY-SA 4.0
Campervan road trip · 10–16 days
South West WA loop
Wineries and surf breaks, giant karri forests, kangaroos on white sand and a wave made of granite.
Wine & foodSurfForestsBeachesWildlife
- Trip length
- 10–16 days
- Distance
- ≈ 2,000 km
- Pick up
- Perth
- Drop off
- Perth
- Best time
- October–April for beach weather; whales pass the coast June–October
Live prices from the big campervan companies · book online in minutes.
The route
12 days, 9 stops
Start and finish in Perth, so there's no one-way fee, and loop through Australia's south-west corner. Walk out along the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere, taste wine and surf the breaks around Margaret River, then head into forests of karri and tingle trees that tower 70 metres overhead. The south coast brings granite headlands, swimming at Greens Pool and, at Esperance, kangaroos lazing on what's often called Australia's whitest beach. Wave Rock is the last big stop on the way home.
Vans that suit this trip
Day by day
The plan, stop by stop
Paced for 12 days. Got less time? Merge two stops. Got more? Stay longer wherever you like it; it's your van. Drive times and distances are approximate, from road-routing data, without stops.
- 1
Day 1
Perth & Fremantle
Photo: Anagoria · CC BY 3.0 Collect the van and spend the afternoon in Fremantle: the markets, the old prison and sunset on the harbour.
- 2
Day 2
Busselton & Dunsborough
2.5 hrs · 220 km
Photo: BijuJosephPerth · CC BY-SA 4.0 Walk or ride the train out along the Busselton Jetty, almost 2 km, then go down into the underwater observatory at the end. Swim at Meelup Beach in the afternoon.
- 3
Day 3–4
Margaret River
45 min · 50 km
Photo: Lasthib · CC BY-SA 4.0 Wineries and breweries in every direction, the surf at Surfers Point, and the limestone caves along Caves Road. Watch the sunset from the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse.
- 4
Day 5
Augusta & Cape Leeuwin
45 min · 50 km
Photo: Amanda Slater from Coventry, England · CC BY-SA 2.0 Stand at Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, where the Indian and Southern oceans meet. From June to September, humpback and southern right whales pass close to shore.
- 5
Day 6
Pemberton
2 hrs · 130 km
Photo: Aussie Oc · CC BY-SA 4.0 Walk among 70-metre karri trees in Gloucester and Warren national parks, and cool off in the forest swimming holes around town.
- 6
Day 7–8
Walpole & Denmark
1.5 hrs · 120 km
Photo: Fvanrenterghem · CC BY 3.0 Walk among the treetops of giant tingle trees on the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, then swim in the sheltered, crystal-clear Greens Pool and climb around Elephant Rocks near Denmark.
- 7
Day 9
Albany
1.5 hrs · 120 km
Photo: Kwokka3 · CC BY-SA 4.0 See the Southern Ocean crash through The Gap and Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park, then visit the National Anzac Centre on the harbour where the first convoys left in 1914.
- 8
Day 10–11
Esperance & Cape Le Grand
6.5 hrs · 540 km (the long one)
Photo: DaHuzyBru · CC BY-SA 4.0 Kangaroos on the dazzling white sand of Lucky Bay, turquoise water at Twilight Beach, and the Great Ocean Drive loop out of town.
- 9
Day 12
Wave Rock → Perth
5 hrs · 440 km, then 4 hrs · 340 km to Perth
Photo: SKY-PuLeun · CC BY-SA 4.0 Wave Rock at Hyden is a 15-metre granite wall shaped like a breaking wave. Walk the rim, then drive the wheatbelt back to Perth and return the van.
Good to know
- Where to sleep
- Caravan and holiday parks with powered sites and showers, national park campgrounds, and low-cost sites listed in WikiCamps. Book ahead in school holidays.
- One-way fee
- None. You pick up and drop off in Perth.
- Driver age
- Most operators need drivers aged 21+. A few take 18–20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge; tell us the youngest driver's age and we'll quote what fits.
- Recommended vans
- Best fits: the hi-top campervan; the 2-seater, 2-sleeper and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll match the size.
Free and low-cost places to park up on this route, with the local rules: free camping in Western Australia.
- Perth to Perth means no one-way fee.
- Esperance to Wave Rock to Perth is a long final run. Break it at Hyden if you'd rather not do it in one day.
- Buy a WA Parks Pass; it covers entry to the national parks on this route.
- Book Margaret River campsites and holiday parks early in school holidays and over summer weekends.
- Kangaroos are everywhere in the south-west at dawn and dusk. Slow down, or plan to be parked by sunset.
Tours worth adding
Boats, reefs, islands and 4WD tracks. Add them to your quote and we'll fit them around your drive.
South West WA loop campervan FAQs
How many days do you need for a South West WA loop in a campervan? +
Allow 10–16 days. This plan is paced for 12 days with 9 overnight bases. Short on time? Merge two stops. Got longer? Stay on wherever you like it.
Is there a one-way fee for a South West WA loop? +
No. You pick up and drop off in Perth, so there's no one-way fee.
How old do I need to be to hire a campervan? +
Most operators require drivers to be 21 or older. A few accept 18 to 20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge. Tell us the youngest driver's age in the quote form and we'll only quote vans you can drive.
Which campervan suits a South West WA loop? +
The best fits are the hi-top campervan; the 2-seater, 2-sleeper and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll quote the right size.
Ready to drive South West WA loop?
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