A day trip from Perth

Can you do a day trip from Perth to the Pinnacles?

Yes, easily. It is about 200 km and 2 to 2.5 hours each way, and the park takes one to two hours. Tours run 9 to 11.5 hours door to door.

Estimates of the distance vary between official sources, from about 200 km to 250 km depending on where in Perth you start. Plan on 2.5 hours from the CBD with one short stop. Trails WA says just over two hours north of Perth, which assumes you don't stop at all. Most people do.

Is it better to take a tour or drive yourself?

Drive yourself for a daytime visit; it is simple and much cheaper for two or more people. Take a tour for sunset and stargazing, or for the 4WD dunes, so nobody has to drive home tired in the dark.

Self-drive wins on price and flexibility. A tour wins after dark. The sunset trips come home late, the one with a pub dinner around 11pm according to the listing, and that drive is the part most people would rather hand over. Every option is laid out in the tours compared guide.

How do you get to the Pinnacles from Perth?

By car, on Indian Ocean Drive. Take Wanneroo Road north until it becomes Indian Ocean Drive and turn at the Pinnacles sign. The inland Brand Highway is the alternative.

• Indian Ocean Drive: the coastal route, sealed all the way, through Lancelin and past the dunes. It suits a day trip because the stops are on it. Light vehicles and tourist buses use it; heavy trucks take the Brand Highway.
• Brand Highway: inland, with more trucks and fewer views. Australia's Coral Coast gives it as the second route, cutting across towards Cervantes. A sensible choice for the drive home if you want variety.

Fuel up before you leave or in Lancelin. There is none inside the park, and Cervantes, 17 km north, is the nearest place to fill up.

Is there public transport to the Pinnacles?

No. There is no train, and no bus goes into the park. The Transwa N5 coach reaches Cervantes on Fridays and Sundays only, 17 km short.

The Transwa N5 leaves East Perth at 3:45pm on Fridays and 9:45am on Sundays, so it doesn't work as a same-day return. From Cervantes you would still need a car or a tour to cover the last stretch. Without a car, a tour is the practical answer.

Can you drive a normal car to the Pinnacles?

Yes. The road is sealed to the car park, and the loop through the pillars is a firm, unsealed sandy track that 2WD cars handle. Caravans, trailers and vehicles over 7 metres stay in the car park.

Hire car contracts often ban unsealed roads. The loop is a park track that DBCA describes as suitable for 2WDs, but read your rental terms. If in doubt, park and walk the Desert View Walk instead. One more catch: Trails WA says the loop is closed to motorbikes and bicycles from 30 September 2025. Fees, passes and the loop rules are in the entry fee guide.

No car? Koalas at Caversham, fish and chips in Cervantes, the Pinnacles walk, then a 4WD truck over the Lancelin dunes.

★ 4.7 · 11.5 hours · from $187

Explore the koalas, 4WD and sandboarding day → Tour details

What is a good one-day Pinnacles itinerary?

Leave Perth by 7:30am, stop at Yanchep and Lancelin, have lunch in Cervantes, see Lake Thetis, and reach the pillars mid-afternoon. Head home by 4:30pm.

In winter, with sunset at about 5:25pm, this plan puts you among the pillars in the best light of the day. In summer it lands in the heat, so swap the order: pillars first thing, beach and lunch after. The Yanchep fee is the same A$17 and, for a car with 12 or fewer people, one day fee covers both parks.

How long does it take to drive around the Pinnacles?

About half an hour for the loop without stops. Allow one to two hours for the walk, the lookout and the Discovery Centre.

The loop is one-way, about 4 km, with parking bays along it. Pull over and walk in at two or three of them: the pillars change from field to forest once you leave the car. The centre opens 9:30am to 4:30pm and is worth 20 minutes for the geology and the Yued story.

Is it safe to drive back to Perth after sunset?

It can be done, but it is the riskiest part of the day. Kangaroos and emus cross at dusk and after dark, and it is 2.5 hours of tired driving.

Drive slowly from late afternoon. Bobtail lizards bask on the warm bitumen, and the coast road has long stretches without lights. If you want sunset and the stars yourself, book a night in Cervantes and drive home in the morning. Otherwise let a tour do the night leg. The sunset and stargazing guide has the times.

Frequently asked questions