west oz active adventure - private day tours

We went on a canyoning tour with West OZ last July. Twas well worth it. Made great memories for our family. We felt very well taken care of in what was some challenging territory. Real Professionals, yet very friendly guys .The geology and country side here is outstanding and I will never forget the experience. We took younger kids with us ranging from 9 to 16 years of age and the crew handled them beautifully. DO iT ...

We did the Red Gorge Adventure w/Pete and Freddy and 5 other like-minded mates on 3, November. I knew we were in good hands from the moment they outfitted us with our gear. They we're open to questions and thorough about explaining the purpose and importance of our gear. No one was a professional athlete and ages varied, but we were fit and anticipated a day of fun in professional hands and a day that would test our physical and mental capabilities. Yes, it was a long day, but no one was rushed. Our guides stressed how important it was to have a proper tea time and a light lunch which was very nicely done by the company. 250 billion year old rock slabs for seats and clear creek water for our serviette-perfect. I'm sure you readers have read the tour agenda and it is just as it's stated. We had the perfect blend of adventure, knowledge and appreciation of this beautiful area. The activities were challenging, but you can do it! and will feel awesome about yourself at the end of the day. Pete and Freddy are truly professional and passionate in what they will share with you. They want you to enjoy every wet moment of the day and will assist you through it with humor and a smile. Sadly, the season is over for their trips, but make certain you ad it to your New Years "Gotta Do It!" list. We're caravaning around OZtralia for the year. Have circumnavigated 2/3rds of this outstanding country and this has been THE BEST excursion so far!! GO HAVE SOME FUN!

Just wanted to say how awesome this tour was. We did this as a family with my 'height phobic' wife, 14year old son and 13 year old daughter. Pete, Freddy and Jim were wonderful guides with lots of knowledge, humour and re-assurance. Their love of Karijini is infectious and adds to the thrill, mystique and silent appreciation of this most amazing place. The kids are still talking about it 3 weeks later and we will all remember this amazing opportunity to get a closer look at Karijini. To top it off they give you a great little movie of the day's adventure. If you're going to Karijini, don't miss this tour. Thanks guys!!

This was my second trip to Karijini this year, mainly for photography. I knew about the West Oz Active tours last time, but this time I decided to set aside an extra day and try to see parts of the gorges that most people don't get to see. I did the Red Gorge tour, and It turned out to be the highlight of the trip.The day started with a thorough safety briefing and familiarisation with all the gear. Our trip through Red Gorge involved the usual walking, then sliding down a rocky chute and plunging into a pool, paddling on rubber tubes through the beautiful gorge and stopping for a scrumptious lunch, then a spot of abseiling, more paddling and walking up with the aid of a rope, and finally, climbing out up a fairly difficult rock face and traversing at the top to end up at Kermit's Pool.The group ranged in age from mid teens to fifties, but we all managed the activities and I felt safe at all times, such was the professionalism of Pete, Freddie and Jimmy. In my opinion, this is a trip you can't afford to miss. I don't know how Pete can do it for the price.

West Oz Active makes it possible to experience some of the most amazing gorges in Western Australia if not the southern hemisphere! I would have never known they existed if it weren't for this brilliant small adventure company. Pete and his staff are very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, safety first and eco conscientious. They have various tours for different fitness levels and lengths of time. From the day we were picked up in Exmouth we knew we were in good hands. We stayed at a former working cattle station at Cheela Plains our first night across the Pilbara before embarking on beautiful Karijini National Park. Our second day we experienced the Dales Gorge day tour to see Fern Pool and Fortescue Falls which was absolutely beautiful with incredible rock wall canyons and magical pools to cool off in. Our third day with West Oz, we elected to do the highly recommended "Red Gorge Adventure" which included three different gorges and was a full day of canyoneering and float tubing. Pete and Freddie are excellent guides who fit and educate you about the gear you are using, talk you through all the steps and make you feel comfortable. Once you drop into the first gorge you are committed to see parts of the Karijini that the majority of tourists don't get to see. Be sure to view the video on their website to see if it would be something you would be comfortable with. If you are, you are in for a trip of a lifetime - yes - one of those life's bucket list items! From beginning to end, this day tour was the best thing we've done in Australia and I don't understand why it isn't more well known....but maybe that's a blessing. Everything you will need for the day is provided, from transportation, the necessary gear to make the trip enjoyable to drinks and a healthy lunch. Not to mention they provide you a free USB stick of photos they take during the day, so you don't even have to bring a camera! West Oz Active has got it right, contributing the most amazing tourism options in all of Australia in my opinion. They work extremely hard to give their guests not only an amazing experience, but they do it with enthusiasm while respecting the environment and the aboriginal beliefs of this sacred space in Karijini National Park, and they endeavor to educate their guests in the same way. One last thing, the transportation arm of this small company is called the "Flying Sandgroper" where transportation between Exmouth and the Karijini can be arranged. I researched this for several weeks and if you aren't driving the whole west coast of Australia there is no other way to get from west coast- Cape Range/Exmouth to Karijini. A one way car rental is cost prohibitive with all the kilometers and there are no flights (flights only from Perth to Paraburdoo). West Oz Active does tours in the Cape Range/Exmouth and Coral Bay areas as well and makes this connection to the Karijini with stays at unique station stays and then drops you off at Paraburdoo airport after. This wonderful vacation would not have been possible if it weren't for West Oz Active and the Flying Sandgroper. They are obviously doing there best to make it possible for others to see this awesome part of Western Australia. They go above and beyond!

No trip to Karijini would be complete without doing a tour with West Oz. How else do you get to see the secret heart of Karijini. Where the tourist trails end, this tour takes off. Not just abseiling, not just rock climbing, not just tubing thru amazing gorges, but all of these activities and more. Funny informative guides, great food, all the equipment including wetsuits. Sure, it seems like a lot of money when u go to book, but once you are out there enjoying the wilderness, you realise you would be wasting your time and money to go all the way to Karijini and not do this. We did the Red Gorge Tour and I can honestly say it was one of the best day trips I have done as a tourist-ever. The day feels action packed and adrenalin pumping, but experienced guides and great equipment mean u are never in danger. Do it or miss out, your choice.

This was by far one of the best adventure tourism experiences I've done, if not the best. I was lucky enough to have this given to me as a birthday present and I was grateful the entire day.It is a long day but the variety of activities keeps you stimulated from start to finish. Each section of the tour has it's own challenges and beautiful scenery. You're always amped for what's next.Pete, Freddie and Jimmy were all fantastic. Their knowledge and passion oozes out of them and they add a lot of value to the day. They give it 100% and we fed off their energy and enthusiasm.Overall, this was an unforgettable experience….. DO IT!

Become a Canyoneer with Pete and his crew!An extraordinary way to experience the magnificence of Karijini! Fun, adventure, tranquility, challenges and awe, all rolled into one!

My son and I recently visited Karajini and took the West Oz Active Red Gorge Adventure, this has to be one of the best ways to see the hidden sights of Karajini. From the time we were picked up at the Eco Retreat we were entertained and given many facts about the tour guides Pete West and Freddie's experience in the activities we were about to participate in.Our canyoneering guides fitted us out in all the safety gear we required with instruction on how to use it. Once in the canyon our guides gave us continual information about the areas we were in, from different points of view on how the area was formed. The activities whilst challenging are not above people of average fitness, I myself am 53.I was blown away by the beauty of Karajini and the areas we were privileged to visit on this tour.If you want to see the Karajini that only a small percentage of visitors see in complete safety then this tour is a must.The lunch supplied was delicious and covers everyone's tastes.Thank you Pete and Freddie for a memorable day.

We made the Journey to the center of the earth in last July... And we will never forget that ! I was the best day in my trip of one year in Australia ! The guides were helpful, nice, funny, interesting, awesome... They make you move forward with confidence and for this trip it's obligatory ;)For this price, we really enjoy Karijini and the beauty of his hearth, it was not a waste of time or waste of money, it was a really good investment ;DCheers a lot amazing guides !!Tanguy

My husband and I did the Luncheon at the Junction tour, in early July. From the very begining, it was a wonderful experience. We contacted the team by email because we were not sure which tour would be better for us during the cold months of winter and considering some old health injuries that might have impaired our experience. Pete suggested that the Luncheon at the Junction, which was to be run on the day we were interested in going, would be ideal for us. And ideal it was!The welcome at the Eco Retreat was warm, and we met the other 3 canyoneers of the day there. We were then taken by bus to the base camp, where Brenton and the other guide showed us all the equipment, made a speech about how to use it and a quick demonstration of abseiling position. The thing I liked particularly was that the guides were wearing the exact same equipment as us, and it was in mint condition (which made us feel confident about their concern about safety - and it's sadly not always the case, I've run other tours elsewhere where you end up with equipment that has holes, that looks in poor condition, and makes you wonder...). The shoes were very good, the wet suits thin but comfortable and warm enough for the cold water we experienced. They even had pelican cases to bring SLR cameras for those who were interested! We chose not to, but liked that the option was available.Everybody was checked, and we drove to the canyoning site, the begining of Hancock gorge. Throughout the day, we saw the wonders of the Karijini gorges unravel in front of us. It was truly awe-inspiring, with the banded iron formations at the bottom of the gorges a must-see!The two guides took great care of the 5 persons in the group, always explaining things very well and very calmly, and checking everybody's equipment carefully. They made us feel very confident throughout the day - again, I've done other tours where this was not the case and I appreciated the difference! Abseiling was not problem at all with their explanation and the trust they inspired.The meal was excellent (though we would have loved a bigger portion of that bean salad - it was very good!), considering that it was something that had to be carried all morning long in our backpacks. They also had a nice coffe break with cereal bars, which was appreciated after a couple hours spent canyoning.The luncheon at the junction was an enjoyable journey, with not too much adrenaline but enough to make you feel like you still had an adventurous day. I felt it was a journey a bit more relaxed than the other tours run by West oz Active might be, and that this journey was a good tour for taking pictures (and the gorges sure do offer lots of amazing opportunities for pictures!) and discovering canyoning (a first for my husband). At the end of the day, we were a bit tired but very happy with our wonderful experience. We did not get too cold either, because you don't go that much in the water (very chilly, though not freezing cold either) on that tour. If you're carefull and you don't slip, then your upper body stays dry and warm! Nice, in the middle of the winter season...It's definitely worth the money you'll pay for it, just go ahead and book with these guys: they know what they are doing and you'll have an awsome day there!!!!! Plus it's the ONLY WAY to see the wonders at the bottom of the gorgres there! And on top of that, they give you the pictures they took throughout the day, free of charge (they sell USB sticks for $5 if you forgot to bring one). And some of the shots they took were very good, with nice portraits of everybody and pretty views of the canyon. That's just the cherry on the cake!

This was a brilliant tour and great day out all round, my friend and I just completed the "Journey to the centre of the earth" tour and it was an unforgettable experience. From start to finish everything was organised impeccably and I was extremely impressed with how incredibly safe everything was, especially the abseiling. Our guides Freddie and Brenton were fantastic, friendly and knowledgeable and put in so much effort to make the day great! Also thank god for wetsuits, after swimming the day before in just bikinis, we were very grateful for them!As for Karijini itself, pictures do not do it justice (and they look pretty good anyway). It is a truly spectacular place that is good for the soul and well worth making the effort to get there. We also climbed Mt Bruce the day after the tour after the guys suggested it and that too was a great hike with incredible views.All in all great value for money and a fantastic day out! Thanks!

I was fortunate enough to be able to travel from Exmouth to Karijini on a multi day tour with Pete, his wife Karen and a small group of several others.The place is amazing, it is exactly like the photos and as its off the beaten track its not at all overrun. The history of the place is incredible and I cannot think of anywhere else in the world that would be the same. It is without reservation I say that it is truly is worth the effort to get to.Pete and Karen are an amazing couple whose enthusiasm for Karijini is incredible, as it turns out, they actually live in the park (there are no other permanent residents I am aware of) when not on the road. Karen is an amazing cook, and Pete is a true character of a guide. Nothing was too hard and Pete is happy to make changes on the go to suit the group, conditions on the day etc etc. He also has a couple of great guides running the day trips through the park who we linked up with on one of the days. For me it wasn't like a tour but more like a week away with good friends!

This tour is an unforgettable one-day experience. In small groups of max. 7 people you are visiting the beauty of the Karijini National Park. On this tour you are have the chance to visit places you can't go on your own. We had the pleasure to spend the day with our guides Pete, Brandon an Fred. The tour is quite a challenge but we felt save all the time. Another great thing is, that you don't have to worry about any equipment: they have everything and everything is included!In the evening Pete came over to our campsite and told us some very interesting and useful things about Western Australia - we could have listend to him for hours - thank you so much for this!!!

I recently visited Karijini as part of a group where our touring for a week was organised and hosted by the Flying Sandgroper. Their hospitality was truly amazing and matched the awsome landscape. Peter and Karen are young and passionate ambassadors for their beloved Karijini and they could not do enough for us. The food was fresh, delicious and healthy (no mean feat in the outback) and Pete's passion for the Pilbara is palpable. These charming young people are an incredible asset to WA tourism. If you're going to Karijini be sure to check out what they can do to help you enjoy the experience to the max.