CLIMBING through boulders millions of years old on the edge of rugged limestone cliffs and looking over your shoulder to see the coast and waves breaking on the Ningaloo Reef below, is a surreal experience.
The Cape Range, which runs along the backbone of the North-West Cape peninsula, is a hidden gem in Exmouth, with deep gorges, canyons and craggy ridges making for superb day or overnight walking trips.
The Cape Range National Park, a half-hour drive from Exmouth, is under consideration for World Heritage listing and it is easy to see why.
The range can be accessed by four-wheel drive on its eastern side along Shothole Canyon Road, which rises high into the hills to walk trails with spectacular views of Charles Knife Canyon and Razorback Ridge.
From the Thomas Carter lookout, the canyon immediately brings comparisons of the Grand Canyon, with a dry river bed snaking its way along the base of jagged ridges.
For more information, visit the Exmouth Visitors’ Centre or contact the Department of Environment and Conservation.
The writer was a guest of Ningaloo Safari Tours and Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef (guide).