Tailor-Made FIT Itinerary for the Travel Trade

Perth & Margaret River Six Day Sampler

About This Itinerary

Perth & Margaret River, Western Australia

  • 6 days / 5 nights covering Perth, Rottnest Island, and Margaret River
  • 3 nights in Perth with guided Rottnest Island day tour included
  • 2 nights in the Margaret River wine region with self-drive flexibility
  • Rental car for the Margaret River leg – explore at your own pace
  • Ideal for couples, food and wine enthusiasts, and first-time visitors to Western Australia
A pristine, glassy barrel wave with a smooth, cylindrical wall peeling across clear turquoise water under a bright blue sky. The wave demonstrates ideal surfing conditions with a well-defined tube and white wash breaking on the right.

COMPLETE ITINERARY

Your Perth & Margaret River Journey – Day by Day

Arrival in Perth & Settle In

On arrival at Perth Airport, your clients are met by their driver and transferred to the Pan Pacific Hotel Perth (or similar) for a three-night stay. Alternative accommodation can be arranged on request. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Perth has a way of making a strong first impression. The city centre sits right on the Swan River, with Kings Park – one of the largest inner-city parks in the world – spread across the ridge above. Elizabeth Quay is a good starting point for anyone wanting to stretch their legs after a flight, with waterfront dining and views back toward the city skyline. For clients arriving in the afternoon, a walk through the Perth Cultural Centre or a casual dinner in Northbridge sets the tone nicely.

Trade tip: Most international flights arrive in the morning or early afternoon, so clients will have a decent chunk of the day to explore. We can arrange early check-in where available, or suggest nearby options if the room isn’t ready. Perth is compact and walkable, so even jet-lagged travellers can cover a lot without too much effort.

Explore Perth at Leisure

A full day to discover Perth at your clients’ own pace. The city punches above its weight when it comes to things to do. Kings Park and Botanic Garden offers panoramic views across the Swan River and city skyline – the Lotterywest Federation Walkway through the treetops is worth the visit alone. Cottesloe Beach is a short train ride away for those who want sand and surf.

For something more structured, Fremantle is about 30 minutes south by train and feels like a different world – heritage buildings, the famous Fremantle Markets, craft breweries, and the sobering history of Fremantle Prison (a World Heritage site). Back in the city, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the Perth Mint, and the revitalised waterfront precinct around Elizabeth Quay all warrant time.

Trade tip: This is a deliberately unstructured day, which suits most FIT clients well. However, we can add guided options – a Swan Valley wine cruise, a Perth city walking tour, or a Fremantle food trail – depending on your clients’ interests. Just let us know and we’ll tailor accordingly. The flexibility is the point.

Rottnest Island Grand Tour

An early start this morning for a full day on Rottnest Island. Clients are transferred from their hotel to B Shed in Fremantle, where the 9:10am ferry departs for the island. The crossing takes roughly 35 minutes.

The Rottnest Grand Island Tour is the most comprehensive guided experience available on the island. It’s a 4-hour all-inclusive loop covering Rottnest’s highlights – starting with a unique historic train ride to Oliver Hill, followed by the WWII Gun Fortification and Tunnel Tour, then a guided bus tour taking in the Wadjemup Lighthouse, Henrietta Rocks, Cathedral Rocks, and Cape Vlamingh. The island is an A-Class nature reserve, and the tour covers all major habitats including woodlands, salt lakes, and those stunning turquoise bays. Maritime and military history feature throughout.

After the tour wraps up around 3:30pm, there’s free time to explore on foot, hire a bike, or simply find a quiet beach. The quokkas – the small marsupials that have made Rottnest an Instagram phenomenon – are everywhere. The 5:55pm ferry returns clients to Fremantle.

Trade tip: The day runs roughly 9 hours door to door, departing the hotel at 7:00am. All transfers, the return ferry, island admission, train ride, Oliver Hill tour, lunch on the return train journey, and the bus tour are included. It’s a full day but well-paced. For clients who want more time on the island, overnight stays can be arranged – the accommodation on Rottnest is limited but there are some appealing options.

Collect Your Rental Car & Head South

This morning clients collect their rental car from the downtown depot and head south toward the Margaret River wine region. The drive is approximately 2.5 hours, mostly along well-maintained highways through the Darling Range and down through Busselton.

Once they’ve cleared Perth, the landscape shifts. Forest takes over. The air changes. There’s no rush – the rest of the day is completely at leisure, and there’s plenty to stop for along the way. Busselton Jetty (the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere) makes a worthwhile detour. So does the town of Dunsborough if they fancy a coffee with an ocean view.

Tonight’s accommodation is at Seashells Yallingup (or similar), set in extensive gardens near Yallingup Beach in the heart of the Margaret River wine region. The property sits adjacent to the heritage-listed Caves House Hotel, with walking trails through the gardens to the beach. Studio spa rooms and self-contained apartments are available.

Trade tip: The self-drive component is key here. It gives clients the freedom to stop when they want and explore at their own speed. We can provide a suggested driving route with recommended stops, or upgrade the accommodation to boutique luxury properties in the region. Alternative rental car classes and pick-up/drop-off options are all available through our booking platform.

Explore Margaret River’s Cellar Doors & Coastline

A full day to explore the Margaret River region. With over 150 cellar doors, the hardest part is deciding where to start.

Howard Park is a standout. Their cellar door sits at the highest point of the Leston Vineyard, overlooking the renowned Wilyabrup Valley. Set on 138 hectares of vines and native bushland, just five minutes from the town of Cowaramup, it’s one of the foremost architectural buildings in the region. The winding tree-lined driveway passes a traditional old settlers’ cottage and the famous Wilyabrup Creek on its way up. The wines are excellent. The setting makes them taste even better.

Beyond wine, there’s a lot to fill a day. Ngilgi Cave near Yallingup offers a guided underground experience through spectacular limestone formations. The coastline around Canal Rocks and Sugarloaf Rock is dramatic and easily accessible. Artisan food producers, chocolate factories, olive oil tastings, and craft breweries give non-wine-drinkers plenty of reason to be here too.

Trade tip: For clients who prefer a guided experience, we can arrange a private Margaret River wine tour with a local guide. This works particularly well for groups or couples who’d rather not worry about driving between cellar doors. We can also build in restaurant bookings at the region’s best dining establishments – advance reservations are recommended, especially in peak season.

Return to Perth & Departure

An early morning today. Clients drive the 2.5 hours back to Perth, drop off the rental car, and head to the airport for their departure flight. The drive is straightforward, but an early start is essential to allow for the car return process and check-in time.

Trade tip: We strongly recommend scheduling afternoon flights from Perth to give clients a buffer. For those who’d prefer not to rush, adding an extra night in Perth at the end of the itinerary takes the pressure off entirely – and gives them one more evening to enjoy the city. This itinerary also pairs well with extensions to other Western Australian destinations (Ningaloo Reef, the Pinnacles, or the Kimberley), east coast connections to Sydney and Melbourne, or our New Zealand touring product through NZABH.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Inclusions & Accommodation

Itinerary Inclusions

  • Airport transfer on arrival in Perth
  • 3 nights accommodation at Pan Pacific Hotel Perth (or similar)
  • Full-day Rottnest Island Grand Tour with hotel transfers, return ferry, island admission, train ride, Oliver Hill tour, lunch, and guided bus tour
  • Rental car for 3 days (Perth to Margaret River and return)
  • 2 nights accommodation at Seashells Yallingup (or similar)
  • Fully customisable – upgrade accommodation, add touring, extend the itinerary

About the Accommodation

  • Alternative accommodation available on request at both locations
  • Boutique and luxury upgrades can be arranged throughout
  • All properties bookable via AABH Hotels at wholesale rates

Add This Destination to Your Australia or New Zealand Itinerary

Contact our team for trade rates, availability, and help packaging this tour into your clients’ tailor-made itineraries. As a leading inbound travel specialist for Australia and New Zealand, we’ll build the complete journey, including flights, accommodation, connecting tours, and onward travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Perth enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers (December to February) and mild, wet winters (June to August). For most international travellers, the shoulder seasons of September to November and March to May are ideal – pleasant temperatures, fewer crowds, and the Margaret River vineyards look their best in autumn. Spring brings wildflower season, which is spectacular across Western Australia. Summer is obviously popular but can be hot inland. The Rottnest Island ferry runs year-round, and the Margaret River cellar doors are open throughout the year. We’ll help you advise clients based on where they’re coming from and what they want to experience.
Absolutely. This is a sampler itinerary – a starting point. Every element can be adjusted. We can swap accommodation for boutique or luxury properties, add guided wine tours in Margaret River, include a Swan Valley day trip, extend the stay in either location, or build this into a longer Western Australian or national itinerary. Some clients prefer a private driver rather than self-drive for the Margaret River leg, and we can arrange that too. Just tell us what your clients are after and we’ll build around it. That’s what we do.
International visitors need a valid overseas driving licence to hire a car in Western Australia. If the licence is not in English, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is also required. Australians drive on the left side of the road. The route from Perth to Margaret River is well-signed and straightforward, mostly on sealed highways. We can provide detailed driving notes and a suggested route map. For clients who don’t want to drive, we can substitute with private transfers or a guided touring option.
Very much so. The Rottnest Grand Island Tour is suitable for all ages, and the island itself is a fantastic family destination. The quokkas are a huge hit with kids (and adults). There are calm swimming beaches, snorkelling spots, and bike hire available for families who want to explore beyond the guided tour. The ferry crossing is short and generally smooth. For families, we’d suggest considering an overnight stay on the island to make the most of it – there are family-friendly accommodation options available.
Perth and Margaret River work well as a standalone short break or as part of a larger Australian journey. Common combinations include adding the Pinnacles Desert and Lancelin sand dunes as a day trip from Perth, extending south to the Valley of the Giants and Albany, or connecting to Ningaloo Reef or the Kimberley for a comprehensive Western Australian experience. Many agents package this with east coast destinations – a Perth and Margaret River sampler paired with Sydney, Melbourne, or the Great Barrier Reef gives clients a genuine cross-section of Australia. We build complete itineraries with flights, accommodation, and touring through our FIT booking platform. Contact us at enquiries@aabh.com.au to discuss options.