Karijini National Park is a remote and adventurous corner of Australia’s North West in the Pilbara region. Accommodation in Karijini National Park itself is very limited, so most people camp in or near the park. However, camping in the outback is all part of the adventure of the Karijini experience!
In this guide I’ll step through the all the options for Karijini accommodation, including suggesting places to stay near Karijini and where you can camp in Karijini.
Prices mentioned in this article are current as of March 2024 and updated regularly.
Accommodation In Karijini National Park
Karijini National Park accommodation is limited to the glamping tents at Karijini Eco Retreat. Campsites are also available here (covered in detail below in the camping section). As this is the only available accommodation at Karijini National Park, with high demand in a very remote location, the glamping tents don’t exactly come cheap.
We paid around $400 per night for a Deluxe Eco King Tent, including breakfast.
However, being able to come back to our private tent, comfortable king-sized bed and hot showers each night after a long adventurous day hiking the gorges in Karijini, was worth the price we paid (and then some!).
The eco tents are available to book between March to November, as the Eco Retreat is closed during the peak summer months due to the harsh conditions.
What to Expect of the Karijini Eco Tents?
The Deluxe glamping eco tents are made up of a bedroom and private ensuite bathroom. With a choice of either twin or king-sized bed with provided linen and towels, all you need to bring with you is your sense of adventure.
The lighting and hot water in the tents are powered by solar power. You can also charge low-wattage appliances, like camera batteries and phones – leave the hair dryers at home!
Here’s a short video walk-through of the Deluxe Eco Tent we stayed in.
The floors are made of timber, and the tent walls are canvas. It does get quite cold in Karijini at night, but even with temperatures dipping to 2 degrees Celsius during our stay, we found the tents to be cosy with extra blankets provided.
We loved the small table and chairs provided on the wooden decking out the front of the tent, making for a great spot for a well-deserved wine after a big day exploring the park. We also spent the evenings after dinner stargazing outside our tent.
Other eco tent options at Karijini Eco Retreat include a triple/quad tent that sleeps up to 4.
Check availability and up-to-date pricing of the eco tents.
Karijini Luxury Accommodation
For an even more luxe option than the deluxe eco tents, there are 3 exclusive Luxury Eco Tents available.
These tents are equipped with a few more creature comforts like a lounge area, mini bar, mini fridge and even solar-powered air conditioning, ceiling fan and glass-entry doors. They even come with a “bush butler” service! This is certainly the most deluxe accommodation Karijini National Park has to offer.
Dining at Karijini Eco Retreat
A continental breakfast is included in your eco tent booking. Dinner is also available at an additional cost at the Eco Retreat Restaurant, but make sure to reserve ahead of time.
Dinner bookings are prioritised for guests staying in the eco tents. Campers at the Eco Retreat can try to book dinner 7 days in advance if there are remaining reservations at the time.
The food was delicious, with flavours and ingredients inspired by traditional bush tucker ingredients – I even tried my first ever crocodile curry here (spoiler alert: it tasted like chicken to me!). The restaurant includes a fully licensed bar.
If you can’t get into the restaurant, you’ll find a chef flipping burgers outside the restaurant entrance at the nightly burger bar. This is a takeaway option, with a few picnic tables nearby or you can take it back to your eco tent to enjoy in private.
Accommodation near Karijini
If the Eco Tents are fully booked, or you are looking for a more affordable option, there are two other choices for accommodation outside of the national park. You will then drive into Karijini National Park each day.
Tom Price Tourist Park
To the west of Karijini is the small mining town of Tom Price (where you will find the only supermarket near Karijini!). Tom Price Tourist Park on the edge of town offers basic accommodation that includes chalets and family cabins.
I booked to stay in one of the family cabins on our first night in Karijini before spending the next two nights at the Eco Resort.
The chalets and cabins come with private bathrooms and full kitchens and come supplied with everything you need for your stay. There is even a swimming pool to cool off in!
This is the best option for those that want access to a full kitchen, and would be ideal for larger families. It’s also a great budget accommodation option close to Karijini.
Staying at Tom Price will require a longer drive into Karijini National Park each day, it is around 1 hour from Tom Price to the Weano Recreation Area, and 1 hour 15 minutes to Dales Gorge.
Tom Price Tourist Park is the closest accommodation to Hamersley Gorge, located on the far west side of Karijini.
Auski Tourist Village
On the opposite side of Karijini to Tom Price is the Auski Tourist Village and Roadhouse. They offer a variety of accommodation from motel rooms to cabins of various sizes, as well as powered and unpowered camping. A fully licensed restaurant and a petrol station are on site.
Compared to Tom Price, Auski is further out from the main sites of Karijini. Auski to Weano is a 1.5-hour drive, and 1 hour from Auski to Dales Gorge.
Call Auski to book, as accommodation can’t be booked online.
Camping at Karijini National Park
There are two Karijini National Park campgrounds.
Karijini Eco Retreat Camping
Karijini Eco Retreat offers unpowered campsites with amenities in Karijini.
Campsites are suitable for tents, campervans and caravans, but there is a maximum occupancy of 1 vehicle (plus tent, trailer or caravan) and up to 6 people per site.
There are 64 unpowered campsites, with shared bathroom facilities including flushing toilets and solar hot water showers. Campers can use generators between 4-8 pm. There are also undercover bush kitchens including a gas BBQ for campers to use.
These extra facilities come at a price – campsites are $44 (2 adults, kids under 13 free). Additional adults (including kids over 13) cost an extra $22 per person.
Karijini Eco Retreat is the closest campsite to many of the gorges including Joffre Gorge, Hancock Gorge and Weano Gorge. Read more about the spectacular Karijini gorges and gorge hikes in my dedicated guide here.
Dales Campground
The other Karijini camping site is Dales Campground.
Located on the eastern side of Karijini, this site is managed by the WA Parks and Wildlife Service.
There are minimal facilities in this no-thrills bush camp, limited to a non-flushable drop toilet (bush toilet). You won’t find showers here, but there are some at the nearby Karijini Visitor Centre ($4 fee). 153 campsites are spread across 6 different loops, generators are permitted in certain loops only.
Sheltered picnic tables and gas barbeques are available at Dales Picnic Area, 1km from the campground. There is no drinking water at Dales Campground.
Fees for Dales Campground are $15 per adult, and $5 per child aged 6-15 years (2024 pricing).
Dales Campground is closest to Fortescue Falls, Fern Pool and Dales Gorge.
As this is a popular campground, advance bookings are required for most of the year. During the peak season of June to August, you may want to book as soon as bookings open 180 days in advance (particularly if you are trying to book for the WA school holiday period!)
Tip: the ground is very hard dirt at the campsites. A battery drill and screw tent pegs are recommended for tent campers.
Dales Overflow
A short distance away from Dales Campground is the Overflow campground.
It is open during peak season only from April to October, with a maximum stay of two nights at a time (advance online bookings required).
Just note there are no separated marked sites in the Overflow.
Dales vs Eco Retreat Camping
Eco Retreat or Dales are both great camping spots.
Some prefer to spend a couple of nights at both Dales and Eco Retreat to get the best of both worlds and save on driving time between the gorges on opposite sides of the Park.
- Close to Fortescue Falls & Dales Gorge
- Large campsites
- Cheapest Option
- No amenities such as showers and flushing toilets (long drop toilets only)
- Close to many of the gorges (Joffre, Knox, Weano & Hancock)
- Showers and flushing toilets
- Close to the Eco Resort Restaurant & Bar
- Campsites are smaller than Dales
- More expensive
Karijini Caravan Park & Powered Camping Options
You’ll find Caravan Parks outside of Karijini at Tom Price Tourist Park (west of Karijini) and Auski (northeast of Karijini).
Tom Price Tourist Park offers powered sites with an ensuite, powered and unpowered sites for both caravans and campers. Prices start from around $40/night for the unpowered sites.
This includes access to the Park’s amenities including a camp kitchen, wi-fi, swimming pool and laundry facilities.
Auski Tourist Village offers powered sites and unpowered for caravans and camping, prices start from around $30/night. Bookings aren’t taken for campsites and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Karijini Free Camping
There is no free camping within Karijini National Park, however, you’ll find several free camps outside of the park. I highly recommend downloading the WikiCamps app if you haven’t already for a one-off fee of only $7.99 to help you find free and low-cost campsites in WA and Australia.
Some of the popular free camps (that I’ve sourced from WikiCamps) are:
- Tiger Eye: Nameless Valley Rd, 15 minutes from Tom Price
- Albert Tognolini Rest Stop (24-hour limit): 15 minutes south of Auski Roadhouse, turn off from Great Northern Hwy
- Buddhas Overnighter: Opposite the entrance to Hamersley Gorge
These free bush camps have no facilities (including toilets). You need to be self-sufficient and take all your rubbish with you and leave the site as you found it.
Final Thoughts – Karijini Accommodation Camping Guide
That wraps up this complete guide to all your options for where to stay in Karijini.
From basic bush camping to motel accommodation to eco tents, Karijini has a range of options available to suit most budgets and preferences.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about places to stay in Karijini. Don’t forget to check out my other Western Australia travel guides to make the most of your time exploring this incredible state!
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