I've sat in more than a few tour coaches over the years, and there's a particular kind of relief that comes from handing the logistics over to someone else when you're navigating a state as vast as Western Australia. AAT Kings has been running guided tours across Australia for decades, and their WA programme covers some genuinely remarkable ground — from the red gorges of the Pilbara to the vineyard country of the South West.
Who AAT Kings Is and How Their Tours Work
AAT Kings is one of Australia's longest-running coach tour operators, with roots going back to 1931. They operate two broad styles of travel: their Guided Tours, where accommodation, most meals, and transport are bundled together with a tour director, and their Independent Experiences, which are day tours or short excursions you can bolt onto your own itinerary. For Western Australia, both formats are on offer, and which suits you depends largely on how much flexibility versus convenience you want.
The guided tours run on fixed departure dates, typically between April and October when the WA climate is most hospitable for travel north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Expect to be in a coach with anywhere from 20 to 50 other travellers, with nights in motel-style accommodation in regional towns. It's not luxury touring, but it's comfortable and well-organised.
What's Typically Included
- Return flights or coach travel from the departure city (usually Perth)
- Accommodation for the duration of the tour
- Breakfast daily, with some dinners included depending on the itinerary
- Entry fees to national parks and key attractions
- A professional tour director throughout
What isn't covered tends to be lunches, alcoholic drinks, and any personal spending. Budget an extra $30–50 per day as a reasonable allowance for those gaps.
Key Western Australia Itineraries
AAT Kings doesn't run a single WA tour — they have several itineraries targeting different regions. Understanding which one matches your interests will save you from booking the wrong trip.
The Coral Coast and Ningaloo
This is probably their most popular WA itinerary, and with good reason. The route takes travellers up the coast from Perth through Monkey Mia, where wild dolphins come into the shallows, and on to Coral Bay — the southern gateway to Ningaloo Reef. Coral Bay itself is a small settlement, so having a tour operator handle the logistics of getting there, finding accommodation, and organising snorkelling trips makes a real difference. The Ningaloo Reef is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the marine life here — including whale sharks between March and July — is world-class. Tours that time the Ningaloo leg to coincide with whale shark season tend to book out early, so planning six months ahead isn't overcautious.
The Kimberley
AAT Kings also runs tours into the Kimberley region, typically operating between May and September when the dirt roads are dry enough to travel. These itineraries cover Broome, the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park), and often include a flight component given the distances involved. These are longer tours — typically 10 to 20 days — and they attract a mix of retirees and travellers who've already done the south of WA and want to push further north. If you're considering a self-drive trip to the Kimberley, it's worth comparing costs carefully; the Gibb River Road is doable in a well-equipped 4WD, but the logistics of fuel, permits, and mechanical backup are non-trivial.
South West Day Tours from Perth
For travellers who are basing themselves in Perth and want to visit the South West without hiring a car, AAT Kings offers day tours down to Margaret River. These typically cover a winery or two, a cave visit (Lake Cave or Jewel Cave are common stops), and a drive through the tall karri forests near Pemberton. A day tour doesn't do full justice to a region that rewards several nights of slow exploration, but it's a practical option if you're short on time or not confident driving on unfamiliar roads.
Booking, Costs, and Practical Considerations
AAT Kings prices vary significantly depending on tour length, departure city, and room type (solo travellers pay a single supplement unless they're willing to share). As a rough guide, a 7-day Coral Coast tour from Perth typically runs between $2,500 and $3,500 per person twin-share at time of writing. The Kimberley itineraries can push well past $5,000 once you factor in the flight components. These are not budget tours, but when you account for accommodation, most meals, and all the planning that's been done for you, the value-per-effort equation often works out reasonably well.
Single Travellers
Solo travel on coach tours is more common than people assume. AAT Kings has a dedicated single supplement waiver programme on selected departures, where they'll match you with a same-sex travel companion to share a room. It's worth checking the current list of waiver departures when you're booking, as this can save $500 or more.
Physical Requirements
Most AAT Kings tours are rated for moderate activity levels — you'll walk on uneven ground, get in and out of a coach multiple times a day, and occasionally cover 2–3 kilometres on foot at an attraction. The Kimberley tours specifically mention that some sites involve rough walking and climbing. If mobility is a consideration, contact AAT Kings directly before booking rather than relying on the website descriptions alone.
How AAT Kings Compares to Self-Drive
Western Australia is fundamentally a self-drive state. The distances between towns are large, the roads are good quality on the main highways, and hiring a car gives you the freedom to linger when something catches your eye. That said, a guided tour has genuine advantages in specific situations: if you're travelling solo and don't want to manage remote driving alone, if you're visiting in a limited window and want to maximise what you see, or if you're heading somewhere like the Kimberley where road conditions and logistics are genuinely demanding.
The Western Australia tourism website has good itinerary planning tools that are worth working through before you commit to a tour, especially if you're weighing up a self-drive version of the same route. Sometimes seeing the distances laid out on a map is enough to tip the decision one way or the other.
Tips Before You Book
- Read the full day-by-day itinerary carefully, not just the highlights. Some tours spend significant time on coach travel with only brief stops at key sites.
- Check the accommodation standard. AAT Kings typically uses 3–3.5 star regional motels, which is clean and comfortable but not luxurious.
- Look at the departure dates and cross-check with the WA climate. Travelling the Kimberley in November is possible but significantly hotter and more uncomfortable than May.
- Ask about the tour group size cap — smaller groups generally make for a better experience in remote areas.
- Travel insurance is non-negotiable on any trip involving remote WA. Medical evacuation from the Pilbara or Kimberley is expensive without it.
If you're new to WA or returning after a long gap, a guided tour with AAT Kings can be a genuinely useful way to cover ground that would otherwise take a lot of planning. Do the reading on whichever itinerary appeals, compare it against what a self-drive version would cost and involve, and make the call based on your travel style rather than price alone.
