Your Guide To Kalbarri Skywalk (And Other Nearby Sites!)
Also known as Kaju Yatka (which translates to “sky” and “to walk”), the Kalbarri Skywalk lives up to this name. You’ll feel like walking in the sky.
It’s located in the Kalbarri National Park, a 30-minute drive from one of the most famous coastal sites in Western Australia – Kalbarri. Your mind will be blown by the view of the rugged gorges and bushland, giving a gorgeous contrast from the nearby coast.
Here’s our experience in this beautiful place, as well as our tips and recommendations to help you plan your visit:
- What is the Skywalk?
- How to get there?
- Best time to visit
- What to bring?
- Nearby attractions
- Top tips
- Did you know?
What is the Kalbarri Skywalk?
The Kalbarri Skywalk is a lookout with two “u-shaped” cantilevered walkways, hanging 100 meters over the Murchison River gorge. You’ll have unimpeded views over the inland gorge sites – it’s overwhelming how spectacular everything is.
It’s free to come here, but there’s an entry fee to enter the Kalbarri National Park – $15 per car/per day. This will give you access to other nearby attractions, like Nature’s window and the Z bend lookout.
Most people spend around half an hour here, between taking pictures and enjoying the view. But, there are other things to do here, such as:
Visiting the Skywalk Café, Information Centre, and Shop
Before or after completing the Kalbarri Skywalk, you can enjoy a drink and a snack at the Skywalk Café, while still enjoying the view. It has a few shaded tables outside, where you can sit and have a nice picnic as well.
The information centre has some interesting displays of native animals found in Kalbarri National Park, explaining how the Skywalk was built. You’ll also find an exciting array of souvenirs and local artworks from several local indigenous artists.
Checking out the animal replicas.
There are several metallic statues of native animals bordering the Skywalk pathways with information plaques close by. If you walk down to the second skywalk, you will see a lot of this extra information.
Learning about the history of the local Aboriginal people.
There are about 15 history plaques set up in the area leading into the Skywalk Café. You’ll be able to learn about the history of the local Aboriginal people in the Kalbarri area as you walk towards it.
How to get to the Kalbarri Skywalk?
The Kalbarri Skywalk is on the west loop of the Kalbarri National Park. It’s around 37 km from the town of Kalbarri and 26 km from the Kalbarri airport.
After entering the park, you’ll find clear directions to get to the Skywalk car park. You’ll take a short walk from there to get to the lookout.
Keep in mind that you can’t enter the National Park with a caravan or any towed vehicle.
You’ll have to leave it in an unshaded area, right after the entry gate of the park. So, if possible, try to leave it in the town.
An alternative is booking one of the many Kalbarri tours available. They can take you to check out this and other attractions in the park. Here’s a full list of our absolute favourite Kalbarri tours.
The park has drastically improved the roads, so you can visit this and other inland sites with a normal 2WD car!
When is the best time to visit the Kalbarri Skywalk?
The best time to visit the Kalbarri Skywalk is between June to August. The weather is great and it coincides with wildflowers season. This makes the brown Kalbarri heather bloom into incredible colours.
But the Skywalk is open all year round, 24/7. It’s an incredible experience, regardless of the season. With that said, it can get really hot in the middle of the day, even in winter.
Plus, there’s no shade on the actual Skywalk. So, try visiting before noon or late the afternoon. Sunset is an amazing time to stay if you want to brave the kangaroos on the drive back.
What to bring to the Kalbarri Skywalk?
You don’t need to bring anything special, other than the typical stuff:
- Sun protection.
- Sunglasses.
- Heaps of water – you can refill your bottles in the car park or the shop.
- A hat that won’t blow off – the wind is no joke, there’s a cemetery of hats directly down the platform.
If you’ll visit during summer, bring a fly screen or a net to hang from your hat. The flies here are huge.
Other incredible attractions near Kalbarri Skywalk
As the Skywalk takes little time to check out, these are other nearby attractions you can check out that same day:
Nature’s Window
This famous rock formation creates a natural “window” into the gorge. It’s one of the most famous attractions in this park because of the view and the great photos you can take there. You can also do the Loop trail here – a popular 9km, class 4 hike.
Get here after a quick 5-minute ride from the Kalbarri Skywalk.
Z Bend
This is the famous z-shaped bend of the Murchison River. You’ll get to the lookout after a 1-6 km hike from the car park. There are also 2 walking trails here – the River trail and the Four Ways trail.
This attraction is just a 15 min ride from the Skywalk.
Top Tips
Plan your day trip to the Kalbarri National Park carefully to avoid the heat in the middle of the day. For example, you can complete the hikes to Nature’s Window and the Z Bend first, finishing with the Skywalk as this is the most leisurely walk.
But if you’re on a tight schedule and want to do them in one morning, we’d recommend starting with the Z Bend, then Nature’s Window, and the Skywalk last.
Did you know?
Kalbarri is a relatively hot area, with average maximum temperatures reaching the mid-20 C° in winter and hitting the mid-40 C° in summer.
Local volunteers feed wild pelicans in the town every morning at 8.45 am, giving a brief talk about these incredible birds.
How much does the Kalbarri Skywalk cost?
The Kalbarri Skywalk is free. But you have to pay a fee to enter the National Park – $15 per vehicle.
How far is Kalbarri from the Skywalk?
It takes about 30 minutes to drive from the town of Kalbarri to the Skywalk. The roads are paved and are fine for 2wds.
Is there caravan parking at Kalbarri Skywalk?
No, there isn’t caravan parking at Kalbarri Skywalk. You can’t take it – or any towed vehicles – into the National Park.
There’s a car park area just beyond the entry gate where you must unhitch and leave all towed vehicles, including caravans or trailers. But this space is hot and can be unsafe.
That’s why the Kalbarri Information Centre recommends parking your caravan or trailer in Kalbarri and then driving your car to the National Park.
The bottom line
The Kalbarri Skywalk is an incredible, albeit quick, experience. The views are unparalleled and it’s a great attraction for anyone – it’s not challenging at all and there’s wheelchair access as well.
But Kalbarri has much, much more to offer. So, make sure to check at last the Natural Bridge, the Island Rock, and the Pink Lake while you’re in there!
