Travelling from Broome to Darwin explore the rich beauty, hidden gorges, flowing rivers and stunning landscapes of the Kimberley region of North West Australia. Join an adventure unlike any other on this 4WD journey through the Kimberley. Starting out from Darwin, venture offroad for some time checking out Tunnel Creek and the Napier Range. Then, taking the Gibb River Road, check out Windjana and Manning gorges, discover the hidden natural treasures of El Questro and weave a path through the giant sandstone karsts of the Bungle Bungles.
Code | AD-BD10 |
---|---|
Style |
|
Duration | 10 Days |
Price |
From $
|
Departures | |
Vehicle | 4WD |
Suitability | 12+ Years |
Start | Broome @ 06.30 am |
Finish | Darwin @ 05.30 pm |
Travel Insurance | Required |
The town of Broome made its fortune from the pearling industry, though these days it's better known as an easy going tourist town with a pretty striking strip of coastline. We set off into the West Australian wilds pretty early today, so consider arriving a day or two early if you fancy getting to know Broome better. After a bit of highway driving we reach the Fitzroy River, then it's all off-road to the Napier Range. The main attraction here is Tunnel Creek, a vast cave system that extends 750 metres underground. It's from here that the indigenous renegade Jandamarra waged his rebellion against the colonial authorities - a legacy you'll learn more about on walk through the tunnel with your guide.
Note: Total driving time today is around four hours. Total walking distance is approximately six kilometres.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
Tunnel Creek exploration walk
Bunuba Indigenous Experience
Meals Included
Lunch
Dinner
It might be hard to imagine nowadays, but Windjana Gorge was once an underwater reef. During the wet season a river flows all the way through it, but during the dry it's really more a series of ponds and billabongs. We'll set out on a bit of an explore, hopefully spotting a freshwater crocodile or two, then, after lunch, drive on to Bell Gorge where waterflow from the King Leopold Ranges trickle down cascades to feed a deep plunge pool. After a refreshing afternoon swim it's back to camp.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
Windjana Gorge
Bell Gorge
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
We spend the morning exploring Adcock or Galvans gorge before making our way to Mt Barnett Station which will be our camp for this evening. After lunch we have the whole afternoon to explore and enjoy Manning gorge. After stretching your legs on the hike in you will be rewarded with a swim in a large rock pool at the base of
Manning Falls.
Note: Total driving time today is around two hours. Total walking distance is
approximately 6-8 kilometres.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
Galvans Gorge
Adcock Gorge
Manning Gorge
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Fording rivers and weaving through gorges, travel by 4WD along the wild Gibb River Road - a 600-kilometre stretch that winds right through the heart of the Kimberley. We've got a fair bit of ground to cover today, so there is a fair bit of drive time, but we'll be breaking the journey up with lunch and at a few stop-offs along the way. This journey includes the iconic Pentecost river crossing in our 4WD. How Australian is that.
Note: Total driving time today is around five hours. Total walking distance is
approximately 2 kilometres.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
Gibb River Road
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Originally established as an enormous cattle station, El Questro is now a vast wilderness reserve sprawled over more than one million acres. Camping out here, you'll really feel like you're in the middle of nowhere - albeit an extremely beautiful middle of nowhere. The ochre-coloured massifs of the Cockburn Ranges frame the landscape whichever way you turn and numerous natural springs offer plenty of opportunities for a refreshing cool-off. Following a soak in Zebedee Springs, enjoy a short trek to either El Questro or Emma Gorge (where there's a very pretty waterfall). Then it's another night camped out in El Questro.
Note: Total driving time today is only around 45 minutes. Total walking distance is up to six kilometres.
Accommodation
Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
So long El Questro, hello Bungle Bungles. Today we drive through the rugged
landscape of Carr Boyd and the Durack Ranges into Purnululu National Park. This
park is home-ground of the Bungle Bungles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
dominated by massive sandstone karsts that rear hundreds of metres above the
surrounding grasslands. We arrive at our bush camp in time to sit back and watch
the sun set over the Osmond Ranges. If you've had enough of tent camping by now, you might want to spend tonight sleeping out beneath the stars snuggled up in a swag.
Note: Total driving time today is approximately five hours. Total walking distance is
approximately five kilometres.
Accommodation
Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Strangely enough given their size, the Bungle Bungles only became known to white
Australia in 1983 when they were 'discovered' by a film team - who then had to fly
over the top by plane to find a route in by land. We know the way in, but you can sign up for a helicopter ride over the site if you wish. At ground level, we'll go on a walk through Echidna Chasm - a long and narrow ravine banked on either side by 200 metre high rock walls - and enter the massive natural Amphitheatre of Cathedral Gorge.
Note: Total driving time today is around an hour. Total walking distance is
approximately five kilometres.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Optional Activities
Helicopter Flight - Bungle Bungles - from - AUD350
Included Activities
Cathedral Gorge Walk (Bungle Bungle)
Echidna Chasm Walk
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Today we leave the Bungle Bungles for Kununurra, the largest town between
Broome and Darwin. Tonight's campsite is on the shores of Lake Argyle. There are
no further activities booked for the rest of the day, but an optional sunset cruise out
on the lake is highly recommended.
Note: Total driving time today is around three-and-a-half hours. Total walking
distance is approximately three hours.
Accommodation
Permanent tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Lake Argyle is actually a man-made lake, though you'd never have guessed so from looking at it. For a body of water situated in the centre of the world's second driest continent, it looks pretty at home. Barramundi, birds and freshwater crocs thrive in these waters, and the islands look like they've always been there (they used to be mountains). In the afternoon we push on across the state border into the Northern Territory.
Note: Total driving time today is around six-and-a-half hours. Total walking distance
is approximately one kilometre.
Optional Activities
Lake Argyle Cruise - AUD90
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
The final leg of our journey takes us through to Darwin, with stop-offs made en route
at either Katherine Gorge or Edith Falls. Then it's all over red rover (an Australian
expression meaning 'all finished')
Note: Total driving today is around four hours. Total walking distance is
approximately two kilometres.
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Camping (with basic facilities) (3 nights), Camping (with facilities) (5 nights), Permanent, furnished tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)
This trip is Basix camping and consists of portable, easy to erect, dome tents. We provide comfortable swags (canvas bedroll including 2 inch mattresses). You can either bring your own sleeping bag or purchase one from us. Pillows are not provided so you can bring your own if you wish.
This trip is specifically designed to embrace the outback and provide an authentic camping experience. It is for this reason, that we do not offer upgrades on this trip. Seven out of the nine nights have basic toilet and shower facilities, however on nights 3 and 4 we stay in the remote Purnululu National Park where only basic long-drop toilet facilities are available. Shower facilities are not available on these nights. Please ensure this level of camping is suitable for you.
Night 1: Windjana Gorge - Pop-up tents and swags. Basic toilet and shower facilities.
Night 2; Bell Gorge - Pop-up tents and swags. Basic toilet and shower facilities.
Night 3: Mount Barnett - Pop-up tents and swags. Basic toilet and shower facilities.
Night 4: El Questro Station - Pop-up tents and swags. Basic toilet and shower facilities.
Night 5: El Questro Station - Pop-up tents and swags. Basic toilet and shower facilities.
Night 6: Bungle Bungles - Pop-up tents and swags. Drop-Toilet, no shower facilities.
Night 7: Bungle Bungles - Pop-up tents and swags. Drop-Toilet, no shower facilities.
Night 8: Lake Argyle - Pop-up tents and swags. Basic toilet and shower facilities.
Night 9: Katherine - Permanent tents with swags. Basic toilet and shower facilities.
FINISH TIMES
Our trips generally finish early evening. We recommend booking one night post accommodation in your end city and planning onward travel for the following day. We cannot accept responsibility for missed onward travel if we are delayed for some reason on the last day of travel.
PARTICIPATORY CAMPING
To participate in this trip you must be prepared to assist with preparing meals, cleaning dishes, collecting firewood, setting up and packing up camp every day, in all conditions.
A non-refundable deposit of AU$300 per person per tour confirms tour with full payment required 56 days prior to departure.
Cancellation Fees for Extended Tours and Packages
• 56+ days prior to departure; loss of deposit
• 30–55 days prior to departure; 50% of total price
• Within 29 days of departure; 100% of total price
If you fail to join a tour, join it after departure, or leave it prior to its completion, no refund will be made. The above cancellation fees are in addition to fees which may be levied by accommodation providers, travel agents or third party tour and transport operator fees. Please note that different cancellation conditions may apply to some tours – please ask your booking consultant for details. Please also note that for certain travel arrangements the cancellation charge may be higher than those shown. In certain cases, a 100% cancellation fee applies as soon as the booking is made and the ticket is issued. Please ask for full details of cancellation charges at time of booking. You are strongly advised to take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking, which will cover cancellation fees. If you leave a trip for any reason after it has commenced, we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services.
Social Discount