DESCRIPTION
Our 15 Day Signature Kimberley Camping tour encompasses the best the Kimberley has to offer and is our most popular departure. With a slower, more relaxed pace, you will have plenty of time to enjoy the best of the Kimberley.
This tour operates with a group size of 12 guests, to enhance your experience. For smaller groups or private tours, 4-8 guests, please contact us directly to enquire about our private tour options.
Our detailed daily itinerary is:
Day 1 – Broome to Windjana Gorge
Departing
Broome we make our way to Derby, visiting the Norval Aboriginal Art Gallery, so
you can peruse the exquisite pieces and learn about the traditional art history
of this area.
Our next stop is
Windjana Gorge, a stunning gorge cut through the Napier Range. This site holds
special significance to the local Aboriginal people. The gorge is 3.5 km long
and formed by the Lennard River as it winds its way through the Napier Range.
There is primeval life forms fossilised within the gorge walls. Isolated pools
in the ‘dry’ season, support an abundance of wildlife including freshwater
crocodiles, water birds, corellas, and a colony of fruit bats.
We
will take a walk up the gorge, before setting up camp at the Gorge, our evening
destination.
Overnight: Windjana Gorge National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2 – Windjana Gorge to Silent Grove
Tunnel Creek is our
next destination, which flows through a water worn tunnel beneath the limestone
of the Napier Range. Tunnel Creek is part of the 350–375-million-year-old
Devonian Reef, formed when most of the Kimberley was covered by the sea and
gradually exposed as the sea level fell to its present level. Tunnel Creek was
the hideout for Jandamarra (Pigeon) who led the Aboriginal resistance against
the police and pastoralists until he was tracked down and killed by a police
posse in 1897. We will walk 750 meters through the tunnel, wading through
several permanent pools to the other side of Napier Range.
After re-joining
the Gibb River Rd, we continue north to Bell Gorge. Eroded into the King
Leopold Range, Bell Gorge is one of the most impressive gorges in the
Kimberley. Bell Creek cascades down through a series of falls and pools. After
setting up camp, the group relaxes around the campfire for the evening.
Overnight: Silent Grove (Bell Gorge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 – Silent Grove to Mt Barnett (Manning Gorge)
Following breakfast
and camp pack up, the group will head out to Bell Gorge for a hike and relaxing
swim. After returning to the vehicle, the group will continue their journey
along the Gibb River Rd to Galvans Gorge for a short walk and lunch. Our
evening stop is Mt Barnett, where the group will enjoy the afternoon swimming
and relaxing on the banks of the Barnett River.
Overnight: Mt Barnett (Manning Gorge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Mt Barnett (Manning Gorge)
A relaxing day with a hike out to Manning Falls for a swim, returning around lunch time. Following lunch, we take a a short drive to Galvans Gorge, where we enjoy a short walk (1km) and a swim. Returning to Mt Barnett, where we soak in the amazing atmosphere before relaxing around the campfire.
Overnight: Mt Barnett (Manning Gorge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Mt Barnett to Munurru (King Edward River)
Following breakfast, we continue along the infamous Gibb River Road before turning up the Kalumburu Road to Drysdale River Station for fuel and refreshments. The last leg of the day takes us onto the start of the Port Warrender Rd where we arrive at camp mid afternoon.
Overnight: Munurru (King Edward River)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – Mitchell Plateau
Today’s drive along the Port Warrender Road will be slow and steady to the Mitchell Plateau. The roads are a good example of 4WD terrain. Departing the camp for the day, we arrive at the Mertens carpark mid-morning where we embark on a short scenic helicopter flight over the Mitchell Plateau and the incredible Mitchell Falls. The scenery is remarkable, and it gives us a great perspective before seeing it on the ground. After exploring the top of the falls, and enjoying a swim, we hike 3.5km back to the carpark, stopping in at some Aboriginal Rock Art along the way. Once we arrive back at the vehicle, we make our way back to camp late afternoon.
Overnight: Munurru (King Edward River)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Mitchell Plateau to Ellenbrae Station
Today we have a leisurely day and explore two magnificent
Aboriginal Rock art sites before continuing onto Ellenbrae Station to enjoy afternoon tea and our overnight stop.
Overnight: Ellenbrae Station
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 – Ellenbrae Station to El Questro
This
morning, we make our way to El Questro, stopping in at the Pentecost River and
Cockburn Ranges. Arriving at EL Questro around Lunch, the group has the
afternoon to catch up on washing, relax reading a book or head to the bar.
Overnight: El Questro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 – El Questro
Today we experience the more of El Questro
Wilderness Park, firstly with a swim in the magnificent Thermal Pools of
Zebedee Springs, followed by a 3km (return) hike into Emma Gorge, in the heart
of the Cockburn Ranges. Following the hike, we enjoy lunch before making our
way to the station townsite.
Overnight: El Questro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 – El Questro to Wuggubun Bush Camp
Following
Breakfast, the group will pack up and make their way to Wyndham and visit 5
Rivers lookout, the historical museum and Parry Lagoon Reserve. The evening
destination is Wuggubun, a secluded bush camp halfway between Wyndham and
Kununurra with excellent facilities nestled in a beautiful gorge.
Overnight: Wuggubun Cultural Bush Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 – Lake Argyle and Kununurra
Following
breakfast, we spend the day exploring Lake Argyle, the Ord River and Kununurra.
We will visit the Lake Argyle Dam, Historical Museum, Ivanhoe Crossing and
Kununurra township. The group will return to camp for the evening.
Overnight: Wuggubun Cultural Bush Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12 – Wuggubun to Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)
The following leg
of our journey takes us to the World Heritage Listed Purnululu National Park
(Bungle Bungles). The Bungle Bungle Range is renowned for its striking orange
and grey horizontal banded domes. The distinctive beehive-shaped landforms have
been produced by uplift and erosion over the last 20 million years.
Our evening will
consist of a spectacular sunset viewing of the Bungle Bungle Ranges while
enjoying a glass of Champagne, before returning to our camp.
Overnight: Purnululu (Bungle Bungles)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13 – Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)
After breakfast, we spend the day
walking and exploring the magnificent beehive formations of this World Heritage
Listed region through the southern end of the park. This will include hikes
Cathedral Gorge and Piccaninny Creek Lookout. Up until 1982 the region was
largely ‘undiscovered’. Prior to 1982 only local Aboriginal people and a
handful of stockmen knew of the area and in 1987 it became a National Park. Following
lunch, the group will head to the northern part of the park to hike into
Echidna Chasm. An unforgettable helicopter flight over the Bungles is highly
recommended and available at an extra cost.
Overnight: Purnululu (Bungle Bungles)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14 – Purnululu National Park to Larrawa Station
Leaving Purnululu we make our way to Halls Creek for morning tea and refreshments and visit China Wall, Old Halls Creek. We travel along the Great Northern Highway to Larrawa Station, our overnight destination. We enjoy a hosted dinner on the Station for our final night together.
Overnight: Larrawa Station
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15 – Larrawa Station to Broome
We return to Broome mid afternoon and will say farewell after taking you to your pre arranged accommodation.
Overnight: Pre-arranged accommodation
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
