Wonders of the Kimberley with Kimberley Coastal Adventure

Be met at the airport before being transferred to your premium expedition ship, Heritage Adventurer, your home for the next nine nights. Get to know your fellow travellers at a relaxed dinner on board this evening.

Arrive in Koolama Bay this morning before joining a Zodiac cruise along the King George River, winding through towering red cliffs and passing by mangrove forests. You’ll also enjoy an Insider Experience at the river’s greatest attraction.

Insider Experience – King George Falls

Get up close and personal to the magnificent King George Falls, where the King George River tumbles 80 metres down from lofty sandstone cliffs. You’ll be able to experience its power as your Zodiac creeps close to the iconic waterfall.

Explore beautiful Vansittart Bay today, landing and experiencing its greatest sights. Venture out across the salt flats to see the US Air Force C-53 plane which famously crash landed here during World War II in 1942.

Arrive at Ashmore Reef Marine Park today and savour a Zodiac tour of the seabird haven, where up to 100,000 birds breed each year. In addition to the prolific birdlife, beneath the clear tropical waters, the coral reefs, seagrass meadows, sandflats and lagoons of Ashmore Reef are home to a colourful array of marine life including 255 species of reef building coral, the greatest number of any reef on the Western Australian coast.

Explore this labyrinth of islands, inlets and peninsulas, believed to be named by explorer Lieutenant Phillip Parker King after novelist Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels. Set out on another exciting adventure with an Insider Experience today.

Insider Experience – Swift Bay Aboriginal Rock Art

See incredible galleries of ancient Wandjina and Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) rock art, estimated to have been created between 5,000 and 13,000 years ago. These remarkable artworks can be seen in caves close to the water’s edge, and are primarily painted on rock overhangs.

Enhance Your Journey – Mitchell Falls Scenic Helicopter Flight

If you’d like to soar high above the Kimberley’s incredible landscapes, you can board a helicopter flight for a unique bird’s-eye view of the tiered waterfalls of the Mitchell Plateau (additional expense).

Arrive in Prince Frederick Harbour today and explore its lush mangrove ecosystems surrounded by impressive red sandstone cliffs. The harbour fosters an array of wildlife including saltwater crocodiles, mudskippers, kingfishers and white-bellied sea eagles. Next, reboard a Zodiac to discover the wonders of the Hunter River and the picturesque Naturalists Island.

After a special Insider Experience, cruise through Doubtful Bay on the lookout for whales, which are commonly seen during the season. Enjoy another Insider Experience at Freshwater Cove to end your day.

Insider Experience – Montgomery Reef

Soak in the amazing scenes aboard a Zodiac as Montgomery Reef dramatically rises out of the ocean as a result of the region’s strong tides. Cruise through narrow channels between the world’s largest inshore reef as you admire the spectacle and the incredible wildlife exposed by the cascading water.

Insider Experience – Wandjina Rock Art

Be guided by a local Aboriginal guide through an incredible millennia-old Wandjina rock art site at Freshwater Cove.

An exciting day exploring the Kimberley by Zodiac awaits today after arriving in Talbot Bay. Enjoy an Insider Experience and explore the bay and Cyclone Creek as you wind your way past impressive rock formations on the lookout for the region’s amazing wildlife.

Insider Experience – Horizontal Falls

Enjoy viewing the incredible Horizontal Falls aboard a Zodiac in Talbot Bay, subject to tidal conditions. Forged by the bay’s impressive 12-metre tides as the water squeezes through a narrow gap between gorge walls, the powerful currents are a sight to behold.

Today, you’ll set out on a Zodiac for a guided tour of the spectacular Lacepede Islands. A certified Important Bird Area for an abundance of marine birds and Western Australia’s most important green sea turtle breeding habitat, the quartet of islands are havens for a variety of wildlife and a joy to explore. Later, your ship cruises to the Buccaneer Archipelago, a beautiful cluster of more than 800 islands home to a broad range of unique wildlife.

Arrive in Broome this morning and check in to your hotel. Enjoy time to explore at leisure.

Leave Broome early this morning en route to the Kimberley. Be driven along the iconic Gibb River Road to Windjana Gorge, where ancient marine fossils lay embedded in the imposing and beautiful gorge walls. Continue to Tunnel Creek, where you can wade through its refreshing waters as you work your way along Western Australia’s oldest cave system to a hidden oasis. Admire the serene setting before returning to the road to head to your premium accommodation at Fitzroy Crossing.

Following your Insider Experience this morning, travel to Purnululu National Park before settling in at your Wilderness Lodge and enjoying another Insider Experience tonight.

Insider Experience – Nyanyjili Footprint Tour

Be joined by an Indigenous Australian Traditional Owner guide on your Nyanyjili Footprint Tour. Become immersed in the stories, history and culture of Bunuba country and its people. Take the opportunity to ask questions and connect with your guide on this intimate tour.

Insider Experience – Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge

Tonight, enjoy open-air dining in a charming outback setting at the Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge as you soak in the sights and sounds of the Kimberley during dinner. You’ll delight in this experience on each night of your stays here and at the Mitchell Falls and Bell Gorge wilderness lodges. 

Enjoy a full day to explore some of Purnululu National Park’s most beautiful locations. Experience the incredible natural acoustics of Cathedral Gorge, a vast amphitheatre of vibrant rock created by erosion over millions of years. Later, stroll along Piccaninny Creek winding your way through the park’s unique landscapes. You can also take to the skies on an optional helicopter flight.

Enhance Your Journey – Bungle Bungle Range Helicopter Flight

Take a helicopter flight over the Bungle Bungle Range, soaring over the range’s beehive-like domes and seeing Cathedral Gorge and Piccaninny Creek from a birds-eye view (additional expense).

Treat yourself to another magical day in Purnululu National Park today with a hike to Echidna Chasm. Wander through the otherworldly cleft, gazing up at the narrow cliffs as they reach up to 200 metres towards the sky. Next, travel to Kununurra and check into your accommodation.  

Enhance Your Journey – Camp Oven Experience

Tonight you can indulge in a spectacular four-course dinner under the outback stars at the Gourmet Camp Oven Experience, delighting in delicious dishes championing both the freshest local produce and the best traditional bush tucker of the Kimberley (additional expense).

You may wish to enjoy today at leisure in Kununurra, or you can take an optional cruise of the Ord River. Later, transfer to El Questro Wilderness Park.

Enhance Your Journey – Ord River Cruise

Embark on a cruise of the Ord River, exploring the river’s unique ecosystem on the lookout for freshwater crocodiles and an abundance of unique birdlife.

Enhance Your Journey – El Questro Emma Gorge Resort Upgrade

Why not enhance your experience with an upgrade to Emma Gorge Resort, located in the heart of El Questro Wilderness Park? Instead of free time in Kununurra, you’ll journey to El Questro in the morning, enjoying lunch at El Questro Station before embarking on a scenic Chamberlain Gorge cruise. Later, check into the stunning Emma Gorge Resort, where you can unwind with some downtime, perhaps taking a dip in the resort’s pool, before enjoying a delightful dinner in this breathtaking setting. The next morning, you'll have the opportunity to set out on a hike to the spectacular Emma Gorge waterfall.

Set off on a walk to Emma Gorge today. A spectacular oasis awaits, where you can take a refreshing dip beneath the gorge’s tumbling waterfall while shaded by its towering cliffs. You can also choose to take a Chamberlain Gorge cruise.

Enhance Your Journey – Chamberlain Gorge Cruise

Enjoy a cruise of Chamberlain Gorge, admiring the beautiful scenery and local wildlife while enjoying sparkling wine and local fruit from the Ord Valley (additional expense).

Today travel towards the isolated Mitchell Plateau, and enjoy a swim in the King Edward River. Later, enter a remote world of Livistona palm forests, beautiful lookouts, magnificent waterfalls and isolated swimming holes. Then, check in to your Wilderness Lodge, your home for the next two nights. Relax on the deck of your tented cabin as you take in the sounds of the outback, or perhaps cool off in the swimming hole.

Enjoy a guided walk through Mitchell Plateau today to experience the power and beauty of its waterfalls and marvel at its collection of Aboriginal rock art. Along the way, stop at the serene Little Mertens Falls for a refreshing swim. Alternatively, you can choose to take an optional hike and helicopter flight.

Enhance Your Journey – Mitchell Falls Hike and Scenic Helicopter Flight

Venture deeper on a longer hike to witness the towering Big Mertens Falls before arriving at the top of the magnificent four-tiered Mitchell Falls. From here, take to the skies on a scenic helicopter flight for a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of this natural wonder (additional expense).

VVisit more amazing rock art galleries at the Mitchell Plateau for an Insider Experience before enjoying a swim in the clear waters of the King Edward River. Later, cross the Drysdale River en route to your new accommodation.

Insider Experience – Wandjina and Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) Rock Art 

Admire ancient Wandjina and Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) rock art created by the Wunambal people that dates back thousands of years at a gallery in Mitchell Plateau.

Visit picturesque Manning Creek and enjoy lunch in the shade of the region’s impressive boab trees before taking a refreshing dip in the pristine water. Continue to Galvans Gorge for a short walk to a natural waterhole for another relaxing swim before heading to your new Wilderness Lodge. 

Get back on the Gibb River Road on the way to Bell Gorge, where cliffs surround a series of tiered waterholes. You might like to cool off with a dip at the top of the falls. Return to the lodge this evening and enjoy a final dinner with your small group.

Visit the Boab Prison Tree today. Measuring 14 metres wide and estimated to be more than 1,500 years old, the significant tree was once used by early police patrols as a standing point for prisoners. Later, return to Broome where your holiday comes to a close.