13 Day Kimberley - Darwin Itinerary
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» Tour Highlights
Day 1 (L,D)
Youwill be collected from your hotel at 7 am this morning to begin your 13 day4WD safari through the Kimberley region.
Wehead south along the Stuart Highway towards the township of Katherine, with astop at the historic Adelaide River en-route.
On arrival in Katherine, we make our way to the Katherine ArtGallery for a cultural experience. Activities on offer include sitting downwith resident artist, Manuel who will tell you tales of tribal life, language, the hunting and gathering techniques, ceremony, weapons used and aboriginalcontemporary life. Experience your own Rarrk painting with Manuel or Dotpainting with Adrianna from the desert community of Yuendumu. You will alsohave an opportunity to participate in one of the traditional hunting activities (firelighting, spear throwing etc.).
We have lunch and then make our way to our permanent camp at MaudCreek. This afternoon, we cruise for 2 hours through Nitmiluk Gorge, hometo 13 spectacular gorges, carved out of the rock by torrential summer rains, over millions of years. View the beautiful scenery and discover the customs ofthe traditional owners, the Jawoyn people.
Overnightpermanent camp – Maud Creek Lodge
Day 2 (B,L,D)
Todaywe head west along the Victoria Highway, into Western Australia. En-route, we stopto view the mighty Victoria River, one of the largest tidal influenced riversin the Territory with an abundance of saltwater crocodiles.
We travel throughGregory National Park and Timber Creek before crossing through the border intoWA.
Thereis some free time for you to have a look around Kununurra (we recommend the WarringariArt Centre),while your guide shops for fresh supplies (due to borderrestrictions).
Afterlunch onthe banks of Lake Kununurra, we turn off onto the famous Gibb River road begin our adventure through theKimberley !
Ourdestination this afternoon is El QuestroWilderness Park, which is a millionacres in size. Just before the turn off, we stop to view an Aboriginal artsite, which consists of East Kimberley peg figures, Wandjana figuresand contemporarystyles.
Aftersetting up camp, there’s the opportunity for a swim in the rockpools (part ofthe Pentecost River) before dinner.
Overnightcamp - El Questro campground (2 night stay)
Day 3 (B,L,D)
Anearly start this morning to beat the crowds to Zebedee Springs for a relaxingdip in the thermal pools, set amongst palm trees.
We’llreturn to camp for breakfast and then take a walk into El Questro Gorge, whichis a trail through a deep, narrow gorge, flanked by sheer cliffs. The walkfeatures clear pools and lush tropical vegetation and the rainforest canopy hasa diverse ecosystem, while keeping us shaded and cool through most of the walk.There are a couple of places to stop for a swim along the way.
Back to camp for lunch and this afternoon, visit the Durack Tree andthen there’s some free time in camp.
Overnightcamp - El Questro campground
Day 4 (B,L,D)
LeavingEl Questro, we head back onto the Gibb River Road where we’ll drive through themighty Pentecost River to a lookout, for fantastic views of the river and themighty Cockburn Ranges.
Wevisit another art site along the way, with cuples,Wandjana figures as well as Petroglyphs (rockcarvings). This is also where the local Aboriginal people used to shelter andsharpen their spears.
Turningonto the Kalumburu Road, we stop on the banks ofthe Gibb River and view a rock art site.
Afterlunch, we continue north to Miners Pool for a swim and some time to relax. Manyspecies of birdlife can be seen here and for the early risers, kangaroo’s oftencome out at sunrise.
Thisevening, we’ll have a traditional camp oven roast, cooked in the hot coals.
Overnightcamp - Miners Pool campground
Day 5 (B,L,D)
Wehave a later start this morning and after breakfast we continue north to KingEdward River, where we’ll view 2 unique art sites and a burial site. Your guidewill interpret these art sites, of Gwion (Bradshaw) Wandjana figures, Thylacineand other contempory styles and will explain their significance.
Thisafternoon there’s plenty of time to swim before sunset and the riverbank ishome to an array of birdlife.
Overnightcamp - on the banks of the King Edward River (2 night stay).
Day 6 (B,L,D)
Todayis spent swimming and exploring in the Mitchell Falls area. On our 3km walk into the falls, we’ll visitLittle and Big Mertens Falls, 2 rock art sites and delve into some bushtuckersand medicines.
The rest of the day is spent swimming and relaxing at MitchellFalls, a three-tiered waterfall cascading over the plateau’s edge and into theMitchell River.
We’ll take a short helicopter ride back to the carpark enjoying the amazing views on the way and then make our way back to camp.Overnightcamp - on the banks of the King Edward River
Day 7 (B,L,D)
Weleaving camp thismorning to head south again and continue our journey alongthe Gibb River road.
Ourdestination today is Mt. Barnett Station and Manning Gorge, where, thisafternoon, we relax and enjoy a swim in the picturesque surrounds. Thereis also the option of taking the longer hike to Upper Manning Falls.
Overnightcamp - Manning Gorge campground
Day 8 (B,L,D)
Ourfirst stop this morning is Galvans Gorge, a small picturesque gorge, surroundedby boab trees. It has some interesting rock art and is a great place for arelaxing swim.
Thenwe’ll head to Bell Gorge, which is said to be the most picturesque gorge in theKimberley. Here we take a short hike which leads to the waterfall, where wehave a swim.
Continuingwest, we pass through the King Leopold and Napier Ranges to Windjana Gorge,part of an ancient Devonian reef system where the Lennard River has cut throughthe Napier range. Freshwater crocodiles can often be seen lazing around on theriver banks.
Weset up camp and watch the sunset over the Napier Range.
Overnightcamp at Windjana Gorge campground
Day 9 (B,L,D)
Thismorning we take a walk into Windjana Gorge and then head off to spectacular TunnelCreek, a 750m long limestone tunnel in the Napier Range, carved into the rockover millions of years. As we walk through the tunnel, view stalactites andstalacmites and hear the story of Jandamarra, who used the tunnel as a hideoutin the late 1800’s.
Thelast leg of our journey today, takes us to Fitzroy Crossing, where, at 3pm, we take the ranger lead boat cruise throughGeike Gorge, where flood waters of the Fitzroy River have carved the30-metre-deep Gorge through the limestone at the junction of the Oscar andGeikie Ranges.
In the dry season, the river transforms itself into a quiet stream strung out beneath thetowering cliffs of the Devonian reef. Here, layers of fossils and the limestonestrata of an ancient reef are exposed in cross section, showing glimpses oflife in the Devonian period before reptiles or mammals evolved.
Overnightcamp- Fitzroy River Lodge campground
Day 10 (B,L,D)
Todaywe continue our journey to Purnululu National park, famous for the ancientrange of unusualbeehive-shaped domes, gorges and chasms over 350 million yearsold. The section of road into the Bungles from the highway is quite challengingand will give you a real sense of off-road adventure!
This afternoon wehead out to Echidna Chasm, which is a narrow gorgeof conglomerate rock. The walk in is beautiful, passing endemnic livistoniapalms. On the way back we take a detour to the lookout over the Osmond Rangesand enjoy sunset over the Bungle Bungles massif.
Overnightcamp - Bungle Bungles campground (2 night stay).
Day 11 (B,L,D)
Westart today with a helicopter flight over the Bungle Bungles Range. Depart the Purnululuairstrip for the south west tip of the massif where you will view Y Gorge before flying across the top of the massif to themouth of spectacular Picaninny Gorge. Flyalong the southern face following Picaninny Creek where you can view the mouth of Cathedral Gorge and the famous orange and black striped beehiveshaped domes.
Then we’ll walk into Cathedral Gorge, a huge natural amphitheatre, with fantastic acoustics.On our way back, we walk up to the Piccaniny lookout for aspectacular view over the domes and the surrounding desert county. We take the“Domes trail walk” and head back to camp for lunch.
This afternoon, we take the MiniPalms Walk, to complete your experience in the Bungle Bungles. This is a longerhike, taking you along a riverbed into a narrow, boulder strewn gorge filled with Livistona Palms. We’ll eventuallyreach a viewing platform overlooking a palm filled valley surrounded by 150mhigh cliffs.
Overnightcamp - Bungle Bungles campground .
Day 12 (B,L,D)
Afterbreakfast, we leave the Bungle Bungles, heading towards Kununurra and onto LakeArgyle.
LakeArgyle is Australia’s largest man- made lake, covering 1000sq km and built as part of the Ord River scheme. It offers a great expanse of water fromwhich steep red rocky slopes reach up approximately 150m, in awe-inspiringgrandeur.
After setting up camp, take the sunset cruise on thelake, where you will cruise through some of the 90 islands and inlets and takein the magnificent scenery of the Carr Boyd Ranges. As the sun sets over therugged red cliffs and azure blue water, experience the suns last golden rays.
Overnightcamp - Lake Argyle campground
Day 13 (B,L)
Thismorning we’ll pass through the border into the Northern Territory and travelthrough Timber Creek and Gregory National Park.
We stop to view the Victoria River, one of the largest tidalinfluenced rivers in the Territory with an abundance of saltwater crocodiles.
Continuing east to Katherine, we make our way to the Katherine HotSprings. We have lunch here and you can enjoy a soothing dip in the thermalpools or sit and relax under the small waterfall.
Wearrive back in Darwin at approximately 5.30pm and you will be dropped off atyour accommodation.
END ITINERARY
B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / D = Dinner
