10 Day Broome to Kimberley Explorer

(Itinerary in reverse with variations on accommodation)

Day 1: Broome arrival day

ITINERARY: Today is an arrival day. Spend the day at leisure.

FLIGHTS: Flights can be booked at any time during the day. The airport is a short 10-minute taxi ride from your accommodation. Your first night is we’ll stay at the Mantra Frangipani Apartments located close to Cable Beach. This hotel offers superb luxury accommodation including two designer swimming pools, one with a waterfall. Guests will stay in a one bedroom apartment. Tonight we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner accompanied by wine at Cable Beach Resort.

Day 2:  Broome – Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat & Headland Walk

TRAIL NOTES: Headland walk: 7km. Easy walk along a creek and coastline. 

WALK ITINERARY: After breakfast, we’ll drive down the coast to our accommodation for the night at Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat, set amongst the pristine & wild Kimberley Coast which is a 90 minute drive away. The accommodation is designed to be environmentally friendly, using renewable energy sources. After lunch at Jack’s Restaurant we’ll enjoy a walk along the coast and headland. Walking along this stretch of beach has to be completed on a low tide as such we’ll need to walk at 3pm today as we’ll be walking around several headlands. We will walk passed many varied rock formations including the Mini Bungles, Lion Rock, Salty Cliffs, Osprey Rock, Cape Villaret and finally the caves. The walk is approximately 3.5km one-way. Once back at the Resort enjoy a swim at the ocean front pool. Tonight we’ll enjoy dinner at Jack’s Bar and Restaurant which offers a menu based on seasonal produce. Relax with a glass of beer or wine after a day of incredible sightseeing.

Day 3: Pearl Farm Tour – Scenic Flight from Cape Leveque to Derby over Horizontal Falls

TRAIL NOTES:  Pearl Farm Tour. 60-minutes walking tour. Easy Grade

WALK ITINERARY: After an early breakfast this morning we’ll drive 4-hours to Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. Once here we’ll experience a Pearl Farm Tour at Cygnet Bay. Cygnet Bay is celebrating over 75 years of the Brown family’s involvement in the pearling industry. This land-based tour gives visitors an insight into the fascinating history of pearling in Cygnet Bay and how we cultivate some of the most sought-after and beautiful pearls in the world. Our knowledgeable tour guides will demonstrate a pearl harvest giving a glimpse into a fully operational pearl farm. Our tour concludes with an in-depth pearl grading and appreciation session that will leave you feeling like a pearl expert! It’s with these exquisite gems that Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm is honoured to share a unique and coveted treasure with seekers of true natural beauty. After the 60-minute tour we will enjoy another scenic flight over Horizontal Falls and the Buchaneer Archipelago before landing in Derby. The Horizontal Falls are a fast-moving tidal flow through two narrow, closely aligned gorges of the McLarty Range, located in Talbot Bay north of Broome. The direction of the flow reverses with each change of tide. As tides in the Kimberley can reach 10 metres, a peak tide gives rise to a significant difference in the sea level on either side of each gorge. Enjoy a night’s rest at the Derby Lodge with a sumptuous meal at Neaps Restaurant served with wine, where the staff produce amazing food in this small outback town. 

Day 4: Geikie Gorge Cruise and Windjana Gorge

WALK GRADE: Windjana Gorge Walk – 7km, 3 hours Easy to Moderate Grade. (Tunnel Creek Walk – currently closed – 2km, 1.5 hours easy to Moderate Grade – when it reopens we will also do this walk)

TERRAIN: Flat walking. Windjana Gorge varies between sections of uneven, rocky and unmodified terrain and sandy riverbed walking. (currently closed – Tunnel Creek Walk can be wet, rocky and uneven underfoot, torches are essential).

WALK ITINERARY: After breakfast, we set out on our day’s adventure to enjoy the remote scenery of the Kimberley, dotted with the dramatic silhouettes of huge boab trees, as you experience the renowned Gibb River Road. We will then walk in the gorgeous, shady reaches of Windjana Gorge. This is one of the Kimberley’s most stunning gorges, with water-streaked walls that rise majestically to heights of 100 metres. The Lennard River runs through Windjana Gorge in wet weather, but in the dry season it forms calm pools surrounded by shady trees. Here you can see fossilised marine life within the limestone of the gorge walls.  It is then that we travel to explore Western Australia’s oldest cave system in Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) National Park. Tunnel Creek is currently closed, however once it reopens we will do this walk. In the meantime, we shall still visit this area and talk about the history of the caves. This landmark feature is famous as the hideout used by Aboriginal warrior, freedom-fighter and leader Jandamarra, who was labelled an outlaw and killed outside its entrance in 1897. At Dimalurru you walk through an underground tunnel, formed by the flowing creek, and out the other side of the Napier Range. The track runs underground for 750 metres. Afterwards, we’ll continue travelling to the start of the Geike Gorge where we will enjoy a cruise through this scenic and rare limestone-walled gorge. We’ll then continue on to Fitzroy River Lodge for the night. Tonight we dine in the lodge restaurant, renowned for its focus on fresh, locally-inspired cuisines in conjunction with classic Australian favourites served with Australian wines.  

Day 5: Mimbi Caves and Girlorloo and Geikie Gorge

WALK GRADE: Mimbi Caves walking tour – 3 hours Easy Grade. Jarrambayah Trail/Geike Gorge Walk & cruise – 2 hours, Easy Grade.

TERRAIN: Flat walking on dirt and sandy tracks, with some sections of uneven, rocky and unmodified terrain.

WALK ITINERARY: This morning after breakfast, we enjoy an early start and head to the ancient limestone country around Fitzroy Crossing with its hidden caves and spectacular gorge.  You will start with an enlightening tour of the hidden Mimbi Caves guided by the traditional owners, the Gooniyandi people, who share a strong connection with Mimbi Caves and the surrounding country. On the walk, your local guides will share ancient Dreaming stories as well as traditional knowledge of local bush tucker, bush medicine and the native flora and fauna found around the cave system. Enjoy traditional Billie Tea and damper, made the traditional way using native seeds and cooked on a campfire while listening to the Gooniyandi Dreaming story of the Blue Tongue Lizard and the Mud Lark.  From here we depart Mimbi and head north to Halls Creek, passing the colourful rocks of the Kimberley region. The drive will take around 2h30minutes to our accommodation at the remote Halls Creek Motel, home of Russian Jacks Bar and Restaurant. Enjoy pre-dinner drinks (own expense) then join the group for a wonderful hearty dinner and chat about the day’s adventures. 

Day 6: Halls Creek – Bungle Bungle Heli-Hike Experience – Home Valley Station

TRAIL NOTES: 10km return hike. Requires a good level of fitness and mobility.

WALK ITINERARY: This morning enjoy an early breakfast before setting off to explore the Bungle Bungles. On arriving into Purnululu National Park we’ll meet our helicopter that will fly us near the mouth of the remote Piccaninny Gorge, the largest of all the gorges in the National Park. Our guide will lead the hike into the gorge and share stories of the area’s significance to the Aboriginal people and its unique history, which led to the World Heritage listing of Purnululu National Park. We will enjoy a morning tea and picnic lunch here. To experience this area, would normally take 3 days hiking with overnight camping supplies in a heavy pack. (Including one day to reach the mouth of the gorge, then another day to explore the gorge and then another day to retrace your steps and hike back to the start). With OUR journey we will access this area in a day with our helicopter dropping us at the mouth of the gorge, allowing us the day to explore the best areas of this enormous gorge, that cuts through the Bungle Range. The helicopter will then pick us up for and drop us at Warmun so we can continue our journey to Kununurra with a stunning flight taking in views on Argyle, the Carr Boyd Ranges and the Bungles on a small plane to Purnululu National Park. The luxury of us flying saves us around 4.5hours of rugged road travel and allows us to enjoy a smooth, scenic flight to one of Australia’s World Heritage Sites. We will witness the beauty of the Bungles from above before landing in Kununurra to be transferred to our accommodation for the next two nights at the campground at El Questro Station. Enjoy all the fun of a camping adventure, but with the little extras. In the campground you’ll find your walk-in touring tent set up for your arrival including an off the ground bed with a deluxe camping mattress and pillow. There are toilet and shower facilities provided in the campground. Tonight enjoy dinner in the Steakhouse Verandah Restaurant enjoying fine dining featuring local produce such as barramundi and succulent beef.

Day 7: Amalia Gorge walk & Chamberlain Gorge Cruise

TRAIL NOTES: Amalia Gorge walk: 3.4kms. Grade: moderately difficult.
El Questro Gorge: 3 kms. 2 hours. Medium. Terrain: Some section rocky creek bed requiring good level of fitness & agility. Walking poles suggested.

ITINERARY: This morning after breakfast we’ll drive to El Questro in the Eastern Kimberley where we’ll walk both Amalia Gorge and El Questro Gorge. The drive will take around 1-hours. The Amalia Gorge walk, a return trek to the waterfall and plunge pool takes over an hour and passes by several small flowing waterfalls and crystal clear pools, including a lovely half-way pool. The beginning of the walk is over a rocky dry river bed, with some tough narrow areas of the trail, but the scenery is worth it. After this walk, we’ll enjoy a sit-down lunch.  We will then enjoy a cruise along the Chamberlain River, taking in the beauty of this region’s flora and fauna and one of the longest gorge systems in the Kimberley. Enjoy a delicious meal in Steakhouse Verandah Restaurant tonight served with Australian wine.

Day 8: Emma Gorge Walk – Lake Argyle

This morning after breakfast we’ll head to Emma Gorge which forms part of the Cockburn Ranges. This scenic trail takes us through a gorge characterised by cliff face escarpments reaching up to 120 metres high on both sides of the trail. See the ever-changing vegetation as you make your way along the gorge until you reach the crystal clear pools and a 65-metre waterfall. Enjoy a refreshing swim in the pools to cool off before enjoying lunch. After lunch we’ll transfer to Lake Argyle – the jewel of the Kimberley.  The drive will take around 2-hours 15-minutes. Lake Argyle is located in the remote Kimberley region in the far north of Western Australia. The vast freshwater lake nestled amongst a rugged billion year old landscape is brimming with an abundance of wildlife and breath-taking colourful vistas. Our accommodation for the next two nights is at Lake Argyle Resort which has been designed and constructed specifically for the stunning Kimberley landscape overlooking the lake. Enjoy the delights of this property including the stunning infinity pool! 35 metres of infinity wet edge, spa, and some of the most breath-taking scenery of the Kimberley’s! Once we’ve checked in and freshened up we’ll head out to Pannikin Bay Sunset Lookout (1.3km). Tonight we’ll enjoy a hearty dinner in the restaurant, served with wine.

Day 9: Pint Pot Bay Exploration Walk

This morning enjoy a hearty breakfast before we cruise across the lake to start our walk for the day. The boat will take us passed many bays and inlets that make this vast body of water so incredibly unique. We may see wallabies, wallaroos, fish, birdlife and freshwater crocs along the way. We will be dropped off to enjoy the Pint Pot Bay Exploration Walk, a 6-8km walk depending on which option you choose. This walk is part of the Southern Carr Boyd Ranges which, from afar, seem arid and barren. But once up close reveal their hidden delights with cool gorges, waterfalls, and lovely, fern-lined pools just begging for someone to swim in them! Some of the best bushwalking tracks in the Kimberley can be found here. This walk is trackless and a unique opportunity to walk in the Kimberly Wilderness. The walk is medium to hard in grade and ranges in terrain with some fairly steep parts onto the plateau, but once on top walking becomes easier and the amazing views on top of the Carr Boyd Ranges make it worthwhile. Optional: An additional 2 km diversion into Little Revolver Creek to a secluded waterpools is available to those who want to venture further. After our walk we’ll head back to Lake Argyle Resort for lunch and an afternoon dip in the stunning infinity pool taking in the beauty that surrounds us. Late this afternoon we’ll enjoy a private sunset cruise before enjoying dinner in the restaurant, served with wine.

Day 10: Bluff Lookout Walk – Kununurra

This morning after breakfast we’ll walk straight from the resort to Bluff Lookout, a 5.3 kilometre easy trail.  Look out for the interesting wildlife you may see along the way. Birds, marsupials, reptiles, insects and maybe even an Echidna! On our return we’ll check-out of Lake Argyle Resort and make our way to Kununurra!   On the drive back we’ll stop a few times to take in the incredible sights of the Ord Dam which in 1974 when Lake Argyle was then filled. We will also stop at one of our Riverside Camp’s for a sumptuous buffet lunch, before continuing on to Kununurra where our walking holiday concludes at approximately 3pm. Please note as airlines can change departure times, we will adjust the start time on day 5 to ensure guests can meet flights departing at later in the day.

Note: due to warmer weather in the Territory our guides will determine the best walking experiences for the day. Early morning starts will mean we will walk in the cooler part of the day. Some days include several short walks. Most walks include a swim to cool off during the walks.  All walks outlined above are subject to them being open. Note we start our walks in June to try and avoid this, however due to weather some walks may not be opened until later in the season. When walks are not opened alternative walks or activities will be substituted

This is an all-inclusive tour with no hidden extras:

• Private boat charter to your Lake Argyle walk
• Sunset Cruise Lake Argyle
• Scenic Flight from The Bungles in Purnululu National Park (saving 9 hours driving) to Kununurra
• Bungles Heli-Hiking experience to walk in the remote Picaninny Gorge
• Scenic Flight to Derby from Cape Leveque over Horizontal Falls and the Buchaneer Archipelago
• Pearl Farm Tour of Cygnet Bay
• Scenic Flight from Broome to Cygnet Pearl Farm
• Helicopter scenic flight from Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat to Broome
• Mimbi Cave tour and Geikie Gorge walk and cruise
• Fabulous Kimberley walking experiences
• 1 night at the Mantra Franjinipani Hotel Broome
• 1 night Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat
• 1 night at Derby Lodge
• 1 night at Fitzroy River Lodge
• 1 night at Halls Creek Motel
• 2 nights El Questro camping in walk-in tents with off the ground beds with a deluxe camping mattress and pillow
• 2 nights Lake Argyle Resort in a Grandview Villa or Kimberley Cabin
• 9 x a la carte dining each evening with wine
• 9 x buffet breakfasts
• 10 x lunches
• National Park Fees