5 Day Kimberley Explorer – Bungles, Lake Argyle & Beyond

(Variations to the order we stay at the accommodation)

Day 1: Kununurra – Bungle Bungle Heli-Hike Experience – El Questro Station

This morning we have a very early start as we set off to explore the Bungle Bungles. We will be picked up at 4:45am departing Kununurra for a stunning flight taking in breath-taking views of the Kimberely’s as we watch the colours changing with the morning sun rising whilst we enjoy the small plane journey to Purnululu National Park. The luxury of us flying saves us around 9-hours 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 at a nearyby airstrip to meet our helicopter that will fly us near the mouth of 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. This 10 km return hike is classed as a level 5 walk and requires a high level of fitness and mobility. 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 a unique return back to the local airstrip for us to meet our plane which will take us back to Kununurra to then be transferred by road to El Questro Station where we’ll be staying the next two nights. El Questro is a 700,000-acre cattle station in the Eastern Kimberley Region. The drive will take around 2-hours. 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 2: Moonshine Walk

This morning after breakfast we’ll enjoy Moonshine Gorge Circuit trail which follows Moonshine creek. The circuit is 5km. Along the way, we’ll see tall Livistona Palms and cliff faces on both sides of the gorge providing shade and plenty of areas to rest and swim. Afterwards, we return to El Questro for a delicious 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. Tonight enjoy dinner in the Steakhouse Verandah Restaurant served with Australian wine.

Day 3: Emma Gorge Walk – Lake Argyle

This morning enjoy an early breakfast before we travel 45-minutes to Zebedee Springs, a natural oasis found after a short, easy walk. The trail leads us through dense Livistona Palms to a series of rocky thermal pools. The thermal springs are the perfect place to relax and take in the beauty that surrounds us. Next we’ll head to Emma Gorge for the last of our walking trails. Emma Gorge 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 4: 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 5: Bluff Lookout Walk – Ord River Cruise – 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! From here, we’ll make our way to the historic Durack Homestead, originally built in 1895 by the Durack family on Argyle Downs Station (now mostly submerged by the lake). The homestead was dismantled stone by stone in the 1970s before the lake was filled and relocated to preserve this piece of local history to where it stands now. We’ll then view the impressive Ord Top Dam which was completed in 1971, before Lake Argyle was filled in 1974.  Afterwards, we’ll be transferred to join our Ord River Cruise up to Kununurra where we can marvel at the spectacular scenery, wildlife, flora and fauna we’ll see along the way. We will stop at a Riverside Camp’s for an afternoon tea before continuing on to Kununurra arriving back at around 5:30pm.

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 substitute.

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

• Professionally guided – Our CEO’s – Chief Experience Officers who are passionate, well trained and enthusiastic with the ability to bring to life a depth of information
• Cruise Lake Argyle and Sunset Cruise
• Ord River Cruise
• Scenic flight to The Bungles in Purnululu National Park with a Heli-Hike and walk in the Picanny Gorge
• Bungles Heli-Hiking experience to walk in the remote Picaninny Gorge
• Fabulous Kimberley walking experiences
• 2 nights Lake Argyle Resort in a Grandview Villa or Kimberley Cabin
• 2 nights El Questro camping in walk-in tents with off the ground beds with a deluxe camping mattress and pillow
• 4 x fabulous dinners
• 5 x buffet breakfasts
• 5 x lunches including:
• Restaurant lunch at Emma Gorge
• Restaurant lunch at Home Valley Station
• Transfers to/from Kununurra
• National Park Fees
• Fresh fruit and trail mix to enjoy during your walk