10 day Darwin to Broome 4WD Kimberley camping safari

Tour Details

Operator

Sacred Earth Safaris

Destinations

Broome, Kimberley Region, Kununurra, Bungle Bungles, Gibb River Road, Windjana Gorge, Mitchell Falls, El Questro Station, King Leopold Ranges and Lake Argyle

Departs From

Darwin

Tour Description

This is a comprehensive small group 4WD Kimberley camping safari, including the Bungle Bungles, the gorges of the Gibb River road, Lake Argyle, El Questro and a spectacular 2 hour scenic flight over Mitchell Falls.

Day 1 (L,D)

You will be collected from your hotel at 7am this morning to begin your 10 day 4WD safari through the Kimberley region.

We head south, along the Stuart Highway to the township of Katherine and after a dip in the Katherine Hot Springs, we continue west. En-route, we can stop to view the Victoria River, one of the largest tidal influenced rivers in the Territory with an abundance of saltwater crocodiles.

We cross through the border into Western Australia and onto Lake Argyle.

Dinner tonight will be served in the restaurant.

Overnight permanent camp - Lake Argyle Resort (in fixed tents with proper beds & shared bathrooms)

Day 2 (B,L,D)

After breakfast, we head out to Lake Argyle for a 2 hour morning cruise. Lake Argyle 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 from which steep red rocky slopes reach up approximately a 150m, in awe-inspiring grandeur.

Take in the untamed landscape of the magnificent Carr Boyd Ranges along the inaccessible North Western shoreline as you cruise through some of Lake Argyles 90 islands and inlets.

Then we pop into Kununurra to collect fresh supplies (due to border restrictions) before heading south to the Bungle Bungles.

Purnululu National park (the Bungle Bungles) is famous for the ancient range of unusual beehive-shaped domes, gorges and chasms over 350 million years old.

Overnight mobile camp - Bungle Bungles campground, with toilets and showers (2 night stay).

Day 3 (B,L,D)

We spend today in the Bungle Bungles. The section of road into the park is quite challenging and will give you a real sense of off-road adventure !

Our first stop in the park is Cathedral Gorge, a huge natural amphitheatre, with fantastic acoustics. We then take the walk to the Piccininny Lookout, followed by the “Domes trail walk”.

There’s also time today for optional helicopter flights (additional cost).

This afternoon we take a walk into Echidna Chasm, which is a narrow gorge of conglomerate rock. The walk in is beautiful, passing endemnic livistonia palms.

Overnight mobile camp - Bungle Bungles campground, with toilets and showers

Day 4 (B,L,D)

After breakfast, we leave the Bungle Bungles and head north again to El Questro Wilderness Park, which is a million acres in size.

En-route we stop to view an Aboriginal art site, which consists of East Kimberley peg figures, Wandjana figures and contemporary styles.

This afternoon we take a walk into the beautiful Emma Gorge. A cool reward awaits you at the end of the walk, where you can swim at Emma Gorge pool and the 200ft waterfall that is fed from a series of natural springs high above the plateau of the Cockburn Range.

After setting up camp, there’s the opportunity for a swim in the rockpools (part of the Pentecost River).

Overnight mobile camp - El Questro campground, with toilets and showers (2 night stay)

Day 5 (B,L,D)

We start today with a relaxing dip at the Zebedee Springs thermal pools, set amongst palm trees.

Then we take a walk into El Questro Gorge, which is a trail through a deep, narrow gorge, flanked by sheer cliffs. The walk features clear pools and lush tropical vegetation and the rainforest canopy has a 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 and you can choose to take the longer or shorter walk.

We have free time this afternoon for swimming, birdwatching or relaxing at camp.
Optional longer hikes are available this afternoon.

Overnight mobile camp - El Questro campground, with toilets and showers

Day 6 (B,L,D)

Leaving El Questro, we head onto the Gibb River Road and we’ll drive through the Pentecost River to a lookout, for fantastic views of the river and the mighty Cockburn Range.

We’ll also view an art site of cuples, Wandjana figures and Petroglyphs (rock carvings). This is also where the local Aboriginal people used to shelter and sharpen their spears.

We turn onto the Kalumburu Road and make our way to Drysdale River Station.

Overnight mobile camp – Drysdale River Station campground, with toilets and showers

Day 7 (B,L,D)

We start today with a spectacular 2 hour flight over Mitchell Falls and the Kimberley coast !

Your flight takes you past Mt Hann, Deep Gorge and the Rift, then over the magnificent Prince Regent Nature Reserve. Follow the Prince Regent River, fly over several waterfalls including King Cascades, St George Basin, Mt Trafalgar, Prince Frederick Harbour, the Hunter River, Donkins Hill Falls and the spectacular Mitchell Falls. You may even be lucky enough see crocodiles, dugong and whales. The vast, beautiful, unspoilt coastline of this wilderness area is truly stunning and something you can only see and appreciate from the air. It really will be a highlight of your Kimberley experience.

After the flight we make our way south again, stopping on the banks of the Gibb River where we view a rock art site.

We reach the Gibb River road and continue to Mt. Barnett Station and Manning Gorge, where we set up camp. The remainder of the afternoon is spent at the gorge, swimming and relaxing.

There is also the option of taking the longer hike to Upper Manning Falls.

Overnight mobile camp - Manning Gorge campground, with toilets and showers

Day 8 (B,L,D)

Our first stop this morning is Galvans Gorge, a small picturesque gorge, surrounded by boab trees. It has some interesting rock art and is a great place for a relaxing swim.

We continue west to Bell Gorge, which is said to be the most picturesque gorge in the Kimberley. We have lunch here and spend the rest of the afternoon swimming and relaxing at the waterfall.

Overnight mobile camp – Silent Grove campground at Bell Gorge, with toilets and showers

Day 9 (B,L,D)

Today 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 through the Napier range.

En-route we stop to look at the King Leopold Range lookout, which offers great photo opportunities.

We set up camp and then head off to Tunnel Creek, a 750m long limestone tunnel in the Napier Range, carved into the rock over thousands of years. View stalactites and stalacmites and hear the story of Jandamarra, who used the tunnel as a hideout in the late 1800’s.

Back to Windjana Gorge for sunset and dinner.

Overnight mobile camp- Windjana Gorge campground, with toilets and showers

Day 10 (B,L)

After breakfast, we take a walk into Windjana gorge to view the fossilised reef system and freshwater crocodiles can often be seen lazing around on the river banks.

There is also the option of taking the longer hike to the end of the gorge.

The last leg of our journey along the Gibb river road takes us towards Derby, where we’ll stop at the prison boab tree, before making our way to Broome.

We arrive into Broome late afternoon and you will be dropped off at your accommodation

END ITINERARY