9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour
Book This TourDeparts: | Broome 6am Every Saturday 26/4/08 till 18/10/08. |
Group Size: | 9 max |
Vehicle: | 4WD |
Accomm: | Bush Camping |
Price: | $1525 AUD ($1510 with YHA, VIP & Student card) |
Pay on Tour: | Sleeping Bag $20, Camping Fees $80 |
Tour Itinerary.
Small Groups
The 9 day 4WD Kimberley Tour explores the Kimberley region in North Western Australia. The Kimberley region contains some of the most remote and spectacular landscapes in Australia, and is often described as the last frontier. Passengers on this tour should be prepared to endure a few hardships and can sometimes expect to spend 4 - 5 hours travelling between destinations due to poor road conditions. Our vehicles carry a maximum of 9 or 14 passengers with side facing seats in the rear. Unlike a bus, these are great social vehicles as our group all face each other. This means that driving time can be spent enjoyably socializing, playing games and having fun (instead of sleeping).
National parks visited on this tour include Keep River National Park, Bungle Bungles National Park, Hidden Valley National Park, Mitchell River National Park, Tunnel Creek National Park and Windjana Gorge National Park. Other places of interest include El Questro Station, Emma Gorge, Zebedee Springs, El Questro Gorge, Pentecost River, Gibb River Road, Mitchell Plateau, Mitchell Falls, Mertens Falls, Barnett River gorge, Manning Gorge, Galvans Gorge, Bell Gorge, King Leopold Ranges, Lennard River Gorge & Broome. There are plenty of opportunities to hike and explore rarely visited yet beautiful waterfalls and gorges as we travel along the Gibb River road. Camping is predominantly bush camps with no facilities other than what we carry in the vehicle and trailer, some minimal facility campgrounds are used.
Day 1, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 1, Windjana Gorge
Day 1, Tunnel Creek
After a bright and early 6.30am pick up from Broome, we head for our first Kimberley destination, the magnificent Windjana Gorge.
Windjana Gorge is a 3.5 km gorge, carved out of the Napier Range by the Lennard River. The walls on both sides of Windjana Gorge are up to 100 metres high and it is the best place in the Kimberley to see the fresh water crocodiles.
We then head for Tunnel Creek, this is a 750 metres long creek which runs through a cave! If you’re keen for adventure you can walk the fully length of the cave through the water, it’s an amazing experience.
After a full day of activity we camp along the Gibb River Road for our first night of bush camping around the camp fire. (Lunch, Dinner)
- Windjana Gorge
- Fresh Water Crocodiles
- Tunnel Creek
- Gibb River Road
- Camp: Bush Camp
- Walking: 3km
Day 2, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 2, Bell Gorge
Lennard River Gorge is beautiful deep & narrow gorge which offers fantastic swimming until the end of August and is an ideal first stop on day 2 (due to declining water quality we do not visit after August)
From Lennard River we travel through the King Leopold Ranges en route to Bell Gorge. Bell Gorge is spectacular and considered one of the best in the Kimberley. There is fantastic views, swimming and waterfalls.
Tonight’s camp is at a wonderful scenic lookout. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Lennard River Gorge
- Bell Gorge
- Camp: Bush Camp
- Walking: 6km
Day 3, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 3, Manning Gorge
Gorges, hiking and swimming, the perfect Kimberley day.
Galvans Gorge is a peaceful gorge with great swimming.
Manning Gorge offers several hours hiking with plenty of opportunities to cool off in the clear rock pools and the highlight of the day is Barnett River Gorge
Barnett River Gorge offers more hiking and exploring around this beautiful gorge with rugged red sandstone rock formations, and then, you guessed it, another swim in a paradise rock pool, simply wonderful. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Galvans Gorge
- Manning Gorge
- Barnett River Gorge
- Camp: Barnett River Gorge
- Walking: 8km
Day 4, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 4, Barnett River Gorge
El Questro is a 1 million acre cattle station full of rugged Kimberley wilderness, adventure and character, and is our destination for day 4.
On the way we pass through the Gibb and Cockburn Ranges, and Amalia Gorge, at Amalia we take a wonderful hike to a spectacular waterfall with a large plunge pool for swimming, this is one of El Questro’s best gorges.
We camp on the Pentecoste River in the heart of the Kimberley. The evening is open to playing didgeridoo, wildlife viewing, or relaxing. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Galvans Gorge
- Manning Gorge
- Barnett River Gorge
- Camp: El Questro Station
- Walking: 4km
Day 5, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 5, Emma Gorge - El Questro
Today we continue exploring El Questro. Fisrt stop is El Questro Gorge which would have to be the most beautiful Gorge on El Questro, plus it has a challenging hike to reach the end of the Gorge. Again there is plenty of great spots to jump in for a swim in crystal clear rock pools.
We then head for Emma Gorge which features great scenery and plenty more cool, clear water.
After exploring Emma gorge and enjoying a swim we camp again at our great campsite on the Pentecoste River. After dinner we head off on a night walk to try and spot some local wildlife. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- El Questro Gorge
- Emma Gorge
- Camp: Pentecoste River
- Walking: 11km
Day 6. Zebedee Hot Springs
Day 6, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
By day 6 you may start to feel bit stiff and sore from all the great hikes and bush camps, fear not intrepid adventurer for Zebedee Hot Springs is just around the corner. This is an ideal location surrounded by palm trees and is perfect for just lazing about relaxing.
Next stop is Matteo Rock to view some traditional Aboriginal Rock Art and get an insight into the local Aboriginal lifestyle and Culture.
From Matteo Rock we head for Wyndham where the view from 5 Rivers Lookout is absolutely stunning. We then head into the Bungle Bungles on a rough 4WD track. The Bungle Bungle’s consist of 200 to 400 metre high rounded domes with horizontal coloured bands of black, orange, and grey. Their distinctive shapes have been produced by uplift and erosion over the last 20 million years and they are simply spectacular.
The sunset over the domes is an amazing experience and a lookout close to camp is well positioned to take this in, like Uluru in central Australia, the domes change colour as the sun sets, simply amazing!
We camp in the heart of the Bungles (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Zebedee Hot Springs
- Matteo Rock
- Bungle Bungles
- Camp: Bungle Bungles - Walardi Campsite
- Walking: 2km
Day 7, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 7. Flight over the Bungle Bungles
We spend the next 2 days fully exploring Bungle Bungles and see everything it has to offer. For those keen we start the day with an optional helicopter flight over the area (own your expense).
After the helicopter adventures we head for Piccaninny Creek to do the spectacular Domes Walk which winds it’s way amongst the colourfull domes and ends at a spectacular lookout.
Next we take an easy hike that leads to the huge rock pool at base of Cathedral Gorge for swim in yet more Kimberley fresh clean water. We then visit Echidna Chasm, a long narrow gorge with 150 metre high sheer rock faces.
Enjoy another magnificent sunset over the Bungles at the same Walardi Campsite. (Breakfast, lunch, Dinner)
- Piccaninny Creek
- Cathedral Gorge
- Camp: Bungle Bungles - Walardi Campsite
- Walking: 7km
Day 8, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 9, Timber Creek
This morning we say goodbye to the Bungles and head north towards Ivanhoe Crossing & Kununurra.
At Kununurra there is an opportunity swim and lunch at the lake. We then venture east and cross the border into the Northern Territory.
In the Northern Territory we visit Gregory National Park where a short walk takes us to a beautiful scenic lookout. From here we make our way to Timber Creek for our overnight camp. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Gregory National Park
- Kununurra
- Camp: Timber Creek
- Walking: 3km
Day 9, 9 Day 4WD Kimberley Tour - Broome to Darwin
Day 9, Keep River National Park
Edith Falls near Katherine is a large fresh water plunge pool and small waterfall, and makes for a welcome break. We spend about 3 hours at Edith Falls hiking to the upper pools, swimming, exploring and lunch. From Edith Falls it’s an easy 2.5 hour drive in to Darwin. (Breakfast, Lunch.)
- Edith Falls
- Walking: 4km
Notes:
- There is a pre-trip meeting in Broome at 11am the day prior to departure
- Satellite phones are carried in the event of an emergency.
- Tour programs may vary due to seasonal conditions.
- Scenic Helicopter flights are subject to availability.
- The above Kimberley tour program should only be used as a guide. Tour guides have the discretion to change programs to suit the specific interests of their group.
