20 Day Perth to Darwin Adventure

20 Day Perth to Darwin Adventure

Kimberley Adventure Tours is a small business who started operating 4WD tours through the Kimberley in 1997. We run custom built 4WD Adventure Trucks and smaller 4WD/ off road vehicles.
We worked out many years ago how to run great trips and how to explore the beautiful Kimberley Region, our many years in the Kimberley have allowed us to establish a great reputation and we enjoy access to many areas throughout the trip which are off limits to the general public.

Itinerary

Day 1: Perth to Kalbarri

Pass By: The Pinnacles, Pinnacles Drive Nambung National Park, Cervantes, Western Australia 6511 Australia
We begin the 9 day adventure by visiting the Pinnacles Desert, here you can check out the discovery centre and see the displays. Then together we will take a walk through the Desert area where you can see these limestone shapes up close and just how large this area is.

We pass through Geraldton, a big town of over and 30,000 people and say goodbye to civilisation and traffic lights while making a little stop for last supplies. This afternoon as we head into Kalbarri we visit the pink lake and Kalbarri’s Coastal Cliffs for a little walk and sunset.

Tonight is the first night bush camping, enjoy your time around the campfire and sleep under the stars!

Highlights
Pinnacles Desert
Nambung National Park
Pink Lake
Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs
Activities: Hiking up to 3km


Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 2: Kalbarri to Shark Bay

Pass By: Kalbarri National Park Coastal Cliffs, Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia Australia
This morning we do some hiking and exploring in Kalbarri National Park. Rising nice and early we will drive out into the heart of the park and take a walk down to see Natures Window, the postcard image of Kalbarri. Then over on the other side of the National Park we will hike down the Z Bend, to the Murchison River.

This afternoon we continue driving North to our destination Shark Bay. See why Shark Bay is a world heritage listed area by visiting some of the areas such as the Stromatolites. We will also visit Shell beach for a swim in the extra salty waters.

Tonight we access a private bush camping area, right by the beach. Another night by the fire cooking up a yummy meal together.

Highlights
Kalbarri National Park
Murchison Gorge Z Bend
Nature’s Window
Stromatolites
Shell Beach
Activities: Hiking approx 4 - 6km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 3: Shark Bay to Coral Bay

Pass By: Monkey Mia Reserve, 1 Monkey Mia Rd Shark Bay area, Gascoyne Region, Monkey Mia, Western Australia 6537 Australia
Visit another fantastic area in Shark Bay called Monkey Mia, this is a beautiful resort that is home to the wild dolphins. The Dolphins have been coming into the shore each morning for over 50 years. Participate in a dolphin experience talk where volunteers will tell you all about them and choose some lucky people to feed a fish to a dolphin, it could be you!

This afternoon we travel North and head up to the Ningaloo Reef, set up camp nearby Coral Bay for another night under the stars.

Highlights
Monkey Mia
Coral Bay


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 4: Coral Bay (free time)

Pass By: Coral Bay Beach, Coral Bay, Western Australia 6701 Australia
Today is a free day in Coral Bay. Coral Bay is a small town on a peninsula where part of the Ningaloo Reef lies. You can spend today totally relaxing and swimming on the beach, hire a snorkel or join in on a snorkeling tour with the Mantarays, Whale Sharks or Humpback Whales. (seasonal, at own expense)

Late afternoon everyone will re group together again and take a short drive up to the northern end of the Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth. Stop in at Vlaming Head lighthouse and watch a beautiful sunset before you head into another bush camping location in Yardie Creek.

Highlights
Swimming in Coral Bay
Optional Snorkel tours (own expense)
Visit the shark nursery (seasonal)
Vlaming Head lighthouse


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 5: Exmouth

Pass By: Cape Range National Park, Yardie Creek Road, Exmouth Exmouth Region, Western Australia 6707 Australia
Spend Today exploring exmouth, You have the option to spend the day with your guide or book on a snorkelling/ diving tour on the Ningaloo Reef with the Whale Sharks. (in season/ own expense)

Your guide will take you out to Turquoise Bay, which is voted one of the best beaches in Australia! Snorkel straight off the beach or enjoy some time relaxing on the beach. Exmouth also has some great hiking options, take a walk out in Yardie Creek.

Highlights
Exmouth
Yardie Creek
Turquoise Bay
Camp: Bush Camp
Activities: Swimming & Hiking up to 5km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 6: Exmouth to Karijini National Park

Pass By: Banjima Drive Pilbara Region, Karijini National Park, Western Australia 6751 Australia
Today we need to get some km’s in to get to Karijini National Park. We will travel inland stopping off for breaks and a re supply stop in the town of Tom Price. This drive is quite scenic and beautiful as we drive by the Hamersley Ranges and Pilbara region.

Arriving into Karijini National Park at the end of the day we set up camp and cook up a meal together and prepare for a fun day ahead.

Highlights
● Tom Price
● Pilbara region scenic drive
● Join an optional Astronomy tour (own expense)
● Camp: Bush Camp
● Activities: travel


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 7: Karijini National Park

Pass By: Banjima Drive Pilbara Region, Karijini National Park, Western Australia 6751 Australia
Today is a full day in Karijini National Park. We normally head over the Karijini visitor centre and the Weano area where we find;
● Weano Gorge
● Hancock Gorge
● Knox Gorge
● Joffre Gorge
There is so much to explore and some great hiking and swimming for the whole day. Tour
participants also have the opportunity to join a canyoning tour (at own expense) enabling them to explore some of the areas restricted to rope access only.

At the end of the day we return to camp for the night and cook up another feast.

Highlights
● Knox Gorge
● Hancock Gorge
● Weano Gorge
● Joffre Gorge
● Camp: Bush Camp, National Park Facility
● Activities: Swimming & Hiking up to 10km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 8: Karijini National Park to Marble Bar

Pass By: Banjima Drive Pilbara Region, Karijini National Park, Western Australia 6751 Australia
With still some more to see in the National Park, we spend this morning in the Eastern side. Hike and swim in Fortescue Falls, Fern Pool and Dales Gorge.

One we leave the park and continue on, we will carry on in land and take the dirt roads out to Marble Bar. Marble Bar is a small Jaspar mining town, known as the hottest town in Australia. Stop in for a lunch break and then carry on up the dirt tracks until we reach another private bush camping location by the De Grey River.

Unwind in this beautiful private location and enjoy your last night around the campfire.

Highlights
● Fortescue Falls
● Fern Pool
● Dales Gorge
● Activities: Swimming, Hiking up to 5km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 9: Marble Bar to Broome

Pass By: 80 Mile Beach Caravan Park, Western Australia Australia
We wake up with the birds singing and leave our campsite to continue driving through the Pilbara region back up to the coast towards Broome. Stop in at 80 Mile beach for one last swim or stroll along the beach.

Arriving into Broome this afternoon, we will enjoy a famous Cable Beach sunset and drop you off at your accommodation.

Highlights
80 Mile Beach
Cable Beach Sunset
Activities: Swimming


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: NOT INCLUDED- BROOME (please book own accommodation for 3 nights in Broome, check with us for correct dates)

Day 10: Broome (free day)

Pass By: Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia 6725 Australia
We take a break from the rugged outback and relax in style at the Kimberley Klub YHA in Broome.
We include 3 nights accommodation in a shared dorm and you have 2 free days to feast on wifi, clothes washing and checking out the township of Broome and Cable Beach.
Please note any activities you may choose to do will be at own expense and meals are not included on these 2 days
Options
Relax on Cable Beach
Visit the markets (on weekends)
Shopping in town
Take a camel ride
Visit Gantheaume Point
Visit Town Beach
Plenty more to do!


No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: NOT INCLUDED- BROOME (please book own accommodation for 3 nights in Broome, check with us for correct dates)

Day 11: Broome (free day)

Pass By: Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia 6725 Australia
We take a break from the rugged outback and relax in style at the Kimberley Klub YHA in Broome.
We include 3 nights accommodation in a shared dorm and you have 2 free days to feast on wifi, clothes washing and checking out the township of Broome and Cable Beach.
Please note any activities you may choose to do will be at own expense and meals are not included on these 2 days
Options
Relax on Cable Beach
Visit the markets (on weekends)
Shopping in town
Take a camel ride
Visit Gantheaume Point
Visit Town Beach
Plenty more to do!


No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: NOT INCLUDED- BROOME (please book own accommodation for 3 nights in Broome, check with us for correct dates)

Day 12: Broome to Windjana Gorge

Pass By: Fairfield-Leopold Downs Rd, Windjana Gorge National Park, Western Australia 6728 Australia
Your Broome to Darwin tour begins when we pick you up from your Broome accommodation in the Adventure Truck and immediately head east and into the Kimberley.
Our first stop is the famous Boab prison tree near Derby, a huge hollowed out Boab tree which was used as a prison in the early pioneering days, this is not only an amazing natural wonder but also gives us an insight into the challenging relationship between the early settlers and Aboriginal people of the Kimberley.
Next we head to Windjana Gorge, a huge gorge cut into the ranges over millennium to reveal beautiful scenery of high vertical cliffs, sandy beaches and meandering creek. We head off on a hike at Windjana of about 4km and often see freshwater crocodiles swimming in the clear waterholes.
From Windjana it’s off to our first wilderness bush camp. It feels nice to get back into the great outdoors with the stars above.
Highlights
Depart Broome
Boab Prison Tree
Windjana Gorge
Camp: Private Wilderness Camp on Station Country
Activities: Short Hike approx 2km


Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 13: Winjana Gorge to Bell Gorge

Pass By: Bell Gorge, Gibb River Road Kimberley Region, Western Australia Australia
The mobile phones get packed up with the camping gear as they become useless and we head off nice and early for our first activity, exploring Tunnel Creek.
Tunnel Creek is an amazing natural phenomenon and holds great significance to the local Aboriginal people, and getting there early normally guarantees we have the place for ourselves. It is a 750 metre long stretch of creek, which runs underground through one of the oldest cave systems in Western Australia. Many aboriginal rock paintings are present in the cave and it was a hideout of the Aboriginal warrior, Jandamarra in 1897.
From Tunnel Creek we get on the Gibb River Road, a 700km long outback dirt road which runs between Derby and Kununurra, it’s not the easiest route, the track is often rough, there are a number or deep water crossings and a 4WD vehicle is essential. However, it's an amazing travel route as along the length of the Gibb River Road are vast tracts of wilderness and numerous rivers, gorges and waterfalls to explore.
The first waterfall of the tour is Bell Gorge. After a short 15 minute walk we come to a beautiful creek, which flows through the centre of this impressive gorge and cascades over numerous falls. A deep swimming hole at the base of the main waterfall, surrounded by shady ledges and high cliffs, is an ideal lunch spot.
From Bell Gorge we push on along the Gibb for a little before finding our 2nd bush Camp for the night, another remote wilderness location where we collect firewood, set up camp and settle in for the night.
Highlights
Tunnel Creek
Gibb River Road
Bell Gorge
Camp: Private Wilderness Camp on Station Country
Activities: Hike & Swim approx 5km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 14: Manning Gorge

Pass By: Manning Gorge, 4WD) Manning Rd Via Gibb River Road, Western Australia 6728 Australia
Another day of adventure awaits.
Emerging from camp it’s back on the Gibb River Road and onto Manning Gorge where we spend most of the day.
White sandy beaches with a Pandanus tree lined waterway opening into a wide clear waterhole greet us only minutes after starting the walk. We must swim across the river before following a trail leading to the top of gorge. (or take the pull along tinny boat across if you are unable to swim well) The gorge has a waterfall plus a deep wide swimming hole surrounded by granite cliffs & rock outcrops. It is a spectacular setting with hidden examples of Bradshaw Aboriginal Rock Art.
The return route from manning Gorge is a little less conventional as we swim and rock hop along the creek before reaching the main waterhole where it started, this activity is often rated as a highlight of the tour.
Depending on the time available, Galvan’s and / or Adcock Gorge’s are also visited.
Camp tonight is either at Manning Gorge, where toilets and showers are available, or back into the bush depending on the preference of your guide.
Highlights
Manning Gorge
Galvan’s Gorge
Adcock Gorge
Camp: Private Wilderness Camp on Station Country
Activities: Hiking & Swimming up to 8km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 15: Pentecost river crossing

Pass By: Manning Gorge, 4WD) Manning Rd Via Gibb River Road, Western Australia 6728 Australia
An early morning swim at Manning is a great way to wake up. From here it’s back on “The Gibb” where we continue on our Easterly trek.
There is a variety of great spots to stop and check out, including secluded water holes and Ellenbrae Cattle Station.
Arriving at the Pentecost River we are presented with an incredible landscape of a wide river surrounded by rugged Cockburn Ranges, a classic Kimberley scene.
Here we need to drive the 4WD through the Pentecost River, driving a vehicle across a 60 metre wide outback river which is occupied by Salt Water Crocodiles is not something you do every day, but it's the only way through so across we go.
Another bush camp under the stars awaits us.
Highlights
Gibb River Road
Pentecost River
Camp: Private Wilderness Camp on Station Country
Activities: Indigenous Art. Short Hike approx 2km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 16: Emma Gorge/ El Questro

Pass By: El Questro Wilderness Park, 75 Coolibah Dr, Kununurra, Western Australia 6743 Australia
A short distance from the Pentecost is El Questro Station, home of more beautiful landscapes, one of which is Emma Falls. A hike through a spectacular gorge takes us to very high and narrow falls with a deep cool plunge pool where we can swim.
From El Questro we head to one of the highlights of this tour, Purnululu National Park, more commonly known as the Bungle Bungles.
Our time in this region is spent hiking and exploring the Gorges and amazing landscapes the area contains. The long and dusty track into the Bungles is spectacular; it winds its way through valleys, over ranges and through creeks before arriving at what must be one of the world’s most unique landscapes.
The day ends with a spectacular sunset from a vantage point at camp.
Highlights
Emma Gorge
El Questro Station
Purnululu National Park (Bungles) Sunset
Camp: Bush Camp, National Park Facility
Activities: Hiking & Swimming approx 5km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 17: Purnululu National Park/ Bungle Bungles

Pass By: Great Northern Highway Kimberley Region, via Kununurra, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia 6770 Australia
With an early rise we are able to take advantage of a spectacular Bungle Bungles sunrise, from our vantage point we watch the show with a cup of tea or coffee and breakfast from a remote location.
A short drive from the sunrise area is the trailhead for the Cathedral Gorge hike, a spectacular hike though the beehive formations to Cathedral Gorge. The gorge itself is one of the most impressive geological formations you are likely to see anywhere.
From here there is the opportunity to take a scenic flight over the Bungles, helicopter rides from 18 minutes are available. From the air the bungles take on a completely new perspective and the open chopper is sensational. Scenic flights are at your own expense and organised on the day.
We then head off for Echidna Chasm for a hike into the domes, following a creek to its source at a narrow passage buried within the Bungles.
After lunch we depart Purnululu and locate our bush camp, this time on a lovely creek with a sandy beach.
Highlights
Purnululu Sunrise
Cathedral Gorge
Picaninny Creek
Echidna Chasm
Beehive Formations
Optional Helicopter Flight
Camp: Private Wilderness Camp on Station Country
Activities: Hiking approx 5km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 18: Bungle Bungles to Lake Argyle

Pass By: Lake Argyle, Western Australia 6743 Australia
From our bush camp we head for Kununurra, the first sign of civilisation we have seen for a week. As we approach the town the mobile phones start beeping and we take the opportunity to catch up on the world with some free time in this classic outback town while your guide replenishes supplies.
From Kununurra we head to Lake Argyle for what is regularly voted as the highlight of the tour. Lake Argyle is a huge freshwater lake teaming with wildlife, from wallabies in the rocky shores, to freshwater crocodiles to birdlife. We board a boat where a local guide shows us the lake, there is time to swim before we watch the sunset from the water and then camp on one of the remote islands.
This is a great experience, knowing you are the only people on a single island in the middle of one of the most remote lakes in the world is unforgettable.
We have a campfire, the sky is full of stars and the cool water is inviting to those brave souls who want a midnight swim.
Highlights
Kununurra
Lake Argyle
Lake Argyle Private Island Camp
Camp: Private Wilderness Camp on Island
Activities: Boat Cruise & Swimming


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush Camping

Day 19: Lake Argyle to aboriginal land

Pass By: Lake Argyle, Western Australia 6743 Australia
The sunrise from our island camp is again unforgettable.
We pack up camp, re-board the boat and head back to our vehicle.
From Lake Argyle we push East towards the Northern Territory border and camp on aboriginal land near a billabong. We have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bill Harney, an aboriginal elder who will show us some aboriginal rock art out the back of his property and tell stories as well as sing songs about his culture and experiences.

Highlights
Lake Argyle Island Sunrise
Early Cruise & Swim
Victoria River Region
Aboriginal Culture tour (upon availability)
Camp: Private Wilderness Camp on aboriginal land
Activities: Boat Cruise & Hiking approx 4km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Bush camping

Day 20: Edith Falls to Darwin

Pass By: Edith Falls, Nitmiluk National Park, Katherine, Northern Territory Australia
On the final day we arrive in Katherine. We explore Edith Falls within Nitmiluk National Park, which offers more adventure, hiking, swimming and spectacular landscapes.
We normally arrive into Darwin at around 6pm, your guide will conclude the tour by dropping you off at your accommodation.
Highlights
Edith Falls
Arrival into Darwin
Activities: Boat Cruise & Hiking approx 4km


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Drop off in Darwin city accommodation