10 Day Broome to Darwin Kimberley Adventure Tour

10 Day Broome to Darwin Kimberley Adventure Tour

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Our 4WD 10 Day Broome to Darwin Tour Kimberley adventure camping group tour. With options to upgrade to some comfort on the Broome to Darwin tour and family-friendly options, this tour is suitable for everyone.

10 Day Broome to Darwin Kimberley Adventure Tour
Tour itinerary - 10 Days

• Day 1 Broome to Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge)

  Departing Broome at 7.30am for your 10 day Kimberley adventure, we travel along the Great Northern Freeway to Tunnel Creek. Here you will hear the story of Jandamarra, the Aboriginal leader who used the tunnel as his hideout. You’ll need a torch as you follow your guide, wading through the tunnel beneath the Napier Range.

  After lunch, it’s only a short drive to Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge). Carved by the Lennard River, Windjana Gorge is over 3km long and dwarfed by 300m high walls, formed in the limestone barrier reef that existed here in the Devonian period. As we walk along the banks of the deep freshwater pools you will see native fig and Liechardt trees which attract noisy Correllas, fruit bats and you should also keep an eye out for freshwater crocodiles.

  Overnight: Bush camp, Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) with flushing toilet & shower facilities
  Included activities: Guided walks to Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge
  Meals Included: Lunch and dinner
  Driving distance/ time: 460km – 6 hours

   

• Day 2 Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) to Manning Gorge Campground

  Today we begin our Gibb River Road adventure and this morning is reserved for the jewel of the Kimberley – Dalmanyi (Bell Gorge) – nestled in the King Leopold Ranges. It’s a relaxed walk-in, then a scramble down a relatively steep rock wall for the final descent to the water’s edge. The waterfall cascades down u-shaped cliffs into the perfect swimming pool and nearby flat rocks provide the perfect resting place. Some may wish to stay here and relax, while others explore the creek and gorge further, both upstream and down.

  A little further along the ‘Gibb’ today there are two other gorges to explore and your guides will select one depending upon the road and weather conditions of the day. After an afternoon of walking through creek beds, over ranges, through savannah woodlands and swimming in refreshing waterholes we will travel the final leg of the day to our overnight bush camp.

  Overnight: Bush camp, Manning Gorge campground with flushing toilets & shower facilities.
  Included activities: Guided walks to Bell Gorge and either Galvans or Adcock gorges
  Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
  Driving distance/ time: 230km – 3 hours

   

• Day 3 Manning Gorge Campground to El Questro Station

  It’s an adventure getting into Manning Gorge. There’s the option to swim the 100 metres across Manning Creek, or you may prefer to use the rope-guided dinghy! Then there’s a 3km walk to the top of the gorge but the reward is another refreshing dip.

  Our Gibb River Road journey continues as we cross the Pentecost River this afternoon, with the grand backdrop of the Cockburn Ranges. Shortly afterwards we turn off for the final few kilometres into El Questro Station, where we base ourselves for the next three nights.

  El Questro Station (incorporating El Questro Wilderness Park) remains a working cattle station with a herd of approximately 6000 head. The name El Questro remains somewhat of a mystery and while the station lease has changed hands many times it was in 1991 that the Burrell family pursued their dream of venturing into tourism.
  Located on the banks of the Pentecost River, the station is a central hub of sprawling campgrounds and air-conditioned accommodation that shares landscaped lawns and gardens for all station guests.

  Overnight: El Questro Station – budget camping included or upgrade to private ensuite accommodation
  Included Activities: Guided walk to Manning Gorge
  Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
  Driving distance/ time: 350km – 5.5 hours

• Day 4 El Questro Station

  After a well-deserved leisurely start to the morning we travel the short distance to picturesque Emma Gorge. After a short walk you can relax in the cool oasis by the turquoise pool or swim to the 65m waterfall. After returning to camp, the afternoon is either leisure-time, or you may wish to book an optional Chamberlain Gorge Cruise.

  Only accessible by boat, Chamberlain Gorge is a 3km fresh waterhole eclipsed by towering escarpments. You’ll enjoy sparkling wine and fresh fruit from the local Ord Valley and while you’re out on the water, ask your Ranger about the cheeky, spitting Archer fish and large, swirling Barramundi who’ll be sure to swim near the boat.

  Overnight: El Questro Station – budget camping included or upgrade to private ensuite accommodation
  Included Activities: Guided walk to Emma Gorge
  Optional Activities: Chamberlain Gorge Cruise
  Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
  Driving distance/ time: 60 km – 1 hour

• Day 5 El Questro Station

  A short distance from camp is Zebedee Springs where a short walk through dense Livistona palms to a series of rocky thermal pools for a soak, is the most relaxing way to start the day!
  Nearby is the El Questro Gorge trail where you will walk beside a narrow spring-fed creek through palm and fern clad escarpments to a small, crystal clear swimming hole. Here you can relax and drink in the beauty of the rainforest and decide if the next part of the adventure is for you. From this half-way point the more adventurous can continue on a path, which increases in difficulty, for another 1.5 hours to reach the top where another pool and waterfall await.

  We all re-group to return to camp to relax or undertake an afternoon of various optional activities which are on offer.

  Overnight: El Questro Station – budget camping included or upgrade to private ensuite accommodation
  Included activities: El Questro Gorge and Zebedee Springs
  Optional activities: Guided Barramundi 4WD fishing tour, bush culture and El Questro history tour, horse riding, bird watching, heli-fishing.
  Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
  Driving distance/ time: 20 km – less than an hour

• Day 6 El Questro Station to Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle Range)

  As we farewell the station, and if you haven’t already, be sure to snap a photo of the ‘ELQ’ signpost and appreciate our last few kilometres on the ‘Gibb’. We’re on the Great Northern Highway for much of the morning, engaging four-wheel drive as we turn on to unsealed Spring Creek Track for a couple of hours, before the breath-taking orange and black striped beehive-like mounds of ‘the Bungles’ come into view.

  This afternoon we will walk into Echidna Chasm, with its Livistona palm and striking colours before setting up camp for dinner and an evening under the outback stars.

  Overnight: Bush camp with pit toilet facilities
  Included Activities: Guided walk to Echidna Chasm
  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
  Driving distance/ time: 320km – 5 hours

• Day 7 Purnululu National Park to Lake Argyle

  Making the most of our morning in the Bungles we hike into the red rock natural amphitheatre of Cathedral Gorge while the morning is still fresh. Then a hike along the water-smooth rock creek bed to Piccaninny Creek Lookout provides an impressive view of the Bungle Bungle Range. The ultimate view of ‘the Bungle’s is from above and you’ll have this option today on a helicopter flight from Bellburn Airstrip.

  We traverse back along Spring Creek Track and the Great Northern Highway before turning right onto the Victoria Highway and the last leg of our day into Lake Argyle. After arriving at camp you will relax and enjoy dinner at leisure with café and restaurant options available.

  
  Overnight: Lake Argyle Resort and Park – camping included or upgrade to a cabin or
  lake view villa
  Included Activities: Guided walks to Cathedral Gorge and Piccaninny Creek Lookout (time permitting)
  Optional Activities: Helicopter Flight
  Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
  Driving distance/ time: 360km – 4-5 hours

• Day 8 Lake Argyle

  The immense freshwater lake formed by the damming of the mighty Ord River has created an amazing marine environment and today you can choose which activity you would like to do to explore some of its 1,000km2 surface (it is 18 times the size of Sydney Harbour)!

  Overnight: Lake Argyle Resort and Park – camping included or upgrade to a cabin or
  lake view villa
  Optional activities: Lake Argyle and Ord River lunch or sunset cruise
  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

   

• Day 9 Lake Argyle to Katherine Gorge

  An early start this morning. After crossing the Northern Territory border, we stop for a break at the outpost township of Timber Creek before arriving into Katherine, where the ‘outback’ meets the ‘tropics’. In the afternoon you will participate in a 2.5 hour ‘Top Didj ‘cultural experience which showcases the Aboriginal artwork technique of Rarrk painting (Cross Hatch), the skills of spear throwing and didgeridoo playing and listen to the artist’s stories about tribal life and cultural differences. We then travel to our private campsite which is located ten minutes’ drive from Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge.

  Overnight: Private campsite with permanently erected twin share tents and
  shower/toilet facilities
  Included activities: Top Didj Cultural Experience (2.5 hours)
  Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
  Driving distance/ time: 550km – 6 hours

• Day 10 Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge to Darwin

  This morning we join a dawn cruise on Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge. You will see the colours of the morning awaken while the wildlife stirs, appreciating the solitude of being the only boat on the water. After exploring
  two gorges you will also have the opportunity to view the gorges from above aboard an optional scenic
  helicopter flight.

  Now it’s time to relax and relive the past 10 days as we drive the final hours into Darwin, the cosmopolitan and tropical capital city of the Northern Territory.

  Included activities: Two hour dawn cruise
  Optional activities: Katherine Gorge helicopter flight
  Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
  Driving distance/time: 350km - 4 hours