Cruise The Kimberley

Your voyage begins in Darwin, where embarkation will begin early in the morning. Once you have settled into your comfortable cabin and familiarised yourself with the ship, we will enjoy a relaxing day at sea sailing across Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and into Western Australian waters. In the evening you can join your crew, captain and fellow travellers for an introduction to the Kimberley and for the Captain’s Welcome Drinks.

Our first adventure, and the perfect introduction to the Kimberley region, will see us discover the 80m tall King George Falls (Oomari Falls), the most impressive falls in the area and the highest twin falls in Western Australia. An enjoyable sail through the King George River will reward in lots of photo opportunities as we cruise surrounded by steep-sided gorges and iconic scenery before reaching the spray of the falls. Depending on the season, we will either Zodiac cruise around the base of the falls or cruise closer to view the honeycomb erosion patterns of the sandstone cliffs up close.

In Vansittart Bay we will enjoy the first cultural experience of our trip as we discover some of the area’s many cultural and historically significant sites including the remarkable Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) Aboriginal rock art galleries which are estimated to be up to 20,000 years old. We also plan to visit Jar Island to learn exactly why it holds such a name. A highlight of the day might be a visit to the nearby Anjo Peninsula where we will find the well-preserved wreckage of a US Airforce C-53 Skytrooper aircraft and learn all about how it came to be here.

The first adventure today will take us to the incredibly picturesque series of tiered waterfalls and emerald green rock pools known as Mitchell Falls. A scenic helicopter flight over the falls is available for an additional cost.

We will then spend some time exploring around the waters of the Mitchell River National Park in search of sightings of some of the fascinating wildlife and birdlife that resides here. Alternatively, we may explore the sandstone caves of Wollaston Bay or Wollaston Creek. This mass of weathered tunnels, arches and columns form a labyrinth-like maze and was once an Aboriginal midden. Another option while anchored at Winyalkan Bay is a visit to a series Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock art galleries at Swift Bay.

In the evening we will enjoy watching the sunset over the Indian Ocean while indulging in a gourmet BBQ.

This morning we will head to one of the Kimberley’s most spectacular locations, Prince Frederick Harbour, where we will hop into the tender boat for a cruise up Porosus Creek to look for sightings of birds of prey including white-bellied sea eagles, photograph some striking rock formations, and enjoy a leisurely and scenic sail past the mangroves and monsoon rainforests.

In the afternoon we will land at Bigge Island (Wuuyuru) where we will hope to meet some of the Wunambal people, the Indigenous Group of the area, to learn about their culture and way of life here.

Next on our list is the beautiful Kings Cascade, one of the most photographed waterfalls in the Kimberley thanks to its striking look. We will take the tender boat down the steep-sided Prince Regent River to arrive at this remarkable geological wonder to take a closer look.

Later on we will head to the nearby Careening Bay (Wunbung-gu) to see the area’s famous Mermaid Boab Tree which is listed on the National Register of Big Trees and holds a fascinating story that we will learn from our crew as we visit.

We will now spend a full day discovering some of the delights of Montgomery Reef (Yowjab), a biologically diverse area covering over 300 sq km. Twice daily, as the sea recedes in mammoth 11m tides, Montgomery Reef rises from the Indian Ocean in a cascade of rushing water revealing a flat-topped reef pockmarked with rock pools and rivulets. As the reef emerges, we get up close in our tender boats and Zodiacs to witness the spectacle as our Expedition Team share their knowledge on the formation of the reef and the myriad wildlife. The ocean is awash in a swirl of eddies and whirlpools as the moon’s gravitational force takes hold. Then, a few hours later the entire water-borne drama is reversed as the tide comes in and Montgomery Reef disappears below sea level.

While we here we will be on a constant lookout for the wildlife of the area including dolphins, sawfish, turtles and the fascinating dugongs.

Next up we head for Doubtful Bay, an area known for its significant sites such as the ancient Wandjina rock art galleries which record in stone the stories, culture and knowledge of the Worrora people who follow the Wandjina, their god, law-maker and creator. Should a local Traditional Owner be available to guide us then we will visit the site for a closer inspection and deeper insight.

At nearby Red Cone Creek we will follow the water to the beautiful Ruby Falls, another of the Kimberley’s most impressive waterfalls, and we may also have time to visit the mighty Steep Island.

Another unforgettable highlight of your trip, the iconic Horizontal Falls (Garaanngaddim) are our next location for adventure. One of the Kimberley’s most iconic, well-known and most-visited attractions, the falls were once described by Sir David Attenborough as ‘one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.’ We will spend an unforgettable morning here riding the rapids of the falls in our Zodiac inflatable boats…a true Kimberley adventure!

After an adrenaline-filled morning, later that day we will head for Buccaneer Archipelago in the heart of Talbot Bay where we will discover and learn about the over 2 billion years old rocks that lie here, take a sail past the impressive rock formations of Cyclone Creek, Koolan Island and Iron Island, and enjoy sundowner drinks at Nares Point.

Our final full day will be one for the nature and birding enthusiasts as we make our way to the Lacepede Islands, a protected class-A nature reserve. The islands are known as being a seabird nesting rookery for roseate terns and brown boobies. As we enjoy a relaxing exploration by tender boat and Zodiac, we will be on the lookout for sightings of many species including frigate birds, various gulls, egrets and the native Australian pelican. We may also be lucky enough to see some green turtles on some of the low-lying islands.

As your expedition nears its conclusion, tonight you can join your captain, crew and new-found friends for the captain’s farewell drinks.

Our voyage ends in Broome where disembarkation will begin early in the morning. A transfer to the airport or a downtown location will be provided.