11 DAY WONDERS OF KIMBERLEY
11 DAY WONDERS OF KIMBERLEY
The Top End of Australia, from Western Australia to the Northern Territory, was made for postcards. The yawning gorges, mirror-like waterholes, immense rock formations, wild national parks… All wrapped in millennia-strong First Nations culture that guides any tour through the region. From Broome to Darwin, things are steamy most of the time. Thankfully, there are Kimberley rock pools and clifftop waterholes to cool off in, whether at Emma Gorge or the Ord River.
READ MORE >
Start Location: Broome
End Location: Darwin
TOP HIGHLIGHTS
- Darwin City Tour – Darwin Museum, East Point
- Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge Cruise
- Katherine Outback Experience
- Darwin City Sites
- Adelaide War Cemetery
- Nitmiluk National Park
- Katherine Outback Experience
- Durak Homestead
- Ord River Cruise
- Sandalwood Factory BMG Dinner
- Hoochery Distillery
- Emma Gorge – Hike & Swim (Strong Fitness Required)
- El Questro Wilderness Park
- Chamberlain Gorge Cruise
- El Questro Station
- Indigenous Guided Argyle Diamond Mine Tour
- Kimberley Aboriginal Art Gallery Experience
- Geiki Gorge Cruise
- Cable Beach Sunset Drinks
- Gantheaume Point Broome – Dinosaur Footprints
READ MORE >
ITINERARY
Day 1: Welcome to Broome
You’re about to spend the next 10 days with a group of similarly minded adventure-seekers who will likely become best friends before you even leave tonight’s dinner venue. Break the ice over a few cool drinks and a suitably dazzling Broome sunset that sinks into the Indian Ocean with a sizzle.
Overnight: Broome
Meals: Breakfast
Day 2: Broome Free Time
Among the most multicultural cities in Australia, Broome became a base for fortune-seekers the world over during its ‘pearl rush’. Many of them never left. The pristine waters here grow great oysters, and the resulting pearls are prized by lovers of all things that gleam. The hardest thing you have to do today is decide how to spend it. We have a few ideas. Opt to go to the source and see how pearls are painstakingly grown and harvested, perhaps. Or head north to feel the full force of nature on an optional scenic flight over (and heart-starting cruise through) the magical Horizontal Falls. Only then will you begin to grasp just how mighty the tides are here, ramming through two narrow chasms and creating a waterfall that appears to have been tipped on its side. It will take your breath away, in more ways than one – those boats move fast. We wouldn’t blame you for simply enjoying Broome’s tropical climes, strolling along 22-kilometre Cable Beach, discovering colourful Chinatown then following locals to the sand, or a beachside bar, to salute the end of a spectacular day in WA.
Overnight: Broome
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Broome - Fitzroy Crossing
Things are bigger in Broome, including the footprints. Preserved for 125 million years in the reef rock at Gantheaume Point are the imprints of long-extinct dinosaurs. Remarkably, the Broome coast has become one of the most significant paleontological sites in the world. Next stop – Fitzroy Crossing, the gateway to Danggu (Geikie) Gorge. Jump aboard a boat to discover how this part of the Kimberley was formed by the Fitzroy River carving the Napier Range, leaving behind a dramatic chasm with 30-metre walls, home to a plethora of wildlife. This all happened in Devonian times, some 350 million years ago. Keep watch for all creatures great and small, from freshwater crocs to fruit bats and wallabies. Look up to see white-bellied sea eagles and rare purple-crowned fairy wrens.
Overnight: Fitzroy
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Fitzroy Crossing - Halls Creek
Begin your deep dive into First Nations culture at a Fitzroy Crossing art gallery, a thriving venue dedicated to works by Aboriginal creatives. Pick up a piece or two to support the local community. Your connection to this culture continues as you travel toward the Great Sandy Desert, on the edge of which is the town of Halls Gap. This place is small in population, but big in personality.
Overnight: Halls Creek
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Halls Creek - Emma Gorge
Until recently, the Argyle Diamond Mine was the world’s largest producer of rare, and dazzling, pink diamonds. While operations have ceased, you can still visit and go behind the scenes. Your First Nations guide will not only point out where the magic once happened, but also explain the Aboriginal significance of this land – the traditional Barramundi Dreaming site – to First Nations communities. Then it’s on to the Gibb River Road, the stuff road trip legends are made of. You’ll see why, your route to El Questro Wilderness Park covering a few kilometres of the epic expanse. Now exhale – your safari-style tents for the night are backdropped by the Cockburn Range, surrounded by an oasis of pandanus and palms. When darkness falls, expect a bedazzlement of stars overhead.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: El Questro Wilderness Park
The best way to wake up? With the sun streaming through your tent, wildlife all around. The Kimberley’s sounds follow you across the mighty Pentecost River, a mecca for those who love a spot of barramundi fishing. Arriving at Chamberlain Gorge, an enormous fresh waterhole, your cruise chariot awaits. Jump aboard to feel very small indeed, your boat dwarfed by soaring 60-metre escarpments, a brilliant shade of orange in the morning sun. When it’s time to cool down, take an afternoon dip, whether in the resort pool or at a waterhole within Emma Gorge. Take your pick. The latter is a challenge to reach – you will work up a sweat hiking there. But diving in at the end is worth the effort. Be back on your patio in time for sundowners.
Overnight: El Questro Wilderness Park
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Emma Gorge - Kununurra
It’s not every day that you have the privilege of glimpsing the inner workings of a rum distillery with the family that owns it. Thanks to our AAT Kings connections, we’ve organised for you to meet the makers and discover how Hoochery Distillery prepares its lip-smacking, award-winning rums and whiskys. Try a tasting paddle to get your heart started, or sit down to a slice of rum cake – morning tea sorted. Kununurra is the middle of nowhere, and only exists because of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. Before it was a twinkle on the map, farming pioneers came here to establish vast cattle stations. The life of one such family is chronicled at the Durack Homestead Museum, revealing how the property was dismantled then reassembled on higher ground when much of the countryside was flooded for the dam. The project not only helped water the countryside, but created Lake Argyle. A sunset cruise here, surrounded by tens of thousands of freshwater crocs and an astounding array of birds, is something you won’t forget in a hurry.
Overnight: Kununurra
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Kununurra Free Time
How active and adventurous do you want today to be? Rise early to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the beehive-like rock formations of the Bungle Bungles on an optional scenic flight over World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park. Or opt to stay grounded on a 4WD tour through the ethereal landscape. Otherwise lace up your walking shoes and wander with your Travel Director through Mirima National Park, known as the ‘mini-Bungles’ for its rocky resemblance. Both destinations reveal the mind-boggling geology of this part of the world. Whatever direction you go, be sure to join the locals atop Kelly’s Knob for views over town as the sun sets.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Kununurra - Katherine
Say goodbye to WA and hello to the NT, your introduction to the state the vast pastoral lands that characterise the outback here. Locals come with plenty of country swagger, as you’ll discover when you meet the horseman and award-winning musician Tom Curtain for an afternoon of knee-slappin’ fun on a working station. Tom’s quite the entertainer, and regales visitors with songs and stories during his Katherine Outback Experience. Fun, engaging and insightful.
Overnight: Katherine
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Katherine - Darwin
Nature reigns supreme at Nitmiluk National Park bordering Kakadu. This is Jawoyn land, and a place where you’ll feel your spirit soar. Particularly when you’re cruising through dramatic Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, your boat the only sound echoing around this enormous chasm. Remarkably, this is one of 13 gorges carved through the national park, and at every bend in the river, the sun casts soaring sandstone cliffs a different colour. As you ease north, reminders of the impact of WWII line the banks of the Adelaide River. The headquarters of a military base once stood here, and there’s a cemetery nearby to remember those who lost their lives here. It’s a sobering sight. The balmy Darwin climate sets the pace for your city tour: relaxed. Meet locals (there are some characters), discover the city’s architecture and learn about the events that have shaped life in the Top End, from Cyclone Tracy to WWII when the Northern Territory capital was bombed. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived in Darwin, the Mindil Beach Sunset Market is an institution. Browse the food stalls before gathering to watch the day disappear and exchange email addresses with your new friends.
Overnight: Darwin
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Farewell from Darwin
Eleven days. Countless adventures. A bunch of new friends. And a renewed appreciation for the wild side of Australia. What a journey this has been.
Meals: Breakfast
DATES & PRICES
We accept 
Interested in this trip? Contact Us for 2025 dates and prices
Applicable taxes vary depending on travel destination and are not included. Please ask your sales agent what extra taxes will be payable for your tour.
WHY CHOOSE ANDERSON VACATIONS?
Anderson Vacations
Other Companies
Small Group Tours
Travel with a limited number of participants for a personalized journey with a tour leader.Experienced Tour Leaders
Who have gone through intensive vetting and training.(But most contract their tour leaders from Anderson Vacations.)
Canadian Travel Experts
With at least 30 years of experience.Min. 95% Satisfaction Rate
From past guests.Travel to unique places, visit more attractions each day.
Without the distractions of tipping.Activities and excursions included as part of the tour.
(Not as add-ons.)Sustainability
Planting one tree for every passenger that travels with us.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide
- Local Specialists (Guides)
- Centrally located premium hotels
EXCLUSIONS
- Airfare unless specified as included within the itinerary
- Taxes as applicable
- Travel Insurance and Cancellation Protection (strongly recommended, ask us for a quote!)
- Gratuities for Local Guides, Tour Managers, and/or Bus Drivers
- Meals not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary
- Items (attractions and sightseeing & entrance fees) not listed as included in the itinerary
Can't find what you're looking for?
Our specialists can take away the stress and create a custom trip tailored to your exact interests and budget.
Get A Custom Quote
OR CALL
1.866.814.7378
Custom Trip Plans
You can see what you want, when you want, how you want.
Unique Experiences
Experiences that help you take in the region in a different way.
Freedom To Explore
Time to take in each place with only the tours you want to do.
Tour Questions
What is the maximum number of travellers in a group?
Anderson Vacations specializes in Small Group Fully Escorted tours. If the tour is classified as a ‘Classic Tour’ up to 24 persons may join the tour although tours commonly travel with anywhere between 18 to 24 travellers. If the tour is classified as a 'Tour of Distinction’ only up to 18 persons may join the tour and many 'Tours of Distinction' travel with 12 to 18 travellers.
What are Guaranteed Departures?
After dreaming about travel to an exciting destination, arranging for time off work, booking your flights the last thing you need is for your trip to be cancelled. Anderson vacation's pre-Guaranteed tours take the uncertainty away from planning your travel and give you peace of mind to book our tours. Pre-Guaranteed Tours are group tours that we have already confirmed as certain to travel on the specified date. All 'Guaranteed Tours' will travel except in the event of a natural disaster or a catastrophic event that is beyond our control. They may already have the minimum number of people booked or else are tours that are known to be popular. Only select departures of tours are 'pre-Guaranteed'.
What happens if I book on a tour that is not Guaranteed?
We pride ourselves on providing “a small shared group experience.” In the event that we have fewer than ten participants on a tour we will offer a “small-group surcharge” to ensure that the tour runs as scheduled. This fee, which is up to 15% of the “land” portion of the tour, will be offered to you as an option to continue with the trip. This fee will cover the costs associated with handling a smaller group.
What is the average age of passengers for this tour?
Our tours are suitable for all age demographics. The average age of travelers is typically 45+.
How physically demanding is this tour? Are you able to accommodate people with mobility restrictions/limitations?
Some tours are mainly coach based and may not be physically demanding while others may require walking inclines or on rough surfaces to access interesting locations. Please check with us and your booking agent carefully and discuss your mobility restrictions before completing any tour booking to ensure this style of travel is right for you.
Can you accommodate passengers with dietary restrictions (food allergies, vegan, vegetarian etc.)?
Yes, we do accommodate dietary restrictions (within reason) such as, food allergies, vegan, vegetarian, etc. There are many meals included on our fully escorted tours. Please inform us of any dietary restrictions at the time of booking so we can ensure there are alternative meal choices.
Booking & Flight Questions
Do you arrange airport transfers?
Yes, we can assist you with airport transfers for you in most locations at a reasonable extra cost. Several tours have airport transfers already included. Please contact us for more details.
Can you assist with booking additional accommodation?
Yes, we can certainly assist with booking additional nights of hotel accommodation for you before and after your fully escorted tour. This is available upon request and subject to availability. Please inquire for further information and prices.
How much luggage should I bring?
Each passenger may bring one large suitcase and one carry-on bag. The weight limit for baggage is 20 kilograms or about 40 pounds. Baggage handling is provided at the hotels in our tour packages but there may be places where you will be required to wheel in your bags for quicker access. Be sure to advise our reservations staff if you will be bringing additional items such as a cane, walker, or wheelchair. You may also bring one small soft-sided carry-on bag, which should easily fit into the overhead shelf of a coach. Each person is responsible for his/her own carryon luggage. Remember to check your airline baggage restrictions if you are flying, as they may differ from Anderson Vacations guidelines.
I am a solo traveller. Is there a single surcharge?
There are options for single travelers to join most tours. Solo travellers can choose to pay a Single Supplement and have their own room throughout the tour. For those willing to share with a co-traveller of the same gender, we have a Twin Share option that is offered for most tours where you share a hotel room with another same gender traveller. In this case, you will not be charged for Single Supplement.
Is it possible to book a triple share accommodation?
Yes, it is possible to book triple share accommodations on select trips. Please inquire or contact us regarding this option, as prices and availability vary from tour to tour.
Can we book this tour with our exclusive group?
Yes, you can! Anderson Vacations works with many private groups and helps to customize a tour to traveller’s needs. Please contact us for more details.
Are gratuities included in the tour cost?
For convenience, gratuities for local guides and meals that are specified in the itinerary are included in the tour price. For meals not included in your tour package please remember that it is customary to tip your server 10-20% in North America. Gratuities for your Coach Driver (where appropriate) and Tour Director are entirely at your discretion. We recommend about CDN $5.00 per person, per day, for your Driver and CDN$7.00 per person, per day for your Tour Leader.
TOURS YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Ready? Have More Questions?
Over 25 years offering custom trips and small group tours.
INQUIRE ABOUT THIS TRIP
OR CALL
1.866.814.7378
DOWNLOAD
Tour Code
11WK
11 Day Wonders of Kimberley
11 days
Created On: 21 Nov 2024
Highlights
- Darwin City Tour – Darwin Museum, East Point
- Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge Cruise
- Katherine Outback Experience
- Darwin City Sites
- Adelaide War Cemetery
- Nitmiluk National Park
- Katherine Outback Experience
- Durak Homestead
- Ord River Cruise
- Sandalwood Factory BMG Dinner
- Hoochery Distillery
- Emma Gorge – Hike & Swim (Strong Fitness Required)
- El Questro Wilderness Park
- Chamberlain Gorge Cruise
- El Questro Station
- Indigenous Guided Argyle Diamond Mine Tour
- Kimberley Aboriginal Art Gallery Experience
- Geiki Gorge Cruise
- Cable Beach Sunset Drinks
- Gantheaume Point Broome – Dinosaur Footprints
Inclusions
- Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide
- Local Specialists (Guides)
- Centrally located premium hotels
Exclusions
- Airfare unless specified as included within the itinerary
- Taxes as applicable
- Travel Insurance and Cancellation Protection (strongly recommended, ask us for a quote!)
- Gratuities for Local Guides, Tour Managers, and/or Bus Drivers
- Meals not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary
- Items (attractions and sightseeing & entrance fees) not listed as included in the itinerary
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Broome
You’re about to spend the next 10 days with a group of similarly minded adventure-seekers who will likely become best friends before you even leave tonight’s dinner venue. Break the ice over a few cool drinks and a suitably dazzling Broome sunset that sinks into the Indian Ocean with a sizzle.
Overnight: Broome
Meals: Breakfast
Day 2: Broome Free Time
Among the most multicultural cities in Australia, Broome became a base for fortune-seekers the world over during its ‘pearl rush’. Many of them never left. The pristine waters here grow great oysters, and the resulting pearls are prized by lovers of all things that gleam. The hardest thing you have to do today is decide how to spend it. We have a few ideas. Opt to go to the source and see how pearls are painstakingly grown and harvested, perhaps. Or head north to feel the full force of nature on an optional scenic flight over (and heart-starting cruise through) the magical Horizontal Falls. Only then will you begin to grasp just how mighty the tides are here, ramming through two narrow chasms and creating a waterfall that appears to have been tipped on its side. It will take your breath away, in more ways than one – those boats move fast. We wouldn’t blame you for simply enjoying Broome’s tropical climes, strolling along 22-kilometre Cable Beach, discovering colourful Chinatown then following locals to the sand, or a beachside bar, to salute the end of a spectacular day in WA.
Overnight: Broome
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Broome - Fitzroy Crossing
Things are bigger in Broome, including the footprints. Preserved for 125 million years in the reef rock at Gantheaume Point are the imprints of long-extinct dinosaurs. Remarkably, the Broome coast has become one of the most significant paleontological sites in the world. Next stop – Fitzroy Crossing, the gateway to Danggu (Geikie) Gorge. Jump aboard a boat to discover how this part of the Kimberley was formed by the Fitzroy River carving the Napier Range, leaving behind a dramatic chasm with 30-metre walls, home to a plethora of wildlife. This all happened in Devonian times, some 350 million years ago. Keep watch for all creatures great and small, from freshwater crocs to fruit bats and wallabies. Look up to see white-bellied sea eagles and rare purple-crowned fairy wrens.
Overnight: Fitzroy
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Fitzroy Crossing - Halls Creek
Begin your deep dive into First Nations culture at a Fitzroy Crossing art gallery, a thriving venue dedicated to works by Aboriginal creatives. Pick up a piece or two to support the local community. Your connection to this culture continues as you travel toward the Great Sandy Desert, on the edge of which is the town of Halls Gap. This place is small in population, but big in personality.
Overnight: Halls Creek
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Halls Creek - Emma Gorge
Until recently, the Argyle Diamond Mine was the world’s largest producer of rare, and dazzling, pink diamonds. While operations have ceased, you can still visit and go behind the scenes. Your First Nations guide will not only point out where the magic once happened, but also explain the Aboriginal significance of this land – the traditional Barramundi Dreaming site – to First Nations communities. Then it’s on to the Gibb River Road, the stuff road trip legends are made of. You’ll see why, your route to El Questro Wilderness Park covering a few kilometres of the epic expanse. Now exhale – your safari-style tents for the night are backdropped by the Cockburn Range, surrounded by an oasis of pandanus and palms. When darkness falls, expect a bedazzlement of stars overhead.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: El Questro Wilderness Park
The best way to wake up? With the sun streaming through your tent, wildlife all around. The Kimberley’s sounds follow you across the mighty Pentecost River, a mecca for those who love a spot of barramundi fishing. Arriving at Chamberlain Gorge, an enormous fresh waterhole, your cruise chariot awaits. Jump aboard to feel very small indeed, your boat dwarfed by soaring 60-metre escarpments, a brilliant shade of orange in the morning sun. When it’s time to cool down, take an afternoon dip, whether in the resort pool or at a waterhole within Emma Gorge. Take your pick. The latter is a challenge to reach – you will work up a sweat hiking there. But diving in at the end is worth the effort. Be back on your patio in time for sundowners.
Overnight: El Questro Wilderness Park
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Emma Gorge - Kununurra
It’s not every day that you have the privilege of glimpsing the inner workings of a rum distillery with the family that owns it. Thanks to our AAT Kings connections, we’ve organised for you to meet the makers and discover how Hoochery Distillery prepares its lip-smacking, award-winning rums and whiskys. Try a tasting paddle to get your heart started, or sit down to a slice of rum cake – morning tea sorted. Kununurra is the middle of nowhere, and only exists because of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. Before it was a twinkle on the map, farming pioneers came here to establish vast cattle stations. The life of one such family is chronicled at the Durack Homestead Museum, revealing how the property was dismantled then reassembled on higher ground when much of the countryside was flooded for the dam. The project not only helped water the countryside, but created Lake Argyle. A sunset cruise here, surrounded by tens of thousands of freshwater crocs and an astounding array of birds, is something you won’t forget in a hurry.
Overnight: Kununurra
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Kununurra Free Time
How active and adventurous do you want today to be? Rise early to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the beehive-like rock formations of the Bungle Bungles on an optional scenic flight over World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park. Or opt to stay grounded on a 4WD tour through the ethereal landscape. Otherwise lace up your walking shoes and wander with your Travel Director through Mirima National Park, known as the ‘mini-Bungles’ for its rocky resemblance. Both destinations reveal the mind-boggling geology of this part of the world. Whatever direction you go, be sure to join the locals atop Kelly’s Knob for views over town as the sun sets.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Kununurra - Katherine
Say goodbye to WA and hello to the NT, your introduction to the state the vast pastoral lands that characterise the outback here. Locals come with plenty of country swagger, as you’ll discover when you meet the horseman and award-winning musician Tom Curtain for an afternoon of knee-slappin’ fun on a working station. Tom’s quite the entertainer, and regales visitors with songs and stories during his Katherine Outback Experience. Fun, engaging and insightful.
Overnight: Katherine
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Katherine - Darwin
Nature reigns supreme at Nitmiluk National Park bordering Kakadu. This is Jawoyn land, and a place where you’ll feel your spirit soar. Particularly when you’re cruising through dramatic Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, your boat the only sound echoing around this enormous chasm. Remarkably, this is one of 13 gorges carved through the national park, and at every bend in the river, the sun casts soaring sandstone cliffs a different colour. As you ease north, reminders of the impact of WWII line the banks of the Adelaide River. The headquarters of a military base once stood here, and there’s a cemetery nearby to remember those who lost their lives here. It’s a sobering sight. The balmy Darwin climate sets the pace for your city tour: relaxed. Meet locals (there are some characters), discover the city’s architecture and learn about the events that have shaped life in the Top End, from Cyclone Tracy to WWII when the Northern Territory capital was bombed. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived in Darwin, the Mindil Beach Sunset Market is an institution. Browse the food stalls before gathering to watch the day disappear and exchange email addresses with your new friends.
Overnight: Darwin
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Farewell from Darwin
Eleven days. Countless adventures. A bunch of new friends. And a renewed appreciation for the wild side of Australia. What a journey this has been.
Meals: Breakfast
