| Complete Kimberley Tour with Mowanjum Festival | |||||||||
|
14 Days / 13 Nights – from Broome return to Broome or Broome to Darwin or Reverse May 29-June 5, August 14-20 – Tour Code KBS14 Highlights Mowanjum Festival, Gibb River Road, Mitchell Falls (2 Nights), Bungle Bungles (2N), El Questro (2N), Home Valley, Faraway Downs area, 5 Rivers Lookout, Manning Gorge(2N), Galvans, Adcock, Windjana Gorges & Tunnel Creek, remoteAboriginal Art sites and Aboriginal art centres. Experience incredible rock art galleries, with the elders – learn about Aboriginal Lore, men and women’s business, spirituality, bush medicines and food, language and history, ceremony, song and dance. |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Combine spectacular Kimberley scenery with meetings with the Bush University elders – an the opportunity to learn, work and play with Aboriginal people on their traditional lands. Visit special Wandjina and Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) art sites. A unique opportunity to learn ancient wisdom, recreating community and nature. Enriching and fulfilling experiences with the world’s longest surviving culture.
Day 1 – Depart from Broome 1 pm (meets flights – allows morning swim!). Visit the famous prison Boab tree, and then Derby highlights including the Derby wharf (30 ft tides!) on King Sound, the worlds longest cattle drinking trough, the newMowanjum Art Centre (meet the artists, learn and buy from source), and Mowanjum Aboriginal Community. Meet the locals and after setting up camp and dinner, settle into the Mowanjum Festival cultural highlights. Overnight Derby. NOTE if no Mowanjum Festival (dates not set) extra 2 nights in Mornington Sanctuary |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Day 2 – Depart from Derby for mystical Windjana Gorge and a short hop further to Tunnel Creek. We walk through this cave river system to a special waterhole. After an optional swim, return to Windjana Gorge for a sunset gorge walk at this special creation “waterhole”. Meet the local freshwater crocodiles and exotic bird life (maybe even a rare Gouldian Finch) in this eerie, ancient seabed environment. Overnight Windjana Gorge.
Day 3 – We travel the Gibb River Rd through Queen Victoria Pass, visiting Lennard River Gorge, and Adcock & Galvans Gorges with swimming available in these refreshing and picturesque natural waterholes. We traverse the King Leopold ranges via Inglis Gap and visit Imitji store and Aboriginal community to arrive at Mt Barnett to our campsite at Manning Gorge waterhole. Day 4 – Enjoy the Manning Gorge swim hole before our walk to the spectacular Manning Gorge Falls or choose to relax in camp by the waterhole. Back to our camp for lunch and an easy afternoon exploring local Aboriginal art sites, exotic birdlife or swimming amongst the ancient paperbarks and pandanas palms. This is also a chance to meet Bush University eldersand connect with the dreamtime. Learn of issues of country, kids and community, and about bush tucker and medicines, lore and law, spirit and the tales of the Wandjina. |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Day 5 – We stop in at Barnett River Gorge then turn north off the Gibb River Rd via the Kulumburu Rd to Drysdale River cattle station. After an introduction to cattle station life, a tasty lunch and a yarn with the locals, we travel to our Mitchell Plateau camp, passing through spectacular vegetation including Cycads, Livingstonia Palms and rainforests to King Edward River. Overnight on King Edward River, Mitchell Plateau. (Known as Ngauwudu to the local Aboriginal people.
Day 6 – The Mitchell Plateau is one of the most species rich areas in WA. We travel through vegetation dominated by a rare mixture of fan palms (Livistona eastonii) and eucalypts and the area contains some of the largest pockets of monsoonal vine forest in the Kimberley. At Mitchell River base camp, we are booked for a spectacular helicopter ride over the Mitchell Falls for a once in a lifetime view of this vast landscape. The day is spent swimming & exploring the numerous waterfalls as we take the hour and a bit walk back via Merten’s Falls and unique rock art. View Wandjina and Bradshaw (Gion Gion) rock art sites including Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine). This is one of the most remote areas of Australia. Overnight at our King Edward River camp on Mitchell Plateau. Day 7 – We visit spectacular rock art then ford the King Edward River to travel back via the Gibb River Rd. Enroute we lunch at a peaceful waterhole and make camp at Home valley Station, where some of the Australia The Movie scenes were filmed, and arrive in time for sunset viewing over the Pentecost River of the spectacular Cockburn Range. Overnight outback hospitality at Home Valley Station. Day 8 – This morning we ford the mighty Pentecost River, and take a back track along the Pentecost River, to pass theDurack River junction, and skirt around the eastern side of the Cockburn Ranges to visit Diggers Rest Station and Hotel – were Baz Luhrman and his Australia movie crew made camp for 6 weeks. After morning tea, we travel on to Wyndham,Western Australia’s most northerly town and awe at the landscape from Five Rivers Lookout, with views over the spectacular river systems and wetland flood plains feeding Cambridge Gulf. We visit the wetlands of Parry’s Lagoon, a haven for wetland birds from afar, then enjoy an afternoon walk to, and swim at mystical and transforming Emma Gorge onEl Questro Station. Overnight camp at El Questro. Day 9 – Relax and soak up the healing waters of Zebedee hot springs, before exploring more of the El Questro treats including a Chamberlain Gorge cruise, with more Wandjina rock art, and views of El Questro and the Chamberlain Riverfrom Bronco’s Lookout. Relax for a second night at our El Questro camp. |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Day 10 – After a hearty breakfast travel on through spectacular rugged mountain landscapes via a stop at Doon Doon to Turkey Creek then Warmun art centre. You can meet the artists here, and find some bargain art. After lunch we enter theBungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park) for our overnight camp.
Day 11 – Marvel at this high energy amazing orange and black striped beehive landscape formed by giant river systems. Walk the spectacular Cathedral Cave, Piccanninny Creek and after lunch a walk in Echidna Gorge. Optional scenic helicopter flight available. Sunset viewing over this stunning landscape before a hearty meal and overnight camp in the Bungle Bungles. |
|||||||||
\
|
|||||||||
| Day 12 – Travel via Halls Creek (gold country) and enjoy the wildlife at our stop at Mary’s Pool on the Margaret River. We visitMimili Aboriginal Community for a special opportunity to buy spectacular art and see this very successful community inn action. Travel though breathtaking mesa and mountain landscapes and over the Fitzroy River to our camp at Fitzroy Crossing.
Day 13 – An early start to catch the birdlife on our cruise with the crocodiles on the mighty Fitzroy River in Geike Gorge. See the old rainmaker in the river and learn his story. Walk in this fascinating Devonian reef landscape. Travel on to Broome, the Indian Ocean and Cable Beach swim and sunset before a delicious celebration diner. Overnight Broome. Day 14 – Cable Beach breakfast and an early swim. Tour ends 10 am – after breakfast, in time for connecting flights or try the highly recommended Horizontal Waterfalls flight & jet boat experience or a pearl farm or crocodile farm visit. These are optional extra day or part day tours – Ask for details.Inclusions
|
|||||||||
|
|
