Broome to the Bungle Bungles – 5 days
A region of astounding natural beauty and great spiritual significance, Western Australia’s Kimberley region is Australia untamed. And while the roads here can be rough and distances between attractions far, that doesn’t mean you need to put aside weeks to travel here. This 5-day inland adventure takes in several of the Kimberley’s highlight attractions, plus a whole host of lesser-known favourites. Weave through the boulders and chasms of the Bungle Bungles, encounter Dreaming stories in the Mimbi Caves and learn the legend of Jandamarra on a tour of Tunnel Creek.
Trip overview
- Start – Broome, Australia
- Finish – Broome, Australia
- Destinations – Australia
- Physical rating – 3/5
- Group size – Max 20
- Marvel at the Bungle Bungles, unique orange and black-striped ‘beehive’ formations that are more than 20 million years old.
- Take a guided tour of Mimbi Caves, one of Western Australia’s largest cave systems, with a local Gooniyandi guide.
- See the old gold rush town of Halls Creek and The China Wall, a naturally-formed white quartz wall which rises up to six metres above the landscape.
- Cool off in a waterhole at Cathedral Gorge surrounded by birdsong and the towering red rock walls of the gorge.
- This trip is operated and run by our trusted partner, Kimberley Wild Expeditions. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Kimberley Wild Expeditions customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Kimberley Wild Expeditions to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time away.
- This is a camping trip for those who are looking for the basics. Simple facilities and lack of emphasis on creature comforts make this an authentic experience of the Australian outback.
- On some days of the trip, you’ll spend several hours driving through very sparse areas of Australia. Sit back and enjoy landscapes that you would miss in any other form of travel. Extra space can be tight, and conditions may feel a little cramped. Think of it as a great way to get to know your fellow travellers. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie.
- Our leaders are the classic do-it-all Aussie – they know the best spots to watch the sunset, can drive you to your next destination, take you on a guided hike or even whip up dinner for the group on some trips. While they won’t always do all these jobs on every trip, be aware they will be juggling many things on your tour and may have less time to spend with you. They will always be working hard to ensure you and your group have a fantastic time exploring Australia.
- This itinerary involves some clambering over rocks, wading in water by torchlight, walking on rocky creek beds and ascending/descending into gorges. A reasonable level of fitness and being sure on your feet is necessary to participate.
- Please Note: Due to the effects of ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie in January 2023, some traditional attractions are closed for the season to give Country time to rest and recover. There is so much more to see in the Kimberley though, and we have been easily able to adapt our itineraries to include additional and extended activities, that we are normally not able to do! Plus, the landscape will be looking spectacular this year after such a great wet season: waterfalls will be thundering, swimming holes will be clean and fresh and our native wildlife will be thriving. So, while there are two destinations that we are unable to visit in the short term due to flood damage, those same big rains will mean the Kimberley has never been fresher. The season of 2023 promises to be a special opportunity to experience the Australian outback at its best.
Itinerary
We ease into our adventure as we travel east towards Fitzroy Crossing. Join the Darlgunya Cultural Walk where our local Indigenous guide greets us with a smoking ceremony and billy tea, then leads a stroll through the remnants of the old postal settlement. Learn about the wild Fitzroy River: its plants, wildlife and significance to local culture.
Visit the gold rush town of Halls Creek and see the remarkable China Wall enroute to Purnululu National Park, home of the magnificent Bungle Bungles. On arrival in Purnululu, there is time to orient ourselves and settle into our Safari Camp before a delightful bush sunset. Relax with a delicious meal and evening under the stars.
In the heart of Purnululu National Park, our eco safari tents at the Bungle Bungles Safari Camp boast views of the Bungles Massif from your door. The camp features modern facilities, a covered dining deck with panoramic views and an open air campfire around which you can relax beneath a sparkling Kimberley night sky: chatting, star-gazing and sharing the adventure with like-minded travellers.
Spend the next day exploring the highlights of Purnululu National Park, the most famous of which are the Bungle Bungle domes. Rivers created this landscape of unique orange and black striped ‘beehive’ geological formations over a period of 20 million years. Unbelievably, only the locals knew it existed until the early 1980s. To protect its unique landscape, the area was made a national park in 1987 and now enjoys World Heritage status. We explore the 2 km-long Echidna Chasm, known for its towering
Livistonia Palm trees, and take a short walk (2-3km) into stunning Cathedral Gorge, where towering rocks create a natural amphitheatre.
We bid farewell to Purnululu and travel to the ancient realm of Mimbi Caves, one of Western Australia’s largest cave systems, in the heart of Gooniyandi Country. Spiritually significant, these limestone caves are one of the oldest identified sites of human occupation in Australia. Delve into Dreamtime with our local Gooniyandi guide who shares traditional stories and reveals the secrets of Mimbi Caves, a sanctuary of crystal clear pools, rare fossils and ancient rock art. Share fresh damper and billy tea with the Gooniyandi traditional owners before we head for Fitzroy Crossing.
Following another night by the Fitzroy River, we head for Bunuba country – once a Devonian reef, this terrain is over 350 million years old and home to a diverse array of animals and plants. In the morning we seek the adventure of Tunnel Creek, a 750-metre cave system in which we discover secret caves and a large variety of wildlife. It is here we also learn the legend of Jandamarra, an Aboriginal freedom fighter who used the tunnel as a hide-out in the late 1800’s. Travel to the geological wonder of Windjana Gorge, a delightful oasis in the outback; beneath gorge walls rising 90m, we enjoy a picnic lunch and search for freshwater crocodiles, local birdlife and indigenous bushtucker. The Gibb River Road then leads us from the picturesque Napier Ranges as we begin the return to Broome via the Derby ‘Boab Prison Tree’.
Inclusions
Add on activities
- Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles) – 30 minute Scenic Helicopter Flight – AUD500
