Kimberley Expedition – Australia’s Wild Northwest

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic

Stretching along Australia’s northwest coast, the Kimberley plateau is a vast landscape of plunging waterfalls, wild sandstone formations, emerald rainforest and deep gorges. Explore this immense and complex landscape: examine Aboriginal rock art, see otherworldly geological formations, and witness fascinating phenomena from “horizontal” waterfalls to the spectacular—and remote—King George Falls.

Darwin to Broome
09 July 2023 – 11 night Fly/Stay/Cruise Package

Oval Window Rooms $17,999 per person share twin
Upper Deck Rooms $24,679 per person share twin
Bridge Deck Rooms $27,059 per person share twin
French Balcony Rooms $37,249 per person share twin

BONUS – Free Bar Tab and Crew Tips included

– Also operates 19 July and 29 Jul *prices on request

Cruise Highlights 
✔ Zodiacs take you up the spectacular King George River, where you’ll feel dwarfed by the towering red rock canyon walls, then cooled by the mist of King George Falls.
✔ View an outdoor Aboriginal art gallery, portraying images of the Wandjina spirits.
✔ Explore the Ord River, one of the most stunning river systems in Australia.
✔ Visit Montgomery Reef, where the tide drops so rapidly that waters trapped atop the reef create a raging torrent as they escape.

DAY 1-2: Darwin, Australia
Arrive in Darwin. The capital of Australia’s remote
Northern Territory, Darwin began as a frontier town
of gold miners, and has developed into a thriving
multicultural city. Spend a night at our group hotel
and on Day 2, board the ship and cast off in the
afternoon. National Geographic Orion for the
entire voyage. (B,L,D)

DAY 3-4: Com, Timor-Leste (East Timor) / At
Sea
Settle into your cabin and prepare for the amazing
photographic opportunities ahead with talks and
hands-on instruction by our certified photo
instructor. The ship makes a brief technical stop at
Com, before continuing into the heart of the
Kimberley. (B,L,D)

DAY 5: Wyndham, Australia / Ord River
Set out via small boat up the Ord River to Lake
Argyle. The Ord River is one of the most stunning
river systems in Australia. You’ll navigate a
massive stretch of river between Kununurra and
Lake Argyle (Ord River Dam) and then view the
lake from a scenic lookout and have a visit to the
historic Durack homestead. Alternatively, take an
optional flight to discover Purnululu National Park,
home of the breathtaking Bungle Bungle Range.
These ancient hills resemble giant beehives
forming deep chasms with palm trees and long
gorges. This strange landscape is remarkable
from the air. (B,L,D)

DAY 6: King George River and Falls
Enjoy the unique opportunity to ride Zodiacs up
the King George River today, passing between
nearly vertical canyon walls. Our destination is the
dramatic and remote King George Falls, where
water drains off the plateau in twin cascades,
dropping some 80 metres. Depending on the
conditions, we’ll hang back in the refreshing mist
to watch the thundering water, or get right up close
—and even behind—the falls.

DAY 7: Vansittart Bay
Enter Vansittart Bay and go ashore at Jar Island to
experience the mystical culture of Kimberley’s
Aboriginal people at an outdoor gallery of
prehistoric Gwion Gwion rock art. The elegant
images were recorded by Joseph Bradshaw in
1891, and date back tens of thousands of years. If
time allows, visit the wreck of a DC-3 aircraft that
crashed nearby during World War II. (B,L,D)

DAY 8: Hunter River (and optional helicopter
to Mitchell Falls)
This is one of the most scenic parts of the
Kimberley coast, lined with green rainforest,
mangroves and soaring red cliffs. National
Geographic Orion will drop anchor near Naturalists
Island, the proper name of which is
“Wunumpurramarra”—a stunning backdrop to our
day’s explorations. The Hunter River has many
crocodiles, and you may be lucky enough to see
them on a Zodiac foray through the mangroves.
For those wishing to explore some of the
Kimberley’s vast interior, today presents a
wonderful opportunity. The distance from
Naturalists Island to the famous Mitchell Falls and
Plateau is about 50 kilometres, and you may choose to
take an optional helicopter excursion over some
spectacular terrain. (B,L,D)

DAY 9: Montgomery Reef
The Kimberley coast is known for its dramatic
tides. Conditions permitting, we’ll arrive at
Montgomery Reef at the turn of the tide and
position ourselves to watch the water drop rapidly
and kilometres of reef appear suddenly, as if rising from
the sea. This is a fantastic opportunity to spot
wildlife such as egrets, sea turtles, and reef sharks
as they forage for creatures trapped on the reef.
(B,L,D)

DAY 10: Talbot Bay and Horizontal Waterfalls
Sail into the Buccaneer Archipelago to witness an
extraordinary phenomenon: the Horizontal Falls of
Talbot Bay. The rapid rise and fall of the tide
unleashes a surge of up to 10 metres as trapped
water pushes through two narrow gorges. We’ll
ride Zodiacs to experience this exhilarating event
firsthand. Later in the day, join our naturalists on
an excursion to Cyclone Bay to explore the twisted
geological folds of the ancient seabed. (B,L,D)

DAY 11: Nares Point
Just south of Koolan Island, Nares Point is a long
finger of sandstone that protrudes from the
mainland, providing great opportunities for Zodiac
outings and guided beach walks. (B,L,D)

DAY 12: Broome, Western Australia
Disembark in Broome and make your way to the
airport for flights home. (B)

Ask one of our Personal Travel Managers for more details