Essence of the Kimberley with Kimberley Coastal Expedition Cruise

Today, we’ll meet you at the airport before welcoming you aboard your expedition ship. The Seabourn Pursuit is the newest and most luxurious ship on the Kimberley coast, boasting incredible facilities, delectable dining options and personalised service. You might like to admire the views from the panoramic balcony of your spacious suite, sip champagne on the outdoor deck, take a dip in the infinity pool or share stories of your adventures with your newfound friends in one of the luxurious shared spaces. A relaxed dinner this evening gives you the chance to meet your fellow travellers and sets the tone for the next nine nights on board.

Today, your ship cruises into Koolama Bay. Hear how this bay was renamed following the Japanese bombing of the MV Koolama in 1942. Join your Expedition Team aboard a Zodiac to meander through King George River’s gorge system, passing mangrove-fringed coves and sheer red cliffs. This evening, enjoy a Captain’s welcome dinner.

Signature Experience - King George Falls

Get up close and personal to the magnificent King George Falls, where the King George River tumbles 80 metres down from lofty sandstone cliffs. You’ll be able to experience its power as your Zodiac creeps close to the iconic waterfall.

This morning, join your Expedition Team on an intriguing discovery. Walk across salt flats to view the wreckage of a US Air Force C-53, which crash-landed near Vansittart Bay during World War II. Later, we reposition in the bay to visit Jar Island and discover the island’s outstanding rock art gallery. During your exploration here, you’ll see fascinating examples of Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) paintings, dating back more than 20,000 years.

Enjoy a relaxed morning aboard your luxurious ship. This afternoon, pay a special visit to Ashmore Reef Marine Park. Located in the Timor Sea and spanning 583 square kilometres, the reef is a sanctuary for many marine species. Every year, more than 100,000 seabirds breed here, including crested terns, white-tailed tropicbirds and great frigatebirds. In addition to the prolific birdlife, beneath the clear tropical waters, the coral reefs, seagrass meadows, sandflats and lagoons of Ashmore Reef are home to a colourful array of marine life. 255 species of reef-building coral dwell here - the greatest number of any reef on the West Australian coast. Our visit to Ashmore reef is required to ensure we comply with Australian government regulations. Pending favourable weather and sea conditions, you’ll explore this sanctuary via Zodiac with your Expedition Team.

Travel to Swift Bay, home to some of the oldest and most significant Indigenous rock art in the Kimberley. Here, you'll encounter unique rock art etched into cave walls and on cliffs, depicting Wandjina figures. These powerful, ancestral spirits are associated with rain, clouds and the creation of the land and people, deeply rooted in the Dreamtime stories of the Kimberley.

You are transported to Prince Frederick Harbour today, home to the towering red cliffs and tangled mangroves of Hunter River and Porosus Creek. With its extreme tides and pristine ecosystems, the bay and its waterways are rich in wildlife including mudskippers and saltwater crocodiles. Porosus Creek takes its name from the scientific name for the saltwater crocodile, a good indication of what we’re looking for today. Keen birdwatchers should keep a careful eye out for kingfishers, egrets, herons and white-bellied sea eagles. To enhance your day, you might choose to set out on a thrilling helicopter flight to see the Mitchell Falls in all its splendour from above (flight at own expense).

Enrich Your Experience - Mitchell Falls Helicopter Flight

Soar over the incredible and breakthtaking Mitchell Falls on a scenic helicopter flight experience.

Today, visit Montgomery Reef and Freshwater Cove, where you will enjoy two Signature Experiences.

Signature Experience - Montgomery Reef

Following your visit to Freshwater Cove, depart with your Expedition Team to discover Montgomery Reef by Zodiac. Soak in the amazing scenes aboard a Zodiac as Montgomery Reef dramatically rises out of the ocean as a result of the region’s strong tides. Cruise through narrow channels between the world’s largest inshore reef as you admire the spectacle and the incredible wildlife exposed by the cascading water.

Signature Experience - Arraluli Heritage Exploration

Experience a Welcome to Country and an immersive smoking ceremony conducted by the Arraluli people, the traditional custodians of the land. Then, embark on a guided hike led by the Expedition Team to explore a mesmerising rock art site where your Aboriginal guide will offer an interpretation of the rock art. This Signature Experience offers a profound connection to the rich cultural heritage and timeless traditions of the Arraluli people.

Explore Talbot Bay and Cyclone Creek. Accompanied by your Expedition Team Leader, you’ll weave nimbly past the dramatic folds of rock formations, keeping a look out for local wildlife.

Signature Experience - Horizontal Falls

Today, your ship cruises through to Talbot Bay, known for its massive 12-metre tides that create the unique Horizontal Falls. Subject to tidal conditions, board a zodiac with your Expedition Team to view this natural phenomenon.

There’s promise of turquoise waters today as your ship arrives in the Buccaneer Archipelago, home to more than 800 islands. Cruise to the Lacepede Islands and join your Expedition Team for an exploration of this remote coastal area by Zodiac. Known as Western Australia’s most important breeding site for Green Turtles and also named by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA), the islands host one of the world’s largest brown booby colony, alongside up to 20,000 roseate terns and a wealth of other seabird species.

After breakfast on board, disembark your ship and be transferred to your hotel in Broome. The day is free for you to explore Broome at your leisure. Perhaps relax at one of the many beautiful beaches, where vibrant white sand meets the turquoise Coral Sea.

Depart Broome this morning and head to the Boab Prison Tree, believed to be 1,500 years old. Continue along the Gibb River Road to Windjana Gorge, where ancient marine fossils lay embedded in the gorge walls and scour the banks for a glimpse of the freshwater crocodiles. Next, head to Tunnel Creek, a 750-meter- long natural tunnel carved through the Napier Range which flows through Western Australia's oldest cave system. With torch in hand, wade through the cool waters that fill the tunnel and emerge on the other side to discover a serene oasis.

Travel to Halls Creek, before arriving at Purnululu National Park. Upon arrival, check-in to your accommodation at APT's luxury Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge, your home for the next two nights. The lodge boasts unrivalled access to the spectacular domes of the Bungle Bungle Range, Picaninny Creek, Echidna Chasm and Cathedral Gorge.

Award-Winning Ecotourism

APT is proud to be the sole major tour operator in the Kimberley to have achieved Advanced Ecotourism Certification. Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge has been awarded the inaugural New Product Development.

Signature Experience – Nyanyjili Footprint Tour

Be joined by an Indigenous Australian Traditional Owner guide on your Nyanyjili Footprint Tour. Become immersed in the stories, history and culture of Bunuba country and its people. Take the opportunity to ask questions and connect with your guide on this intimate tour.

Explore the magic of Purnululu for yourself and discover the depth of the Bungle Bungle Range. Walk along Piccaninny Creek, a winding gorge within the Bungle Bungle domes. Your next stop is the natural amphitheatre of Cathedral Gorge, a spacious cavern where the acoustics are astounding. Marvel at the majestic beehive domes as your guide brings the natural history of the range to life. You may like to experience an optional scenic helicopter flight over the domes.

Signature Experience – Sunset Drinks at the Bungle Bungle Range

There's no better way to end a day of discovery than by watching the sunset over the Bungle Bungle Range. With a glass of sparkling in hand, see the massive beehive-shaped domes cast in a golden glow at this time of day.

Enrich Your Experience – Bungle Bungle Helicopter Flight

Experience breathtaking views of World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park from above on a scenic helicopter flight (own expense).

Today, enjoy a hike through Echidna Chasm, where you’ll walk between towering gorge walls that reach up to 200 metres in height. Afterwards, continue your journey to Kununurra.

Travel to Lake Argyle and join a wildlife cruise on the mighty Ord River. From a modern shaded vessel, discover the area's ecological system that has developed from the damming of the Ord River at two locations, before heading to El Questro Wilderness Park.

Enrich Your Experience – Upgrade Your Stay

Upgrade your stay at El Questro with an all-inclusive two-night stay at The Homestead, a secluded oasis perched above the Chamberlain River. Be treated to a stay defined by exceptional dining, curated experiences, and access to some of El Questro's most breathtaking landscapes.

This morning, hike to Emma Gorge where you’ll be rewarded with a swim beneath a towering droplet waterfall. Enjoy lunch, before relaxing at Zebedee Springs. Enjoy dinner this evening back at Emma Gorge Resort.

Signature Experience – Zebedee Springs

Venture through a pre-historic forest of Livistona and pandanus palms before arriving at a true oasis, Zebedee Springs. This permanent natural thermal spring is tucked away in a secluded pocket of El Questro’s wilderness. Enjoy time to relax as you soak in the hot springs and leave feeling refreshed.

Head to Galvans Gorge, where a short walk leads to a picturesque waterhole, the ideal spot for a refreshing swim, before heading to APT's luxury Bell Gorge Wilderness Lodge.

Back on the Gibb River Road, travel to Bell Gorge, where spectacular cliffs surround a series of tiered waterholes. Should you be feeling particularly energetic, you may take the opportunity to hike to the lower pool of the gorge and enjoy a relaxing dip below the cascading waterfall.

Travel to Derby and visit a local art gallery displaying an array of local indigenous art. Later, return to Broome.

After breakfast, your journey concludes with an airport transfer.