Day

Itinerary

1

Welcome to Darwin

Life in cosmopolitan Darwin, Australia’s only tropical capital, is vibrant but unhurried.  Enjoy a Welcome Reception and dinner this evening with your Travel Director and fellow travelers at a restaurant, which affords spectacular views over the Darwin waterfront.

Hotel: Mantra on the Esplanade, Darwin. Included Meals: Dinner with wine

2

Darwin to Katherine

Travel south along the Stuart Highway today, stopping at Adelaide River, the site of a large WWII military base and a significant War Cemetery, the final resting place of nearly 500 military personnel and civilians who died in the service of their country. This afternoon, travel on via Katherine to Nitmiluk National Park, where a tranquil cruise along the spectacular Katherine Gorge will allow you to sense the spirituality of the land while you catch glimpses of the abundant wildlife and learn about the history and culture of the local traditional owners, the Jawoyn people. Later on you’ll meet Tom Curtin during his entertaining show at the Katherine Outback Experience.

Hotel: Paraway Motel, Katherine.  Included Meals: Breakfast and dinner with wine

3

Katherine to Kununurra

Watch the landscape transform dramatically as you journey across vast pastoral leases and Aboriginal homelands into Western Australia. Pause at the historic Durack Homestead Museum: originally built in 1895, the homestead was relocated when nearby Lake Argyle, Australia’s largest man-made lake, was created. Later, cruise along the Ord River, now a permanent waterway which supports an abundance of native fish, birds, marsupials and amphibians. Experience a magical sunset over the water before your arrival in Kununurra.

Hotel: Kununurra Country Club Resort. Included Meals: Breakfast and dinner with wine.

4

Kununurra

Today you may choose an optional early-morning scenic flight over the spectacular beehive-shaped towers of the Bungle Bungle Range before a tour of Kununurra, or a full-day 4WD tour of the Bungle Bungles. Kununurra, the hub for agriculture, tourism and mining. It’s also close to Mirima National Park, home to a vast array of wildlife and a site of great cultural significance to the local Miriwoong people. It also features intriguing natural rock formations. Be my guest dining experience. After an afternoon at leisure, dine this evening on locally-grown produce at a privately-hosted Be My Guest dinner in the heart of Kununurra’s sandalwood plantations while learning about this fascinating local industry.

Hotel: Kununurra Country Club Resort.  Included Meals: Breakfast and Be My Guest dinner

5

Kununurra – Emma Gorge & El Questro

This morning, take a guided tour of Hoochery Distillery, the home of Ord River Rum, before travelling on to Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve (weather permitting) to see egrets, herons, ibis, magpie geese and perhaps even a jabiru or a lurking crocodile. Continue on the Gibb River Road to your safari-style tented cabin nestled in an oasis of native pandanus and palms at the foot of the red-hued Cockburn Ranges in the El Questro Wilderness Park.

Hotel: Emma Gorge Resort, Tented Cabin with private facilities, El Questro. Included Meals: Breakfast and dinner with wine.

6

El Questro

Awake to the calls of native birds, and after a hearty breakfast, take a cruise on Chamberlain Gorge, an extensive waterhole fringed by tropical vegetation and soaring escarpments. Spend a little time at the station before returning to your resort to enjoy an afternoon at leisure: take a dip in the pool, relax with a good book on your cabin’s verandah or join your Travel Director for a challenging hike to Emma Gorge and a dip in its crystal-clear waterhole.

Hotel: Emma Gorge Resort, Tented Cabin with private facilities, El Questro. Included Meals: Breakfast and dinner with wine

7

Emma Gorge to Halls Creek

Today visit the Argyle Diamond Mine, the world’s largest source of natural coloured diamonds, where a local Indigenous guide will join you for a behind-the-scenes look at the mining process. Continue south to the historic town of Halls Creek. Situated on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert, the town is rich in Aboriginal and European history and culture.

Hotel: Kimberley Hotel, Halls Creek.  Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with wine

8

Halls Creek – Fitzroy Crossing

 Aboriginal culture.  Travel on today to the remote township of Fitzroy Crossing, stopping en route in Halls Creek to visit an art gallery with a chance to meet Indigenous artists. This afternoon, cruise with a local guide through magnificent Geikie Gorge. Watch for freshwater crocodiles, fruit-bats and wallabies as the 30-metre walls of the gorge tower above you.

Hotel: Fitzroy River Lodge, Fitzroy Crossing. Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner with wine

9

Fitzroy Crossing to Broome

Travel through spectacular landscapes today en route to the tropical former pearling outpost of Broome. Enjoy a town tour with your Travel Director, visiting the fascinating Japanese Cemetery and nearby Gantheaume Point, whose rugged red cliffs rise in stark contrast to the cobalt blue waters. Relax with a drink while the sun sets over the Indian Ocean.

Hotel: Cable Beach Club Resort, Broome. Included Meals: Day 9: Breakfast. 

10

Broome

Today is yours to explore this tropical hideaway. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the pristine sands of Cable Beach and swim in its turquoise waters, or wander through Chinatown and shop for pearls. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner.

Hotel: Cable Beach Club Resort, Broome. Breakfast and farewell dinner

11

Farewell from Broome

Say farewell to your fellow travelers when your holiday comes to an end this morning after breakfast.  Included Meals: Breakfast