12 Day Gibb, Plateau, Bungles & Litchfield: Broome to Darwin or reverse

This morning we head east from Broome along the Great Northern Highway, crossing the massive Fitzroy River. After stopping at the Boab Prison Tree, we branch off along dirt roads and explore by torchlight Tunnel Creek, hideout of the outlaw Pigeon, and then through to our camp at Windjana Gorge looking for some freshwater crocodiles.

DAY 2 - CP

Today we start our trek along the famous Gibb River Road, travelling through the King Leopold Ranges, with our first stop for a refreshing swim at Galvans Gorge before arriving at our camp at Manning Gorge.

DAY 3 - NP

Leaving the Gibb, we travel via the Kalumburu Road, heading for the remote Mitchell Plateau. Tonight we camp on the banks of the King Edward River where we can swim in the refreshing pools and wash off the dust. Later we can look for "eyes" in the river.

DAY 4 - NP

Passing through forests of Livistonia Palms and some of the best views that money can't buy, a full day is set aside to explore this spectacular area at leisure. A trek to Mertens Falls and then on to the famous Mitchell Falls will take you to one of the most remote places in the country. Plenty of time to swim, photograph and just absorb some priceless memories, as the Mitchell River cascades down, forming a massive 4-tiered waterfall. An optional helicopter flight is also available. We camp here this evening.

DAY 5 - CP

This morning we reluctantly leave Mitchell Falls stopping to view Aboriginal rock art, including Wandjina art and the mysterious Bradshaw paintings, before arriving at the King Edward River in time for a swim and lunch.  We trek on to Drysdale River station, with time for a cold beer at a traditional Kimberley cattle station. Camp tonight by the Drysdale river.

DAY 6 - CP

This morning we can relax for a while or try our hand at fishing, before rejoining the Gibb River Rd (one of the roughest roads in the world), navigating through the stunning Pentecost Ranges, while crossing the mighty rivers of both the Durack and Pentecost, en-route to the award winning
El Questro station.

DAY 7 - CP

Start the day with a walk through, and a soak in, the palm-fringed Zebedee Hot Springs. Our next visit is to the magnificent El Questro gorge, where we can hike through to the halfway point for a refreshing swim; or, for the more energetic, a trek to the end for the pristine waterfall. This afternoon we end our trek along the Gibb River Road, heading to Kununurra, where you can spend time relaxing around the pool, or take an optional plane flight over Lake Argyle, the world-renowned Argyle Diamond Mine and the Bungle Bungle ranges.

DAY 8 - NP

Early this morning we head south along the Great Northern Highway. Our first stop after Kununurra is to visit the renowned Warmun Art Centre to view artwork from leading Aboriginal artists in residence. We continue our journey to Purnululu (Bungle Bungle National Park), driving for several hours via rugged 4WD-only access tracks. After setting up camp and a quick lunch, we walk through the tiger-striped sandstone domes at Picanniny Creek to the spacious cavern of Cathedral Gorge. Relax and absorb it all as we experience a magnificent Bungle Bungle sunset.

DAY 9 - NP

There is a lot more to the Bungles than the 400 metre high beehive-shaped domes, as we will discover with an optional early morning helicopter flight. Then it's off to Echidna Chasm, about a 2 km long narrow gorge with walls towering 100 metres and adorned with tall palms. This is one of the most mysterious places of Australia. This afternoon, we head north out of the Bungles to our bush camp in the Bow River area.

DAY 10 - CP

After a quick stop in Kununurra to replenish our supplies, we continue our trek to the north-east, adjusting our time-pieces as we cross the border into the Northern Territory. The drive through the Gregory National Park is quite spectacular; on both sides you have escarpment ranges, unique Boab trees and the mighty Victoria River that runs into deep valleys and gorges. Tonight we camp at Victoria River, with the stunning Red Valley Gorge as our backdrop.

DAY 11 - NP

Today we head North, traveling through the service town of Katherine, (the NT's 4th largest), and stop for the night at the delightful Edith Falls or Douglas Hot Springs. Here, thermal pools create an oasis in the surrounding dry woodlands on the edge of the Litchfield National Park.

DAY 12

Today we explore Litchfield.  Here we can swim and explore the tropical falls of this beautiful National Park, including Buley rockhole and Wangi Falls.  We then head to Darwin arriving early evening, where your tour guide will drop you at your accommodation, sadly ending a memorable adventure.

KEY:
CP = Camping Park, full facilities
NP = National Park, limited facilities
BC = Bush Camp, no facilities