Skip to main content

Australia: the Kimberley, Broome and the Gibb River Road

A proposed 10-day itinerary from Broome to Kununurra: Cable Beach, Derby and Windjana Gorge, four nights on the Gibb River Road for Bell, Galvans, Manning and Emma gorges, then a Bungle Bungle flight and Lake Argyle.

10 days · Broome to Kununurra · up to 12 guests

The facts

At a glance

Length
10 days, 9 nights
Start and end
Broome to Kununurra
Group size
7 to 12 guests
Longest drive
6 h on day 7
Activity level

Active

Gorge walks over boulders, rock ledges and creek crossings, in dry heat. Manning Gorge starts with a river crossing, and Emma Gorge is described by El Questro as a challenging walk of about an hour with rock hopping. Long days in a 4WD on corrugated dirt road. Every walk and swim can be sat out, with a shorter choice on each gorge day.

Meals included
9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 6 dinners
Room of your own
We can match you with a roommate
Season
May to September

Highlights

Why this trip

  • A camel ride along Cable Beach as the sun drops into the Indian Ocean
  • Broome's pearling story at the museum, Chinatown and the Japanese Cemetery
  • Windjana Gorge's ancient limestone reef walls and freshwater crocodiles, which may be seen on the sandbanks
  • A swim, depending on the season, in the pool below Bell Gorge falls, early, before the road wakes up
  • Galvans and Manning gorges in one day, with a Wandjina painting by the water, when the pools are flowing
  • Fording the Pentecost River under the Cockburn Range
  • Zebedee Springs at opening and the walk into Emma Gorge
  • A scenic flight over the Bungle Bungle domes, then a sunset cruise on Lake Argyle

What makes this trip different

  • Short drives, all published

    Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 6 h, on day 7.

  • Free time is part of the plan

    Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.

  • Solo without the penalty

    We can match you with a roommate.

Day by day

Itinerary

The longest drive is 6 h, on day 7.

THE KIMBERLEYWUNAAMIN MILIWUNDI RANGESPURNULULU NATIONAL PARKIndian OceanKing SoundJoseph Bonaparte Gulf123456Broome and Cable BeachDays 1 to 3DerbyDays 3 to 4Windjana GorgeDay 4Bell GorgeDays 4 to 6Galvans GorgeDay 6Manning Gorge (Mount Barnett)Days 6 to 7Pentecost River crossingDay 7El Questro (Emma Gorge)Days 7 to 8KununurraDays 8 to 10Lake ArgyleDay 9Bungle Bungle Range (scenic flight)Day 9

Tap any stop on the map to open that day

Arrive in Broome

Broome International Airport to your hotel in Broome, then Cable Beach

  • Welcome dinner
  • Stay in Broome
  • Drive about 15 min
Cable Beach at dusk seen from the clifftop path, with a camel train on the sand
Photo: Ridiculopathy, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dusk_at_Cable_Beach,_Broome,_WA,_Australia_07.jpg), resized

Fly into Broome (BME), which sits almost in town, and a driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the few minutes to our hotel. Broome is Rubibi to the Yawuru people, and it is a pearling town before it is a beach town: Chinatown's corrugated-iron shopfronts and the cemeteries of Japanese, Malay and Koepanger divers tell that story, and we walk it tomorrow.

Afternoon

The afternoon is free to rest after the flight or swim. At 4:30 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a briefing on the road ahead: the 4WD, the gorges, the river crossings and the simple nights on the Gibb.

Evening

Then we drive out to Cable Beach, reportedly more than 20 km of white sand facing west, and watch the sun go down over the Indian Ocean before a welcome dinner together. On some full-moon evenings in the dry season we can add the Staircase to the Moon at Roebuck Bay; dates are checked at quoting.

Included

  • Pick-up at Broome International Airport (BME)
  • Welcome briefing with your guide at 4:30 pm
  • Sunset at Cable Beach
  • Welcome dinner in Broome

Optional experiences

  • Staircase to the Moon at Roebuck Bay, on some full-moon evenings in the dry season (dates checked at quoting)

Free time: Free until the 4:30 pm briefing

Activity: Land by early afternoon to settle in; later arrivals are met and join the group at dinner.

  1. Broome2 nights
  2. Derby1 night
  3. Bell Gorge (Gibb River Road)2 nights
  4. Mount Barnett (Gibb River Road)1 night
  5. El Questro (Emma Gorge)1 night
  6. Kununurra2 nights
  • Overnight stop
  • Day trip
  • By boat or train
Print itinerary

Wildlife and weather: We plan only the dry season, May to September: usually hot, dry days with little rain, and cooler nights on the Gibb, so bring a warm layer. Main Roads WA says the best time to travel is early in the dry season, when rivers and waterfalls may still be flowing. Freshwater crocodiles bask at Windjana Gorge, where DBCA says there is no swimming. Saltwater crocodiles are present in the Pentecost and Chamberlain rivers, so no swimming or fishing there. Swimming depends on park and station rules and conditions on the day; crocodiles can occur in Kimberley waterways. Boab trees line much of the road; wallabies and birds are sometimes seen at dusk.

Want this plan in your inbox?

Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.

Before you book

Right for you?

Good for you if you want

  • Travellers who want the Gibb River Road without camping or driving it themselves
  • Swimmers: there is a gorge pool on most days
  • People happy with simple station rooms and safari tents for four nights in return for being in the middle of the Kimberley
  • Those who want the Bungle Bungles without a long 4WD track in and out
  • Anyone pairing the Kimberley with our Top End or Western Australia coast trips

Not for you if you want

  • Travellers who need a hotel with full facilities every night
  • Anyone who cannot manage rocky walks, creek crossings or dust and corrugated road
  • Wet-season travel: we plan only May to September
  • People who need mobile signal every day
  • Travellers who want Tunnel Creek or to walk inside the Bungle Bungles: ask about a private trip, subject to availability

Book flights after we confirm your seat.

9 nights

Where you'll stay

Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.

  • Broome2 nights
  • Derby1 night
  • Bell Gorge (Gibb River Road)2 nights
  • Mount Barnett (Gibb River Road)1 night
  • El Questro (Emma Gorge)1 night
  • Kununurra2 nights

One price

What's in the price

Included

Accommodation

  • 9 nights as proposed: 2 in Broome, 1 in Derby, 4 on the Gibb River Road and 2 in Kununurra
  • Broome, Derby and Kununurra: hotels planned at a 3-star-plus standard with your own bathroom
  • Gibb River Road: simple station rooms or fixed safari tents with real beds, 2 nights near Bell Gorge, 1 near Mount Barnett and 1 at El Questro; bathroom arrangements confirmed at quoting
  • Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement

Transport

  • Pick-up at Broome International Airport (BME) and drop-off at Kununurra airport (KNX)
  • A purpose-built 4WD touring vehicle with a licensed driver, for our group only, about 1,350 km over ten days, with about 470 km of the Gibb River Road unsealed
  • Scenic flight over the Bungle Bungle Range from Kununurra
  • Sunset cruise on Lake Argyle

Your guide

  • A See Sight Tours guide with the group from Broome to Kununurra. Guide and driver are assigned at quoting; we require remote-area first aid and a satellite phone for the trip

Activities

  • Broome: Cable Beach sunset, the Broome Historical Museum, Chinatown, the Japanese Cemetery, Gantheaume Point and a sunset camel ride on Cable Beach
  • Derby: the Boab Prison Tree, the Mowanjum Art and Culture Centre and the wharf at sunset
  • Windjana Gorge walk
  • Bell Gorge (Dalmanyi) walk and swim
  • Galvans Gorge and Manning Gorge, with the Manning Gorge access fee as published
  • The Pentecost River crossing below the Cockburn Range
  • El Questro visitor permit, Zebedee Springs and Emma Gorge
  • Bungle Bungle scenic flight over Purnululu National Park
  • Lake Argyle sunset cruise
  • Mirima National Park walk in Kununurra
  • Park entry fees

Meals

  • 9 breakfasts
  • 8 lunches: in Chinatown, in Derby, a picnic at Windjana Gorge, at the Bell Gorge camp, at Mount Barnett, on the Gibb, at El Questro and at Lake Argyle
  • 7 dinners: a welcome dinner in Broome, in Derby, two at the Bell Gorge camp, where we stay near Mount Barnett, at El Questro and in Kununurra

Not included

  • International and domestic flights to Broome and from Kununurra
  • Australian ETA or eVisitor
  • Travel insurance
  • Dinner on day 2 in Broome and day 8 in Kununurra
  • Drinks
  • Optional experiences, such as the Horizontal Falls seaplane, the Willie Creek pearl farm or the Chamberlain Gorge cruise
  • Tips
  • Personal expenses
  • Anything not listed in the written quote

Extras

Room of your own
Price on request

When you can go

Dates and prices

Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.

Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.

Before you book

Booking terms

Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.

Business addresses

See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584

Guest reviews

What guests say

Reviews from guests on our day tours.

Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 from 38,601 guest reviews

Good to know

Questions

What would the price include?

The proposed inclusions are nine nights' accommodation, airport transfers, a 4WD vehicle with a licensed driver, a See Sight Tours guide, the Bungle Bungle scenic flight, the Lake Argyle sunset cruise, the Cable Beach camel ride, the El Questro permit, park entry and gorge fees, 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 7 dinners. Flights to Broome and from Kununurra are not. The written quote sets the final price, taxes and inclusions. Tell us dietary needs in your enquiry; we ask each kitchen once suppliers are confirmed.

Where would we sleep on the Gibb River Road?

We plan simple station rooms or fixed safari tents with real beds, not swags or tents you pitch. Which properties, and which have their own bathroom, is confirmed at quoting. Broome, Derby and Kununurra are planned as hotels with your own bathroom.

How rough is the Gibb River Road?

Main Roads WA describes it as 647 km, mainly unsealed, with about 470 km unsealed between the Lennard and Pentecost rivers, graded several times a year, and recommends a high-clearance 4WD. The Pentecost is its major river crossing. That is why we plan a purpose-built 4WD touring vehicle with a licensed driver. Most days are about four hours or less; day 7 is about five to six, with stops along the way.

How big is the group?

The small-group trip is planned for 7 to 12 guests in one 4WD, so everyone hears the guide at the gorges and sits at one table at dinner. Departures and minimum numbers are not set yet.

Who would lead the trip?

A See Sight Tours guide would travel with you from Broome to Kununurra, with a separate licensed driver for the road. Guide and driver are named at quoting, and we require remote-area first aid and a satellite phone for the trip.

How fit do I need to be?

Reasonably fit and sure on your feet. Gorge walks are about 1 to 6 km return over boulders and creek crossings in the heat, and Emma Gorge involves rock hopping. Each gorge day has an easier choice, every swim is optional, and you can wait in the shade at any walk.

I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?

Only if you want a room or tent of your own, and the quote shows the amount; single tents on the Gibb may be limited, so ask early. If you are happy to share, we can try to pair you with another solo traveller of the same gender.

When can the Gibb River Road be driven?

Main Roads WA says it is typically open between May and November and often closed in the wet season, December to April, with no fixed opening date; it reopens once crossings are low and damage is repaired. DBCA lists Windjana as open May to November. El Questro has said it reopens in early April 2027. We plan only May to September, and confirm opening for your dates at quoting. Main Roads WA says early in the dry season is best for flowing waterfalls.

Do we go into the Bungle Bungles?

We plan to fly over them. DBCA puts Purnululu 304 km from Kununurra by road, the last 53 km a high-clearance 4WD track that takes 1.5 to 3 hours, so driving in adds extra days. The scenic flight, with operator and length confirmed at quoting, shows the striped domes. A private trip could add a night in the park, subject to availability.

Can I swim in the gorges with crocodiles around?

El Questro reports saltwater crocodiles in the Pentecost and Chamberlain rivers, so we would not swim or fish there. Bell, Galvans and Manning swimming depends on conditions and rules on the day. DBCA says freshwater crocodiles bask at Windjana and there is no swimming there. Your guide follows park signs, and every swim is optional.

Can we travel privately or on our own dates?

Yes. Besides the small group, a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, can be quoted, as can independent travel on your own dates. Tell us your plans in the enquiry.

Does an enquiry commit me to anything?

No. Send an enquiry with your dates and group size; it takes no payment and does not confirm a booking. We reply with a written quote naming the operator, stays, price, taxes, inclusions and terms. Nothing is booked until you accept it. Entry rules depend on your passport; Canadians need an ETA, per the Government of Canada.

Travel Tips & Timing Alerts

We send occasional updates when timing, events, or seasonal changes affect our tours.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.