14 Days Kimberley Pioneer Holidays 2025
Australia
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Tour Highlight Itinerary Highlights and inclusions Booking and Cancellation Policy
Tour Highlight

The Ghan and Kimberley cruising is a natural pairing for those wanting to dive into spectacular landscapes from both land and sea. Travel through the dusty red heart of Australia from Adelaide to Darwin on board The Ghan, stopping for immersive exploration along the way. Then cruise the Kimberley with Coral Expeditions, Australia’s pioneering cruise line, witnessing a unique blend of wonders, from cascading waterfalls and ancient rock formations to rich Indigenous cultural sites. Navigating into shallow bays, remote beaches, jetties and small communities, making connections while adventuring through the day and returning to the ship to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, comfortable staterooms, panoramic lounges, regionally inspired Australian cuisine and convivial company of fellow explorers each evening. This promises to be an unforgettable adventure, with unique experiences in some of Australia’s most remote and captivating destinations. Coral Expeditions are Australia’s pioneering cruise line. Australian crewed, flagged and owned, they established expedition cruising in the Kimberley with their first season 30 years ago. Over the decades they have built their reputation on a true expedition ethos – taking small groups of like-minded explorers to remote natural places with expert guidance and warm Australian hospitality. Their knowledge of the marine charts, landscape, seasons, and tides of the Kimberley is unrivalled. Operating a fleet of 3 purpose built tropical expedition ships and their unique tender vessels, these intimate ships carrying no more than 120 guests, can navigate into shallow bays, remote beaches, jetties and small communities where guests make connections without overwhelming the community or environment. Adventure through the day and return to the ship and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, regionally inspired Australian cuisine and convivial company of fellow explorers each evening.

Coral Expeditions are Australia’s pioneering cruise line. Australian crewed, flagged and owned, they established expedition cruising in the Kimberley with their first season 30 years ago. Over the decades they have built their reputation on a true expedition ethos – taking small groups of like-minded explorers to remote natural places with expert guidance and warm Australian hospitality. Their knowledge of the marine charts, landscape, seasons, and tides of the Kimberley is unrivalled.


Operating a fleet of 3 purpose built tropical expedition ships and their unique tender vessels, these intimate ships carrying no more than 120 guests, can navigate into shallow bays, remote beaches, jetties and small communities where guests make connections without overwhelming the community or environment. Adventure through the day and return to the ship and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, regionally inspired Australian cuisine and convivial company of fellow explorers each evening.


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Itinerary
Day 1
Aboard Adelaide's Ghan
Climb aboard Adelaide's Ghan for an incredible showcase of the Australian outback. The dramatic change from pastoral to arid outback scenery will capture your imagination as the train leaves the city for the Flinders Ranges and beyond. (L,D)

Overnight : 2 nights The Ghan
Overnight : 2 nights The Ghan
Day 2
Ghan and Alice Springs
After your first night enjoying the fine dining and relaxed comfort of this iconic train, you'll wake to an unforgettable outback sunrise at Marla - a remote outpost 160 kilometers from the Northern Territory border that marks the start of the Oodnadatta Track. Enjoy the magnificent scenery as you make your way onwards to Alice Springs, where you have a selection of off Train Experiences to choose from. There's an experience at Standley Chasm, meeting the wildlife at the Desert Park or taking in the astounding beauty of Simpson's Gap. Alternatively, take it all in from the air, with an optional upgrade helicopter flight. (B, L, D)
Day 3
Ghan, Catherine and Darwin
When the landscape transforms into rocky gorges and fast-flowing canyon streams, prepare to experience one of the Top End's most impressive natural wonders on a boat cruise along Nitmiluk gorge. Alternatively, the Katherine Outback Experience lets you into the lives of those who call the outback home, there is also a helicopter flight upgrade available, for those wishing to see Nitmiluk from an aerial perspective. Continue to Darin, where you will be transferred to your overnight accommodation. After checking in, you may wish to explore the Waterfront precinct, with its many restaurants and bars. (B,L)

Overnight: 1 night DoubleTree by Hilton Esplanade Darwin
Day 4
Darwin Embarkation: Coral Adventurer
This morning, you will be transferred from your accommodation to the Port of Darwin to board Coral Adventurer for your Kimberley cruise. Take the time to become acquainted wit the facilities on board before joining the expedition team in the Bridge Deck Lounge for an introduction to the Kimberley. As dusk falls, meet your fellow travelers and the Captain and crew for the captain's welcome Drinks. (B, L, D)

Overnight: 10 nights Coral Adventurer
Day 5
King George River and Falls (Great Mary Falls)
Fed by the King George River draining across the Gardner Plateau, 80m-tall King George Falls are the most impressive Kimberley waterfalls and the highest twin falls in Western Australia. Before feeling the mist-like spray rising from the base of King George Falls, we cruise through steep-sided gorges carved by a flooded river system that forged a swathe through the Kimberley landscape 400 million years ago. Early in the waterfall season, we may cruise around the base of King George Falls while in later months we take the opportunity to view the honeycomb erosion patterns of sandstone cliffs up close. (B,L,D)
Early in the waterfall season we may cruise around the base of King George Falls, and in the following months we will take the opportunity to get up close and personal with the honeycomb erosion patterns of the sandstone cliffs. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 6
Vansita Bay (Bangalha)
Vansittart Bay is home to many cultural and historically significant sites, like the remarkable Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) Aboriginal rock art galleries, estimated to be up to 20,000 years old and Jar Island, so named after the pot shards found here, brought to the island by Makassan fishermen harvesting sea cucumbers (also known as trepang). Nearby, on the Anjo Peninsula lays the well-preserved wreckage of a US Airforce C-53 Skytrooper aircraft, the result of a pilot losing his bearings flying from Perth to Broome in 1942 and putting down on a salt pan near present-day Truscott Airbase. (B,L,D)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 7
Mitchell Falls, Vinialcan and Swift Bay
Tumbling down the Mitchell Plateau in a series of tiered waterfalls and emerald-green rock pools, the Mitchell Falls are the photogenic poster child for the Mitchell River National Park. Take a scenic helicopter flight (additional cost) to multi-tiered Mitchell Falls, where rock pools cascade down the escarpment and ancient rock art galleries are concealed in caves behind curtains of water. Mitchell River National Park is inhabited by significant numbers of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and bird species, which are lured by a year-round water source. Sandstone terraces beside tiered rock pools make a terrific viewing platform from which to absorb the serenity of this ancient landscape. An alternative to Mitchell Falls is exploring the sandstone caves of Wollaston Bay or Wollaston Creek. This mass of weathered tunnels, arches and columns forms a labyrinthlike maze and was once an Aboriginal midden. Another option while anchored at Winyalkan Bay is a visit to a series of Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock art galleries at Swift Bay. In the evening, enjoy watching the sunset over the Indian Ocean while indulging in a gourmet BBQ. (B,L,D)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 8
Prince Frederick and Big Island (WUUYURU)
Prince Frederick Harbour is one of the Kimberley’s most spectacular locations, located at the southern end of York Sound. The harbour is dotted with islands lined with mangroves and monsoon rainforests, set against a backdrop of ochre-hued escarpment. White-bellied sea eagles and other birds of prey are often seen here, and at low tide, expansive mudflats reveal large populations of mudskippers and mangrove crabs. We will take our Xplorer tender vessels on a cruise up Porosus Creek to view some striking rock formations. Bigge Island’s Indigenous name is Wuuyuru, and the Indigenous group of the area is the Wunambal people. (B,L,D)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 9
Prince Regent River and Kalinian Bay (WUNBUNG-GU)
King Cascade is a classically beautiful, terraced waterfall that is one of the most photographed waterfalls in the Kimberley. Falling from a considerable height and around 50m across, water tumbles down a staggered terrace of Kimberley sandstone. Layer upon layer of ochre-hued and blackened rock sprouts grasses, mosses and ferns in a lushly vegetated hanging garden. We will reach King Cascade after cruising in our Xplorer tender vessels down the steep-sided Prince Regent River, which is a remarkable anomaly as the river runs dead straight along a fault line. Lt. Phillip Parker King named nearby Careening Bay after he beached his leaking vessel, HMC Mermaid, to effect repairs. While stranded on this remote coastline for 17 days, the ship’s carpenter carved HMC Mermaid 1820 into the bottle-shaped trunk of a boab tree near the beach. 200 years later, the Mermaid Boab Tree has since split into two trunks and sports a mammoth girth of 12m. Significantly, the bulbous tree is listed on the National Register of Big Trees and the carpenter’s careful inscription now stands almost as tall as a person. (B,L,D)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 10
Montgomery Reef (YOWJAB)
Montgomery Reef is a biologically diverse area covering over 300 sq km and was named by Phillip Parker King. Twice daily, as the sea recedes in mammoth 11m tides, Montgomery Reef rises from the Indian Ocean in a cascade of rushing water, revealing a flat-topped reef pockmarked with rock pools and rivulets. As the reef emerges, we get up close in our Xplorer and Zodiac inflatable tenders to witness the spectacle, while our Expedition Team shares information about the formation of the reef and the myriad wildlife. Opportunistic birds take advantage of the emerging reef, feeding on marine life left exposed in rock pools. Turtles, dolphins, dugongs and sawfish are also attracted by feeding opportunities as the ocean recedes. The ocean is awash in a swirl of eddies and whirlpools as the moon’s gravitational force takes hold. Then, a few hours later the entire water-borne drama is reversed as the tide comes in and Montgomery Reef disappears below sea level. (B,L,D)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 11
Doubtful Bay and Raft Point (NGUMBREE)
Raft Point guards the entrance to Doubtful Bay, a vast expanse of sheltered water home to important sites such as the ancient Wandjina rock art gallery. They are just a short walk from the beach and are considered one of the best hotels in the Kimberley. When the traditional owners were able to guide us we visited the rock art gallery. Doubtful Bay is the traditional country of the Wolora people, who follow their god, lawgiver and creator, Wangina. Wangina's images can be found across the Kimberley, documenting their stories, knowledge and culture. Red Cone Creek flows slowly downstream until it meets the small but impressive Ruby Falls, which was built by local sailor Captain Chris Trucker after his daughter. name. Red Cone Creek is carved from rock formations stacked on top of each other like building blocks. These rock walls are great for climbing to reach a series of freshwater swimming holes and waterfalls. Depending on the time of year, a waterfall may be a gurgling torrent or a gentle trickle. We also planned to visit several other attractions in Doubtful Bay, including the huge steep island. (Breakfast, noon, evening)
Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 12
Horizontal Falls (GARAANNGADDIM) and Pirate Islands
The Horizontal Falls are one of the Kimberley’s biggest attractions and are a result of the enormous 11m tides the Kimberley is renowned for. Naturalist David Attenborough described the Horizontal Falls as ‘one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.’ This natural phenomenon has been created as the ocean thunders through a narrow gorge in the McLarty Ranges. Water builds up on one side and is forcibly pushed through the bottleneck, creating a rushing horizontal waterfall of swiftly flowing seawater. Riding the rapids on our Zodiac inflatable tenders is one of the highlights of our Kimberley expedition cruises. Talbot Bay is at the heart of the Buccaneer Archipelago, where rocks on the 800 or so islands are estimated to be over 2 billion years old. At Cyclone Creek, you will see evidence of massive geological forces in the impressive formations and cruise through the Iron Islands, past Koolan Island, before enjoying sunset drinks at Nares Point. (B,L,D)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 13
las cepedes is.
The Lacepede Islands are a protected class-A nature reserve and are significant as a seabird nesting rookery for brown boobies and roseate terns. Other species often sighted at the Lacepedes include Australian Pelicans, frigate birds, egrets and gulls. The four low-lying islands are also an important breeding and nesting habitat for green turtles. If weather and tide conditions are suitable, we will explore the lagoons by Xplorer and Zodiac tender vessels. As your incredible Kimberley adventures draw to a close, on your last evening aboard enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Drinks with new-found friends. (B,L,D)

Please noted: the order of expeditionary experiences ay vary
Day 14
Broome's Coral Adventurer Disembarkation
Your adventure along the Kimberley Coast concludes this morning. Bid farewell to fellow travellers, the Captain and crew as Coral Adventurer docks in the Port of Broome. Here you will disembark. A post-cruise transfer to Broome CBD or Airport is included. (B)
Highlights and inclusions
2 nights Ghan flight Adelaide to Darwin including all meals, drinks and off-train experiences in Mara, Alice Springs and Katherine
Travel aboard the Ghan and enjoy the spectacular outback scenery
Visit the impressive natural wonder of Nitmiluk Gorge
Transport from Darwin Train Station to Darwin Hotels
1 night accommodation in Darwin including breakfast
Transport from Darwin hotel to cruise terminal
10-Night Kimberley Cruise aboard Coral Expeditions' Coral Adventurer
Cruise along the scenic King George River, approaching 80-meter-high sandstone cliffs
Experience the thrill of horizontal waterfalls on a Zodiac inflatable boat
Visit an Aboriginal rock art gallery and learn about ancient Wandjina and Gwion Gwion art
Cruise the Prince Regent River to the "hanging gardens" King Cascade Falls
Discover native wildlife and birds in their natural habitat
Get up close and personal with Montgomery Reef and explore the diverse marine life of the tidal reef
Transfer from cruise ship terminal to Broome city center or airport
13 breakfasts, 13 lunches, 12 dinners
Please note: This is an indicative itinerary as the order of visits and dates may vary depending on the best times for tides and weather conditions.
Booking and Cancellation Policy
Prices (per person) are based on a double cabin per train, for children's prices please contact our consultants for more information. For children's rates, please contact our consultants for more information.
Booking and cancellation policies are based on the railway company's terms and conditions and for any cancellation RVG Tours will charge an administrative fee of AUD 100 per person
The Ghan: https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/terms-conditions/
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