Testimonials & Reviews

Adventure Wild Kimberley Tour with Mark & Carmel (and Mascot Fergus)

Let us tell ya about a man named Mark
Who has great wit & is never formal
Said one day to his wonderful wife, Carmel
Let’s hit road the road hon, and do something less normal.

Adventure Wild and the sounds of the outback came calling
Mark said ‘lets leave the cows and go exploring’
We’ll bounce over the Gibb River Road, avoid crocs and camp in the Kimberley
They took up the offer, then thought do we REALLY have to get up this early

How hard could that be,
a crew of two, a truck, trailer, & lovely people like you & me. (Us)

Each day begins with swag rolling
Swags comes in all shapes and sizes
What a feat, not to be beat,
To get that lot all nice and neat

Carmel, your knowledge, cooking, driving, humour, to name just a few
the stories of the outback and indigenous history which have been informative through & through

Although Carmel would like a cooking pill,
we are amazed at the freshness & variety of food. We had a great deal

Mark and Carmel, your attention to detail is to be admired, and you’re never put
off by our silly questions, you even pretend to be inspired

Dish washing was never a chore
Where many a story told and many problems were solved

Safety comes first with Carmel & Mark when collecting wood is the go
Chainsaw, glasses, gloves and sitting atop the kitchen will show
Many hands collect the hoard
Chain gang style and woods on board

We’ve bounced over roads, enjoyed the clear night skies, swum in a billabong,
shared stories around the fire, then ‘tomorrow-tonight came along
Mark gave Kerry the shirt off his back too!!
Some even found frogs in the loo

Like a coat of many colours
We are a crew of many colours, each special to the core.
A challenge here, a challenge there but grateful to you for taking us on this
amazing journey to see the rugged beauty offered by the Kimberley.

Ode to Mark & Carmel (and Mascot Fergus)

I’ve been on quite a few small group tours and I can honestly say this one was superlative.  Every detail has been thought out, from the travel bag that packed so neatly into the truck to the canteen that kept our bottles constantly refilled,  the ready-made swags, the itinerary that gave us a rest just when we needed it, the planning for extras such as  flights and river cruises, and of course the wonderful food.

Other reviewers have praised their guides Carmel & Mark and Phil & Liz in  the same terms as I would use for Gools and Thommo. Obviously Adventure Wild has a fantastic team across the board. Nothing was too much trouble for G & T and although they have done this trip many times before they were still full of genuine and infectious enthusiasm.

I’m recommending this trip to everyone I meet. It couldn’t have been better. Thanks to everyone involved.

Rating 5/5

Joan Kerr

We  found Simone and Karl’s communication prompt and helpful-well done; and in fact it is because of this I booked this tour over other tour groups.

From the moment the bus collected us from the street we were made to feel special.  Mark & Carmel our hosts are the most amazing people we have had the pleasure to meet and spending 12 days with them was just so easy, I feel they really earn their money that is for sure, and after 12 days of putting up with all personalities must be wrecked.  They looked after all our needs and nothing seemed to much trouble.  Mark never complained about all that driving, and then when he pulled up they both sprang into action, getting our swags and bags down, tables up, food out, really made my head spin watching it all, and within hours we too learnt how to help out and join in the team as did everyone on our tour.  Carmel taught us many things while travelling, handing around lollies and making sure we were all ok, often telling us this is your holiday; make it special and your time which was appreciated. All I can say is WOW!

Although the tour was busy, everything was doable and really quite well planned out thank you.  We never felt pushed to go beyond our limits.  We were well fed and the quality and quantity were great, I think you have that covered very well.  We loved the campfire every night sitting around talking and loved the Swag as I had never slept in one before and was pretty impressed.

We had fun and much laughter and would never have been able to see some of these places without your tour – we loved it and thank you sincerely for organising such a great trip at an affordable price.

Rating 5/5

Robert & Barbara Allen-Guthrie

Hi Karl and Simone

I just wanted to email you to let you know that after a year of waiting for the time to come we finally did our Adventure Wild tour in May and absolutely loved it!!  The tour you operate was above and beyond what we expecting to experience in the Kimberley.

Thank you so much for the awesome work you and your team do to provide such a wonderful tour and experience.  Our tour guides Liz and Phil were absolutley amazing in making sure their guests had a fantastic experience to soak up and immerse in the incredibly spectacular scenery and environment of the Kimberley. Thanks so much to Liz and Phil for allowing us to experience the Kimberley in an informative, safe, fun and relaxed tour.  They were truly amazing, bringing lots of fun, humour and knowledge to the tour and always making sure to put their guests first by going above and beyond to make sure we gained the most out of our travelling experience.

We miss being there and would love to return one day with our three children so they too can see just how amazing the Kimberley is and all that it has to offer.  Again, thanks so much!!

Kindest regards,

Rating 5/5

Maria & David Contera

Hello Simone,

We would like to commend your ‘12 day Broome to Broome’ tour that we recently completed.

From our correspondence before the tour to our last day, we have been very impressed with the quality of service and the tour itself.

Mark and Carmel were first class and nothing was too much of a problem. Their love of the their job and the outback was very positive and could not be faulted.

Carmel passing on knowledge of where we were and indigenous links. Mark’s willingness to stop and point out items like the wildlife and fauna were very informative.

We highly recommend this tour.

Rating 5/5

Peter & Diane Schulze

Hi Simone,

Chris and I are still getting back to normal after the truly wonderful recent tour (Adventure Wild Kimberley Tour, May 2018). Our two guides, Carmel and Mark, were superbly efficient in their multiple roles – driving, guiding, cooking, herding, informing and leading the tour participants. They were able to convey a great deal of information (history, art, indigenous culture, animals and birds, geology) in a relaxed manner. They also turned the group into a team with everyone contributing with the chores and responding to the early morning crack of the whip when we needed to rise, shine, eat, pack and get on the road. Our two guides were wizards in keeping people moving safely along some demanding trails which often managed to  incorporate a dip in a cool pool. The scenery was just outstanding and its importance to the indigenous community was often highlighted. Our guides were also our drivers and cooks and they did both with professional flair. Most importantly they kept everyone safe, informed, amused, well fed and happy. A score of 5 out of 5 doesn’t really do them justice. The same can be said of the scenery – unforgettable !!

Cheers

Rating 5/5

Ray & Chris Sloan

Hello Simone,

Katie and I are back safely in Canada. It is good to be home but we are missing our new southern hemisphere friends! We had a terrific time on the 12 day Kimberly tour. Our tour guides, Mark and Carmel, were without question quite phenomenal. They were competent, professional, efficient, hard working, fun and two of the nicest people you could meet. The tour logistics were well planned and superbly executed. The spectacular Kimberly was only eclipsed by the fun we had with the great group of people on the tour. Anyone thinking about touring with Adventure Wild can be assured that their expectations will be surpassed!

Very Best Regards,

Rating 5/5

Steve & Katie Hitchmann

A belated huge thank you for a great trip.  We did the 12 day Kimberley loop in August.  Liz and Phil were incredible and catered to our every need, from food preferences, to supplying insect repellant, sunscreen and sanitising gel through to offering a steady hand gorge walking.

It was my first time camping (a 50+ Brit) and so I was apprehensive.  It was absolutely amazing.

Thank you so much.

Louise & David Millward

I am sitting here at home and reflecting on our  adventure, and words that come to mind are amazing, wonderful and exciting.  Our tour was something we have never experienced before (and probably never will again) as far as scenery, colour, raw Australia and sharing it with a wonderful group of people.  This tour will stay forever in our hearts and indelibly etched in our minds.

Our tour leaders, Carmel and Mark were wonderful.  Their knowledge of the whole of the Kimberley area hugely impressive – they managed to store so much in their heads!!  Their communication skills were excellent, yet they were very caring.

Following our tour with Adventure Wild, we did a boat cruise down from Mitchell Plateau to Broome.  Comparing the two, we both feel that Carmel and Mark looked after us exceedingly well; their  sumptious meals – both in quantity and quality by far exceeded the boat cruise. Their friendly personable nature was also something that stood out.

Disappointingly I was unable to do most of the walks due to a knee injury, but having said that, the wonderful places that I could get to, more than made up for it.  It was an early start most days, but we all soon got used to this.

For both of us, the highlights of the trip were many – but a few that were top of the list were:-

• Sitting and having a chat and drink around the camp fire.
• Flight over the Bungle Bungles.
• Galvan Gorge
• Moonshine Gorge
• Pigeonhole Lookout sunset
• Geikie Gorge cruise

Thank you all – it was indeed an experience of a lifetime!

Lynne & John Matthews

Hi Simone & Karl,

Thank you for all your support, advice and practical help as we prepared for this wonderful adventure. Thanks to your instructions, I found I had packed everything I needed, and little else. The meals and snacks far exceeded my expectations, and the structure of the itinerary (driving times, resting times, walking times, quiet times) could hardly be improved.  Bravo!

Our guides, Mark and Carmel, were extraordinary. They are very knowledgeable about this beautiful area, and their narration on the drives and walks made it a very special educational experience.  They are kind, thoughtful, generous, tireless, and fit — and attentive to the needs of their guests. I felt like I was a princess, traveling with a personal valet and cook.  Their enthusiasm and confidence encouraged me onto walks I might have missed without them.  Their company around the fire at night was a great pleasure — how good of them to continue to share stories and insights long after most guides would have called it a day. It was never made obvious, but I could see over time that our safety and health was their primary concern, and this attention, and their training, paid off in our ability to fulfill the itinerary in good health and great spirits

Yours is a wonderful product.  Mark and Carmen are a gift I will never forget. I had the time of my life — and considering all the amazing places I’ve had a chance to see — and my travel mates were the same — that is really saying something.

Best Wishes

Jean Crocker