Information
Planning
Where am I going?
The Kimberley is twice the size of Victoria and covers approximately 243,000 square kilometres. The route we travel is around 2,800 km over 12 days. The Gibb River Road and the access track into Purnululu National Park, the Bungle Bungles, are both corrugated roads. Our vehicles stop regularly, usually every hour, on the rough roads. The longer days of travel are along the Great Northern Highway on our first night and final two days back to Broome. The road surfaces vary from sealed highway to rough dirt track. You can expect that some dust will infiltrate some of our equipment during the journey.
Do I need insurance?
Absolutely. Travel Insurance is essential when travelling in remote areas of Australia. It is important that your insurance includes medical evacuation. There are some areas along the Gibb River Road that an ambulance cannot attend due to time, distance and fuel contraints. Accidents, Inclement weather, road closures, vehicle breakdowns can all result in missed connections, lost or damaged luggage or injury.
Please ensure that you have comprehensive cover from the time of reservation. Please contact your current insurer (health/car/home) for a quote. Alternatively, Adventure Wild recommends Travel Insurance Direct, 1Cover or Covermore Insurance.
How do I make a reservation?
Adventure Wild offer you the opportunity to make a non-obligatory reservation. Please let us know your preferred date and we will ‘pencil’ you in. Once you know that everything will work for you, we ask for a deposit of $600 per person. The full amount is due two months prior to departure. Should your plan not come together, then we ask you to advise us at your earliest convenience so that we may open the seat for another guest.
Tour Inclusions
- Air-conditioned 4WD bus travel
- All meals, snacks, water
- Fully guided walks
- Camp ground fees
- National park entrance fees
- Tents set-up and awaiting your arrival at all non-National Park campsites
- Danggu Geike Gorge Cruise* (Please note this tour is not currently available, as a consequence of 2023 floods).
- Canvas Travel Bag, yours to keep
- Swag: mattress, sleeping bag, linen, pillow & pillowcase
- BYO Alcohol & Soft Drink
- BYO refillable water bottle. We recommend two 750ml to 1-litre capacity insulated water bottles per person.
- Spending Money: Allow some spending money for shops you visit.
- Optional Tours: Available whilst travelling with us should you elect extra experiences whilst travelling within the Kimberley.
What if I am travelling with a car, caravan or camper trailer?
Adventure Wild offers powered or unpowered vehicle storage facilities in Broome whilst you are on tour. Please be aware that our tour guest pick-ups commence from 6.00 a.m. on day one of your adventure. For further information regarding applicable fees and arrangements, please contact us.
Getting to Broome
Read our Guide to Broome, giving you information on flights and accommodation options as well as what to do while you are there.
You can also fly in to Darwin, and then take a domestic connecting flight to Broome. Read our Guide to Darwin if you are flying in from there.
The Tour
What if I have additional luggage?
Adventure Wild has the facilities to store extra luggage for you in Broome. We will pick up your excess bags the morning of departure and deliver them to your accommodation of choice on your final day. A standard pick-up/drop off fee of $25.00 is applicable. We offer this service so you don't have to worry about excess luggage.
If you are leaving us in Kununurra, ’ Greyhound Freight Service can transport excess baggage for you.
What sort of luggage can I carry?
Due to the time we are on the road and the rugged conditions we encounter, space is at a premium. We cannot accommodate suitcases or hard framed luggage.
Adventure Wild will supply guests a complimentary soft-sided bag for use on tour and this is yours to keep. This bag will be posted to you in advance, or delivered to your accommodation on the day of your arrival in Broome.
Luggage allowance is 15 kilograms.
Please also bring a small backpack to store your camera and personal items for daytime use.
What types of vehicles will I travel in?
We use 4-wheel drive Isuzu trucks, custom built for our purposes. Each vehicle accommodates 2 guides and 16 passengers. Each forward-facing seat is fitted with seat belts. Air conditioning is standard, enabling comfortable travel in the harshest conditions. We have a PA system on-board to keep you informed and entertained throughout your journey.
Our vehicles have sliding windows that open to allow unimpeded photography and fresh air ventilation when conditions allow.
Our vehicles tow purpose-built, solar powered, Adventure Wild trailers with our camp kitchen and additional storage.
Your safety is our priority. Each vehicle has a satellite phone, UHF radios, fire extinguishers, first aid kits and all necessary equipment to operate in remote areas.
How many people on the tour?
A maximum of 16 guests will be in the group. The group draws together a great variety of couples, independent travellers and friends travelling together.
Who are my tour guides?
Adventure Wild is unique as the only operator in the region to offer two experienced guides as hosts on every tour. This increases your safety and security as well as level of personal service. In addition our guides are mature husband and wife teams who work together with a unique compatability and teamwork. They will share their passion and knowledge of this spectacular region with you.
Do I need to help?
Please be aware that this is a hands-on tour. You will need to set up and pull down your tent on the first night. You'll also need to roll your own swag each time we change camp. Fortunately, we have three 2-night stays and one 3-night stay at El Questro Station, meaning we only change camp on six occasions throughout the tour.
Everyone ‘pitching-in’ with the loading and unloading of swags, luggage bags, chairs and tables is essential for a successful tour. Guests will also share dishwashing duties. The chores are not hard or strenuous and are a great way to get to know your fellow travellers.
What will I sleep in?
Adventure Wild provide permanent campsites on 10 out of 11 nights with spacious Kodiak Flexbow tents set up and awaiting your arrival, allowing more time to relax and enjoy the beautiful Kimberley region.
It is only whilst camping at Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions (DBCA - National Parks) that you are required to set up and pull down your tent. On these occasions we use an easy to assemble ‘Tourer’ style tent for couples or a three person pop-up tent for independent travellers.
Our tours are all inclusive. Adventure Wild provide you with all bedding including a swag and commercially laundered sleeping bag, sheets, pillow and pillowcase. The swags have a mattress between 2 ½ and 3 inches thick that is enveloped by canvas to protect your linen during travel. There is a stool inside each tent.
A limited number of canvas camp stretchers are available on request. The stretchers do not increase overall comfort. They are supplied for people with mobility difficulties or who have difficulty getting up and off the ground. The stretchers are available for hire at $60 per stretcher per trip. These must be booked in advance. Please note there is a weight limit of 110 kg on hire of stretchers and the stretchers weigh approximately 13 kg. They can also be cumbersome to set up.
I am travelling alone, do I need to share a tent or pay more?
No. Adventure Wild do not charge a single supplement, nor do we expect you to share a tent with a stranger. Independent travellers have privacy without charge. Friends travelling together may also have a tent to themselves, where numbers allow, at our permanent campsites.
Please note that should we need to set up or pack down a campsite, then your tent may be a smaller pop-up dome style tent as opposed to the larger Tourer style tents offered to couples or guests sharing.
Are there toilets and showers?
We have flushing toilets and showers at all campsites. The campsites vary between Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) Camp Grounds and privately owned/managed caravan parks or cattle stations. The campsites we use are:
- Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) (1 night)
- Mt Barnett Station (2-nights)
- El Questro Station (3-nights)
- Kununurra – Kimberleyland Caravan Park (2-nights)
- Bungle Bungle Caravan Park or Purnululu National Park (2-nights)
- Fitzroy Crossing – an exclusive campsite on a working cattle station (1-night)
Do I need to bring food and drinks?
All food is provided from morning tea on Day 1 to lunch on Day 12. Please ensure you advise us when booking if you have any special medical or dietary requirements. We will do our best to accommodate these. We are competent at catering for vegetarian, vegan, coeliac, lactose intolerance and similar medical dietary allergies.
We have fresh fruit and snacks available to guests at all times.
Breakfast: Toast, Muesli, Cereal, Fruit, Tea, Coffee & Juice.
Morning Tea: Coffee, Tea, Milo, Cordial, Biscuits / Cake & Fruit.
Lunch: Cold meats, Fresh Salads.
Dinner: Delicious roasts, tasty casseroles, curries and pasta are just some of the main courses. Aussie Damper, BBQ and other camp specials will help ‘tame’ that outdoor appetite.
Our tour guides are very adventurous and you will be amazed at the meals and desserts they conjure up in the outback. We sit at a table to dine, provide wine glasses and an eleven night dinner party under a million stars.
Food Preferences
We cater to medical dietary requirements and will do our best to accommodate your food preferences. Please take into consideration that you are one of 16 guests. We have limited storage and we are operating in a remote and rugged location where fresh supplies are not readily available after departure. We are camp cooking for a group in the remote outback, so your flexibility to work with our guides will assist greatly. Food preferences cannot be guaranteed. Please discuss your preferences with us at the time of booking.
BYO Alcoholic Beverages and Soft Drinks.
Please bring your own (BYO) alcohol and soft drinks. Please purchase any alcohol or soft drinks you would like to take on tour, in Broome on the day before departure. Due to alcohol restrictions in The Kimberley, it is not possible to purchase alcohol prior to midday. Cask wine and fortified wine is also not available. Initially you will need enough drinks to last you six nights. We will restock in Kununurra. Adventure Wild will supply an esky and ice to cool your drinks.
If you are drinking beer please bring cans rather than stubbies (bottles). However if your favourite beer only comes in a bottle, please buy what you prefer to drink. The reason we prefer cans is because there is no rubbish collection in the outback. We crush cans and take them with us. Bottles of wine are fine. We do not have an alcohol limit so please bring whatever you would like to drink. It is your holiday so relax and enjoy.
Water & Water Bottles
Please bring your own reillable water bottles. Adventure Wild strongly recommend two reusable water bottles per person, each 750ml to 1-litre capacity, insulated bottles.
The water in the Kimberley is great to drink. Our vehicles hold 150-litres of water for consumption. Please be aware that some of the campsites that we utilise have bore water only. Please check with your guides prior to filling your water bottle from taps at camp.
Do I need to be fit?
A reasonable level of fitness is required to hike into the spectacular gorges and other interesting places we visit. Guests need to be capable of walking up to 5km through bushland and over uneven ground in the Kimberley warmth. The weather will average 28 to 32 degrees every day.
The walks include dry river beds and gorges where large rocks move underfoot, so stability is essential. Many of the walks include stepping up and climbing down into and out of river beds. At times you will clambering over and around rocks. We ask that you be healthy, active and be able to walk a few kilometres at a time.
Medical Conditions / Medication
Should you suffer from any medical condition that may impede your suitability to travel, please discuss your abilities or condition with us. Please ensure you bring your correct medication and quantities for the duration of the trip. We can refrigerate medication for you if that is required.
Do I need to bring money?
Your tour fee includes all meals, accommodation, park entry fees and camping fees. We stop at various roadhouses and shops where you may like to purchase drinks or snacks. ATM facilities are available, though some cash may be handy just in case.
Optional Tours
There are also other optional activities, such as scenic flights, helicopter flights and boat cruises that you may like to participate in. The Optional Tours are not included in the tour fee and you will be invoiced for payment. Please refer to the Optional Tour list for full details on these products.
Communication
How can my family contact me in case of an emergency?
There is limited mobile communication between Broome and El Questro Station. Should your family or friends need to contact you, please ask them to ring the free call number 1800 359 008 (within Australia) or +61 408 221 104 at any time.
We are in regular communication with your guides and your accommodation locations. Satellite telephones are carried by our staff and we have procedures in place to ensure messages will reach you as soon as possible.
There is Telstra communication at El Questro Station. Full mobile service available in the towns of Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing.
Our Emergency Response
All of our vehicles carry satellite telephones, these are very modern Sat Sleeves that connect with smartphone technology allowing immediate access to all telephone numbers and information stored in our telephones.
In addition, our guides carry two way radios on walks and we have a UHF radio on board the coach. Our network with local station owners, nursing posts and businesses is very comprehensive.
Having two mature guides on every tour certainly increases safety for our guests in addition to a greater ability to respond, manage and coordinate any accident or injury that occurs. The second guide is also able to care and manage the non-injured passengers. Both guides are qualified with Senior First Aid training, they both drive our trucks and tow trailers and are all very adept at managing all circumstances.
Guides are supported 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by the owners of Adventure Wild Kimberley Tours, who are extremely experienced in emergency management. In the case of an accident or injury the owners assist to coordinate the required response, Ambulance, RFDS, charter flights etc from Broome, in addition to communicating with family and insurance companies. Assistance is provided with arranging accommodation, flights and cancelling advance reservations at our guests request. We provide letters of support and all the relevant information and documentation for any subsequent insurance claim making the process as fluid as possible.
We actively work towards minimizing risk or injury to any of our guests, however, accidents can happen. We are confident that our abilities, response and assistance to our guests in these circumstances ensure the best possible outcomes for all. Our personalised service is second to none.
Is there telephone / internet service available?
There is limited mobile service for the first two hours after leaving Broome. Once you turn onto the Gibb River Road between Derby and Kununurra, there is only random mobile telephone service available until you reach El Questro Station. Telstra communication is at El Questro. Full mobile service is available in the towns of Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing.
Can I charge my camera/laptop?
Yes. Our coach is fitted with USB 'A' charge point for charging whilst we travel. 240v power is available at El Questro Station and at Kimberleyland in Kununurra. Spare batteries are a great idea.
Optional Tours
‘Optional Tours’ are available on our 12 day Kimberley Adventurer Tour including (but not limited to):
- Mitchell Falls Helicopter Flight / Tour
- Bungle Bungles Helicopter Flight
- Chamberlain Gorge Cruise
- Ord River Cruise
These tours are provided by independent operators and as such Adventure Wild does not have any control over availability, price, time, duration or cancellation. This list is provided to help with the planning of your tour and making the best of your time in the Kimberley. Please be aware that the prices listed by us are correct at the time we posted our materials however are subject to change at the discretion of the independent operator. Adventure Wild Kimberley Tours will always do our best to ensure that you are at the location in time for your selected optional tours, however, this cannot be guaranteed.
Please ensure that you are conversant with the tours prior to day one. We will require passenger weights where any flight is involved. You are welcome to email your preferences and details to us in advance.