Western Australia - The Kimberley
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Western Australia – The Kimberley
26 JUNE – 10 JULY 2021 (14 NIGHTS)
Highlights
• Spend 14 nights camping in comfortable dome tents in the wilderness of the
Kimberley
• Explore Windjana Gorge & Tunnel creek to learn their historic & cultural
significance
• Visit Bell Creek gorge & enjoy a walk in the King Leopold Range Conservation
Park
• Encounter the incredible birdlife of Mornington Wilderness Sanctuary
• Discover the less visited Adcock & Galvin Gorges
• Enjoy an adventurous day in the Manning Gorge with optional creek swims
• Spend time at El Questro Station with its many walking & cruise options
• Take in the spectacular views from the Pentecost & Five Rivers lookouts
• Experience the natural wonder of Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle)
The Kimberley has long held a place in Australian folklore for its wild, rugged
scenery and palpable sense of remoteness. Our 15-day journey uses a
comfortable 4WD vehicle and dome tent accommodation to access the
wilderness of the Kimberley. We depart Broome early and travel through the
savannah country past Boab trees to Windjana Gorge National Park. Based here
for two nights, we enjoy short walks to Tunnel Creek and in Windjana Gorge
known for its bird life, Devonian reef walls and its many freshwater crocodiles.
We continue through the Napier Range to our campsite at Silent Grove, our
base for walking to the Bell Creek Gorge in King Leopold Range Conservation
Park. Travelling to Mornington Station for two nights, we can relax, swim or
canoe to the Fitzroy River. We also spend a day in the Mornington Wilderness
Sanctuary, home to over 200 bird species including the Gouldian Finch and
the Purple Crowned Fairy Wren. Back on the Gibb River Road, we travel to the
oasis of Manning Creek for two nights. Walks include the less visited Adcock
Gorge, Galvins Gorge and the Manning Gorge walk, with a refreshing swim at
the end. Continuing to El Questro station, we cross the Durack river and lookout
over the floodplain of the Pentecost River. During our two days at El Questro, DETAILS
there are plenty of walking options, including Emma Gorge, Telegraph Hill, El
Questro Gorge Walk and Zebedee Springs. After a stop in Kununurra, we head Price: Twin share/person (starts Broome /
for Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle) travelling via many outback tracks ends Kununurra)
and creek crossings. We spend two full days exploring the wonders of Purnululu Advanced Early Bird: (until 26 February
including Echidna Chasm and Cathedral Gorge. Our journey ends with a transfer 2021) A$7800
back to Kununurra where you may like to extend your stay in Broome or fly out
via Perth or Darwin. Regular: A$8300
Single Supplement: N/A
Note: (1 tent per person or 1 tent per twin
share)
Minimum Group Size: 10 guests
Special Interest: Wildlife, Botanical,
History, Geology
For bookings call 07 5533 3583 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 1
Western Australia – The Kimberley
26 JUNE – 10 JULY 2021 (14 NIGHTS) FAQ
WALKING RATING What COVID-SAFE procedures are in place for tours?
During our walking holiday strict COVID SAFE hygiene
Easy to Moderate: 2-10km per walking day with some challenging procedures will be in place. These include, but are not limited to:
options (agility required for uneven ground & rock scrambling). Age is not
necessarily as important as your fitness and recent walking experience, • Complimentary hand sanitiser will be available on tour
and anyone of reasonable fitness should be able to join this tour. We • Daily health checks will be undertaken by your guide, in line
reserve the right to be flexible with the itinerary to allow for unforeseen with Queensland Health requirements. More information will
circumstances including weather conditions and group fitness. be provided to you before the start of the tour.
• Physical or social distancing will be practiced during our daily
INCLUSIONS activities. The current advice from the Department of Health
is for everyone to keep at least 1.5 metres apart from others
• 14 nights twin share accommodation in Dome tents with shared
(outside of their family unit) where possible.
bathroom facilities. Guests will be required to set up tents themselves.
• A self-inflating camp mat, camp stretcher, and sleeping bag will be • Additional cleaning will be undertaken as required
provided. You may choose to bring your own sleeping bag. Please note ParkTours will comply with new policies and
• Meals include - 14 Breakfasts, 15 Lunches, and 13 Dinners procedures as they are made available through our industry
• Transport in a well maintained 4WD vehicle authorities and Government to keep you safe and healthy whilst
• National Park entry fees on tour.
• Professional tour leader assisted when required by local tour guides
• Pre-departure materials including personalised A-Z tour information How & when to book?
To place your booking, simply visit www.parktours.com.au and
select the “Bookings” page, or complete a Tour Booking form
EXCLUSIONS and return by post or email with your $A500 deposit. Once
you have booked on a tour, we will stay in contact with regular
• Airfares & taxes to start / from end of tour mailings (see below).
• Airport transfers
• Heavy or excess baggage What information and contact can I expect?
• Travel insurance When you send your initial deposit, we will contact you to
• Personal expenses e.g. alcoholic drinks, speciality teas and coffee, confirm your booking. Please do not book any flights or travel
laundry, or optional tours arrangements until our office contacts you to advise that your
tour has been confirmed to depart. Once the tour has been
confirmed to depart, a comprehensive pre-departure information
TOUR LEADER pack will be sent to you, including a Tour A-Z, suggested packing
list, medical questionnaire, balance of payment invoice, and
We are joined on our Kimberley tour by Diana Papenfus. Diana grew up
pre / post accommodation options. The final mailing is sent
in the hills east of Perth and was inspired by nature from a very early age.
approximately two weeks before departure and includes final
Obtaining a Bachelors degree in Wildlife and Conservation she went on
tour information, meeting points, accommodation and guest list.
to became a park ranger in South Australia. Working with threatened flora
across the south west of Western Australia and in private property nature This will also include any additional documentation required
conservation, Diana is a long-time member of the WA Naturalists’ Club. under new Covid-Safe procedures.
She is an experienced driver/guide/cook and a Walking / naturalist Guide. What is the group size?
Joining Diana on tour will be Red Morrell, as driver and cook. We specialise in small group travel with a tour size normally
between 8 to 18 guests. Consideration will be given for physical
distancing regulations for bus travel. Please refer to the front
page for details on the minimum group size for this particular
tour. All tours need a minimum number of participants to operate
at the price listed in the itinerary. If the minimum number is not
reached, a tour may still operate with a surcharge.
Click map to view How fit do I have to be?
in Google Maps When you are assessing your ability to participate, age is not
necessarily as important as your fitness and recent walking
experience. Please read the tour walk rating and the day-by-day
walking descriptions in the itinerary to determine if the tour is
suitable for your fitness level. If you have any queries, we are
happy to put you in touch with either the tour coordinator or tour
leader to discuss your fitness in more detail.
What gear and equipment do I need to take?
Because we focus on half and full day walks, returning to our
accommodation in the afternoon, you don’t need to carry any
more than a daypack with rain wear, sunscreen, drinking water,
camera and lunch. We recommend walking poles and hiking
boots on most of our tours as they offer good ankle support
and grip. A detailed packing list is included with your tour’s
information pack.
For bookings call 07 5533 3583 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 2
Western Australia – The Kimberley TOUR ITINERARY 26 JUNE – 10 JULY 2021 (14 NIGHTS) Day 1 – Sat 26 Jun | Broome to Windjana Gorge Our tour begins in the coastal town of Broome, 1600km north of Perth. This gateway to the Kimberley region was built on the pearling trade and is now a popular holiday hub. With a long drive ahead of us, we leave early for our first destination, Windjana Gorge. We travel through the savanna plains, passing many boab trees to reach one of the Kimberley’s most stunning gorges. After unpacking and setting up our campsite, we take a short drive to Tunnel Creek. This flows through a water eroded tunnel in the limestone of the Napier Range, part of the 350 million year old Devonian reef system. Here we enjoy a short walk through the dark but spacious tunnel to the other side of the range. Squeezing through boulders to get into the cave, we wade through several permanent pools in the 750m tunnel. About half way along, the roof has collapsed letting the daylight in, so interesting roots have grown through the cave roof. At the end of the tunnel there is an opportunity to see some Indigenous rock art and cool off in the water hole. Meals: L, D Walks: Short, easy to moderate walk with some light rock scrambling Day 2 – Sun 27 Jun | Windjana Gorge NP Today we explore Windjana Gorge Park with its varied bird life, Devonian reef walls and its many freshwater crocodiles (usually shy and not dangerous to humans). We begin by walking through a small cave like tunnel, before coming onto flat ground alongside the limestone cliffs of Napier Range. Here tall broad-leaved Leichardt trees, native figs and paper-barks (Melaleuca cajuputi) line the riverbank. These trees provide shelter from the hot sun for many waterbirds, a colony of fruit-bats and a large group of corellas. We return to our campsite for the second evening. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 7km return easy to moderate walk Day 3 – Mon 28 Jun | Windjana | Silent Grove | Bell Creek Gorge We enjoy a short early morning walk into the gorge before leaving Windjana. We travel on the Derby-Gibb River Road through the Napier Range to our next camp site at Silent Grove. We will spend time this afternoon visiting Bell Creek Gorge, with a walk in the King Leopold Range Conservation Park. To reach the gorge, we meander along Bell Creek before crossing the creek over slippery rocks. A little rock scrambling takes us down to the water’s edge for a refreshing swim in the deep pool and its perfect cascading waterfall. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 2.6km return moderate to challenging walk Day 4 – Tue 29 Jun | Silent Grove to Mornington Sanctuary We depart camp early for our 145km journey to Mornington Sanctuary via a landscape of mountain ranges, trees and open plains. Previously a cattle station, Mornington is now owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). Once we have settled into our campsite, we will drive 9km to visit Cajeput waterhole. Cajeputs are the paperbarks (melaleuca) which line the banks of the Fitzroy River. Here we can relax and enjoy the surrounds, go swimming or hire a canoe (at own cost) and paddle to the Fitzroy River. Meals: B, L, D Walks: Short walk Day 5 – Wed 30 Jun | Mornington Wilderness Sanctuary Today we have the whole day to explore Mornington at our own leisure. The sanctuary provides refuge to a diverse range of wildlife including over 200 species of birds. Two endangered bird species, the Gouldian Finch and the Purple Crowned Fairy Wren, can be found here. Just by staying here we will also be helping to save Australia’s endangered For bookings call 07 5533 3583 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 3
Western Australia – The Kimberley TOUR ITINERARY 26 JUNE – 10 JULY 2021 (14 NIGHTS) wildlife. This sanctuary boasts a number of different walks for us to choose from including Sir John and Dimond Gorges, as well as the Billabong, Wetland and Termite Trails. All these walks are approximately 1 to 1.5 hours long and your guide will be able to provide more advice. Meals: B, L, D Walks: Your choice Day 6 – Thu 01 Jul | Mornington Station to Manning Creek area This morning, we journey back to the Gibb River Road, with Manning Creek our destination. We travel via the less visited Adcock Gorge following a rocky 4WD track. Its clear deep green pool and waterfall make for a peaceful oasis, and a lovely spot for a swim. The walk in is mostly easy, with some uneven ground and boulder scrambling required. We then continue to Galvans Gorge, another easily accessible gorge from the Gibb River Road. An easy walk takes us into this pretty swimming spot with its small seasonal waterfall. Our final destination today is the Manning River camp site, where we settle in for the next two nights. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 2km and 1.6km easy to moderate walk with some rock scrambling Day 7 – Fri 02 Jul | Manning Creek walk Today is spent exploring this lovely oasis. We will undertake the Manning Gorge Walk, which can only be accessed by crossing the Manning Creek to join the trail path on the other side. This can be done in two ways, either a 40m swim or using the rope- guided dinghy. The trail follows a route overland with views over the ranges and savannah woodlands. The terrain is uneven with some rock scrambling and an incline towards the end. It can be hot work but well worth the effort when you reach the end and take a refreshing swim in a huge waterfall fed pool. Alternatively, you may prefer to relax in camp. Meals: B, L, D Walks: 5.6km return moderate to hard walk Day 8 – Sat 03 Jul | Manning Creek to El Questro Station Today after packing up camp, we continue our journey along the Gibb River Road. Our drive will see us cross the Durack River and pass the site of the old Durack River Homestead which was destroyed by flood in 2002. The road is a mixture of steep jump ups and rough corrugations. The spectacular scenery includes the Pentecost River Lookout which overlooks the river flood plain. We arrive and set up our tents in the comfortable camp site of El Questro. Meals: B, L, D Walks: None Day 9 & 10 – Sun 04 and Mon 05 Jul | El Questro Station walks El Questro is known as the heart of the Kimberley and is our home base as we spend the next two days exploring its surrounds. There are many ways to discover this land and we will have plenty of walking options on offer. You may also like to take an optional cruise on Chamberlain Gorge for a more relaxed afternoon. Some of the walks on offer include: Emma Gorge: a partially shaded one-hour picturesque walk. Enjoy a swim in the cool water hole with a 65m droplet waterfall surrounded by cliffs covered in greenery. The waterfall is also home to the trickle of a small thermal spring. The colours of the gorge walls are simply breathtaking. The walk is an easy to moderate 5km return. Telegraph Hill: overlooking the settlement, this walk offers sweeping views over the escarpment. It is a 2.1km loop and is best done just after sunrise and before sunset. For bookings call 07 5533 3583 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 4
Western Australia – The Kimberley TOUR ITINERARY 26 JUNE – 10 JULY 2021 (14 NIGHTS) El Questro Gorge & Zebebee Springs: start with a drive through water crossings and over rugged terrain as we make our way to the start of a stunning walk to El Questro Gorge. This is an easy walk among Livistonia palms to the thermal waters of Zebedee Springs where you can soak and rejuvenate your aching muscles. Meals: B, L, D both days Walks: Ranging from easy to moderate as described above Day 11 – Tue 06 Jul | El Questro to Kununurra We depart early today to our destination, the town of Kununurra. Today’s drive will take us via Wyndham where we visit the old port and take in the spectacular views from the Five Rivers lookout. We will also spend time visiting Parry’s lagoon which is a great spot to experience a mass of waterbirds and possibly sight a saltwater crocodile or two. On arriving in Kununurra, there will be time this afternoon to catch up on washing, postcards or just to relax. The crew will be organising the fresh food requirements for the next section of the trip. Dinner is not included tonight to give you the opportunity to taste some of the local delights. Meals: B, L Walks: None Day 12 – Wed 07 Jul | Kununurra to Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) This morning we enjoy a slower start with a leisurely breakfast before leaving Kununurra for the Purnululu National Park. The trip into the park is our reintroduction to outback tracks with many creek crossings, wash aways and rough slow sections. This afternoon you have the opportunity to take a helicopter flight over the Bungle Bungle Range (own expense) for a bird’s eye introduction of the park. After settling in at camp, we will head out to watch the sun set against the red rock of the Bungle Bungle Range. Meals: B, L, D Walks: Easy lookout walk Day 13 & 14 – Th 08 and Fri 09 Jul | Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) We spend the next two days exploring the natural wonders of the park, one of the most striking geological landmarks of Western Australia. Here we are offered a truly remote wilderness experience and there are many walking options available to us. Highlights include: Echidna Chasm: a moderate 1 hr / 2km return walk with a short climb at the end to experience the 200m chasm with varying hues. Piccanniny Creek Lookout: a 2.8km return trek along the creek bed as it winds through spinifex hummocks towards the Ord River. The lookout will give you an impressive overall view. Cathedral Gorge: a moderate 2km return walk. The trek winds its way through iconic beehives with short steep slopes and narrow ledges then down between two walls of rock before opening up into Cathedral Gorge. This huge amphitheatre of red rock with a pool of water in the middle was created by water pounding through here in the wet season. The acoustics are amazing so if you have a good voice you may want to burst into song to hear it for yourself. Meals: B, L, D both days Walks: Ranging from easy to moderate as described above Day 15 – Sat 10 Jul | Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) to Kununurra This morning we leave the national park and make the return journey to Kununurra. This wonderful outback experience will end on our arrival back in town where you will be transferred to your chosen accommodation. Meals: B, L Walks: None For bookings call 07 5533 3583 | visit www.parktours.com.au | or email info@parktours.com.au | 5
WALKING HOLIDAYS & ADVENTURES
WHY TRAVEL WITH US?
ParkTours have been leading small group walking holidays since
1975. Our like-minded guests bond easily and often create reunions,
celebrations and friendships, many of them life-long. Our tours are
active with regular half and full day walks. Aside from walking, we
also spend time meeting local people, tasting regional food and
immersing ourselves in the culture and history of a destination. Our
flexibility enables us to adapt to the likes, dislikes and agility of our Responsible Travel
travellers, and changing situations such as weather and unforeseen
For your protection, we are
circumstances. In most locations, we stay 2-3 nights and sometimes
member of the Australian
longer. This allows us to slow down, unpack our bags and enjoy
Federation of Travel Agents
the local atmosphere at different times of the day. Accommodation
(AFTA). Your payments are
is comfortable and unique plus locally owned and operated where
kept in a client account until
possible.
required for payment of your tour.
Our guides are dedicated, informative people who share their passion We are accredited with AFTA Travel
and knowledge on local history, culture, wildlife and topography. Accreditation Scheme (ATAS), a
Our journeys are designed to safeguard the ecosystems; benefit national accreditation scheme, endorsing travel
the communities we visit and contribute to the sustainability of agents who have met strict financial and customer
destinations. Travel is a chance to change your perspective. Nature service criteria. We also have advanced accreditation
always provides a new view if we take the time to look. with Ecotourism Australia, are members of the
Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and a Green
Circle member of Queensland Outdoor Recreation
“I find the organisation and attention to Federation (QORF).
detail is always good. Having travelled
quite a few times with ParkTours now I Serendipity of travel
would not consider a walking tour with Our Leader and local guides will continually work on
any other organization” your behalf to provide a memorable journey. We have
Catherine Eakin planned an intimate adventure, but adventure cannot
be guaranteed. If indeed it could then it would lose its
appeal.
Though we do the best we can to plan a smooth
“I have had a wonderful experience journey, sometimes things change at short notice.
on my ParkTours trips. I know the Some things may take longer than anticipated,
accommodation, meals, etc. will have transport and accommodation arrangements may alter,
the level of comfort I’m looking for” and you may experience occasional shortcomings and
be frustrated by the ‘manana’ attitude; at other times
Anne Stanfield
you will be amazed by local efficiency. Tour itineraries
may need to be modified but this is done so with your
needs in mind and to provide the best tour experience.
Disclaimer of Liability So, be flexible, surprised and delighted with the
Although Park Tours has prepared the Information contained in this itinerary with all due care and updates
serendipity that comes from being open to the
the Information regularly, Park Tours does not warrant or represent that the Information is free from errors or
omission. Whilst the Information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in unexpected. Your enjoyment of this journey is
circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the Information. The Information ultimately up to you.
may change without notice and Park Tours is not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information printed
and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.
Itinerary Updated: December 7, 2020 11:01 AM
T +61 7 5533 3583
1069 Binna Burra Road, Beechmont QLD 4211 Australia
info@parktours.com.au | www.parktours.com.au
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