5 Day Broome to the Bungles

Day 1, We begin our adventure as we travel east towards Fitzroy Crossing. Visit the colourful Mangkaja Aboriginal Arts Centre before joining a local National Park Ranger on a guided cruise through Geikie Gorge.Learn of the fascinating geology of this natural wonder and discover the huge array of wildlife, including freshwater crocodiles, birds and fish. That evening, camp by the Fitzroy River and enjoy our famous Kimberley BBQ. (LD)Days 2-3, Visit the town of Halls Creek and see the China Wall enroute to Purnululu National Park, home of the magnificent Bungle Bungles. On arrival in Purnululu, there is time to orient ourselves and settle into our Safari Camp. After a bush sunset, relax with a delicious meal and evening under the stars. Spend the next day exploring the highlights of this extraordinary National Park. Rivers created this landscape of unique orange and black striped ‘beehive’ geological formations over a period of 20 million years. Unbelievably, only the locals knew it existed until the early 1980’s. To protect its unique landscape, the area was made a national park in 1987 and now enjoys World Heritage status. We explore the 2km long Echidna Chasm, known for its towering Livistonia Palm trees, and take a short walk (2-3km) into stunning Cathedral Gorge, where towering rocks create a natural amphitheatre. There is time in the afternoon to take an optional scenic flight and enjoy a birds-eye view of the beehive domes (approx $400pp, own expense) to put it all into perspective. (BLD/BLD)Day 4, We bid farewell to Purnululu and travel to the Mimbi Caves, one of Western Australia’s largest cave systems, in the heart of Gooniyandi Country. These limestone caves are one of the oldest identified sites of human occupation in Australia. Delve into Dreamtime with our local Gooniyandi guide who shares traditional stories and reveals the secrets of Mimbi Caves, a sanctuary of crystal clear pools, rare fossils and ancient rock art. Share fresh damper and billy tea with the Gooniyandi traditional owners before we head for Fitzroy Crossing. (BL)Day 5, Following another night by the Fitzroy River, we head for Bunuba country – once a Devonian reef, this terrain is over 350 million years old and home to a diverse array of animals and plants. In the morning we seek the adventure of Tunnel Creek, a 750-metre cave system in which we discover secret caves and a large variety of wildlife. It is here we also learn the legend of Jandamarra, an Aboriginal who used the tunnel as a hide-out in the late 1800’s. Swim in the idyllic waterhole at the end of the tunnel before we travel to Windjana Gorge, a delightful oasis in the outback. We enjoy a picnic lunch and search for freshwater crocodiles, local birdlife and Indigenous bushtucker. The Gibb River Road then leads us from the Napier Ranges as we begin the return to Broome via the Derby ‘Boab Prison Tree’. (BL)