Expedition Summary
Our "Western Australia Outback Adventure" is designed to show you the best of Sydney and the outback in a limited two-week time frame.

We will begin our tour in Sydney, recovering from any residual jetlag as we explore this spectacular city. One day will be devoted to climbing the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge, cruising the harbor and exploring all that this beautiful city has to offer. We will then jumpstart our adventure with a day of dolphin spotting and four wheel driving on the dunes of the New South Wales coast before flying on to Darwin.

4WD crossing of river. (Kimberleys, Western Australia)

From Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, we will embark upon our rugged 4WD outback experience, beginning in Australia's "Top End" and continuing through to West Australia's Kimberleys. Along the way, we will stop in Litchfield National Park and the Katherine Gorge, spend a day with the Manyallaluk Aboriginal Community, explore the tiger-striped rocks of the Bungle Bungles, experience life on the famous El Questro cattle station, hike the beautiful gorges of the Gibb River Road and visit the famous "Prison Tree" in Derby. We will conclude our tour in Broome, a small outback town renowned the world over for its pearls and its beaches, particularly Cable Beach.

 Back to Top

Experience Required
No experience is required to take part in our Australian adventure trips. A good level of fitness, however, is recommended so that you'll be able to fully enjoy all of the exciting activities planned for you!

 Back to Top

Day by Day Itinerary
The following is a day-by-day description of this tour:

Day 1: Arrive in Sydney
After our arrival in Sydney, the remainder of the day will be yours to spend at your leisure, settling in, recovering from any jetlag, and beginning your explorations. We will overnight in Sydney, the first of

Sydney Opera House. (Sydney, Australia)

our three nights in this amazing metropolis.

Day 2: Sydney Bridge Climb and Harbor Cruise
In the morning, the group will embark on the "Bridge Climb" of Sydney's famous Harbor Bridge. After the climb, we will take a lunch cruise around Sydney Harbor, giving us a feel for the city's spectacular setting as we enjoy the afternoon sun. Once again, we will overnight in Sydney.

Day 3: 4WD Tour of Dunes and Dolphin Spotting Cruise
We will begin the day with an excursion to Port Stephens. Our first stop will be the stunning Stockton Beach Sand Dunes. This stretch of the coastline contains some of the largest and oldest sand dunes remaining on Australia's eastern coast. We will join a 4WD tour of the dunes, followed by lunch and a dolphin-spotting cruise. In the afternoon, we will explore the area on foot - and go for a quick swim in the refreshing waters - before returning to Sydney for our last night there.

Day 4: Travel to the Top End
We will depart Sydney bound for Darwin in Australia's remote "Top End." We will overnight in

Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. (Sydney, Australia)

Darwin. Although Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, it is still a veritable "frontier town" with a transient and small population base of approximately 90,000. Darwin's incredibly diverse population, with 45-60 ethnic groups (including many Asians) represented, has led to the city's recently-awarded title: Australia's "Asian Gateway City."

Day 5: Litchfield National Park, Katherine Gorge
In the morning we will head to Litchfield National Park, one of the Top End's best-kept secrets. We'll have time in Litchfield to enjoy swimming in pristine waterfalls, viewing the Top End's majestic termite mounds, and undertaking some short walks before heading further south to Katherine Gorge for our overnight stay. In the evening, we will get comfortable in our camp in the Katherine Gorge, where we will spend the next two nights.

Day 6: Manyallaluk Aboriginal Community
The day will be devoted to a visit to the Manyallaluk Aboriginal Community. Our tour of this fascinating site will give us the chance to meet the traditional owners of the land, as well as a

Adcock Gorge. (Kimberleys, Australia)

chance to visit some of the ancient rock art sites that are sacred to these people. We will have time to test our skills at some traditional Aboriginal pastimes, such as basket weaving and spear throwing. Once again, we will camp for the evening at the Katherine Gorge.

Day 7: Canoe Katherine Gorge, Travel to Timber Creek
We will begin this day's adventures with a morning canoe trip through the magnificent Katherine Gorge. After lunch, we will head west, via the small town of Timber Creek, to our overnight campsite at Keep River National Park.

Day 8: Ord River, Hidden Valley National Park and Bungle Bungles
We will spend the morning exploring the Ord River Scheme, before moving on to the scenic Hidden Valley National Park. The damming of the Ord River, in the Carr Boyd Range, resulted in the creation of a lake that holds nine times the volume of water contained in Sydney Harbor. These reservoirs in turn feed a series of irrigation channels that bring much-needed water to the farms of the region. The evening will see our arrival at the Bungle Bungle National Park (also known as Purnululu), where we will camp for the next two nights.

Day 9: Bungle Bungles
A full day is spent exploring the unusual rock formations of the Bungle Bungle Ranges. We will visit the unique Frog Hole, the breathtaking Echidna Chasm and the magnificent Cathedral Gorge. An

Bungle Bungles. (Kimberleys, Western Australia)

optional helicopter flight (at additional cost) will also be offered to those interested in enjoying an unforgettable panoramic view over these magnificent geologic formations. The Bungle Bungle massif is an imposing sight. The orange and black stripes across the beehive-like mounds are encased in a fragile skin of silica and lichen. In the evening, we will return to our campsite where, chances are, we will enjoy an amazing sunset across the tiger-striped rocks of remote Bungle Bungle.

Day 10: Turkey Creek, Gibb River Road, El Questro, Emma Gorge
Leaving the Bungle Bungles, we will take a short break at Turkey Creek before heading on to Wyndham and the Five Rivers Lookout. From there, we will begin our journey down the punishing Gibb River Road. Along the way, we will make a stop at the famous El Questro Station, take a walk in the beautiful Cockburn Range and swim under the waterfall in Emma Gorge.

Day 11: Pentecost River and Jack's Waterhole
We will cross the Pentecost River, traveling through ancient and spectacular mountain ranges.

Boab Prison Tree, Derby. (Kimberleys, Western Australia)

There will be time for a swim at Jack's Waterhole before we head on to our overnight bush camp. There will be no facilities at this evening's campsite.

Day 12: Gibb River Gorges
There will be time for swimming and casual hiking as we explore some of the most striking of the Gibb River Gorges. Depending on the time of the year, Barnett, Manning, Adcock or Galvins may be at the top of our list. We will camp for the night at Bell Creek Gorge.

Day 13: King Leopold Ranges, Tunnel Creek, Windjana Gorge
We will enjoy an early hike and swim before driving through the King Leopold Range to Windjana

Hiking Bell Gorge. (Kimberleys, Australia)

Gorge. After lunch, we will wade through the icy waters of Tunnel Creek to explore the incredible limestone formations found there. We will camp overnight at Windjana Gorge.

Day 14: Windjana Gorge, Derby, Broome
Before leaving the spectacular Windjana Gorge, we will view the gorge's abundant wildlife, including freshwater crocodiles. We will also explore the 350-million-year-old fossilized reef wall that rises 300 feet (90 meters) above the riverbed. From there, we will head on to Derby, where we will visit the famous Boab Prison Tree before continuing on to Broome, where our incredible adventure in Australia's Top End will come to an end.

Day 15: Depart for Home
Depart for home.

 Back to Top