Green Kimberley
EXPERIENCES / KIMBERLEY
Green Kimberley
Overview
The Top End and Kimberley wet season is spectacular and, more importantly, enjoyable. This trip is designed to give you a taste of the best that the Kimberley has to offer at this amazing time of year. It starts with an easy acclimatisation and builds to a serious walk. The trip is divided into three sections, any of which can be done on its own.
- Introduction to the Wet. A leisurely acclimatisation drive from Darwin to Kununurra with several short walks along the way and from Kununurra.
- Ord River canoe, a perfect way to continue to acclimatise before the long walk.
- Keep River National Park. We fly in and out by helicopter.
- Carr Boyd Range: Gushing wet season creeks flow over countless waterfalls, through deep, cool gorges and lovely pools bounded by a lush vegetation.
KIMBERLEY
16 Jan- 11 Feb 2023
1) Introduction to the Wet
This section helps you acclimatise to the hot, humid conditions at this time of year.
We spend the next four days doing some short walks, seeing some of the waterfalls that only flow at this time of year, visiting Aboriginal art sites and some interesting European historical sites
2) Ord River Canoe
More acclimatisation. Using canoes allows us to carry more with less effort — a good way to carry a few little luxuries you wouldn't put into a pack. It also allows us to get closer to large numbers of birds than is normally possible and get access to some otherwise inaccessible waterfalls and pools.
From Kununurra we are driven to Lake Argyle where we put the canoes in the river just below the main dam. The next four days are spent doing a leisurely paddle back toward Kununurra, stopping to do a few day walks up into the hills through which we are passing.
3) Keep River N.P.
This is an area of spectacularly rugged rock formations, so rugged that the map makers simply drew a dotted line around the main massif and labelled it "dissected rock outcrops." It was impossible to indicate most of the contour lines.
With the 4WD tracks closed for the Wet, we use a helicopter to get access to the most spectacular parts of the park.
From our drop off point to the pick up is less than 15 km in a straight line so we will enjoy a leisurely exploration of a green landscape dry season visitors can barely imagine.
4) Carr Boyd Range
A boat ride up the Ord River brings us to a drop off on Cooliman Creek. A relatively flat walk of about 4 km gets us to the first of the many waterfalls and pools we get to enjoy on this walk. One waterfall follows another as we make our way up one creek, then overland and down another.
A boat ride up the Ord River brings us to a drop off on Cooliman Creek. A relatively flat walk of about 4 km gets us to the first of the many waterfalls and pools we get to enjoy on this walk. One waterfall follows another as we make our way up one creek, then overland and down another.
Along the way we stop to enjoy numerous swims and take time to simply relax and look at nature around us.
We exit the range near Packsaddle Creek where we are met by the pick up vehicle that brings us back to Kununurra.
Details
DATES
16 January - 11 February
PRICES
Full price: $9995
For the price of individual sections, see our trip list
page.
GROUP SIZE
4 - 12 guests
CAMP SITES
Sec 1: Mostly accommodated. 1 bush camp, normally on sandy ground.
Sec 2: Fixed camps with some shelter.
Sec 3: Mix of sand & rock. Some dry season camps will not be usable.
Sec 4: Mix of sand, rock, and grassy areas. To avoid flooding, we can't use some of our dry season sites. You are unlikely to see anyone else along most of the the walks.
ART
We visit a number of art sites, details in the trip notes.
SWIMMING
Good swimming on all sections.
WILDLIFE
Birds are always present but spread out at this time of year. You are unlikely to see many large animals. The Ord Canoe section gives you the best birds as well as a good chance to see small freshwater crocodiles.
CLIMATE
It will be hot (although not as hot as you might think) and it will be humid. There will be some nights in air conditioned accommodation.
The average daily maximum is 35ºC (95ºF). If we get a spell of relatively dry weather, the temperature could reach 40ºC (104ºF). The average minimum is 24ºC (75ºF). Sleeping bags are not needed. Rain is almost certain.
On average it will rain every second day, mostly in short, sharp bursts. Averages can, however, be misleading. Occasionally, it might rain for days at a time. (This makes it somewhat harder to walk but it also makes the waterfalls more spectacular and keeps it relatively cool.) Occasionally, it may rain very little. This makes it substantially hotter than normal. There will be many opportunities to swim and cool off, but you must be prepared for hot, humid conditions.
COOKING
We should be able to have campfires on all sections. We may have a stove on section two. Hot water will be available every morning.
WALK RATING - Sec 1-3:
MODERATE; Sec 4: HARD
Terrain
Highly varied. Every section is different. Please see the PDF trip notes for details.
Vegetation
Highly varied. It will be as green as it gets.
Distance
4-6 hours per day
Pack Weight
You need to carry food for one overnight on section 1; gear in the canoe for 3 nights on section 2; carry 5 days of food on section 3 and 8 days food on section 4.
Unless you have walked in the wet season before, please do not book this trip until you have read our
Wet Season page. This links to two additional pages, just as important if you are to enjoy the trip.
Download detailed trip notes
16 Jan - 11 Feb
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Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change
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