The Kimberley
Western Australia
Three times larger than England, the red desert Kimberley region takes up the northwestern corner of Australia. It’s one of the longest-settled areas on the continent, yet fewer than 40,000 people call it home. The beach town of Broome serves as the gateway to the Kimberley’s numerous cultural and natural attractions.
Travelers love exploring the gorges, caves, waterfalls, and seemingly endless calm blue sea on a trip through this northwest wilderness. And tiny towns like Derby, Halls Creek, and Wyndham—as well as the stunning Cable Beach—mean there’s plenty to see in the diverse, remote destination. Multi-day tours of the Kimberley often include off-road visits to natural wonders such as the Gibb River Road, Windjana Gorge, El Questro Wilderness Park, Bell and Geikie gorges, and Lake Argyle.
The Kimberley is ideal for adventure travelers, outdoors enthusiasts, and those interested in Aboriginal culture.
Weather in the Kimberley can be very hot and dry, so be sure to drink plenty of water during your adventures.
Mobile phone coverage is unreliable outside the bigger towns, so don’t rely on it if you’re venturing into remote areas.
There are no international flights into the Kimberley—most visitors arrive by flying domestically into Broome. Kununurra and Derby are connected by air to Darwin, Broome, and Perth. The Kimberley is about a 559-mile (900-kilometer) drive from Darwin.
The Kimberley sits near the equator, so it has a tropical climate with two seasons, wet and dry. The best (and busiest) time to go is during the dry season (April to October), when all of the roads tend to be open.
While the Great Barrier Reef is Australia’s most famous scuba diving location, the Kimberley has one of the world’s best and least-known sites. The Rowley Shoals, about 186 miles (300 kilometers) offshore from Broome, comprise a chain of coral atolls teeming with marine life.
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