Day 0 (JUL 6): Broome, Australia

Depart @ 6:00pm

Perched on the Northwest edge of Western Australia, Broome was once an isolated gem, reachable only by a rugged dirt road until the mid-1980s. The town is nestled on a narrow peninsula, encircled by the crystal-clear sapphire waters of the Indian Ocean and the tranquil expanse of Roebuck Bay. It stands as a global haven for migratory birds, offering them a scenic stopover on their long journeys. Broome sprang to life following the discovery of the world's most abundant pearl shell deposit. This revelation sparked a frenzy akin to a gold rush, drawing in hundreds of people lured by the promise of precious treasures. Despite a downturn in the pearl industry during the last century, the allure of Broome's natural splendor and serene ambiance held many captives, anchoring them to this coastal sanctuary. Today, Broome boasts a unique architectural landscape, a testament to its diverse history. A blend of colonial buildings, old mission houses, churches, and the huts of former pearling masters share the streets with more modern homes. These structures collectively echo a distinctive style that took root over eighty years ago.

Day 1 (JUL 7): Yampi Sound, Australia

Day 2 (JUL 8): Talbot Bay, Australia

Talbot Bay is the site of the Horizontal Waterfalls, which lie about 20 miles to the east of Cockatoo Island in the Buccaneer Archipelago. The effect of the waterfalls is created by the rapid tidal fall on the ocean-side of gaps in the sandstone cliffs. Waters on the inland side of the gaps cannot escape fast enough and so a ‘’horizontal waterfall’’ is created by the cascades, with water levels differing sometimes by several meters on either side of the gaps. The gaps themselves were once layers of siltstone in the strata of the sedimentary rock. It is through these gaps that tide movements push sea water to create the Horizontal Waterfalls.

Days 2-3 (JUL 8-9): Montgomery Reef, Australia

The area is managed in partnership with the Damibmangari traditional owners, who have strong cultural connections to the Lalang-garram / Camden Sound Marine Park and Montgomery Islands.

Day 4 (JUL 10): Kuri Bay, Australia

Kuri Bay, situated on the remote northwestern coast of Western Australia, is a place of pristine and untouched wilderness. This secluded bay is renowned for its rugged, untouched beauty, where ancient red cliffs meet the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The bay's waters are rich in pearls, earning it a unique place in the world as a hub for the South Sea pearl industry. Its pearling history dates back to the late 19th century; today it is a remote outpost that offers a glimpse into this lustrous past, with the spectacular Kimberley region as its backdrop.

Day 5 (JUL 11): Hunter River, Australia

The Hunter River was named in 1820 by the explorer Philip Parker King aboard the Mermaid Cutter, while making charts in the area. The river was named after the surgeon on Mermaid, James Hunter. The river is home to a large mangrove estuary, that forms part of Porosus Creek (Crocodile Creek) and home to several bird species, Osprey, Brahminy Kite, and White-tailed Sea eagles. Mitchell River National Park is one of Kimberley's two national parks. The park lies in some of the most remote and inaccessible country in Australia. It is about 350 km north-east of Derby, and 270 km north-west of Wyndham. The park of 115,300 hectares lies in a remote part of the Kimberley and contains some of the region's scenic jewels. The Mitchell Plateau is one of the most scenic and biologically important areas of the State. Small patches of rainforest grow around the margins of the plateau, where they are protected from fire and receive additional moisture.

Day 6 (JUL 12): Ashmore Reef, Australia

Ashmore Reef Marine Park is an Australian marine park that covers the Ashmore Reef, which is located about 390 mi north of Broome and 68 mi south of the Indonesian Islands of Rote. The marine park covers an area of 225 sq mi. It is one of 13 parks managed under the North West Marine Network. The marine park comprises several marine habitats, including seagrass meadows, intertidal sand flats, coral reef flats, and lagoons, and supports an important and diverse range of species, including 14 species of sea snakes, a population of dugong that may be genetically distinct, a diverse marine invertebrates fauna, and many endemic species, especially of sea snakes and mollusks. There are feeding and nesting sites for loggerhead, hawksbill, and green turtles.

Day 7 (JUL 13): Vansittart Bay, Australia

Vansittart Bay is a small remote bay of about 30k m², synonymous with the Truscott air base that was operational during the Second World War. The bay features beaches and aircraft wrecks, but the reason for our visit is the Gwion Gwion or Bradshaw art found on Jar Island. Jar Island was named by an early survey team who found clay jars on the island. These jars were the same type as those used by the Macassans who would travel down from (what today we know as) Indonesia to the top end of Australia in search of sea cucumbers. According to Aboriginal legend, the art was created by birds. It was said that these birds pecked the rocks until their beaks bled, and then created these fine paintings by using a tail feather and their own blood. The bird said responsible was known as Gwion. The Gwion Gwion art is often called Bradshaw art after Joseph Bradshaw, the first European person to record the style of painting in 1891.

Day 8 (JUL 14): King George River, Australia

Explore the King George Falls, the two highest twin waterfalls in Australia at 250ft in height. The river was named in 1911 by explorer Charles Conigrave after a privately funded expedition in the area. The river is named in honor of King George V. This incredible sandstone gorge is a highlight of any Kimberley Expedition.

Days 9-10 (JUL 15-16): Darwin, Australia

​Capital of the Northern Territory (NT), with an estimated population of 150,000, Darwin is home to most of the Northern Territory population. The Darwin region, like much of the Top End, experiences a tropical climate with a wet and dry season and boasts a vibrant multicultural community, where Indigenous heritage blends seamlessly with the influence of diverse international populations. Darwin's rich history provides an incredible background for the diverse cultural and historical activities. On the 9th September 1839, HMS Beagle sailed into Darwin harbor during its survey of the area. John Clements Wickham named the region “Port Darwin” in honor of their former shipmate Charles Darwin. The city has been rebuilt almost entirely four times, following cyclones and Japanese air raids in World War II.