Wild Kimberley Overland — Self-Launched
11 days · Kimberley, Western Australia
Intrepid Travel charges £3,360
No-markup version: ~£1,035 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched loop of the West Kimberley from Broome: Tunnel Creek, Windjana and Bell Gorges, Manning Falls, the Gibb River Road, El Questro, Lake Argyle, Purnululu (Bungle Bungles), Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing — then back to Broome. The commercial version runs this in a private 4WD with a leader, cook and permanent camps. Self-launching you have three realistic options: (a) hire a 4WD camper and drive yourself — the best-value and most flexible route for one to two travellers willing to share driving; (b) join a short budget camping tour for the Purnululu and Gibb River Road legs (several Broome/Kununurra operators sell 2–5 day segments); or (c) point-to-point buses on the Great Northern Highway plus local day tours, which barely touches the Gibb and is not recommended for the gorges. Costs below assume self-drive 4WD camper hire in a two-person share (fuel included) with campsite fees, self-catering plus a few pub meals, and self-booked day activities. This is a remote region: carry 10+ litres of water per person, a PLB or satellite messenger, spare tyre and recovery gear, and check road conditions with Main Roads WA and the Broome/Kununurra visitor centres — the Gibb River Road and Purnululu access are unsealed, corrugated and closed in the wet season (roughly Nov–Apr).
Day-by-day
Broome to Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek)
Broome / Tunnel Creek / Windjana Gorge
Pick up your 4WD camper in Broome early (Broome 4WD/camper hire, £55–90/day for a two-berth 4WD camper in high season). Stock up on food and 20L of water at Coles/Woolworths in Broome. Drive the Great Northern Highway to Willare, then the unsealed Fairfield–Leopold Downs Road to the Napier Range (~3.5 hrs). Visit the Boab Prison Tree on the way and stop in at Norval Gallery in Derby if you take the town detour. Walk the 750m Tunnel Creek (Dimalurru) cave passage with a torch — wading knee-deep, so wear shoes you don't mind soaking. Camp at Windjana Gorge campground (no bookings, first-come; ~£11/pp).
🚌Hire 4WD camper from Broome (~£60/day, fuel ~£35 for the day, shared between two); 250 km, ~3.5 hrs driving, ~80 km unsealed
🛏Windjana Gorge campground — unpowered site, shared hot showers, ~£11/pp
- →Boab Prison Tree
- →Tunnel Creek (Dimalurru) cave walk with torch
- →Norval Gallery, Derby (optional)
Windjana and Bell Gorges
Windjana Gorge / Bell Gorge
Early morning walk into Windjana Gorge ('the Gap') — the freshwater crocodiles basking on the sandbars are harmless if you keep your distance. Then drive ~1 hr east on the Gibb River Road to Silent Grove and the Bell Gorge (Dalmanyi) trailhead: a 30–45 min rocky walk each way down to a beautiful plunge pool and falls. Return the same way; the road is rough corrugated gravel but 2WD-accessible in dry conditions. Camp at Silent Grove campground (~£11/pp) or back at Windjana.
🚌4WD camper; ~60 km each way on the Gibb River Road, ~1.5 hrs total driving
🛏Silent Grove campground or Windjana Gorge, ~£11/pp
- →Windjana Gorge walk and croc spotting
- →Bell Gorge (Dalmanyi) hike and swim at Dalmanyi Falls
Manning Gorge and Galvans Gorge
Mount Barnett Station / Manning Gorge
Continue east along the Gibb. Stop at Galvans Gorge — a 10-minute easy walk to a small lily-covered pool with a waterfall. Then push on to Mount Barnett Roadhouse to camp at Manning Gorge. Do the Manning Falls hike in the afternoon: a 45–60 min walk, including a chest-deep river crossing (hold your pack above your head or use a dry bag) to the falls and swimming hole. The roadhouse does burgers and cold drinks if you don't fancy camp cooking. Campground ~£11/pp.
🚌4WD camper; ~110 km east on the Gibb River Road, ~2 hrs driving
🛏Manning Gorge campground, Mount Barnett Station, ~£11/pp
- →Galvans Gorge walk
- →Manning Falls hike and swim (river crossing)
Gibb River Road to El Questro
Gibb River Road / El Questro Wilderness Park
A big driving day east along the Gibb: cross the Pentecost River — do it slowly, well before dusk, and check the depth — with stop-offs at the Cockburn Ranges lookout for photos. Fuel up at the Gibb River Roadhouse or Doon Doon. Arrive at El Questro Station (private wilderness park, day pass ~£16/pp) and set up at the Black Cockatoo or Riverside campground. Sunset at Brancos Lookout over the Pentecost River. Book your Chamberlain Gorge cruise at the station for the next day if you want it.
🚌4WD camper; ~200 km, ~4 hrs on unsealed Gibb River Road; Pentecost River crossing; El Questro day pass ~£16
🛏El Questro campground (Black Cockatoo), ~£13/pp + park fee
- →Cockburn Ranges viewpoint
- →Pentecost River crossing
- →Brancos Lookout sunset
Emma Gorge and Zebedee Springs
El Questro Wilderness Park
Hike Emma Gorge early (1–1.5 hrs return, rocky in places) to the turquoise pool under the falls — the thermal drip at the back of the pool is a treat. Then soak at Zebedee Hot Springs, a palm-lined thermal creek; aim to arrive early as day visitors are often limited to a 7am–noon window. Optional: Chamberlain Gorge afternoon cruise (~£55 via El Questro station) or the Injid Marlabu Calls Us bush tucker walk with an Aboriginal guide (~£63, book direct). Pub dinner at the station restaurant is a nice break from camp cooking (~£18).
🚌Short drives within El Questro (~10–20 km, unsealed)
🛏El Questro campground, ~£13/pp + park fee
- →Emma Gorge hike and swim
- →Zebedee Hot Springs soak
- →Optional Chamberlain Gorge cruise (~£55)
- →Optional bush tucker walk (~£63)
Kununurra to Lake Argyle
Kununurra / Lake Argyle
Seal road into Kununurra for a resupply, then hit the free stops: Artlandish Aboriginal Art Gallery, the Hoochery Distillery (free tasting) and Zebra Rock Gallery. Take a dip in Kununurra's free infinity pool with views over the Ord River, then drive ~70 km south to Lake Argyle — Australia's biggest man-made lake. Camp at the Lake Argyle Resort campground (unpowered/powered sites ~£12–18/pp); the famous infinity pool is free for resort guests and campers.
🚌4WD camper; ~150 km sealed, ~2 hrs driving
🛏Lake Argyle Resort campground, ~£15/pp
- →Artlandish Aboriginal Art Gallery
- →Hoochery Distillery
- →Zebra Rock Gallery
- →Kununurra infinity pool
- →Lake Argyle sunset viewpoint
Lake Argyle
Lake Argyle
A relaxed day around the lake: visit the relocated Durack Homestead Museum (~£4) and do the Bluff hike for panoramic views across the lake and the distant Carr Boyd Ranges. Optional sunset boat cruise on the lake (~£63) is the best way to see the freshwater crocodiles, wallabies on the shoreline and the scale of the lake. Swim, read, and restock water before the long drive to Purnululu.
🚌Local driving only (~20 km); optional cruise transfer included in tour price
🛏Lake Argyle Resort campground, ~£15/pp
- →Durack Homestead visit
- →The Bluff hike
- →Optional Lake Argyle sunset cruise (~£63)
Into Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)
Lake Argyle → Purnululu National Park
Drive back through Kununurra, south on the Great Northern Highway and then turn onto the 52 km Spring Creek Track into Purnululu — this is a slow, rocky, sandy 4WD-only track taking 1.5–2 hrs, and vehicles must have a park permit (~£14/vehicle, book online with Parks WA). Stop at the Visitor Centre for ranger info, then settle into the Walardi or Kurrajong campgrounds (book ahead on the Parks WA website in peak season; ~£11/pp/night). Watch the Bungles Massif glow orange at sunset from the Kungkalanayi lookout.
🚌4WD camper; ~350 km sealed + 52 km unsealed Spring Creek Track, ~5–6 hrs; park entry ~£14/vehicle
🛏Kurrajong or Walardi campground, Purnululu (~£11/pp, book online ahead)
- →Spring Creek Track 4WD drive
- →Purnululu Visitor Centre
- →Kungkalanayi lookout sunset over the Bungles Massif
Echidna Chasm and Cathedral Gorge
Purnululu National Park
Two of the park's signature walks in one day. Echidna Chasm (1–2 hrs return) is best in the middle of the day when the sun lights up the towering slot; Cathedral Gorge (3 km return, ~2 hrs) ends in a huge natural amphitheatre with water pools — take plenty of water and start early as there's little shade. Optional scenic helicopter flight over the domes from Bellburn airstrip (~£185, book on arrival or in advance with HeliSpirit). Drive back out to the highway and camp at the Bungle Bungles/Turkey Creek roadside stop or push further south toward Halls Creek.
🚌4WD camper; ~30 km within the park + 52 km out on the Spring Creek Track; optional heli flight
🛏Spring Creek/Turkey Creek roadside camp (~£8/pp) or Halls Creek caravan park (~£12/pp)
- →Echidna Chasm walk
- →Cathedral Gorge walk
- →Optional helicopter flight (~£185)
Halls Creek, China Wall and Fitzroy Crossing
Halls Creek / Fitzroy Crossing
Morning detour to the China Wall, a striking white quartzite outcrop ~5 km off the Great Northern Highway near Halls Creek. Refuel in Halls Creek (expensive — fill up whenever you can), then drive south-east to Fitzroy Crossing (~290 km, 3 hrs). Take a look at Mary's Pool and the Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) before camping at the Fitzroy River Lodge campground (~£12/pp) or a nearby caravan park with hot showers.
🚌4WD camper; ~300 km sealed Great Northern Highway, ~3.5 hrs
🛏Fitzroy River Lodge campground, ~£12/pp
- →China Wall, Halls Creek
- →Mary's Pool
- →Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) lookout
Darlgunya Cultural Walk and return to Broome
Fitzroy Crossing → Broome
Start with the Darlgunya Cultural Walk at the Fitzroy Crossing crossing area (Darngku/Darlgunya rock art and river walk with an Aboriginal guide — book through the Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre, roughly £25–35/pp; independent self-guiding of the rock art area is sometimes possible at low cost but the guided version is worth it). Then the long drive back west to Broome (~400 km, 4.5 hrs), with a lunch stop in Derby. Drop the camper back in Broome before close of business and grab a sunset drink at Cable Beach.
🚌4WD camper; ~400 km sealed, ~4.5 hrs, fuel ~£45
🛏Not included (final day) — hostel in Broome from ~£25/pp if you need a night
- →Darlgunya Cultural Walk with Aboriginal guide (~£30)
- →Derby lunch stop
- →Cable Beach sunset, Broome
Self-launched vs. Intrepid Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Intrepid Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,035 | £3,360 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,325 per person (69%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Intrepid Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,035
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Wild Kimberley Overland — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,035 per person for 11 days in Kimberley, Western Australia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Intrepid Travel?+
Yes — Intrepid Travel charges around £3,360 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,035 — a saving of roughly £2,325 (69%) per person.
How long is the Kimberley, Western Australia trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Kimberley, Western Australia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, road-trip, hiking trip through Kimberley, Western Australia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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