The Kimberley Australia: An Expedition Cruising Guide

Culture in The Kimberley Australia

There is an inseparable connection between the culture and landscape of the Kimberley. Aboriginal history in the region dates back more than 50,000 years, evidenced by the expressive rock art that can still be seen today. This art varies across the region - from the Wandjina paintings, which depict the ancient spirits at the heart of Dreamtime Creation (thought to be around 3,000 to 4,000 years old), to the much older Gwion Gwion, or Bradshaw art, believed to date back as far as 30,000 years.

On your Kimberley cruise, don't miss a visit to Vansittart Bay - near the northern tip of Western Australia - offers the chance to view fascinating examples of indigenous art, including the world's oldest known detailed depictions of human figures for a deeper insight into the region's First Nations heritage, as well as its more recent history.

Wildlife in The Kimberley Australia

The Kimberley is a haven for wildlife, with flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. This surprisingly diverse habitat - often underestimated at first glance - includes savanna, woodlands and mangrove-lined coasts that support the formidable saltwater crocodiles (locally known as 'salties'), sea eagles, and the iconic Australian barramundi. On hikes, you may spot rock wallabies, monitor lizards, or even dingoes. Many expedition cruises to the Kimberley also visit Montgomery Reef, once described as the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' by Sir David Attenborough.

This remarkable ecosystem is home to turtles, seabirds, sharks, octopuses, and even dugongs, and is revealed dramatically as the reef rises above the waters surface with the falling tide. The Hunter River region offers another rich wildlife experience, with mangrove- fringed channels framed by towering red sandstone cliffs. The area teems with mudskippers, fiddler crabs, saltwater crocodiles, and a myriad of bird species. Bird enthusiasts will also appreciate the Lacepede Islands, located just off the Kimberley coast. These remote islands support over 1% of the world's population of brown boobies and have recorded up to 20,000 roseate terns.

When to Visit the Kimberley

The Kimberley has just two seasons - wet and dry - with cruises operating during the cooler dry season from May to September to avoid the intense heat and heavy rainfall. Despite this simple division, Aboriginal communities recognise six distinct seasons throughout the year.

December to March (Mankala)

The main wet season, when up to 90% of the region's rain falls. This period transforms and replenishes the land, feeding waterfalls. As the water recedes, desert grasses come to life, providing vital habitats and food for wildlife.

April (Marul)

The wet season can extend into April, but this is usually when the rains begin to stop and the region starts to open up.

May (Wirralburu)

May marks the beginning of the cruise season and the first month when humidity drops to more comfortable levels. Drying winds come from inland, and daytime temperatures fall from 30-35°C to a more pleasant 16-18°C at night. This is the ideal time to visit for seeing waterfalls flowing at their most forceful.

June to August (Barrgana)

June to August is the true dry season. Daytime temperatures are comfortably in the high twenties, while nighttime temperatures can drop into the low teens. In June, waterfalls still have some strength, but this dwindles as the dry season progresses. From July to August, humpback whales return from their Antarctic feeding grounds to mate and give birth, with sightings most common in August.

September (Wilburu)

Temperatures rise in September, though they have not yet reached the wet season's peak of 40°C or more, and the rains have not yet arrived.

October to November (Larja)

Temperatures peak and the rains begin, bringing intense showers and thunderstorms that often result in dramatic lightning displays.

How to Get to The Kimberley

Most Kimberley cruises begin in Broome, Darwin or Perth, and some even in Bali or Singapore. An itinerary that starts or ends in Perth also offers the added convenience of Qantas' non-stop flight to and from London - a direct route of nearly 17 hours.

Or, to get to Broome or Darwin, if you're not flying direct to Perth you'll usually have to fly from London via Singapore, Doha, Hong Kong, and then change at Perth to fly onwards. Sydney and Melbourne are also well connected with regular flights from Darwin and Broome. Both cities can easily entertain for three or four days which is a great add-on to your Kimberley cruise - though it's worth bearing in mind you'll be travelling during the cooler winter months.

Choosing Your Itinerary

Most Kimberley cruises follow a similar route between Broome and Darwin, typically operating in both directions over 10 to 11 nights. This standard itinerary is common across operators and includes all the Kimberley highlights you'd hope for.

Longer itineraries offer more variation and are well worth considering - espcially given the long journey to Western Australia or the Northern Territory. There are several extended cruise options, as well as land-based add-ons, that make a more in-depth exploration of the region even more rewarding.

Australia's Rowley Shoals and the Abrolhos Islands

For a chance to see some of Australia's most pristine coral reefs, a visit to the Rowley Shoals or the Abrolhos Islands is a must. The Rowley Shoals is a group of three atoll-like reefs located west of Broome and featured on only a handful of select itineraries, making it a rare and special experience. Further south, off Australia's western coast, lies the Houtman Abrolhos archipelago - commonly referred to simply as the Abrolhos.

This remarkable collection of more than 100 islands and coral reefs can be visited on extended Kimberley itineraries, particularly those that begin or end in Perth. The islands and their waters provide a rich habitat for sea lions, green turtles, wallabies, carpet pythons, and an impressive array of birdlife.

Begin in Bali or Singapore

Occasionally, Kimberley itineraries begin in Bali - or even Singapore - as ships completing their Asia routes reposition to the Australian coast. These sailings offer a unique opportunity to add another dimension to your cruise, whether by experiencing the spirituality and culture of Bali or the vibrant modernism of Singapore.

Voyages including Asia often cross the Wallace Line - a biogeographical boundary where there is a distinct shift in flora and fauna, marking the division between Asian and Australian species. Named by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1859, the line reflects his groundbreaking research in the region. Wallace's work paralleled that of Charles Darwin, and the two men jointly presented their theory of evolution in 1858.

Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Beyond

Seabourn offers a range of sailings that combine an extraordinary Kimberley cruise with an equally remarkable exploration of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. You'll journey through the Raja Ampat archipelago, an almost impossibly beautiful collection of limestone islands that shelter some of the most spectacular coral reefs on Earth.

These biodiverse waters are home to an incredible array of marine life, while nearby Cenderawasih Bay, off the northern coast of Papua, is home to dolphins, dugongs, and four different species of turtle - plus the star attraction: a resident population of whale sharks. For those looking to go even further, some itineraries extend to include the Pacific Islands, and even South America and Antarctica, creating an epic, all-encompassing expedition of a lifetime.

Cruise and Land Combinations

There is no shortage of incredible land combinations that can be added to a Kimberley itinerary. In Darwin, the vast Kakadu National Park - Australia's second largest - begs to be explored. With thundering waterfalls, huge rock escarpments, and wildlife-filled wetlands, this is the Australian wilderness of your imagination, partly thanks to its fame as the backdrop for the Crocodile Dundee films.

For an outback experience like no other, why not travel through the heart of the country's Red Centre on The Ghan, a passenger train that travels from coast to coast between Adelaide and Darwin? The journey takes two nights and three days and can be broken up into two separate trips to offer time to discover Uluru from the midpoint at Alice Springs.