The Kimberley

The Kimberley is one of the world's last true wilderness frontiers - a vast region of northwestern Australia three times the size of England with a population of just 40,000. This ancient landscape features dramatic gorges, thundering waterfalls, the eerie beehive domes of the Bungle Bungles, the legendary Gibb River Road, and some of the oldest rock art on Earth.

The Kimberley coast is one of the world's most pristine, accessible primarily by expedition cruise ships that navigate the dramatic tidal waterways. The Horizontal Falls - where massive tides force water through narrow coastal gorges creating a horizontal waterfall effect - were described by David Attenborough as "one of the greatest natural wonders of the world." The Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu National Park, with its striped orange and black beehive formations, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The best time to visit the Kimberley is during the dry season from May to September. The Gibb River Road and most remote tracks are only passable in the dry season. Waterfalls flow strongest in May-June after the wet season rains.

The wet season (November-March) brings tropical monsoons that close roads, fill waterfalls, and make much of the region inaccessible. Expedition cruises along the Kimberley coast operate primarily from April to September.