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The first white explorer to venture into the Kimberley on a land-based expedition, George Grey was also the first European to witness the remarkable Wandjina rock paintings. Landing at Hanover Bay late in 1837, both the wet season and the rough terrain took their toll on his horses and after being wounded in an encounter with the locals, he aborted the expedition just 50km south of his starting point.
Enjoy an stay at Ngauwudu Safari Camp, built by Outback Spirit exclusively for our tour guests. This luxurious $4 million camp features 14 spacious 'Safari Suites', each with an ensuite bathroom, beautiful furnishings and hotel quality linen.
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Located on the northern-most part of Western Australia and covering an astonishing 423,000 square kilometres, the Kimberley is one of the world’s greatest wilderness areas. The area has fewer people per square kilometre than almost any other place on earth.
Remote and rugged, the Kimberley landscape is truly spectacular, with wide horizons, ancient gorges, picture-book rock pools, exquisite rock art and pristine beaches.
Outback Spirit are the experts in the Kimberley. We’ll take you to all the hidden delights and natural wonders. And to complement your premium expedition of this region, we have built an exclusive 5 star wilderness retreat, Ngauwudu Safari Camp on the Mitchell Plateau.
Wherever you travel within this region, from the Ord River to Broome, you’ll explore it all in 5 star luxury aboard your Outback Spirit Mercedes Benz coach.
Built exclusively for the enjoyment of Outback Spirit guests, Ngauwudu Safari Camp is the most luxurious accommodation on the Mitchell Plateau, and within easy reach of all its natural wonders.
At a cost of $4 million dollars there is no other development like it in the Kimberley, eclipsing the alternative accommodation on the plateau.
Ngauwudu Safari Camp features 14 luxurious ‘Safari Suites’. Each suite features its own quality ensuite bathroom with beautifully tiled showers and modern fittings. The spacious bedrooms feature timber sleigh beds, hotel quality linen and 240V power. Each suite also features a generous size outdoor deck with comfortable outdoor furniture.
Ngauwudu Safari Camp features an architecturally designed commercial grade restaurant that allows guests to dine inside or outside. A large shade sail over an enormous deck provides a cover from the sun, while the campfire at night allows guests to relax and get to know their fellow travellers.
Ngauwudu, pronounced “na – wu – doo”, is the name Wunambal Aboriginal people gave to the Mitchell Plateau.
To enjoy a stay at Ngauwudu Safari Camp, choose one of these tours:
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We offer the most enriching tours to the region with more inclusions and experiences than any other operator. As legitimate pioneers in the touring industry, we have consistently raised the bar - resulting in better touring products for our valued clients.
No one else can guarantee the inclusions or the level of quality that Outback Spirit is renowned for, not just in the Kimberley, but all over Australia.
Here's why we are the leading experts in the Kimberley!
7 in depth itineraries with over 80 departures. Choose your perfect expedition with 7 different Kimberley itineraries and 80 odd tour departures every year. Options include fully accommodated or camping, different starting locations (Broome, Darwin and Alice Springs) and even an itinerary during the Wet Season!
Local operations base. Due to our expanding operations in the Kimberley, we operate our own operations and maintenance base in Broome, with several full time mechanical and operational staff.
The Kimberley’s newest and most luxurious fleet - exclusively Mercedes Benz! Our fleet is made up exclusively of Mercedes Benz All Terrain coaches. These vehicles are the pinnacle of outback touring and eclipse anything else used in the region. No other operator can guarantee that you’ll be in the exclusive comfort and safety of Mercedes Benz.
Small groups for a rewarding experience. Enjoy the rewarding experience of travelling in a small group of like-minded people, with more one-on-one time with your guide/s and less congestion at key attractions. Accommodated tours are limited to just 20 travellers, while our hybrid camping tours have 26.
Exclusive safari camps and lodges. Outback Spirit always uses only the best accommodation available, but with our own safari camp and strategic partnerships you’ll also be visiting areas that simply aren’t available to most other tour companies.
In depth knowledge for an enriching expedition. All of our professional guides have vast in-depth knowledge of the Kimberley, including its history, rich indigenous culture, flora and fauna and pioneering past.
The best and most highly experienced guides. Not only do our guides have expert knowledge on the Kimberley, but they’ve been driving heavy vehicles for a minimum of ten years. Driving large vehicles on unimproved roads requires exceptional competency, and there’s simply no substitute for experience. It’s our recognition of this that helps set us apart from our competitors
All meals included – added value and convenience. Instead of trying to cut costs by leaving out the odd meal, our tours are truly fully inclusive. Every breakfast, lunch and dinner for the whole expedition is included, giving our clients better value and greater convenience.
All attraction, entry and cruise fees INCLUDED. Every Outback Spirit itinerary is truly fully inclusive. The only 'optional extra' you might come across is a scenic flight, but even then we actually include a helicopter flight for you on the Mitchell Plateau (see next point). It's another reason that we deliver a seamless and comprehensive touring experience.
Helicopter Flight over Mitchell Falls! Every tour we run to the Kimberley includes a sensational scenic helicopter flight over the Mitchell Falls. Instead of walking both ways to the falls, enjoy walking down from the plateau and then return back up by helicopter, enjoying the stunning falls and surrounding country by air.
Local Indigenous Partnership. Outback Spirit deeply respects the traditional owners of the Kimberley. Furthermore, we have a close working relationship with the Kandiwal Aboriginal Community on the Mitchell Plateau, providing employment, training and educational resources to its residents.
Australian Wildlife Conservancy – saving the Kimberley’s wildlife. Outback Spirit donates heavily to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy every year, to the tune of $100,000. Saving precious wildlife like the Northern Quoll and the Gouldian Finch is a wonderful thing to be a part of and we are proud of our long standing association with AWC.
A good night's rest... 
Outback Spirit offers an extremely diverse, comfortable and quite often luxurious mix of accommodation in the Kimberley. From our own camp on the Mitchell Plateau, to authentic cattle stations and magnificent wilderness parks, you’ll experience the real Kimberley when you’re on board with us.
Visiting the Kimberley is not just about staying in the same kind of tented camps the whole time. Experiencing a mix of accommodation is important, which is why we have not only invested in our own accommodation on the Mitchell Plateau, but entered into strategic partnerships with other accommodation providers. This has created a network of camps and lodges that is simply unparalleled in the Kimberley.
At a glance
Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary is an 800,000 acre former cattle station that is now a vital refuge for wildlife in the middle of the Kimberley. It’s owned and operated by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, a non-profit organisation dedicated to saving Australia’s precious wildlife. Mornington also serves as an operational base for the AWC’s broader conservation programs in the Kimberley, which include other stations such as Marion Downs and Artesian Range.
Located on the sanctuary is the Mornington Wilderness Camp, featuring 10 deluxe safari tents in a pristine creek-side setting. Relax in the open style dining area and then spend the evening around the campfire in a true wilderness setting.
During your stay you’ll hear about the conservation programs and techniques that are currently being implemented by the AWC in the Kimberley. You’ll be in awe of their dedication to saving our most precious wildlife, ensuring that it’s still around for future generations.
Features and inclusions at a glance:
Bellburn Safari Lodge is the most established accommodation within the World Heritage Listed Purnululu National Park (the Bungle Bungles). Located on Bellburn Creek, the lodge features 20 architecturally designed cabins scattered in a bush setting along with a licensed restaurant and outdoor bar area.
Recently upgraded for the 2013 season, the lodge is now the most ideal spot from which to explore the Bungle Bungles, being close to all the highlights including Cathedral Gorge and Piccaninny Creek.
Enjoy delicious home-style meals and relax around the campfire, sharing your adventures with new friends.
Features and inclusions at a glance:
Drysdale is a massive million acre cattle station on the Kalumburu Road. It's an icon of the north Kimberley and has been in the same family for nearly 30 years.
The property is a popular tourist destination and is an ideal stopover point on the way to the Mitchell Plateau. It offers genuine hospitality and an atmosphere seldom found anywhere else. We think it's one of the highlights of our Kimberley Expeditions.
Outback Spirit guests will enjoy staying in top quality accommodation with private ensuite bathroom facilities. Enjoy a delicious restaurant meal in the character filled outdoor dining area and tell a tale or two with fellow travellers in the licensed bar. You can also enjoy looking at the many photos of the area that fill the walls.
Drysdale's friendly down to earth atmosphere will leave you with lasting memories of a wonderful Outback experience.
Features and inclusions at a glance:
You’ll probably recognise parts of the world renowned El Questro Wilderness Park as soon as you start exploring, because the
Cockburn Range is one of the most photographed areas in the whole region. Located in a stunning part of the Kimberley, El Questro was amongst the first ‘up-market’ parks of its kind in Australia. That is, remote wilderness areas offering the adventurous traveller luxurious safari-style accommodation.
Here, you’ll enjoy the outstanding hospitality of the beautiful Emma Gorge Resort, where all our Kimberley expeditions stay. Positioned at the very base of the Cockburn, the resort boasts spectacular views of the escarpment along with the actual gorge it was named after, the Emma Gorge. A walk up to this pristine area of natural beauty is an absolute must and a highlight for most. Then reward your efforts with a little chilled refreshment under clear outback skies, beside the pool or in the resort’s delightful alfresco restaurant.
Features and inclusions at a glance:
No tour to the Kimberley is complete without a visit to the sensational Mitchell Plateau. Outback Spirit is one of only 2 operators to have accommodation on the plateau. Most Outback Spirit tours at our exclusive Nguawudu Safari Camp allowing time to discover the wealth of flora, fauna and natural attractions.
This is an area of immense cultural and biological significance. For outback scenery and Aboriginal culture, this region is among the best in Australia. At its heart is the Mitchell River National Park, an area of 115,300 hectares. Here you can see the thundering Mitchell Falls. For many, this is the highlight of their Outback adventure. But there’s plenty more to marvel at in the area too, including Little Mertens Falls and Big Mertens Falls.
Outback Spirit will take you on guided walk to discover the spectacular gorges and waterfalls. The beautiful bush walk offers an ever-changing landscape, clear streams and pools, rainforests, majestic cliffs and imposing views. Along the way you will discover the rarely seen, Bradshaw – Gwion Gwion and Windjana rock art sites with a local indigenous guide. And you’ll take the most spectacular route back to your camp – a helicopter flight over the falls!
Often referred to as the gateway to the Kimberley, Broome is a unique mix of cultures that have been embedded over the years to form a delightful and refreshing town, different from anywhere else you’ve been. The sunsets from the Cable Beach Club are hard to beat!
One of the most imposing natural attractions in the Kimberley, Windjana is a must see attraction. Formed from a river carving its way through limestone its walls stand up to 100m above the alluvial floodplain. It’s a refuge for wildlife too, with fresh water crocodiles, fish and prolific birdlife.
A cruise on Geikie Gorge is a great way to discover the secrets of the mighty Fitzroy River. The gorge itself cuts through a limestone range that was formed by an ancient coral reef, exposing layers of fossils from the Devonian period.
Once the hideout of Jandamarra, an Aboriginal man who led an uprising against the white stockmen of the late 1800’s, Tunnel Creek is an intricate cave system that features a river which flows under the Napier Range for 750 metres. Explore this mysterious geological feature on a guided walk with your Tour Leader.
Derby is home to the largest tides in Australia, with a peak differential of 11.8 metres between low and high tides. It’s also one of the main administrative centres of the Kimberley and has a population of around 3,000 people. Attractions in the town include the jetty, old Derby Gaol, the boab prison tree and Myalls bore and cattle trough.
Bell Gorge is one of the most spectacular in the Kimberley. Nestled deep in the King Leopold Tanges Conservation Park, the gorge features a beautiful waterfall and several good swimming spots. The view down the gorge is an extremely impressive sight.
Galvans is only a small gorge located not far off the Gibb River Road. A short walk takes you up to the waterfall and gorge, where you can also have a swim. It’s a pristine little waterhole that’s an ideal resting place when travelling along the notorious Gibb River Road (visited on all extended tours except for Kimberley & Top End Expedition).
The ‘Gibb’, as it’s affectionately known, is a notorious 650km long unsealed road that travels through the heart of the Kimberley, from Derby all the way to the Great Northern Highway near Wyndham. It was originally a stock route, constructed in the 1950’s as part of the ‘Beef Road Scheme’ and today serves the stations, Aboriginal communities and tourism industry.
Drysdale is one of the largest stations in the Kimberley, running approximately 9,000 head of cattle on over 1 million acres. It’s a privately owned station that has immense charm, character and authenticity. Located on the Kalumburu Road, it’s an ideal stopping place on the way to the Mitchell Plateau.
The Ord River is one of the better known rivers in Western Australia, particularly because of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme that was established after the damming of the river and the building of Lake Argyle, the largest artificial lake in Australia. Cruising the river between the dam wall and Lake Kununurra is one of the highlights of any trip to the Kimberley, and is included in every Outback Spirit itinerary.
World Heritage Listed in 2003, the Bungle Bungles are one of the most striking geological features in all of Australia. Its bee-hive shaped rocky domes feature distinctive orange and grey striping, encased in a skin of silica and algae. Highlights of the park include Piccaninny Creek, Cathedral Gorge and Echidna Chasm.
The one million acre El Questro Wilderness Park straddles the Gibb River Road near the Cockburn Range, and is home to some sensational natural landscapes, namely Chamberlain Gorge, Zebedee Springs and Emma Gorge. The park features 3 styles of accommodation, including Emma Gorge Resort which features deluxe tented cabins and a beautiful restaurant.
Lying on the banks of the Ord River, Kununurra and is the largest township in the Kimberley, apart from Broome. Established in the 1960’s, its original purpose was to service the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. Today the town services the busy tourism industry, mining and agriculture.
Gwion Gwion figures, also called ‘the Bradshaw’s’, occur in rock art in the north and west Kimberley. They are most often drawn as elegant, thin, long bodied figures depicting humans in mulberry red ochre. The Wandjina’s are also incredibly striking but are quite different, with large, mouth-less faces and big black eyes. Aboriginal people say they are the creator beings of the Dreaming, and made their world and all that it contains.
Katherine River Gorge in one of the most famous natural attractions in the Northern Territory, and taking the 2 hour wilderness cruise up river is the best way to experience it. Admire the sheer walls of the gorge and surrounding escarpment country from your canopied cruise boat with expert local guides.
Kakadu is Australia’s largest national park and home to some stunning scenery and rich indigenous culture. Icons of the area include Ubirr Rock, featuring ancient rock paintings and magnificent views of the floodplain, and Yellow Waters Billabong, where you’ll witness the remarkable variety and concentration of wildlife.
Litchfield is just a short drive out of Darwin and features some beautiful waterfalls that cascade off a sandstone plateau called Tabletop Range. The numerous pristine swimming holes are a drawcard for tourists, as are the magnetic termite mounds found within the park.
Darwin is one of Australia’s fastest growing cities, with a population of 130,000 people. It’s a city steeped in history, from its ancient Indigenous inhabitants to the Japanese World War II bombings, and the Cyclone Tracy natural disaster on Christmas Day, 1974. It’s certainly a city that’s well worth discovering.
The Kimberley region is considered a tropical or monsoonal climate, meaning it can be divided into two seasons – the Wet season and the Dry season. The seasons are considerably different, and allow Outback Spirit to take you on two unique touring experiences.
The Dry Season is from May to October with mild to warm weather during the day and colder temperatures at night. You can expect clear blue skies, light breezes with temperatures around 27C during the day and 14C at night. The weather during this period is very stable.
The Wet Season runs from November to April. You can expect it to be warm to hot, and humid; temperatures are around 35C during the day and 25C at night. Also, be prepared for amazing sunsets, and spectacular thunderstorms and lightning displays. Downpours tend to be dramatic but brief, allowing the wildlife to flourish.
New for 2013 is a 6 Day Wet Season Spectacular tour.
Outback Spirit’s Tour Directors, Tour Drivers and local guides will help you spot and discover the Kimberley’s diverse flora and fauna. You will come home with a wealth of knowledge of this remarkable region.
The region is home to an amazing array of mammals, from wallabies, possums, dingoes, euros, flying foxes and quolls, to nocturnal species like sugar gliders and the endangered bilby and bandicoot. Many species of small carnivorous marsupials also exist here, including dunnarts and pebble mount mouse. Yes, there are snakes, like the taipan, king brown and western brown.
Although not everybody wants to come face to face with a crocodile, there are plenty of places to safely see these amazing prehistoric creatures throughout the Kimberley. Freshwater crocodiles, locally known as ‘freshies’ can be spotted in Windjana Gorge and Geike Gorge, along the Ord River and Lake Argyle. Saltwater crocodiles, ‘salties’, inhabit all major river systems and can be seen lying on the banks sunning themselves. Just remember to keep a safe distance and never approach a crocodile!
Broome’s Roebuck Bay and further south at Eighty Mile Beach are two of the best places in Australia to view migratory birds. The wetlands around Broome are home to Magpie geese, pelicans, Ibis, large cranes and Australia’s indigenous stork, the Jabiru. Throughout the Kimberley there are over 300 species of birds.
There are over 2000 species of plants in the spectacular landscapes of the Kimberley. From July to September wildflowers of all colours, sizes and shapes can be seen. Species commonly found include the ancient Livistonia palm and cycads, wollybutts, eucalypts and of course, the unusual boab tree.
The boab has been an important part of Aboriginal life, being used as food, shelter, medicine, water, tools and carvings. Look out for many flowering wattles, grevilleas, mulla mulla, karrajongs and bush tomatoes. Rivers, creeks and lakes are lined with river red gums, coolibah, silver cadjeput and desert bloodwood trees.
