The Kimberley & Broome
Australia's last great frontier, the Kimberley is a vast wilderness of red pindan, ancient gorges, thundering tides and turquoise sea — three times the size of England with a fraction of the people. Its gateway is Broome, where Cable Beach's white sand meets red cliffs at sunset. A dry-season adventure like no other, here's how to experience it.
Cable Beach & pearl-town charm
Broome is unforgettable — Cable Beach stretches 22 km of white sand beneath red pindan cliffs, most magical at sunset with a camel train silhouetted against the sky. The town's pearling history and multicultural heritage run deep, from Chinatown to the historic cemeteries. Don't miss the dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point and, on certain nights, the Staircase to the Moon — a natural illusion of moonlight on the mudflats. See our Broome guide.
Gibb River Road & the Bungle Bungles
Beyond Broome the wild begins. The legendary Gibb River Road threads 4WD adventurers past gorges and swimming holes like Bell and Manning to the El Questro wilderness. East, the striped beehive domes of the Bungle Bungles in World Heritage Purnululu National Park astonish — best seen on a scenic flight. Around Kununurra lie vast Lake Argyle and the Ord River, and off the coast, the tidal spectacle of the Horizontal Falls, superb from the air. All dry-season only.
Getting there & when to go
Come in the dry season (May–October) — the wet closes roads and attractions. Fly into Broome or Kununurra, then explore by scenic flight, 4WD or guided tour; distances are immense and services sparse, so most travel with operators. Book well ahead, as the season is short and popular. Carry water and supplies, and respect the country and its Traditional Owners. See our getting around guide.
The Kimberley & Broome: your questions
Broome is the gateway to the Kimberley and one of Australia's most distinctive towns — famous for Cable Beach, where 22 km of white sand meet red pindan cliffs and the turquoise Indian Ocean, and for its sunset camel rides. It has a rich pearling history and multicultural heritage, the dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point, and the natural phenomenon of the Staircase to the Moon. See our Broome guide.
The Kimberley is a dry-season destination — visit between about May and October, when roads are open, gorges are swimmable and the weather is warm and rainless. The wet season (November–April) brings monsoonal rain, extreme heat and flooding that closes many roads (including the Gibb River Road) and attractions, though it makes the waterfalls thunder. Plan Kimberley travel firmly within the dry. See our best time to visit guide.
The Gibb River Road is one of Australia's great 4WD adventures — a roughly 660 km former cattle route through the heart of the Kimberley, linking spectacular gorges and swimming holes like Bell, Manning and El Questro. It's unsealed, remote and open only in the dry season, requiring a high-clearance 4WD and careful planning (or a guided tour). The reward is raw wilderness few travellers ever see. See our Gibb River Road guide.
The Bungle Bungle Range, in World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park, is a maze of striped, beehive-shaped sandstone domes — one of Australia's most extraordinary natural sights, and largely unknown to the outside world until the 1980s. You can walk into gorges like Cathedral and Echidna Chasm, but the domes are most breathtaking from a scenic flight. Access is dry-season only and via 4WD or air. It's a Kimberley highlight.
Several ways, all in the dry season. Base in Broome or Kununurra and take scenic flights (the best way to grasp the Bungle Bungles, Horizontal Falls and the coast); drive the Gibb River Road by 4WD; join a guided overland tour; or combine a stay at a station like El Questro. Distances are huge and services sparse, so most visitors travel with operators. See our Kimberley guide.