An immense and complex landscape of towering red cliffs, dramatic gorges and arid savannah intertwined with mangrove forests, thundering waterfalls, wild rivers and secluded white-sand beaches, it also boasts the world’s largest inshore reef and the only two ‘horizontal’ falls on the planet. It’s also home to the world’s largest living reptile – the saltwater crocodile, the largest population of migrating humpback whales anywhere on Earth, and important seabird and marine turtle breeding colonies.

With the longest surviving continuous culture in the world, it’s also a place of extreme cultural significance, and there’s a rich history of indigenous customs to be observed, including ancient Aboriginal rock art.

When to go?

Kimberley coast cruises only operate from March to October, when the heaviest rains of the wet season have passed or are yet to come. March to early June is one of the most popular periods as this is when the waterfalls are in full flow and the horizontal falls are at their most impressive. Peak season is June to August, largely because of the dry, clear, warm weather. August to October is then the whale and wildflower season, when up to 30,000 humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to the warmer waters around the Kimberley coast for their breeding season, and the wildflowers also bloom.

Where to go?

Most Kimberley coast cruises sail from Darwin to Broome or vice versa, or shorter routes within the same stretch of coastline, and both round-trips and one-way itineraries are common. Popular destinations include Talbot Bay, where the horizontal falls are found, the spectacular Montgomery Reef, the Bonaparte and Buccaneer Archipelagos, Prince Regent National Park, Hunter River, the Mitchell Falls, Kings Cascade and King George Falls.

Take a deeper dive into Australia’s Kimberley and discover which operators offer the region