Why The Kimberley Should Be In Your 2025 Plans
Why The Kimberley Should Be In Your 2025 Plans
Towering ochre cliffs, ancient rock art predating written history, and waterways untouched by crowds, the Kimberley is a place where nature still reigns. Our touring pilot, Jacob Gatt, has visited the region numerous times and is excited to be exploring again this year. “Seeing the Kimberley from the air, then setting foot on the ground, really puts things into perspective,” Jacob described. “It’s such a vast, ancient place, full of history and stories, and it makes you realise how small we are in the grand scheme of things—but also how special it is to be a part of it.”
As experts in curating unique Australian journeys, we consider the Kimberley to be the perfect place to go beyond observation and fully engage with extraordinary landscapes and cultures. It’s the epitome of remote and immersive—exactly what we believe travel should be about in 2025. As the world becomes increasingly accessible and built-up, discerning travellers are seeking destinations that offer both exclusivity and profound connection. The Kimberley delivers on both fronts.
Two of the places we explore from the ground, as well as the air, on our tours to this beautiful region are Lake Argyle and Purnululu National Park.
Lake Argyle
Lake Argyle is an inland sea stretching almost 1,000 square kilometres when full and is more than 20 times larger than Sydney Harbour. Originally created by the Ord River Dam, it’s now the biggest man-made lake in the southern hemisphere and home to an incredible array of wildlife, including more than 240 species of birds. From the air, its sheer size is breathtaking, a maze of islands and peninsulas that seem to go on forever, surrounded by the dramatic red rock landscape of the East Kimberley.
To truly experience Lake Argyle, we swap the plane for a boat, spending time exploring the lake and then taking in its ever-changing colours as the sun dips lower in the sky. Pilot Jacob loves joining our guests on this boat trip. “My favourite part of the boat ride is when we stop, and you get to just float in the water, drink in hand,” he said. “There’s nothing like it, completely still and peaceful, with nothing but the sounds of the Kimberley around you.”
The real magic though, is as you lie back in the water, gazing up at the endless sky, you might remember how vast the lake looked from above. Only now, you’re a part of it.
Purnululu National Park
Making up a significant 239,723 hectares of the Kimberley, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park is home to the natural phenomenon of the Bungle Bungles. The Bungle Bungles are the iconic beehive-shaped towers, standing at 250m tall, an icon of Western Australia. UNESCO described them as ‘outstanding examples of cone karst (which) owe their existence and uniqueness to several interacting geological, biological, erosional and climatic phenomena’. In other words, this landscape is the result of nature’s slow and deliberate craftsmanship. To stand among such incredible history, in the middle of nowhere, is a feeling you won’t forget anytime soon.
Seeing the Bungle Bungles from the air, their vastness truly comes into focus, the maze of domes stretching far beyond what you could ever view from the ground. But it’s only when you land and walk among them that you grasp their true scale, feeling dwarfed by their towering presence. Experiencing both perspectives is what makes this place so extraordinary; one moment you’re soaring over a natural wonder, and the next, you’re completely immersed in it.
Another place on our Purnululu National Park visit is Cathedral Gorge, where towering sandstone walls create a natural amphitheatre. Pilot Jacob describes the experience of walking through the gorge as “the silence is almost as striking as the scenery”. It’s a place that doesn’t just invite exploration; it demands presence. There’s no rush, no distraction. While at Cathedral Gorge, we set up a picnic as we listen to our expert guide share the stories of this ancient landscape, from its deep Indigenous significance to the unique flora and fauna that thrive in its rugged beauty. You’ll hear about the rock formations that were shaped over millions of years, and gain a deeper understanding of a place that has been sacred for far longer than we can truly grasp. Maybe the next time someone asks you about your “favourite dining experience”, you’ll mention a lunch held in an amphitheatre that is more than 350 million years old.
If your 2025 travel plans are about getting to delve further into our beautiful country, experiencing places you’ve dreamed of and switching the crowded for the quiet, you’ll love the Kimberley. We have two tours that visit the Kimberley in 2025, The Kimberley and the Pilbara and Ultimate Outback Air Safari. Both of these tours run during winter, so you can leave the cold behind and experience the warmth of the outback.
