The Kimberley & The Pilbara

Set forth with a morning flight to Kings Canyon in the Red Centre.

Enjoy the easy one-hour leisurely Kings Creek walk. In the late afternoon, the sandstone turns into a stunning array of oranges and reds. Light-Towers is an immersive sound and light installation by Bruce Munro. A local guide will introduce you to the Light-Towers story, while you enjoy drinks and canapes as the sun sets.

Overnight: Discovery Resorts – Kings Canyon, glamping tent

Fly northward to Finniss River Lodge, a luxury lodge on a 50,000-acre working cattle station. You have the place to yourselves with only six stunning rooms commanding expansive views of floodplains, nature and fiery sunsets. A selection of activities will fill your days. Enjoy chef-prepared, local produce. The serenity will fill your soul.

A genuinely unique station experience, Cows and Canapes is a perfect way to end the day. Sip sundowners in an open-sided buggy or jump out and take a selfie with the curious Brahman cattle surrounding you.

2 nights: Finniss River Lodge

Awaken to wildlife sightings and glide through forested waters on an exhilarating airboat ride. Learn all about the fauna that inhabits these environments, from barramundi to brolgas and, of course, the prehistoric saltwater crocodile. Spend your afternoon unwinding by the pool or on a leisurely tour, soaking in panoramic views of the plains.

Venture west to the awe-inspiring Bungle Bungle, landing at Bellburn airstrip on the southwest corner of World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park in East Kimberley. A local guide will lead you on an easy-to moderate walk through the famous eroded towers and black and orange-banded beehive structures of the Domes Walk, the incredible natural acoustics of Cathedral Gorge and Piccaninny Creek, which only flows during the monsoon. Learn about the Kimberley climate, the six seasons, and the unique flora and fauna crucial to the land's traditional custodians.

Back in the air, your pilot will provide a fantastic view of the domes from above before continuing north into Kununurra.

Overnight: Freshwater Apartments

Head west towards the incomparable Kimberley Coast for a very special experience. Sir David Attenborough called the Horizontal Falls one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. Formed by some of the largest tidal movements in the world, the swirling waters of the Horizontal Falls are a natural phenomenon. Massive volumes of water squeeze through narrow cliff passages, with the rapid-like formations creating the unique sideways waterfall effect. Fly low over the falls for an unforgettable view.

Further west is Cygnet Bay at the tip of the beautiful Dampier Peninsula. Enter into the epic story of the Australian pearl from its indigenous beginnings through to the four generations of the Brown family who have been pearling and living here since 1946. After a tour of the pearl farm, take in the Kimberley Coast sunset with drinks and a treat of pearl meat.

The Pearler’s Village safari tents offer luxury in the gardens, with ensuite, air-conditioning and a private verandah.

Overnight: Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, Pearler’s Village safari tent

After breakfast, take in the beautiful views of Cygnet Bay and learn about the entwined indigenous and pearling history of the area on a Borrgoron Culture & History tour. A relaxed morning allows you to have a wander before lunch in this gorgeous part of the world.

Fly south to Exmouth, where representatives of Sal Salis will meet you for the road transfer to Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, an exclusive beach safari camp nestled in the Cape Range National Park dunes. Delicious, locally sourced, five-star dining, a self-serve bar, impeccable service, and the unassuming reef at your tent-step. Stay in an eco-luxe wilderness tent offering views of the bush and the Indian Ocean.

2 nights: Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef

The reef is home to myriad colourful fish and coral formations, rays, turtles, dugongs, clownfish, harmless reef sharks and sea birds. The Cape Range National Park offers exceptional wildlife and bird viewing.

Cruise into the Indian Ocean for a whale shark encounter. A spotter plane above keeps a keen eye out while the crew help you get kitted out with wetsuits and snorkels, ready to jump in and swim with these gentle giants. Experienced guides will explain how to interact with the whale sharks, who will decide how long they want to interact with you – sometimes up to an
hour! Whale sharks are wild animals, and their welfare is paramount, so interactions cannot be guaranteed, but the strike rate is close to 100%.

This morning is your choice – walk in the national park, swim from the beach to snorkel on the reef, lie in your hammock or sit on the beach and watch the ocean.

And then it's time to move on again. Drive back to your waiting aircraft in Exmouth, then to the next magnificent destination, Karijini National Park in the Pilbara, which has some of the world's most stunning ancient natural landscapes, dating back 3.5-4.3 billion years. Known for red dirt, indigenous history and mining, the Pilbara is twice the size of the UK, with breathtaking natural landscapes, deep rocky gorges, crystal clear pools and stunning waterfalls.

Karijini Eco Retreat, 100% aboriginal-owned, is nestled in the pristine bushland at Joffre Gorge in the heart of the Karijini National Park. The semi-permanent eco tents offer luxury with minimal impact on the environment. Dining includes traditional bush tucker in the alfresco outback-style restaurant.

2 nights: Karijini Eco Retreat, deluxe eco tent

Karijini has spectacular 100-metre, sheer-sided, ochre-coloured chasms, crystal clear rock pools, cascading waterfalls and tropical fern ecosystems with easy walking tracks. Spend the day exploring the natural wonders of the Karijini National Park with local tour guides.

Located at the junction of the mighty Weano, Joffre, Hancock and Red Gorges, Oxer Lookout offers one of the most stunning panoramas in Western Australia. Fortescue Falls, the park's only permanent waterfall, cascades down the gently sloped rocks into a pool. Swim in the calm clear waters of Fern Pool. The Karijini Visitors Centre offers stories of aboriginal culture, pastoral and mining histories, geology, fauna and flora.

Leave Karijini early morning, bound for Coober Pedy in outback SA. Fly over this enormous country, stopping to refuel and stretch your legs, arriving mid-afternoon.

On the ground, travel out to the stunning Breakaways, a striking rocky landscape of flat-topped mesas. Toast the sunset and watch the incredible change of colours on the sandstone. Dinner is at the Big Winch 360°.

Stay at the Coober Pedy Experience Motel, an opal mine from 1918 until the 1960s. Enjoy a restful sleep in one of the most unusual rooms you'll likely encounter uniquely surrounded by rock and very quiet.

Overnight: Coober Pedy Experience Motel, underground room

Wrap up your adventure with a tour of Coober Pedy - truly like no other place. This morning's tour will show you some of the town's rich history, diverse culture, opal mines and underground churches.

Depart Coober Pedy after lunch, returning to your home city in the evening, the end of an epic discovery of our diverse and wonderful country.