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11 Night Kimberley Expedition Australias Wild Northwest Cruise and Land Tour from Darwin

Ship: National Geographic Orion

Cruise Line: Lindblad Expeditions

Sailed: Saturday, Jul 29, 2023 from Darwin, Australia

Ended: Wednesday, Aug 9, 2023

The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Saturday, Jul 29, 2023 departure of the National Geographic Orion. If Lindblad Expeditions modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.

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Itinerary

Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Saturday - Jul 29, 2023

Darwin, Australia

Day 2 - Sunday - Jul 30, 2023

Darwin, Australia

Cruise Begins

Darwin, Australia

Depart for Darwin, cross the international date line, and arrive on Day 3. The capital of Australia's remote Northern Territory, Darwin began as a frontier town of gold miners, and has developed into a thriving multicultural city. Spend a night at your hotel. On Day 4, board National Geographic Orion and cast off in the afternoon. (Day 4: B,L,D)

Day 3 - Monday - Jul 31, 2023

Wyndham, Australia

Bus Travel

Kununurra, Australia

Day Boat Travel

Cruising Lake Argyle, Australia

Bus Travel

Wyndham, Australia

Set out via small boat up the Ord River to Lake Argyle. The Ord River is one of the most stunning river systems in Australia. You'll navigate a massive stretch of river between Kununurra and Lake Argyle (Ord River Dam) and then view the lake from a scenic lookout and have a visit to the historic Durack Homestead. Alternatively, take an optional flight to discover Purnululu National Park, home of the breathtaking Bungle Bungle Range. These ancient hills resemble giant beehives forming deep chasms with palm trees and long gorges. This strange landscape is remarkable from the air. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - Tuesday - Aug 1, 2023

Koolama Bay, Australia

National Geographic Orion will drop anchor here and Zodiacs will take us up the spectacular King George River, with its almost vertical sheer canyon walls. The river drains the Gardner Plateau here into the highest single-drop falls in the Kimberley. Conditions permitting, hang back and refresh in the thundering mist or get right up close, even under, the cool fresh waterfalls. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Wednesday - Aug 2, 2023

Vansittart Bay, Australia

Today our naturalists will lead us to an outdoor Gwion Gwion Aboriginal art gallery. Discovered by Joseph Bradshaw in 1891, the rock images are estimated to be up to 40,000 years old. Nearby, there is a wreck of a DC-3 aircraft that became lost and crashed during WWII. If time allows, explore the crash site and the remains of the plane. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - Thursday - Aug 3, 2023

Ashmore Island, Australia

Day 7 - Friday - Aug 4, 2023

Cruising Kimberley Coast

Settle into your cabin and prepare for amazing photographic opportunities in the majestic and rugged Kimberley with hands-on instruction by a certified photo instructor. Enjoy talks by onboard naturalist staff; a large open foredeck with room to move about, dine, and view wildlife up-close from outside vantage points; the Observation Lounge, providing panoramic vistas of the scenery; and the fitness center, spa, and sauna, staffed by wellness specialists. The ship makes a brief technical stop at Ashmore Reef Marine Park, an Australian External Territory and a birders paradise. Be on the lookout for curlew sandpipers, bar-tailed godwits, and great knots to check off your list before continuing into the heart of the Kimberley. (B,L,D)

Day 8 - Saturday - Aug 5, 2023

Cruising Hunter River, Australia

This is one of the most scenic parts of the Kimberley coast, lined with green rainforest, mangroves, and soaring red cliffs. National Geographic Orion will drop anchor near Naturalists Island, also known by its indigenous name, "Wunumpurramarra"-a stunning backdrop to our day's explorations. The Hunter River has many crocodiles, and you may be lucky enough to see them on a Zodiac foray through the mangroves. For those wishing to explore some of the Kimberley's vast interior, today presents a wonderful opportunity. The distance from Naturalists Island to the famous Mitchell Falls and Plateau is about 30 miles, and you may choose to take an optional helicopter excursion over some spectacular terrain. (B,L,D)

Day 9 - Sunday - Aug 6, 2023

Cruising Montgomery Reef, Australia

Arriving at high tide, you'll see very little of Montgomery Reef. However, if conditions are right, the tide may drop rapidly away and a raging torrent of water will erupt, as miles of surrounding reef appear to slowly rise out of the ocean. A Zodiac will maneuver you into a channel in the reef as water cascades down on either side. It's the perfect spot to watch cormorants, egrets, and sandpipers forage for sea life trapped on the surface of the reef. Below the waterline, opportunistic sea turtles, reef sharks, and many larger fish also take advantage of this feast. (B,L,D)

Day 10 - Monday - Aug 7, 2023

Horizontal Waterfalls, Australia

When conditions are right, a 'waterfall' up to ten feet high may form at the Horizontal Waterfalls as trapped waters cascade out from a cove through a narrow gap in towering cliffs. Enjoy an exhilarating trip by Zodiac to witness this extraordinary phenomenon. Later in the day, you can join our naturalists on an excursion to Cyclone Bay to explore the twisted geological folds of the ancient seabed. (B,L,D)

Day 11 - Tuesday - Aug 8, 2023

Nares Point, Australia

Just off Koolan Island, this geological finger of sandstone protruding into the ocean provides great opportunities for Zodiac safaris. (B,L,D)

Day 12 - Wednesday - Aug 9, 2023

Broome, Australia

Disembark in Broome and transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)