Compare The Kimberley - Cruising to the Australian Outback by Adventure Smith vs Sydney to Great Barrier Reef Tour by Discovery Nomads
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 11 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 7,790 | $ 2,582 |
| Price Per Day | $ 708 | $ 258 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small ship cruise | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
10 Breakfast,10 Lunches and 10 Dinners |
N/A |
| Description |
An 11-day exploration voyage to the Kimberley has so many highlights, it's hard to know where to begin. Your expedition cruise begins from either Darwin - the capital city of The Northern Territory, or Broome - famous for its beauty and cultured pearls. Both are unique frontier centers and are the gateways to the magnificent Kimberley wilderness. Aboard the custom-made Coral Princess, you can rest assured that you will be receiving the best service while experiencing the wonderful remote access a ship this size can permit. Experienced, highly informative expedition leaders and guest lecturers will supervise the expedition itinerary maximizing the experiences offered on our shore excursions. A specially designed excursion vessel allows you to explore the gorges of the Mitchell, King George, Prince Regent and Hunter Rivers. For the more adventurous, optional helicopter flights to the Mitchell Plateau are also available. The abundance of bird life and native wildlife including the salt-water crocodile make every moment of the expedition unique. The hundreds of islands in the Buccaneer Archipelago, the tidal phenomena at Montgomery Reef and the extraordinary horizontal waterfalls near Talbot Bay ...The Kimberley has it all. |
Explore the highlights of Sydney Harbour, relax on a cruise to the Whitsundays and Whitehaven Beach, snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef and enjoy the azure beaches of the Gold Coast. |
Day 1: Embark Darwin
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Board for a 9:00am departure. Cross Cambridge Gulf and sail into Western Australian waters. This afternoon join the Expedition Staff for an informative introduction to the Kimberley before meeting your fellow travelers and friendly crew at the Captain's Welcome Cocktail Party.
Day 2: King George River, King George Falls & Tranquil Bay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Discover the mighty King George aboard Explorer, a specially designed excursion vessel. Explore scenic gorges, and in the inflatable zodiacs cruise close to the base of magnificent King George Falls - the tallest single-drop waterfall in Western Australia- towering some 262 feet above the river below. Later, visit Tranquil Bay for beach walking and exploration.
Day 3: Vansittart Bay DC3 & Jar Island
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Join the expedition leader on a walk across salt flats to view the wreckage of a US Air Force DC3, which crash landed on the beach during WWII. Later, visit Jar Island and discover the island's outstanding rock art gallery. Guest lecturers will point out fine examples of the Kimberley's mysterious Bradshaw Paintings (Gwion), dating back some 20,000 years.
Day 4: Hathaway's Hideaway & Mitchell Falls
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
After anchoring in Winyalken Bay travel ashore aboard Explorer to the maze of natural sandstone caves known as Hathaway's Hideaway. Later, helicopters are available for optional scenic flights over the Mitchell Plateau for close-up views of the mighty four-tiered Mitchell Falls. This evening, enjoy a spectacular Indian Ocean sunset and gourmet Aussie Beach BBQ.
Day 5: Bigge Island & Careening Bay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Discover the rock art gallery on Bigge Island, featuring fine examples of both Wandjina and Bradshaw art. Then, explore Careening Bay which was named by Phillip Parker King after his ship, 'HMC Mermaid', was careened during his second voyage of discovery in the Kimberley. Lecturers lead you to the site of a large boab tree baring the inscription "HMC Mermaid - 1820", still clearly visible almost 200 years later.
Day 6: Prince Regent River, King Cascades & Camp Creek
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Cruise the mighty Prince Regent River aboard Explorer to breathtaking King Cascades, an unusual and picturesque waterfall cascading over terraced rock formations. Enjoy a picnic lunch at beautiful Camp Creek, where there is time for a leisurely swim in the fresh water pools.
Day 7: Montgomery Reef & Doubtful Bay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today savor a truly unforgettable moment as Montgomery Reef 'rises' out of the ocean as the tide ebbs. Join the expedition staff aboard the Explorer and zodiacs to experience this natural phenomenon up-close and discover the reef's diverse marine life including turtles, manta rays and reef sharks. Later, cruise through scenic Doubtful Bay.
Day 8: Raft Point & Ruby Falls
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Cruising through Kuri Bay, home of the south sea pearl industry, travel ashore at Raft Point and visit a secluded and very interesting Aboriginal rock art gallery to view Wandjina art and the mysterious Bradshaw Paintings (Gwion). Later, explore Red Cone Creek and enjoy a cooling dip at Ruby Falls.
Day 9: Horizontal Falls & Buccaneer Archipelago
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Cruise through the Buccaneer Archipelago, home to over 800 islands. In Talbot Bay, the tides create an amazing spectacle, the unique Horizontal Falls, described by legendary naturalist David Attenborough as "one the greatest natural wonders in the world". Board the zodiacs for an exhilarating ride through the falls. Later, explore Silica Beach on Hidden Island with its stunning white sands and crystal clear waters.
Day 10: Lacepede Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Coral Princess or Oceanic Discoverer
Cruise through Pender Bay and, subject to weather and tides, visit the Lacepede Islands, a series of low islands consisting of coarse sand and coral rubble lying atop a platform reef. This nature reserve has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area as it supports up to 18,000 breeding pairs of Brown Boobies and Roseate Terns, possibly the largest such population in the world. Board the zodiacs and explore the island's lagoon, keeping an eye out for many species of marine birdlife including Australian Pelicans, frigate birds, egrets, gulls and terns. The islands are also renowned as Western Australia's most significant breeding grounds for the Green Turtle, often seen nesting on the islands. Thisevening farewell new-found friends at the Captain's Farewell Reception.
Day 11: Disembark Broome
Our unforgettable cruise along the Kimberley coast concludes in Broome this morning after an early breakfast; disembark at 8:00am.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 1: Sydney
Arrive at any time. On the 1st day we haven't plan any activities.
Day 2: Sydney
Explore Sydney with a walk along the harbour to the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Rocks area. In the afternoon go sailing around Sydney Harbour. Enjoy the views of the gorgeous surroundings and look out for naval ships and submarines. If you are lucky, you might even see a dolphin, a seal or a penguin.
Day 3-4: Surfers Paradise
Fly to the famous surf and arts town of Gold Coast. Learn about the culture of surfing in the area and try it yourself. Enjoy free time for optional sea kayaking, whale-watching or just relax at the beach.
Day 5-6: Airlie Beach and Whitsunday Islands
Transfer to Brisbane and flight to Airlie Beach. On the 6th day, you will go on a cruise to Whitsunday Island and visit the beach of Whitehaven.
Day 7: Cairns
An early start to the station for a relaxing and very scenic train journey to Cairns.
Day 8-9: Port Douglas
Travel along the stunning coastal road to Port Douglas. On the 9th Day you will Sail aboard the stunning catamaran and cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, snorkel the pristine ribbon reefs of Agincourt Reef, where the underwater visibility and biodiversity is at its highest, visit 3 separate dive sites and enjoy 5 hours at the reef, swim with the dwarf Minke whales in season, on one of the few vessels that has a permit to swim with the inquisitive whales.
Day 10: Cairns
Transfer back to Cairns Airport
