As I gaze out the window of a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan plane, an expanse of beehive-like rock formations come into view. We are entering the Purnululu National Park, and these are the Bungle Bungle Ranges.
The Bungle Bungle Ranges were eroded over a period of 20 million years into the stunning striped domed cones that we see today in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
It’s an area of incredible beauty and diversity, with a seemingly endless array of stunning landscapes to explore.
Accessible via direct flight from Perth, Kununurra is the area’s biggest town and a good base for exploring East Kimberley. From here a number of aviation companies operate scenic helicopter and plane flights to and across the region.
A flight from Kununurra to the Bungle Bungle Ranges (known as the Bungles), flies over a number of Kimberley icons, including the Ord River Dam, Lake Kununurra and the huge Lake Argyle.
The views are stunning, the low flying plane allowing for the most spectacular panoramas while our pilot talks us through the history and geology of the region.
We land at Bellburn, an unsealed airstrip in Purnululu National Park, easily the smallest and most remote runway that I’ve ever been to. Here we meet our guides, Mick and Collier, stopping for a cup of tea before heading off on a hike through the park.
Close up, the Bungles are even more beautiful, with orange and black stripes looping the huge domes.
As we walk Collier tells us about the traditional owners of the Bungle Bungle ranges – the Karjaganujaru people – and that the Bungles are an incredibly sacred place to them.
We pause as he shows us aboriginal rock art – stencils of hands and boomerangs.
Continuing on, our destination is Cathedral Gorge, a natural amphitheatre with incredible acoustics.
In the wet season, a waterfall cascades into the gorge, leaving a pool of water. It’s the start of the dry season now, and after a bad (meaning little rain), wet season, the only evidence of the waterfall is the blackened rock where water would have fallen.
I can’t resist singing to test out if the acoustics really are as good as they say, and my voice carries through the gorge with amazing volume and with a gentle echo.
Compared to the heat we experienced on the walk, it’s remarkably cool in here, and we stop and enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade.
Back in our tiny plane, there’s more incredible scenery, including the Argyle Diamond Mine – famous for its rare pink diamonds. For those wishing to see the mine up close, there is an option to land at the airstrip here too.
As the sun begins to set we land at El Questro Wilderness Park, our home for the night.
El Questro covers an area of 700,000 acres and includes a working cattle station and three accommodation options: The luxury Homestead, safari cabins at Emma Gorge and bungalows and camping at the Station.
It’s hard to believe it’s only been one day here in the Kimberley, having seen and experienced so much, with such a contrast of landscapes and such untouched terrain. It really does feel like I’m on an adventure.
Day two is spent exploring El Questro Wilderness Park.
A one-hour hike takes us to the spectacular Emma Gorge, a watering hole set at the base of towering 65m cliffs. The gorge offers a much needed and refreshing dip after the walk.
Emma Gorge is just one of many trail options in El Questro, each with its own stunning scenery and appeal.
For further relaxation following a hike, Zebedee Springs is the perfect destination.
A short walk through a pre-historic forest of Livistona and pandanus palms and you arrive at a collection of thermal pools and small waterfalls.
The pools are open to the public from 7am to 12pm, after which only El Questro guests can use the pool. This is a great time to visit, when you can have the place to yourself and really relax in the warm waters.
Our third experience, of the many on offer in El Questro, is Chamberlain Gorge. This 3km long fresh waterhole is surrounded by towering escarpments, with the chance to see rock wallabies and freshwater crocodiles – particularly later on in the season, when they bask on the banks.
We pause at the end of the gorge, only to be soaked by archerfish. These cheeky fish spit water to impressive heights in order to knock small insects and prey off branches and out of the sky into the water – very impressive.
But they also seem to love spitting at us on the boat.
Our final day of activities is all about water and includes boat trips on the Ord River and Lake Argyle.
A day tour with Triple J Tours is the perfect way to see the river, powering through the calm waters at speeds of up 50km per hour, and stopping every now and then to learn about the wildlife, flora and fauna.
It’s possible to see freshwater crocodiles in the river, as well as an incredible array of birds, bats, wallaroos, and more.
After stopping for lunch on a sheltered riverbank, we continue on until we reach the Ord Dam. A huge project for the Kimberley, which was completed in 1971. The lake then took three years to fill and is now Western Australia’s largest man-made freshwater lake – containing over 18 times the volume of water in Sydney Harbour.
We hop aboard a coach to take us up and over the dam, to the other side where our next vessel awaits. Lake Argyle, along with Lake Kununurra is recognised as a Ramsar protected wetland and is home to a vast selection of wildlife, including more than 270 species of birds.
Lake Argyle is said to have the highest density of freshwater crocodiles anywhere in Australia, estimated at over 35,000.
You might think this would be an incentive to stay out of the water, but our hosts stop the boat and invite us to take a swim, assuring us that freshwater crocodiles are not harmful to people unless provoked. It’s the saltwater crocodiles that you need to worry about.
So I decide to go for it – and I’m so glad I did. The water is beautifully clear and refreshing – and I’m even allowed to jump off the top of the boat.
As we climb back aboard, the sun is setting and we enjoy a glass of sparkling while we watch the incredible show of colours on the horizon. A magical experience.
The final night is spent at Lake Argyle Resort – a caravan, camping and holiday resort – with a range of accommodation and one of the most beautiful swimming pools in Australia.
The beautiful pool overlooks the lake and offers the most stunning views – particularly at sunrise and sunset.
It’s incredibly refreshing to find a stunning pool in such a welcoming and affordable accommodation – and I waste no time in jumping in, reflecting over an incredible adventure in one of the last true wilderness areas of the world.
Where to stay:
A 2 bedroom lake view villa at Lake Argyle Resort costs per night: £250 ($459.00 AUS) (sleeping 1 – 4 people)
River view rooms at El Questro Station start from £222 ($409 AUS) per night.
Rooms at Kununurra Country Club Resort start from £105 ($195 AUS) per night
How to get to The Kimberley:
Fly London to Perth with Qatar via Doha from £1,260.02 return in economy and £5,174.02 return in Business.
From Perth fly with Virgin Australia to Kununurra from £135 ($249 AUS) one way.
What to do:
A Bungle Bungle Wanderer scenic flight and tour with Aviair costs £423 ($779 AUS) per person.
A Lake Argyle Sunset Tour & Ord River Tour + Riverside Lunch costs £160 ($295 AUS) per adult.
Hayley Lewis is a travel writer, blogger and producer. For more on the Kimberley head to alovelyplanet.com or follow Hayley on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter or Facebook.
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