Kimberley Coastal Expedition with Essence of the Kimberley

Today, we'll meet you at the airport before welcoming you aboard your expedition ship. The Seabourn Pursuit is the newest and most luxurious ship on the Kimberley Coast, boasting incredible facilities, delectable dining options and personalised service. You might like to admire the views from the panoramic balcony of your spacious suite, sip champagne on the outdoor deck, take a dip in the infinity pool or share stories of your adventures with your newfound friends in one of the luxurious shared spaces.

A relaxed dinner this evening gives you the chance to meet your fellow travellers and sets the tone for the next nine nights on board. Stay Nine Nights: Seabourn Pursuit (D)

• Anticipation builds as your Zodiac approaches King George Falls, which plunge 80 metres over a soaring sandstone cliff. Edge closer to this epic cascade and learn how it turns to a raging torrent during the monsoonal wet season.

Enjoy a relaxed morning aboard your luxurious ship. This afternoon, pay a special visit to Ashmore Reef Marine Park. Located in the Timor Sea and spanning 583 square kilometres, the reef is a sanctuary for many marine species. Every year, more than 100,000 seabirds breed here, including crested terns, white-tailed tropicbirds and great frigatebirds.

In addition to the prolific birdlife, beneath the clear tropical waters, the coral reefs, seagrass meadows, sandflats and lagoons of Ashmore Reef are home to a colourful array of marine life. 255 species of reef building coral dwell here - the greatest number of any reef on the West Australian coast.

Our visit to Ashmore reef is required to ensure we comply with Australian government regulations. Pending favourable weather and sea conditions, you'll explore this sanctuary via Zodiac with your Expedition Team. (B/L/D)

This morning, join your Expedition Team on an intriguing discovery. Walk across salt flats to view the wreckage of a US Air Force DC-3 which crash-landed near Vansittart Bay during World War II.

Later, we reposition in the bay to visit Jar Island and discover the island's outstanding rock art gallery. During your exploration here, you'll see fascinating examples of Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) paintings, dating back more than 20,000 years. (B/L/D)

• Approximately six kilometres from the mainland, Bigge Island is ripe for discovery today. It's well known for its Aboriginal rock art, created by the Wunambal people, and you'll explore a network of caves throughout the island. Here, discover paintings that display fascinating examples of first-contact art and Wandjina figures.

You are transported to Prince Frederick Harbour today, home to the towering red cliffs and tangled mangroves of Hunter River and Porosus Creek. With its extreme tides and pristine ecosystems, the harbour and its waterways are rich in wildlife including mudskippers and saltwater crocodiles. Porosus Creek takes its name from the scientific name for saltwater crocodile, a good indication of what we're looking for today.

Keen birdwatchers should keep a careful eye out for kingfishers, egrets, herons and white-bellied sea eagles. To enhance your day, you might choose to set out on a thrilling helicopter flight to see the Mitchell Falls in all its splendour from above (flight at own expense). (B/L/D)

• At Montgomery Reef, depart with your Expedition Team to discover the reef by Zodiac. The reef ‘rises' out of the ocean as tidal waters cascade into surrounding channels.
• Experience a welcome to country and immersive smoking ceremony conducted by the Arraluli people, the traditional custodians of the land. Then, embark on a guided hike led by the expedition team to explore the mesmerising rock art site where your Aboriginal guide will offer an interpretation the rock art. This signature experience offers a profound connection to the rich cultural heritage and timeless traditions of the Arraluli people.

• Today your ship cruises through to Talbot Bay, known for its massive 12-metre tides that create the unique Horizontal Falls. Subject to tidal conditions, board a zodiac with your Expedition Team to view this natural phenomenon.

There's promise of turquoise waters today as your ship arrives in the Buccaneer Archipelago, home to more than 800 islands. Cruise to Adele Island and join your Expedition Team member for an exploration of this remote coastal area by Zodiac. The island is surrounded by Adele Reef, teeming with an array of coral and marine life, including reef sharks and stingrays. (B/L/D)

Arrive at Broome this morning and enjoy a day at leisure. Stay: Cable Beach Club & Resort (B)

Depart early this morning toward Derby, and visit the Boab Prison Tree before traversing the Gibb River Road to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek, where water has carved a large tunnel from the limestone. Later, continue to Fitzroy Crossing. Stay: Fitzroy Crossing, Fitzroy River Lodge (L/D)

• Treasure a special visit to the Yiyili community, admiring Indigenous art at the Laari Gallery before immersing yourself into Gooniyandi culture with a language class.

• Toast the day with a glass of bubbly as the sun sets over the Bungle Bungle Range.

Today, enjoy a hike through Echidna Chasm, where you'll walk between towering gorge walls that reach up to 200 metres in height. Afterward, continue your journey to Kununurra. Stay: Kununurra Country Club Resort (B/L/D)

Travel to Lake Argyle and join a wildlife cruise on the mighty Ord River. From a modern shaded vessel, discover the area's ecological system that has developed from the damming of the Ord River at two locations. Stay Two Nights: El Questro - Emma Gorge (B/L/D)

• Soak in the thermal pools of Zebedee Springs, tucked away in a secluded pocket of rainforest.

At Manning Creek, you'll enjoy lunch in the shade of Boab trees. Look out for the region's bird life and enjoy a refreshing swim in the pristine water under paperbarks. Continue to Galvans Gorge, where a short walk leads to a picturesque waterhole, the ideal spot for a refreshing swim. Stay Two Nights: APT's exclusive Bell Gorge Wilderness Lodge (B/L/D)

Back on the Gibb River Road, travel to Bell Gorge, where spectacular cliffs surround a series of tiered waterholes. Should you be feeling particularly energetic, you may take the opportunity to hike to the lower pool of the gorge and enjoy a relaxing dip below the cascading waterfall. (B/L/D)

Travel to Derby and visit a local art gallery displaying an array of local indigenous art. Later, return to Broome. Stay: Cable Beach Club & Resort (B/L)

Bid farewell to your fellow travellers as your journey comes to an end. (B)