Kimberley Coast and Top End Escape

Be met on arrival in Darwin.

This afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Darwin. Admire the architecture of this tropical capital, take a leisurely stroll through the Botanic Gardens, and visit the Darwin Museum and Art Gallery and the Royal Flying Doctor Tourist Facility.

This evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travellers. Stay Two Nights: Darwin, Travelodge (D)

Travel to Litchfield National Park, a huge sandstone plateau with cascading waterfalls. Swim in the natural pool at Wangi Falls, view the double waterfall that is Florence Falls and wander amid the intriguing magnetic termite mounds. (B)

Make your way to stunning Kakadu National Park. Rich in flora, wildlife and beautiful scenery, Kakadu is home to more than 5000 rock art sites. For these reasons, the park is one of the few World Heritage sites listed for both its cultural values and natural features. Visit Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre to view the informative displays depicting Aboriginal culture. Learn about Indigenous heritage and traditional way of life, including the relationship between Aboriginals and their land. Enjoy an exciting Insider Experience before returning to your hotel. Stay Two Nights: Cooinda Lodge (B/D)

Insider Experience: Embark on a Yellow Water cruise through the wetlands of Kakadu, home to an abundance of birdlife and, of course, the saltwater crocodile.

Further explore Kakadu National Park and its Indigenous rock art paintings with a visit to Nourlangie Rock and Ubirr Rock. Many paintings and drawings depict Aboriginal life over thousands of years and reflect the connections between people and the land. (B)

This morning you'll farewell Kakadu National Park and travel to the beef grazing town of Katherine. Northeast of Katherine lies stunning Nitmiluk National Park, with its spectacular gorges carved into the Arnhem Land plateau by the Katherine River. After your fascinating Insider Experience, return to your accommodation. Stay: Katherine, Contour Hotel Katherine (B/D)

Insider Experience: Join a cruise between the striking sandstone cliffs of Nitmiluk Gorge, learning about the flora, wildlife and ancient Indigenous rock art in the gorges.

Visit Adelaide River and its War Cemetery en route to Darwin.

This evening, enjoy dinner with your newfound friends. Stay: Darwin, Travelodge (B/D)

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxed morning at leisure.

In the afternoon, be transferred to your premium expedition ship, Heritage Adventurer, your home for the next nine nights. Get to know your fellow travellers at a relaxed dinner on board this evening. Stay Nine Nights: Heritage Adventurer (B/D)

Arrive in Koolama Bay this morning before joining a Zodiac cruise along the King George River, winding through towering red cliffs and passing by mangrove forests. You'll also enjoy your first Insider Experience at the river's greatest attraction. (B/L/D)

Insider Experience: Get up close and personal to the magnificent King George Falls, where the King George River tumbles 80 metres down from lofty sandstone cliffs. You'll be able to experience its power as your Zodiac creeps close to the iconic waterfall.

Explore beautiful Vansittart Bay today, landing and experiencing its greatest sights. Venture out across the salt flats to see the US Air Force C-53 plane which famously crash landed here during World War II in 1942. (B/L/D)

Arrive at Ashmore Reef Marine Park today and savour a Zodiac tour of the seabird haven, where up to 100,000 birds breed each year. You can also see the kaleidoscopic reef below the surface with a refreshing swim or scenic snorkel, revealing amazing marine life including turtles, dugongs, parrotfish and up to 255 species of coral. (B/L/D)

Set out on another exciting adventure with an Insider Experience today. (B/L/D)

Insider Experience: See incredible galleries of ancient Wandjina and Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) rock art today in the many caves of Bigge Island. Some of the artworks are thought to have been repainted annually by the Wunambal people for up to 5,000 years, while there are also others offering remarkable depictions of European tall ships dating to the 15th century.

Arrive in Prince Frederick Harbour today and explore its lush mangrove ecosystems surrounded by impressive red sandstone cliffs. The harbour fosters an array of wildlife including saltwater crocodiles, mudskippers, kingfishers and white-bellied sea eagles. Next, reboard a Zodiac to discover the wonders of the Hunter River and the picturesque Naturalist Island. If you'd like to soar high above the Kimberley's incredible landscapes, you can board a helicopter flight for a birds-eye view of the tiered Mitchell Falls (additional expense). (B/L/D)

After a special Insider Experience, cruise through Doubtful Bay on the lookout for whales, which are commonly seen during the season. Enjoy another Insider Experience at Freshwater Cove to end your day. (B/L/D)

Insider Experience: Soak in the amazing scenes aboard a Zodiac as Montgomery Reef dramatically rises out of the ocean as a result of the region's strong tides. Cruise through narrow channels between the world's largest inshore reef as you admire the spectacle and the incredible wildlife exposed by the cascading water. Be guided by a local Indigenous guide through an incredible millennia-old Wandjina rock art site at Freshwater Cove.

An exciting day exploring the Kimberley by Zodiac awaits today after arriving in Talbot Bay. Enjoy an Insider Experience and explore the bay and Cyclone Creek as you wind your way past impressive rock formations on the lookout for the region's amazing wildlife. (B/L/D)

Insider Experience: Enjoy viewing the incredible Horizontal Falls aboard a Zodiac in Talbot Bay, subject to tidal conditions. Forged by the bay's impressive 12-metre tides as the water squeezes through a narrow gap between gorge walls, the powerful currents are a sight to behold.

Today you'll set out on a Zodiac for a guided tour of the spectacular Lacepede Islands. A certified Important Bird Area for an abundance of marine birds and Western Australia's most important Green Turtle breeding habitat, the quartet of islands are havens for a variety of wildlife and a joy to explore.

Later, your ship cruises to the Buccaneer Archipelago, a beautiful cluster of more than 800 islands home to a broad range of unique wildlife. (B/L/D)

Arrive in Broome this morning, where your tour ends after breakfast with a transfer to the airport. (B)