Region

Kimberley

Come in the Dry (Apr–Sep), fly into Broome or Kununurra, and allow 7+ days with a 4WD; skip the Wet.

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Key facts · Australia

Best months: May–Aug
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD, A$)
Language: English
Plugs: I · 230 V
Time zone: UTC+10 east

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 10

Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.
Western Australia ↗No fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds, cuttings, honey or bee products across the state border; checkpoints are enforced at airports and on the Eyre Highway.
Western Australia ↗UTC+8 all year, no daylight saving; two hours behind Sydney in winter, three in summer. Towns east of Caiguna on the Eyre Highway run UTC+8:45.
Western Australia ↗National park entry is per vehicle; a multi-park pass (5 days to 4 weeks) pays off from the second park. Camping fees are separate.

The Kimberley is 421,000 km² of savannah, gorges and rock art with four towns and very few roads. It is the first part of Australia settled by humans, about 65,000 years ago, and the rock art is the reason to come as much as the landscape. The Dry (April–September) is the only sane window: sealed highways stay open year-round, but unsealed tracks like the Gibb River Road are 4WD-only and close in the Wet. Fly in, hire a 4WD, and plan a loop rather than a one-way.

Sleep

Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it

Where to sleep

5 places in this region

Sleep base

BroomeCity guide
Main airport, Cable Beach, Staircase to the Moon, camel rides; the usual start and end of a Kimberley loop.
Best May–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Broome →
KununurraCity guide
East end, irrigation town, gateway to Purnululu and Lake Argyle; has flights from Perth and via Darwin.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Kununurra →

Day trip

DerbyCity guide
West end of the Gibb River Road; flights from Broome only.
Best Apr–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Derby →
WyndhamCity guide
East end of the Gibb River Road, near the NT border.
Best Apr–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Wyndham →
WarmunCity guide
Turn-off for Purnululu National Park; community with roadhouse.
Best Apr–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Warmun →

Night sequences

7 nights: Broome 2 + Gibb River Road 3 + Kununurra 2, 4WD loop
10 nights: Broome 2 + Dampier Peninsula 1 + Gibb River Road 4 + Purnululu 2 + Kununurra 1
14 nights: Add Mitchell Plateau and a scenic flight over Horizontal Falls

Do not drive at night: wildlife and livestock on the highways are hard to see until impact.
No mobile phone reception beyond town; carry a satellite phone if leaving the main roads.
The Wet (Dec–Apr) closes many facilities and can make unsealed tracks impassable; cyclones are possible.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Purnululu National Park	Kununurra	180 min	unknown	Bungle Bungles, Echidna Chasm, Mini Palms; access road is 4WD-only and closes in the Wet.
Wolfe Creek Crater National Park	Halls Creek	150 min	unknown	Via Tanami Road, unsealed and dry-season only; no fuel between Halls Creek and the crater.
Derby	Broome	150 min	unknown	Boab tree, wharf, west end of the Gibb River Road.
Wyndham	Kununurra	60 min	unknown	Historic port, Five Rivers Lookout; sealed road all the way.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding here; you carry everything in your vehicle. One-way car hire is expensive, so plan a round trip.

When and how

Months, arrival and passes

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Broome	×	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×
Kununurra	×	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	×	×	×
Derby	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	go	go	×	×
Wyndham	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Warmun	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	go	×	×	×
Western Australia (country-wide)	–	–	ok	go	go	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	ok	–

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
North Kimberley (coast)Broome to Kununurra, coastal	wet	wet	wet	ok	best	best	best	best	ok	buildup	buildup	wet
South Kimberley (inland)Halls Creek, Tanami fringe	wet	wet	wet	ok	best	best	best	best	ok	buildup	buildup	wet

best: dry, mildok: workablewet: daily rain

North Kimberley (coast): Three seasons: Wet Dec–Apr, Dry Apr–Sep, Buildup Oct–Nov. Dry days about 30 °C, nights about 15 °C. Buildup hits 40 °C day after day with little rain. Wet brings heavy rain and possible cyclones.Three seasons: Wet Dec–Apr, Dry Apr–Sep, Buildup Oct–Nov. Dry days about 86 °F, nights about 59 °F. Buildup hits 104 °F day after day with little rain. Wet brings heavy rain and possible cyclones.
South Kimberley (inland): Drier than the coast, on the edge of desert; still avoid the Wet for unsealed roads.

The Dry is the ideal window but carries peak prices. The Buildup is cheaper and dramatic but stifling. The Wet is cooler but many facilities close.

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Perth	Broome	Qantas or Virgin Australia flight	~2 h 30	The main gateway; Jetstar also flies Singapore–Broome in the dry season.
Perth	Kununurra	Flight	~3 h	East-end gateway; AirNorth also connects via Darwin.
Darwin	Kununurra	AirNorth flight	~1 h 15	Note the 1.5-hour time switch and the agriculture inspection on arrival.
Perth	Broome	Integrity Coaches bus	~36 h	Twice a week along the coast via Geraldton, Carnarvon, Exmouth and Port Hedland.
Broome	Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra	Greyhound bus	varies	Five days a week; continues overnight into the Northern Territory to Darwin.
Perth	Broome	Drive via North West Coastal Highway	2360 km	Or 2050 km inland via the Great Northern Highway through Newman; the highways join at Port Hedland.Or 1,274 mi inland via the Great Northern Highway through Newman; the highways join at Port Hedland.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Park entry pass (WA national parks)

check

Purnululu and other WA national parks charge entry; buy the WA parks pass if visiting several. Check current prices.

Gibb River Road

check

Free to drive, but 4WD-only, mostly unsealed, and fuel stops are very far apart.

Scenic flights (Purnululu, Horizontal Falls)

check

Non-landing flights from Kununurra and Broome reach sites that are hard or impossible overland; pricey. Check operators.

Eat and move on

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Hotel and pub meals	Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra	The larger towns have restaurants and bars; hotels generally serve the best food.
Roadhouse food	Along the highways and Gibb River Road	Stock up in town before heading out; there are no chain takeaways in the wild.
Broome brewery and gin distillery	Broome	Local beer and gin; alcohol is served in cafes and restaurants, usually without needing a meal.

Go next

Pilbara

planned

Drive west, about a day

Mining region; Karijini National Park has spectacular canyons.

Northern Territory

Sealed highway east to Darwin

Darwin is the nearest sizeable city, about 900 km from Kununurra.Darwin is the nearest sizeable city, about 559 mi from Kununurra.

Broome

planned

Flight or drive

Cable Beach, Staircase to the Moon, camel rides.

Kununurra

planned

Flight or drive

Gateway to Purnululu and Lake Argyle.

Warmun

planned

Drive from Halls Creek

Turn-off for Purnululu National Park.

Western Australia

State overview

Perth, Margaret River, Ningaloo and the south-west.

Open Western Australia Up to Western Australia

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Sources

officialKimberley Development Commission
officialTourism Western Australia
officialParks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia
officialBureau of Meteorology
secondaryWikivoyage: Kimberley (Western Australia), revision 5322140 (CC BY-SA 4.0)