Australia · Western Australia
Kimberley yacht charter: the adventure trip, in the dry season
The Kimberley is the adventure trip: a coastline the size of a country with no towns on it, ten-metre tides, waterfalls off red cliffs straight into the sea, rock art older than the pyramids and nobody else for a hundred miles. It is best from May to October, in the dry season, when the weather is sunny and settled. Fly into Broome, board, and work along the coast for ten nights to Darwin, with the tenders and a helicopter doing as much of the work as the yacht. Not every yacht has a helipad available for private hire, so we book the flights in addition or take them out.
Where
The north-west coast of Western Australia, from Broome to Darwin
Fly to
Broome, and out of Darwin, or the other way round
Best months
May to October, the dry season
Give it
Ten nights is the full trip. A week gets you the best of it
Known for
Horizontal Falls, Montgomery Reef, King George Falls, Mitchell Falls and rock art
Water
Ten-metre tides that run like rivers. The captain plans every day around them
Why go
The Kimberley, honestly
The Kimberley is the full adventure, and it is like nowhere else in the world. It is a week or more on the water with the tenders and a helicopter doing most of the work: Horizontal Falls, Montgomery Reef coming up out of the sea, waterfalls you can swim under, rock art older than the pyramids, fishing for barramundi and gorges nobody else is in.
The dry season is when to go, from May to October, when the weather is sunny and settled. There are no towns on the coast, saltwater crocodiles on every mudbank, and tides of up to ten metres that run through the gaps in the cliffs like rivers. It is an expedition rather than a beach week, and it is the trip people talk about for years.
Ten nights from Broome to Darwin covers the best of it. A week gets you the highlights, and the trip can run either way. Tell us the dates early: not many yachts work this coast, and the ones that do book up.
Where we anchor
The anchorages, in the order we use them
BroomeBoard hereCable Beach, pearls and the flight in. The last town for ten days.
- Cygnet BayPearl farmOne of the oldest pearl farms in Australia, and the place to understand the tides before you ride them.
Horizontal FallsTender, at full floodTalbot Bay. The tide forced through two gaps in the cliffs so hard it stands up in a wall of water. You ride it in the tender.
- Montgomery ReefFalling tideA huge reef that rises out of the sea as the tide falls, with waterfalls pouring off its edges.
- The Prince Regent RiverBy tenderAlmost dead straight for much of its length, up to King Cascade, a terraced waterfall you can nose the tender under.
- Mitchell FallsBy helicopterFour tiers of water off the plateau into a gorge, with a swim in the top pool.
King George FallsBy tenderTwin falls at the end of a river between red cliffs, among the tallest in the Kimberley.
Ashore
The Kimberley off the boat
Not a directory. If it is here, we have sat at the table or stood at the bar.
Eat
Broome, before and after.
Kichi KichiAsian-fusion plates perfect for sharing.
Sunset Bar and GrillCoastal dining with sunset views and fresh seafood on Cable Beach.
Matso's Broome BreweryTropical-inspired beers and hearty plates in a historic Broome-style setting.
By tender and by air
The yacht is the base. The tenders and the helicopter are how you see it.
Horizontal Falls by airTake in the Kimberley's famous tidal phenomenon from the air.
Buccaneer ArchipelagoWeave through red cliffs, hidden beaches and pristine water.
King George RiverTravel between towering red-rock gorges to reach the iconic twin waterfalls.
- Fishing for barramundiFish the creeks from the tender, and the chef cooks the catch.
Do
Before or after the boat.
Purnululu National ParkWander through ancient beehive sandstone formations and Aboriginal heritage sites.
Cable Beach camel trekkingSunset camel treks along Broome's golden coastline.
Eighty Mile BeachA 4WD adventure, or a stroll along the white sands.
Where it sits
The Kimberley on the chart
The Kimberley is on the other side of the country from the rest of our fleet, in the north-west corner of Western Australia. The yacht works the coast from Broome to Darwin in the dry season.
Drag to move. Double-click or ctrl-scroll to zoom.Zoom with the buttons, then drag to move.
When
When to be in The Kimberley
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
- May to October: the dry season. Sunny, settled weather, and the waterfalls still running early in the season.
- June to August: the coolest and most comfortable months, and the busiest.
- September and October: hotter, with the clearest skies and the fewest boats.
- November to April: the wet season, with storms and humidity. The coast is closed to charter.
Itineraries
Itineraries that call at The Kimberley
Full plans, day by day, with the boat each one runs on. Send one to the people coming with you; we reshape it around your yacht and dates.
The Kimberley: Broome to Darwin
Broome8 stopsDarwin
Horizontal Falls, Montgomery Reef, the Prince Regent River, King Cascade, the Hunter River, Mitchell Falls and Vansittart Bay. The full adventure, in the dry season.
Open
A week in the Kimberley: Broome and Cygnet Bay
Broome5 stopsBroome
A week out of Broome: Cygnet Bay, Horizontal Falls and Montgomery Reef, with the tenders doing the work. The shorter way into the Kimberley.
Open
The Kimberley in three nights
Broome4 stopsBroome
A quick escape: Horizontal Falls and Montgomery Reef from Broome in four days.
OpenYachts
Yachts in the Kimberley now
Few yachts work this coast and they book up for the dry season. Tell us the dates and the group and we find the boat.
ORRAIA
Horizon · 28m · 2024
10 guests | 5 cabins | 4 crew
A$132k
TELEOST
Feadship · 49m · 1998, refit 2023
12 guests | 5 cabins | 10 crew
$195k
MASTEKA 2
MonteFino · 38m · 2009, refit 2022
12 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
$125k
PARADISE
Horizon · 35m · 2014
10 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
A$210k
TRUE NORTH
null · 50m · 2005, refit 2020
36 guests | 18 cabins | 22 crew
A$645k
4A
Sanlorenzo · 39m · 2007, refit 2008
10 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
$120k
ENCORE
Horizon · 30m · 2011, refit 2021
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
A$90k
PAZIENZA
Cantiere delle Marche · 35m · 2024
11 guests | 5 cabins | 5 crew
$150k
FENG
Sunreef · 22m · 2013, refit 2023
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
$45k
9 yachts in rotation. The order changes with every visit so no boat is always last.
Questions we get asked
The Kimberley, answered
Common questions
When is the best time for a Kimberley charter?
May to October, the dry season, when the weather is sunny and settled. June to August is the coolest and most comfortable. From November to April it is the wet season, with storms and humidity, and the coast is closed to charter.
How long should we spend in the Kimberley?
Ten nights from Broome to Darwin covers the best of it. A week gets you the highlights. Longer is possible if the yacht can take it.
What is a Kimberley charter like?
An expedition, not a beach week. The tenders and a helicopter do as much work as the yacht, and the trip is built around the tides: Horizontal Falls, Montgomery Reef, waterfalls you can swim under, rock art older than the pyramids, fishing for barramundi, and saltwater crocodiles on every mudbank.
How do we get to the Kimberley?
Fly to Broome and board there, and fly out of Darwin at the other end, or the other way round. Broome connects through Perth and Darwin, and Darwin has direct flights to the east coast.
Want The Kimberley in your week?
Tell us the dates and who is coming. We will say which nights to give it, which berth to hold, and whether the week you want is still open.