Outback to Ocean on The Ghan and Ponant

After your first night enjoying the fine dining and relaxed comfort of this iconic train, you’ll wake to an unforgettable outback sunrise at Marla – a remote outpost 160 kilometres from the Northern Territory border that marks the start of the Oodnadatta Track. Enjoy the magnificent outback scenery as you make your way onwards to Alice Springs. (B,L,D)

When the landscape transforms into rocky gorges and fast-flowing canyon streams, prepare to experience one of the Top End’s most impressive natural wonders, Nitmiluk Gorge. Continue to Darwin, where you will be transferred to your overnight accommodation. After checking in, you may wish to explore the Waterfront Precinct with its many restaurants and bars. (B,L)



OVERNIGHT: 1 night Adina Apartment Hotel Darwin Waterfront

This morning is yours to explore Darwin at your leisure. In the afternoon, you will be transferred from your accommodation to the Port of Darwin to board Le Laperouse for your Kimberley cruising. Settle into your elegant cabin, make yourself comfortable, and perhaps have a nightcap at the Blue Eye, a multisensorial underwater lounge. (B,D)



OVERNIGHT: 10 nights Le Laperouse

Enjoy a leisurely day at sea to take advantage of the luxurious onboard services or sip a cool drink by the pool. Your expedition team will offer an enrichment programme focusing on Australian history, flora and fauna. Enjoy some down time on the deck sunbathing, relax in the sauna, or sample culinary specialties prepared by the Chef and Galley Team. There will be a brief technical stop at Pulau Meatimiarang but guests will be unable to disembark here. (B,L,D)

Wyndham is the northernmost town in Western Australia and in many ways is the gateway to the Kimberley. It is surrounded by some of the most spectacular landforms, rivers and wetlands in the region. There are three complimentary excursions on offer (subject to availability): the Ord River experience, navigating between Kununurra and Lake Argyle; a scenic flight onboard a Cessna from Kununurra to the Bungle Bungle massif; or the El Questro experience, journeying through Emma Gorge and Zebedee Thermal Springs before boarding a Chamberlain River Cruise. (B,L,D)

The journey up the King George River is nothing short of breathtaking. The 80-metre-high sides of the gorge display varying degrees of weathering of the ancient Warton sandstone. The colours and textures change with the light creating a continually changing vista that is simply stunning. The journey culminates at the King George twin falls, the highest single-drop falls in the whole of the Kimberley. Your Expedition Team will escort you to the foot of the twin falls and explain the stunning geological formations of the canyon. (B,L,D)

Jar Island contains ancient rock art galleries depicting the Gwion Gwion style unique to the Kimberley region. Gwion Gwion art may extend back to over 30,000 years before our time and represents the first wave of seagoing colonisers of the Australian continent. As it is, these are the oldest detailed depiction of human figures in the world. Join your Expedition Team ashore for a short walk, past some fascinating rock formations, to the site of the Gwion Gwion art galleries. (B,L,D)

The Bonaparte Archipelago consists of a rugged maze of islands stretching almost 150kms along Western Australia’s coast. Its remote location has ensured it remains a remarkably pristine location to explore and experience. The ‘T’ shaped bay is composed of heavily fractured sandstone providing an abundance of rock shelters. On the walls of these shelters are examples of Wandjina and Gwion Gwion style rock art. Join your Expedition Team ashore for a guided walk to a number of rock art galleries depicting these unique rock art styles. (B,L,D)

Arguably one of the most scenic parts of the Kimberley coast, Prince Frederick Harbour and the Hunter River are lined with pockets of ancient rainforest, pristine mangroves and mosaic sandstone cliffs. The sandstone escarpment at the river mouth, known as “Kampamantiya” rises over 200 metres high before giving way to extensive mud banks and mangrove forests home to numerous bird species and the saltwater crocodile. The Expedition Team will share their knowledge as you explore by Zodiac, keeping a lookout for wildlife. You will also have the opportunity to reach the Mitchell Falls by helicopter from Naturalist Island beach. (B,L,D)

Lying to the east of the Buccaneer Archipelago, the ancient landscapes of Collier Bay have been shaped by massive tidal movements, creating a photographer’s paradise. With a tidal range exceeding 14 metres, this movement of water creates unique phenomena. Nestled in the centre of the bay is Montgomery Reef, the world’s largest inshore reef system. As the tide falls a raging torrent of water cascades off the top of the reef, creating turbulent ‘rivers’ and mini waterfalls. At the southern end of the Bay, Talbot Bay is home to the world’s only ’Horizontal Falls’, described by Sir David Attenborough as “One of the greatest wonders of the natural world.” Hidden in the many caves and grottos of this ancient landscape are a multitude of ancient rock art galleries. Activities here will be determined by the weather and tide conditions. (B,L,D)

Continue exploration in Collier Bay and Horizontal Falls.

The Lacepede Islands are Western Australia’s most important breeding habitat for Green Turtles and have been named by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA). The breeding colony of Brown Boobies is possibly the largest in the world and up to 20,000 Roseate Terns have also been recorded here, amongst the plethora of other birdlife. Join your Expedition Team for a guided Zodiac tour to view the prolific wildlife. (B,L,D)

The town of Broome is reputed for its history and its glorious pearling era. This is where your Kimberley cruising will come to an end. Early this morning, Le Laperouse will dock in the Port of Broome, where you will disembark and be transferred to your hotel. The day is yours to enjoy at leisure. Visit the fascinating Chinatown district, which is the historic city centre, and the Japanese Cemetery, dating back to 1896, with a past marked by the immigration of numerous Chinese and Japanese workers, attracted by the pearl industry at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century. (B)



OVERNIGHT: 1 night Oaks Cable Beach Resort

Take in any last-minute sights in and around Broome as your rail and sail adventure concludes. (B)