Day 1 - Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Darwin, Australia is a captivating coastal city that beckons with its tropical allure and rich cultural tapestry. Nestled in the rugged embrace of the Northern Territory’s Top End, this city boasts a vibrant multicultural community, where Indigenous heritage blends seamlessly with the influence of diverse international populations. Darwin’s unique climate oscillates between a balmy dry season, ideal for outdoor adventures, and a dramatic wet season, bringing life-giving rains and electric storms. Its stunning natural surroundings, including nearby national parks and pristine beaches, provide a playground for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. With a fascinating history marked by World War II significance and a modern outlook that embraces art, cuisine, and festivals, Darwin stands as a gateway to both timeless wonders and contemporary experiences in Australia’s far north. It’s here where our journey begins!
Boarding: 12 PM; Departure: 5 PM

Day 2 - Fun Day at Sea!
With everything ashore closed, Sundays are best spent at sea. And what a glorious day of enjoying our beautiful Pursuit this should be! This is your chance to get to know our luxury super yacht, and she’s dressed to impress. Will you enjoy a Spa Day today? Or perhaps you’ll get a little sun poolside? Whatever you choose, you’ll be dripping in luxury and relaxation!

Day 3 - King George River, Western Australia
The King George River is a breathtaking natural wonder that meanders through the remote and pristine landscapes of The Kimberley in Western Australia. This majestic river is renowned for its spectacular highlight, the King George Falls, which plunge over 80 meters in a mesmerizing display of cascading water.

INCLUDED EXPERIENCE:
Join the expedition team as we leave our anchorage position in Koolama Bay and head into the entrance of the King George River and falls. The 10 nautical mile Zodiac expedition takes us through a winding sandstone gorge, with incredible honeycomb and vertical erosion. Keep a look-out for saltwater crocodiles, sleeping on the banks of the river. A wide variety of birdlife will also be pointed out by your Zodiac driver/naturalist. The highlight is of course the King George Falls, the two highest twin waterfalls in Australia at 80m/250ft in height. Depending on conditions, we hope to get the Zodiacs close to the waterfalls for a refreshing spray to cool us down.

Day 4 - Vantsittart Bay, Australia
Vansittart Bay, located on the rugged north coast of Western Australia’s Kimberley region, is a remote and strikingly beautiful destination. Known for its pristine wilderness and stunning coastline, the bay serves as a gateway to some of The Kimberley’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders. Its shoreline is adorned with dramatic cliffs and hidden, secluded beaches, while its crystal-clear waters teem with marine life. Vansittart Bay is home to the mesmerizing Gwion Gwion rock paintings. The artwork of the Wandjina is a true testament to the richness of Aboriginal culture. Estimated to be over 17,000 years old, these ancient artworks offer a rare glimpse into the lives and traditions of the Australian Aboriginal peoples.

INCLUDED EXPERIENCE:
This morning we’ll head out with the expedition team to explore the uninhabited, Jar Island. From the ship’s anchorage position, a short Zodiac ride will bring you ashore for a wet landing onto a perfectly white sandy beach. Once ashore, a short walk of about 250m/750ft along a flat sandy beach and then on to flat rocks, will bring you to the base of the rock art gallery that depicts the Bradshaw or Gwion Gwion art. After a short scramble over some rocks, you’ll be at the gallery itself, enjoy a rare glimpse into a fascinating part of history along with a vivid interpretation by the expedition team. According to Aboriginal legend, the art was created by birds. It was said these birds pecked the rocks until their beaks bled, and then created these fine paintings by using a tail feather and their own blood. The responsible bird was known as Gwion. The Gwion Gwion art is often called Bradshaw art after Joseph Bradshaw, the first European person to record the style of painting in 1891.

Day 5 - Ashmore Reef, Australia
Ashmore Reef is an isolated and pristine atoll located in the eastern Indian Ocean, approximately 450 kilometers from the northwest coast of Australia. The reef is part of the Australian territory and is situated within the region known as the Coral Sea. This remote and comparatively untouched marine ecosystem encompasses Ashmore Island and two coral reefs, and it covers an area of about 580 square kilometers.? The atoll exhibits exceptional natural beauty and biodiversity, with its clear blue waters, expansive lagoon, and diverse coral formations. The submerged reefs and surrounding waters are teeming with a rich variety of marine life, including colorful coral species, fish, sea turtles, and migratory seabirds. The atoll and its surrounding waters are protected as the Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve, establishing it as a sanctuary for the preservation of its unique ecosystem.? Ashmore Reef stands as a natural wonder of the Indian Ocean, offering a glimpse into a thriving marine ecosystem and serving as a reminder of the need to protect and steward our planet’s delicate environments. Its isolation and unspoiled beauty make it a vital site for biodiversity conservation and a place of intrinsic value for both scientific study and cultural appreciation.?

INCLUDED EXPEDITION:
? ? This morning, join us out on deck as we sail into Ashmore Reef. This will be a unique and our only opportunity on a Kimberley sailing to do some watersports. The expedition team will head out and scout for the best swimming and snorkeling opportunities. We’re hoping to take you ashore by Zodiac and land on a small uninhabited Island, to offer swimming and in addition have anchored Zodiacs to explore the best possible snorkeling Ashmore Reef has to offer. This morning will be dedicated to exploring and learning about the wildlife both above and below the water. Your expedition team will accompany you to ensure you learn about this unique destination.

Day 6 - Fun Day at Sea!
After several days of expeditions, this Sea Day couldn’t come at a better time! It’s the perfect chance to recharge those engines for the second half of our adventure. Sleep in, eat an indulgent brunch, lounge by the pool, and enjoy the company of your fellow Vacayans.

Day 7 - Hunter River, Western Australia
The Hunter River, with its intertwining waterways and verdant floodplains, is a testament to nature’s artistry and power. Originating from the high rainfall catchments of The Kimberley Plateau, the river snakes its way through an ancient landscape dotted with towering sandstone cliffs and lush mangrove forests. The raw terrain with its rich ochre hues, contrasts sharply with the emerald green of the vegetation and the crystal-clear blue waters of the river. Herds of saltwater crocodiles bask on the sun-drenched banks, while a diverse range of bird species dance across the sky, their vibrant plumage glinting in the sunlight.

From here, enjoy access to Mitchell River National Park, one of Kimberley’s two national parks. The park lies in some of the most remote and inaccessible country in Australia, and contains some of the region’s scenic jewels.

INCLUDED EXPERIENCE:
Experience the wonders of Hunter River by Zodiac. Cruise alongside the secluded Naturalist Island, then continue onward toward Indian Head. Watch as the sun casts varying shadows on this spectacular rock formation, accentuating its features and making it a mesmerizing sight from the river. Continue along past the dramatic terrain of The Kimberley, until nearing the end of Hunter River. The tour then changes course onto Porosus Creek, named aptly after the many saltwater crocodiles that call the area home.

Day 8 - Kuri Bay, Western Australia
Kuri Bay, situated on the remote northwestern coast of Western Australia, is a place of pristine and untouched wilderness. This secluded bay is renowned for its rugged, untouched beauty, where ancient red cliffs meet the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The bay’s waters are rich in pearls, earning it a unique place in the world as a hub for the South Sea pearl industry. Its pearling history dates to the late 19th century; today it is a remote outpost that offers a glimpse into this lustrous past, with the spectacular Kimberley region as its backdrop.

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSION:
Offering an intriguing and unique glimpse into the South Sea Pearl industry, you’ll hear directly from the farmers themselves about the entire process. You’ll travel to and from the ship by Zodiac, where your expedition team will point out Tawny Nurse Sharks in the crystal-clear waters below you.

Day 9 - Montgomery Reef, West Territories & Freshwater Cove, Australia
Vibrant wonders await at the vast Montgomery Reef, formed some 1.8 billion years ago. This ancient reef is recognized today as one of the most significant geological marine environments in The Kimberley.

Experience the mesmerizing allure of the largest inshore reef in Australia as it magically rises from the ocean during the tidal shifts, revealing a kaleidoscope of marine life. Observe the captivating sight of cascading waterfalls, formed as the reef drains during low tide, which is a spectacle exclusive to this part of the world.

Nested into the spectacularly remote coastline of west Kimberley lies a sacred Aboriginal site, Wijingarra Butt Butt (Freshwater Cove). Home to the Worrorra people for tens of thousands of years, Freshwater Cove is only accessible by seaplane, helicopter, or boat, and is famous for the humpback whales that breed in the cove each year. Worrorra custodians guide visitors through bushland where cotton flowers, bottlebrush, and wattle dot the landscape, to explore significant sites adorned with ancient Wandjina-style rock art – namely, to Cyclone Cave, a sacred space revealing 4000-year-old rock art narratives.

INCLUDED EXPERIENCE:
Arriving on high tide, we leave the ship and head out by Zodiac to the edge of Montgomery Reef. As soon as the tide drops it exposes the “river,” a narrow channel we’ll explore by Zodiac. We’ll witness torrent water and endless cascading waterfalls. As the water drops further, the reef is exposed, and fish are trapped on the reef and in pools. They bring in an array of birdlife. Keep a look out for the white and gray morph eastern reef egret, ospreys, white bellied sea eagles, and the beach thick knee. In the water, we hope to see dugongs, stokes sea snake, tawny nurse sharks, and hammerhead sharks. When the tide is out, many turtles are concentrated into the “river,” and over a few hours one can see dozens and dozens of them. They are often found both in the water and stranded on the reef.

Day 10 - Talbot Bay, Australia
Delve into the stories of its First Nations heritage and marvel at the ancient rock art found throughout Talbot Bay, where extreme natural wonders await exploration. Explore its rocky shores and steep cliffs, comprised of deformed quartz sandstones blended with volcanic rock. Or investigate the diverse seabeds, which can dramatically transform from 100-foot deep channels to exposed rock formations. Water enthusiasts will also want to explore Turtle Reef, named over its abundance of turtles on the reef, and home to coral reef and crocodiles. The pinnacle of this great region is the iconic Horizontal Falls, a jaw-dropping natural wonder, hailed by Sir David Attenborough as “Australia’s most unusual natural feature.” The effect of the waterfalls is created by the rapid tidal fall on the ocean-side of gaps in the sandstone cliffs. Waters on the inland side of the gaps cannot escape fast enough, resulting in a “horizontal waterfall” created by the cascades, with water levels differing sometimes by several meters on either side of the gaps.

INCLUDED EXPERIENCE:
With 14m/45ft tidal changes, a zodiac tour in Talbot Bay to the Horizontal Waterfalls is an experience you’ll never ever forget. Leaving the ship, we’ll make our way directly to what’s commonly known as “the gap,” a small passage eroded over time. The expedition team will arrive at the gap, timing it with either slack high or slack low, to allow us the opportunity to ”shoot” through the gaps. You will see why this phenomena is referred to as the Horizontal Waterfalls. After witnessing the Horizontal waterfalls, the Zodiac cruise will continue into the narrower gorge to witness sandstone formations, tidal eddies, and geological upliftment.

Please note that moving through “the gap” is weather and tidal dependent and is not always possible.

Day 11 - Lacepede Island, Australia
The Lacepede Islands in Western Australia – known simply as the Lacepedes – are a birdwatcher’s paradise, home to what’s possibly the world’s largest colony of Brown Boobies, with 18,000 breeding pairs. Located just off The Kimberley coast about 75 miles north of Broome, this chain of four small sandspits (West, Middle, Sandy, and East) is also home to around 20,000 Roseate Terns, along with a host of other seabirds, including masked boobies, Australian pelicans, Pacific reef heron, common noddies, and sooty oystercatchers. Grey-tailed tattlers, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels, and other wading birds also visit the Lacepedes, which have been designated as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. What’s more, these low-lying cays – formed from fragments of course sand and coral – are Western Australia’s most important breeding habitat for endangered green turtles, and migrating humpback whales are frequently sighted in the area during the winter and early spring. While Zodiac landings are prohibited in this sensitive environment, Seabourn’s expert Expedition Team members will get you close enough to witness all the avian action.

Day 12 - Broome, Western Australia
Our time together has finally come to an end, but what a journey! Perched on the Northwest edge of Western Australia, Broome was once an isolated gem, reachable only by a rugged dirt road until the mid-1980s. The town is nestled on a narrow peninsula, encircled by the crystal-clear sapphire waters of the Indian Ocean and the tranquil expanse of Roebuck Bay. It stands as a global haven for migratory birds, offering them a scenic stopover on their long journeys.

Broome sprang to life following the discovery of the world’s most abundant pearl shell deposit. This revelation sparked a frenzy akin to a gold rush, drawing in hundreds of people lured by the promise of precious treasures. Despite a downturn in the pearl industry during the last century, the allure of Broome’s natural splendor and serene ambiance held many captives, anchoring them to this coastal sanctuary.

Today, Broome boasts a unique architectural landscape, a testament to its diverse history. A blend of colonial buildings, old mission houses, churches, and the huts of former pearling masters share the streets with more modern homes. These structures collectively echo a distinctive style that took root over eighty years ago. So, whether you choose to stay a few days in Broome or head off to other nearby adventures like Bali, Indonesia, this trip will be indelibly etched into your consciousness as one of the best adventures ever.