BROOME TO DARWIN EXPEDITION (SILVER EXPLORER)

There are many beautiful places on Earth, but none is more beautiful than The Kimberley. Three times the size of England, home to 40,000 people (per kilometre less than anywhere else on Earth), this vast area is home to a huge variety of natural interest. Let our team of experts educate you on the untamed wildlife, complex geology and Aboriginal rock art, so that you can uncover the secrets of this spectacular region.

ITINERARY

Day 1 Broome (Kimberley) Roughly 15,000 people live year-round in Broome perched on the edge of the Kimberley region of . The population swells to over 45,000 during the tourist season as people from all over the world are drawn to the natural splendors of the Dampier Peninsula. Broome is surrounded by lush green mangroves and mudflats along Roebuck Bay, but the interior is dry and rugged like much of the Kimberley coast. The town of Broome started up around a nascent pearling industry that attracted Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers to the area in an interesting mix of cultures. Chinatown is still the center of town, but nowadays the pearls are produced in modern aquaculture facilities.

Days 2 - 3 Region Roughly 800 islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago surround and shelter the impressive spread of Yampi Sound (from the aboriginal word for water, “Yampee”). The area was named in 1821 by Captain Phillip Parker King, in commemoration of William Dampier’s visit in 1688. Pearlers began visiting the area in the late 1800s, and more recently mining operators established open-cut mines on on the east side of the Sound. Some of the richest iron ore in the world is extracted here to this day. The coastline of Yampi shows rock layers wildly twisted and contorted into great folds. White-bellied Sea Eagles, Brahminy Kites, Ospreys, Common Sandpipers and

0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com Eastern Reef Egrets inhabit the archipelago and the area is rich in fish life, variations and weather conditions. which in turn is an attraction for bottlenose dolphins that come here to feed. Yampi Sound is also occassionaly a calving ground for humpback whales and Day 8 Day At Sea mothers and calves can sometimes be spotted in the relatively shallow turquoise waters. Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting Days 4 - 5 Hunter River Region, Kimberley (Western Australia) the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent The Hunter River is home to an immense mangrove system surrounded by exploring shore side. soaring red sandstone cliffs. Narrow mangrove channels shelter numerous bird species, mudskippers, fiddler crabs and the infamous saltwater crocodile; the Day 9 Matakus Island most aggressive crocodile species known to man. Naturalist Island at the mouth of the river has a stunning stretch of sandy beach that makes a perfect Matakus is a small island and part of the Tanimbar archipelago. Matakus is landing site for small helicopters that can pick up visitors wishing to explore just over two miles in length and less than a mile across. Despite its small some of the Kimberley’s vast interior. The highlight inland is the famous size, its proximity to the regional capital city of Saumlaki just to the north Mitchell Falls where four tiers of waterfalls plunge into deep pools that flow ensures that the island is inhabited. The island is surrounded by fine, out into the mighty Mitchell River. The headwaters of the falls are cool and a white-sand beaches and is a marine paradise, with fields of staghorn coral dip in the fresh water is a welcome reprieve from the heat of the heartland. and schools of cardinalfish visible in its crystal clear waters.

Day 6 King George River (Kimberley, Western Australia) Day 10 At Sea The King George Falls is one of the Kimberley’s most magnificent natural wonders. At 80 meters (260 feet), the thundering spectacle of twin cascades Day 11 Darwin are among the highest in Australia. The river weaves through an amazing "Australia's capital of the north is a uniquely tropical city, and a historically landscape of near vertical red rock formations and a parade of wildlife — isolated outpost of this vast, diverse country. Reaching up towards the carnivorous saltwater crocodiles and amazing birdlife, including giant raptors equator, a full 2,000 miles from Sydney and Melbourne, the city was named and the Brahminy Kite. in honour of Charles Darwin by the British settlers who established a frontier outpost here. With a unique history, beautiful islands nearby, and a palette of Day 7 Wyndham sizzling Pacific flavours, colourful Darwin is an enchanting and exotic Wyndham is a small settlement with the spirit of a Kimberley outback Australian destination. Crocodiles patrol the jungled waterways and tropical township. It was established in 1886 with the Halls Creek gold rush and sits rainforests around Australia's gateway to the Top End. Explore via airboat to on the Cambridge Gulf where several rivers converge. Today Wyndham has a look down on the veiny waterways of the mist-laced Kakadu National Park. population of roughly 900 people and operates largely as a port exporting The sounds of chattering birdlife and the gentle splash of fountains and cattle, servicing the mining industry and hosting a few small ships. For these waterfalls will fill your ears in George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens. Soak it vessels Wyndham is a gateway to the breathtaking Bungle Bungle mountain all in, before kicking back and relaxing with a picnic and a crackling barbecue. range and the nearby Ord River. The Bungle Bungle Mountains in Purnululu The sunshine and famous tropical pink sunsets mean many visitors naturally National Park are now a World Heritage Site. In excess of 350 million years gravitate to the city's soft sands to relax at spots like pretty Mindil Beach, as have shaped geological formations of giant orange and black striped domes evening approaches. The adjoining market is filled with souvenirs and crafts rising out of the ground into a landscape unlike any other. Known to the local stands and is the perfect great place to enjoy some fiery Asian flavours. Stroll Aboriginal people for thousands of years, the Bungles were only discovered by the stalls, grab some food, and crack open an ice-frosted beer as the sunset the outside world in the mid-1980s. Conversely, cruising the peaceful and show begins. It may be remote, but Darwin found itself on the front line during tree-lined Ord River is a chance to look for freshwater crocodiles, fruit bats, the Pacific War, as the Japanese air force unloaded their bombs onto the city short-eared rock wallabies and a variety of birds, including Mangrove Herons in 1942. This relaxed unassuming city has a deeply resilient backbone, and Mangrove Gerygones. Please note: All destinations on voyages in the however, and you can explore the museums to learn more of the war's impact Kimberley region, and the order in which they are visited, are subject to tidal on Darwin, as well as the devastating effects of one of Australia's worst

0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com natural disasters, Cyclone Tracy in 1973."

Please Note: Itineraries are subject to change.

0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com YOUR SHIP: SILVER EXPLORER

YOUR SHIP: Silver Explorer

VESSEL TYPE: Luxury Expedition

LENGTH: 108 metres

PASSENGER CAPACITY: 144

BUILT/REFURBISHED: 1989 / 2008 / 2018

Silversea's purpose-built luxury Silver Explorer expedition cruise ship has been designed specifically for navigating waters in some of the world's most remote destinations, including both of earth's polar regions. A strengthened hull with a Lloyd's Register ice-class notation (1A) for passenger vessels enables the Silver Explorer Expedition Cruise Ship to safely push through ice floes with ease. A fleet of 12 Zodiac boats allows Silversea Expedition guests to visit even the most off-the-beaten path locations and an expert Expedition Team provides insight and understanding to each unforgettable Silver Explorer luxury cruise adventure.

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14-Jun-2022 to 24-Jun-2022 Explorer Suite. From 15666 AUD pp View Suite. From 17067 AUD pp Vista Suite. From 17867 AUD pp Veranda Suite. From 25867 AUD pp Medallion Suite. From 32667 AUD pp Silver Suite. From 34867 AUD pp Owner's Suite. From 40767 AUD pp Grand Suite. From 0 pp

24-Jun-2022 to 04-Jul-2022 Adventurer Suite. From 11000 USD pp Silver Suite. From 34867 AUD pp Grand Suite. From 0 pp Medallion Suite. From 0 pp Owner's Suite. From 40767 AUD pp Vista Suite. From 17867 AUD pp View Suite. From 17067 AUD pp Explorer Suite. From 15666 AUD pp Veranda Suite. From 25867 AUD pp

0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com