Which voyage TO CHOOSE?

From the ship to the itinerary and the season, here’s what to consider before your Ponant Kimberley luxury expedition.

The ship

The first thing you might consider when booking your Ponant voyage is which ship to choose?

Over the 2023 season, Ponant has three vessels based in the Kimberley region, ranging in capacity from 32 to 264 guests and offering a variety of facilities.

The itinerary

This is the tough part. You need to decide whether you want to experience the northern Kimberley coast, the southern Kimberley coast –or both, depending on how much time you have.

Northern Kimberley itineraries generally venture from Wyndham to Kuri Bay, exploring the King George River, Prince Regent River and Swift Bay, among other destinations.

Southern Kimberley itineraries generally traverse the coast from Broome to Kuri Bay, taking in the Buccaneer Archipelago, the Horizontal Falls and Montgomery Reef. Longer itineraries merge the two, and often extend the voyage to Darwin.

Also consider whether you want to include remote outposts like Ashmore Reef and the Rowley Shoals, which are only available on selected Ponant itineraries.

The season

The Kimberley cruise season runs from April to October – the rest of the year it’s too hot, humid and wet to explore.

Choose a time based on what appeals most, whether waterfalls, weather or whales (read on). As an added bonus, turtles, dugongs and dolphins are in the Kimberley year-round.

Waterfall season

April & May

One of the main drawcards of the Kimberley coast is its legendary waterfalls – including the towering 80-metre King George and four-tiered Mitchell Falls. Most of the coast’s falls are fed by the Kimberley’s drenching wet season rains, so the earlier in the season you go the more spectacular the falls are.

Peak season

June & July

This is the most popular time of year to travel to the Kimberley, likely because the ‘dry season’ weather is characterised by clear blue skies and balmy days.

Depending on the amount of rain during the wet season, there might be some water still flowing over the big falls as late as August. This is also a prime time for crocodiles, and the crisp light is ideal for stellar photography. Talk to your crew for tips.

Whale season

August, September & October

From August to early October each year, the Kimberley coast is the world’s epicentre for whale-watching.

Up to a staggering 60,000 of these gentle giants make their way from their Antarctic feeding grounds to the warm tropical waters of the Kimberley to breed and give birth, and you will have the best seat in the house when travelling on an expedition around the region with Ponant.