Kimberley Photography Adventure 2022

Strap on your adventure boots, photographers! Here is a tour that takes you into the heart of the East Kimberley Wilderness!

Tour dates: 13 June – 20 June 2022
Tour length: 8 days
Led by: Seng Mah and Pamela Jennings
Number of guests: 6
This tour begins and finishes in Kununurra
Pace: Easy-Medium. Some locations will require hiking on tracks.

Are you an avid photographer seeking adventure in one of Western Australia’s most remote wilderness? Are you keen to explore a region ripe with photographic opportunities — rugged outback landscapes, majestic mountain ranges, cattle stations, wetlands and the magnificent Lake Argyle?

This eight-day tour covers some of the best photographic locations in the remote region of East Kimberley. You’ll enjoy the Kimberley hospitality of Kununurra and thrill to a sunset cruise on Lake Argyle. Then, you travel by 4WD to the Lower Ord River, a region rich in wildlife: birds, crocs and more – an environment that makes for sensational nature and wildlife photography!

You will also love exploring the wilderness area around El Questro Wilderness Park, soak in thermal pools surrounded by palm trees and then immerse yourself in the grandeur of the Bungle Bungles, Cathedral Gorge and Echidna Gorge in Purnululu National Park while staying at a private safari camp in the National Park.

Enjoy a wide range of photographic topics and locations with our small group of like-minded photographers, while we have the time of our lives in the Kimberley. You will also be supported in your photography with tips, guidance and instructions from two award-winning professional photographers and educators: Seng and Pamela!

Tour Highlights

DAY 1: KUNUNURRA

This tour begins with our meeting in Kununurra, at your accommodation, before we embark on a sunset shoot at a wonderful location by the lake.

DAY 2: LAKE ARGYLE

Today we visit stunning Lake Argyle east of Kununurra. Once a great valley home to the local Mirriwung Gajjerong people, this vast freshwater lake is nestled amongst a rugged billion year old landscape. 

The immense freshwater lake formed by the damning of the mighty Ord River has created an amazing marine environment with over 70 islands and countless bays and beaches.

The best way to see this amazing landscape is to join a sunset cruise to photograph the local wildlife and the rich colours of the landscape at sunset. Dinner at the resort then we head back to Kununurra.

DAY 3: KUNUNURRA TO ORD RIVER

We leave Kununurra and head for our safari camp on the Lower Ord River.

We will explore the local area including Ivanhoe Crossing and Ngamoowalem Conservation Park and Marglu Billabong in Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve, a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.  It is part of the larger Ord River floodplain and a great spot to see a variety of tropical wetland birds.  Late afternoon we search for the perfect boab photograph as the sunsets and the moon rises. 

Note: our accommodation at the Ord River Camp will be on a shared basis (due to limitations in accommodation). If you have booked a single supplement for this tour, this has been taken into account in the costing of the single supplement.

DAY 4: ORD RIVER PRIVATE CAMP

Breakfast with the finches that come to visit the bird bath as we enjoy our home made breakfast this morning. 

We will visit Wyndham, the oldest town in WA where we can take our optional helicopter flight over the amazing Cambridge Gulf tidal flats.   It is one of the best places in Australia to get this type of images. *Please note that helicopters are based in Kununurra, so flight time from Kununurra to Wyndham are included in the flight cost. Flight time will depend on the tide (either AM or PM depending on tide).

In the afternoon light it’s time to go out on the Ord River in purpose-built dinghies photographing the tropical river-life on a four hour cruise.  We capture abundant birdlife in its native habitat and it’s one of the few places in Australia where you can photograph freshwater and saltwater crocodiles’ side by side.

DAY 5: EL QUESTRO

We depart the Ord River Camp and travel the Gibb River Road passing the beautiful Cockburn Ranges and into the area around El Questro Wilderness Park, where Zebedee Springs awaits.

A series of thermal pools make up Zebedee Springs and we can laze our time away soaking up the beautiful views and relaxing warm waters surrounded by palm trees. If you can be bothered reaching for the camera we have landscape, macro and bird photography options here.

In the afternoon we capture the essence of El Questro Gorge with it’s palm fringed red walls.

DAY 6: EL QUESTRO TO BUNGLE BUNGLE SAVANNAH LODGE

Today it’s time to head along the Great Northern Highway passing through amazing Kimberley landscapes on our way to the Bungle Bungle Range of Purnululu National Park.

Once off the Great Northern Highway it’s only 50kms of 4WD track but takes around 3 hours to travel. Here we encounter a landscape dominated by spinifex country.  We arrive in time to photograph the rich red escarpment of the Bungle Bungle Range as it lights up at sunset. 

For the next two nights we make ourselves comfortable at our private safari camp only minutes from the best photographic locations.

DAY 7: PURNULULU NATIONAL PARK (BUNGLE BUNGLES)

Today, we explore the domes of Piccaninny Creek and it’s wonderful leading lines.

We will then walk into the stunning and large amphitheatre of Cathedral Gorge, a location great for panoramas and wide shots. You can roam around the domes for many hours finding beautiful scenes to shoot at every angle.  

Sunrise, sunset and blue hour and sessions are all available. We have the bonus of great bird photography back at our safari camp.

Note: An optional helicopter flight may also be available over the domes.

DAY 8: RETURN TO KUNUNURRA

Today we explore the northern section of the massif and Echidna Chasm. This gorge is a spectacular long, narrow chasm. It has striking colour variations, depending on the angle of the sun beaming into the chasm, with Livistonia palms waving from the 200 m high ridges above. 

We then return to Kununurra, dropping you off at your accommodation later in the afternoon (note that you will need to organise your post-tour accommodation in Kununurra). If you plan to fly out of Kununurra on the last day, please make sure that you select a late flight (our ETA back at Kununurra will be 4pm or later).

What’s Included

• Land transport in air-conditioned 4WD vehicles (three guests per vehicle).
• All accommodation during the tour (7 nights).
• Sunset cruise on Lake Argyle.
• Wildlife cruise on Lower Ord River.
• All photographic tuition and guidance during the tour.
• Some meals: Breakfast (Ord River Camp and Savannah Bungles Lodge), Dinner (Ord River Camp and Savannah Bungles Lodge).

Exclusions

• Flights to/from Kununurra.
• Some meals and drinks (except the meals noted in Inclusions above).
• Helicopter flights – optional. We will provide you with the price of the helicopter flight closer to the date of the tour.
• Alcoholic drinks.
• Photographic equipment. You will need to bring/supply your own cameras, lenses, tripods, batteries, filters, memory cards and so on.
• Personal expenses, including laundry, wi-fi, medication and incidental meals.
• Any transport or activities outside of the tour itinerary.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance remains your responsibility for this tour.

Price of Tour

• AUD$6990 per person if twin-sharing with your partner or spouse, or a photographer friend who is also a paying guest on this tour. Note that because of the limited number of participants on this tour, non-photographer partners/spouses will still need to pay the full price for the tour.
• AUD$7800 per person with your own room* during the tour. (* Note that the Ord River Camp does not have private rooms available and so accommodation for our one there will be on a shared basis).

Note that the pricing above assumes 6 guests on this tour (minimum of 6 guests to run this tour).

Reserve your Place

A deposit of AUD$1500 will secure you a place on this tour. This deposit is refundable if the tour is cancelled by the organiser (we require a minimum of 6 guests to run this tour). The final payment of the balance is due by 31 March 2022.

Before booking on this tour, please read our Photo Tour Terms and Conditions, especially our Covid-19 refund policy if this tour cannot run due to the impact of Covid-19 induced lockdowns or travel restrictions.

To join this tour or contact us with your questions, please use the form below or email seng [at] venturephotography.com.au or telephone 0417 604 614.