BREATHEON COUNTRY2027
Dates to be announced - East Kimberley
Frontier Expeditions
Paddle, hike and camp through the remote wilderness of the East Kimberley.
Beyond roads and familiar routes
Experience the Kimberley from the inside
Travel slowly, actively and far from the crowds.
Frontier Expeditions is a small-group journey combining remote hiking, wilderness camping, rock art, Aboriginal cultural guidance and two unforgettable days paddling down the Ord River.
Over six expedition days, we will cross Lake Argyle by boat, paddle down the Ord, hike into freshwater gorges, swim beneath waterfalls, camp beside rivers and explore places few visitors ever reach.
Led by Aboriginal guides and experienced wilderness leaders, this is for people who want to move beyond the familiar tourism routes and into the rugged ranges, ancient waterways and secluded gorge country of the East Kimberley.
Wild river Country - East Kimberley
The river
Two days carried by the Ord
Our journey begins in Kununurra before travelling to the immense waters of Lake Argyle. After exploring the lake, we put in beneath the dam wall and let the river carry us between red cliffs, forested banks and stretches of clear, calm water.
We paddle through Carlton Gorge, stopping to swim, rest and explore. As afternoon light moves across the gorge walls, we pull our kayaks onto a secluded riverbank and establish camp beside the water.
There are no hotel rooms here. No traffic and no phone reception. Just the river, the fire and the sounds of the surrounding Country. The following morning, we return to the water and continue downstream through one of the Kimberley’s most beautiful river landscapes.
From water to stone
Rock art, ranges and freshwater gorges
After our final night on the Ord, the journey changes character. With Aboriginal guides, we visit an extraordinary rock art before moving into the ranges and beginning our hike.
Carrying what we need on our backs, we follow unmarked routes across rocky ground and establish simple wilderness camps alongside a freshwater river system.
Days are spent walking, swimming and exploring. At night, we cook together, gather around the fire and sleep beneath an uninterrupted sky.
Along the way, learn about the cultural landscape, the generations who travelled through it before us and the continuing relationship between people and Country.
The journey
Seven days beyond the familiar
- 01
Arrival
Meet the guides and group in Kununurra and establish our first camp. Check equipment, discuss cultural protocols and remote-area safety, then settle into the Kimberley over a shared meal.
- 02
Paddling the Ord
Travel by boat across Lake Argyle, taking in the immense body of water and ancient surrounding ranges. Put in beneath the dam wall and paddle through Carlton Gorge, with time to swim, explore and rest before riverside camp.
- 03
Downriver
Wake beside the Ord, share breakfast and coffee, then return to the kayaks. Follow the current downstream through cliffs and river forest before paddling into our next secluded camp.
- 04
Rock art and remote Country
Visit extraordinary rock art with Aboriginal guides, then continue into the ranges and begin hiking between narrow gorge country and elevated rocky outcrops. Camp beside freshwater.
- 05
Waterfalls and gorge country
Leave larger packs at camp and walk deeper into the gorge system, following freshwater creeks and swimming in natural pools on the way to a secluded waterfall.
- 06
Return to Kununurra
Enjoy a slower morning beside the river, with time for a final swim. Return to Kununurra, where hot showers, a celebratory meal and a comfortable bed await.
- 07
Return home
Breakfast and farewells before onward travel, carrying the experience of the river, ranges and people with you.
What you will experience
Adventure, challenge and restoration
A substantial adventure without the extreme physical demands of a technical expedition. You do not need to be an elite hiker or experienced kayaker - only reasonably fit, adventurous and ready to participate as part of a small group.
- Two days kayaking down the Ord River
- Aboriginal cultural guidance and perspectives
- Rock art and cultural places where permission allows
- Waterfalls, gorges and secluded swimming holes
- Wilderness camps beside creeks and sandy riverbanks
- Boat travel across Lake Argyle
- Practical bushcraft and navigation
- Cooking and contributing to camp life
- Campfire conversations beneath clear Kimberley skies
- Time away from roads, crowds and phone reception
- Challenge, adventure, rest and genuine immersion in Country
Is this expedition for you?
Come ready to move - and to pause
Participants should be comfortable walking 5 - 12 kilometres a day, carrying a 10 - 12 kilogram pack, moving across uneven and sometimes unmarked terrain, scrambling over natural obstacles, swimming in natural waterways and paddling for extended periods.
You will also need to be comfortable camping without conventional facilities, helping prepare meals and establish camp, following Aboriginal and wilderness guides, and accepting route changes required by Country, weather, water or safety.
There will also be time to stop, swim, write, read, yarn around the fire or simply sit quietly beside the water.
Expedition details
The essentials
- Dates
- 2027 dates to be announced - or come ready with your own group and select a date
- Region
- Lake Argyle, Carr Boyd Ranges and Ord River
- Gateway
- Kununurra, Western Australia
- Duration
- 6 expedition days, plus departure morning
- Group
- Limited to 12 participants
- Accommodation
- Wilderness camping, plus accommodation after the expedition
- Walking
- Approximately 5 - 12 kilometres on hiking days
- Pack weight
- Approximately 10 - 12 kilograms
- Paddling
- Two days on the Ord River
- Fitness
- Moderate
The route and activities remain subject to cultural permissions, access, weather, water levels and final safety assessments.
Included
Equipped for the journey
- Aboriginal guides
- Experienced wilderness expedition leaders
- All expedition transport from Kununurra
- Boat travel across Lake Argyle
- Kayaks and paddling equipment
- Group camping and expedition equipment
- All meals while camping
- Accommodation immediately before and after the wilderness journey
- Cultural and remote-area safety briefings
- Emergency communications and safety equipment
- Pre-expedition preparation and equipment guidance
Flights to Kununurra, personal equipment, meals in Kununurra and comprehensive travel insurance are not included unless otherwise stated.
Beyond the familiar
Some places can only be understood by travelling slowly.
We will carry what we need. Walk through the ranges and sleep beside wild rivers. Paddle alongside towering gorge walls and gather around the fire at day’s end. We will travel with people who know this Country and begin to understand that it is not simply scenery - it is alive with culture, story, memory and relationship.
Wild, challenging and unforgettable. This is the Kimberley beyond the usual itinerary.
Places are intentionally limited
Come journey with us.
Bring your own group and help choose the date - or join the list for confirmed 2027 departures, pricing and priority access.
Join the expedition list