Kuri Bay – the wilder side of Western Australia

Olivia in our Australia and New Zealand team will be one of the first ever guests to stay at new Kuri Bay in the Kimberley next week. Her epic Western Australia adventure will also take in Sal Salis at Ningaloo Reef, a luxury tented camp among the sand dunes and home of the world’s largest fish, the whale shark and the onto El Questro Homestead, overlooking the Chamberlain River. Watch out for her blog post on her return!

Accessible only by helicopter or sea plane, Kuri Bay is a Australia’s oldest pearl farm now converted into an exclusive wilderness lodge and soon to become of the must-visit properties of 2012.

With just five rooms, Kuri Bay is not luxurious in the traditional sense with simple accommodation, tucked away overlooking the bay keeping to its roots as a historical pearl farm. Kuri Bay’s exclusivity, however, lies in the uniqueness of the experiences guests will have exploring the remote part of the Kimberley, rich in Aboriginal history and teeming with remarkable wildlife.

Getting to Kuri Bay in itself is a highlight. A spectacular, a one hour and 45-minute air safari from Broome over the Buccaneer Archipelago, rock formations, patterned mangroves, the red rock cliffs of the Kimberley coast and the famous Horizontal Waterfalls, created by the massive tides. Before guests even arrive, the sense of the vastness of the Kimberley wilderness is evident being an area the size of California with just 30,000 inhabitants. The nearest town to Kuri Bay lies 220 km away!

Days will be filled with exploring the dramatic coastline with experienced guides, a highlight being Camden Sound, one of the world’s greatest Humpback whale calving ground between June and October, recently designated a Marine Park. Guests can also take guided whale watching trips and boat trips to Montgomery Reef, Australia’s largest in-shore reef, where the huge tide recedes so fast it creates cascading waterfalls.

The Kimberley is one of the oldest landscapes on the planet, little changed since Gondwana, and steeped in 40,000 years of Aboriginal legends and culture. Wildlife is also prolific, including birds, turtles and enormous crocodiles, and world-class fishing, from Barramundi in the creeks to reef and open water pelagics.

To fully experience the best of Western Australia, we’ve introduced a brand new tailor-made Wild Western Australia adventure offering the best and most exclusive experiences this region has to offer.

Find out more about our Australia tours.