Kimberley Coastal Expedition

Today, we'll meet you at the airport before welcoming you aboard your expedition ship. The Seabourn Pursuit is the newest and most luxurious ship on the Kimberley Coast, boasting incredible facilities, delectable dining options and personalised service. You might like to admire the views from the panoramic balcony of your spacious suite, sip champagne on the outdoor deck, take a dip in the infinity pool or share stories of your adventures with your newfound friends in one of the luxurious shared spaces.

A relaxed dinner this evening gives you the chance to meet your fellow travellers and sets the tone for the next nine nights on board. Stay Nine Nights: Seabourn Pursuit (D)

Cruise to Adele Island and join your Expedition Team member for an exploration of this remote coastal area by Zodiac. The island is surrounded by Adele Reef, teeming with an array of coral and marine life, including reef sharks and stingrays. There's further promise of turquoise waters this afternoon as your ship arrives in the Buccaneer Archipelago, home to more than 800 islands.

This evening, enjoy a Captain's welcome dinner. (B/L/D)

• Today your ship cruises through to Talbot Bay, known for its massive 12-metre tides that create the unique Horizontal Falls. Subject to tidal conditions, board a zodiac with your Expedition Team to view this incredible natural phenomenon.

• At Freshwater Cove take a guided hike to visit an ancient Wandjina rock art site. The unique figures depicted are ritually repainted each year, but scientific estimates date the originals as far back as 5,000 years.
• Following your visit to Freshwater Cove, depart with your Expedition Team to discover Montgomery Reef by Zodiac. The reef 'rises' out of the ocean as tidal waters cascade into surrounding channels.

You are transported to Prince Frederick Harbour today, home to the towering red cliffs and tangled mangroves of Hunter River and Porosus Creek. With its extreme tides and pristine ecosystems, the harbour and its waterways are rich in wildlife including mudskippers and saltwater crocodiles. Porosus Creek takes its name from the scientific name for saltwater crocodile, a good indication of what we're looking for today. Keen birdwatchers should keep a careful eye out for kingfishers, egrets, herons and white-bellied sea eagles.

To enhance your day, you might choose to set out on a thrilling helicopter flight to see Mitchell Falls in all its splendour from above (flight at own expense). (B/L/D)

• Approximately six kilometres from the mainland, Bigge Island is ripe for discovery today. It's well known for its Aboriginal rock art, created by the Wunambal people, and you'll explore a network of caves throughout the island. Here, discover paintings that display fascinating examples of first-contact art and Wandjina figures.

Enjoy a relaxed morning aboard your luxurious ship.

This afternoon, pay a special visit to Ashmore Reef Marine Park. Located in the Timor Sea and spanning 583 square kilometres, the reef is a sanctuary for many marine species. Every year, more than 100,000 seabirds breed here, including crested terns, white-tailed tropicbirds and great frigatebirds. In addition to the prolific birdlife, beneath the clear tropical waters, the coral reefs, seagrass meadows, sandflats and lagoons of Ashmore Reef are home to a colourful array of marine life. 255 species of reef building coral dwell here - the greatest number of any reef on the West Australian coast.

Our visit to Ashmore Reef is required to ensure we comply with Australian government regulations. Pending favourable weather and sea conditions, you'll explore this sanctuary via Zodiac with your Expedition Team. (B/L/D)

This morning, join your Expedition Team on an intriguing discovery. Walk across salt flats to view the wreckage of a US Air Force DC3 which crash-landed near Vansittart Bay during World War II.

Later, we reposition in the bay to visit Jar Island and discover the island's outstanding rock art gallery. During your exploration here, you'll see fascinating examples of Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) paintings, dating back more than 20,000 years. (B/L/D)

• Anticipation builds as your Zodiac approaches King George Falls, which plunge 80 metres over a soaring sandstone cliff. Edge closer to this epic cascade and learn how it turns to a raging torrent during the monsoonal wet season.

Arriving at Darwin this morning means it's time to say goodbye to your ship and to be transferred to the airport. (B)