Coral Expeditions’ Adventurous voyages into the known

With more than 30 years of cruising the Kimberley, Coral Expeditions has more than 50 departures for 2025.

And, just as the itineraries that have been refined reflect decades of relationships with the place and its people, its expedition ships and tenders are designed and built specifically for exploring remote tropical regions.

The Kimberley has been having a big wet season, which will mean a dramatic start to “waterfall season”, with voyages from March.

A Coral Expeditions spokesperson says: “The Kimberley has seen a recent deluge with above-average rainfall creating ideal conditions to witness the landscape at its most dramatic.

“Big rains set the stage for one of nature’s most spectacular performances as outback creeks and rivers cascade from ochre escarpments into wild rivers and shorelines bursting with life.”

The first annual departure of the season left Broome on Tuesday, March 11, and the “waterfall season” is expected to deliver well into June this year.

BIG GROWTH

In 2019, Coral Expeditions had a five-month Kimberley program with an average of 35 sailings.

But the company reports “phenomenal interest and demand in Western Australia”.

The spokesperson says: “From 2025 and beyond, the sailing schedule will operate close to 60 voyages across three vessels between February and October.

“Significant growth is seen in the 12-night Abrolhos and Coral Coast voyages including new UK and US charter partnerships and several sell-out voyages to Ningaloo and the Rowley Shoals.

“In 2024, a new partnership voyage with the Australian Geographic Society exploring the Whales and Wildflower Trails of WA was a sellout success with record satisfaction ratings.”

NEW EXPERIENCES

+ The spokesperson says that new experiences include visits with the Murujuga Rangers on the Dampier Archipelago. Guests will see art, ancient petroglyphs and fish traps. They will visit community art co-operatives and galleries across the Tiwi Islands to meet elders, experience modern culture and be able to buy art direct from the source.

+ With a growth of interest in “dark skies”, Coral Adventures offers regular evening activities like stargazing and astronomy, and in July 2028, its whole fleet will be in position to experience the natural phenomenon of a solar eclipse.

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+ Examples of prices (per person, based on twin share) are the 10-night The Kimberley Cruise from $10,700 (Coral Deck); 12-night Kimberley Icons, Rowley Shoals and Ashmore Reef from $10,700 (Coral Deck); 10-night Best of the Kimberley and Tiwi Islands from $12,990, main deck (Category B).

+ 1800 079 545 and coralexpeditions.com