Bungles
- Be a ‘rock star’! Belt out a soulful tune in Cathedral Gorge surrounded by the ancient red rock carved by water erosion through the ages. The acoustics are so phenomenal that members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra have performed there in the past.
- Hike to Echidna Chasm for ‘golden hour’ when the sun streams in to highlight the striking colour variations within the narrow chasm. The lofty Livistonia palms that fringe the gorge are a bonus. This two-kilometre walk requires some scrambling over rocks and a climb at the end.
Cathedral Gorge in Purnululu National Park (the Bungles). Image: Tourism Australia - Sunsets and sunrises are always breathtakingly beautiful in the Kimberley as they enhance the burnished glow of the rugged red landscape. As you peacefully watch the sun seep slowly into the horizon, behind the Bungles, it feels almost spiritual. Grab your camp chair and head to Kungakaylani Lookout for an unforgettable Bungle sunset.
- To appreciate the sheer scale and number of the orange and black domes you need to fly above them! The park is enormous and a bird’s eye view from a helicopter or small plane with a guide ensures you don’t miss a thing including Deep and Y Gorges in the southern end of the park. Scenic flights depart from Kununurra, Halls Creek, Broome and the Bungle Bungle Caravan Park.
- Of course, you need to explore the Bungles by foot too! A walking tour will blow your mind with interesting facts about this geological rarity. Plus, an expert guide will show you the best vantage points for all those social media pics you want to snap. Join a walking tour within the park or go all out and enjoy one of the combination fly/ground tours which depart from Kununurra and Broome.
- West Aussies love a good road trip, so there is nothing stopping you loading up that 4WD and exploring the Bungles yourself. Sure, it’s a rough 53km track into the national park, but when you lay eyes on those iconic striped sandstone domes you will be glad you made the effort. Self-drive not your thing? Let a 4WD tour guide do all the hard work, relax and enjoy the scenery and their insightful commentary.
- Not feeling your fittest today? Leisurely explore the Domes Walk. It’s an easy 1km return walk track. As you amble around the towering beehive shaped domes you will view the Bungles from yet another perspective, giving you an additional opportunity to snap some incredible images of this World Heritage Listed icon.
- You may have to navigate some steep slopes and large boulders when hiking the Mini-Palms Gorge but your reward will be soaring cliffs, a natural amphitheatre, prehistoric looking palms, the gorge itself and two viewing platforms to take it all in.
- If you are a serious hiker then the remote but spectacular Piccanniny Gorge is for you. Trekking 30 kilometres with no signage or facilities along the way, you need to be fit and well prepared. Given it’s a challenging hike, you will be rewarded with scenery that many visitors to the Bungles don’t encounter. Not confident enough to take it on by yourself? There are guided tours available including a Heli Hike.
- If you think the Bungles are magnificent in the dry season, the wet season rain adds a gloss-like finish and emphasises the contrasting colours of the orange and black striped domes even further. But how do you see the Bungles during the wet when the park is closed and inaccessible to vehicles? HeliSpirit have worked their magic and been granted special permission to land in the Cathedral Gorge carpark where your pilot guide will lead you on a unique wet season walking tour.
- Traipsing through the Bungles all day can lead you longing for a hot shower to rinse off the red dust, a gourmet meal that you don’t have to cook for yourself and a deep mattress to sleep soundly on before your next adventure. Just because you are in the Bungles doesn’t mean you have to skimp on comfort. Check out the glamping and cabin options which retains the bush experience your mind craves, but gives your body the comfort it deserves.
- Don’t forget to look up! As darkness falls marvel at the bright intensity of the star-lit sky. With no light pollution in this neck of the woods, the Milky Way sparkles hypnotising all that gaze skyward.
