KING GEORGE RIVER & FALLS
Cruise King George River through steep-sided gorges carved over 400 million years ago. Get close to 260-foot sandstone cliffs and study the honeycomb erosion patterns that shape this dramatic landscape.
DAY OF ROCK ART
Depending on tides and weather, step ashore at Bigge Island, Swift Bay, or Wollaston Bay. Walk short trails of no more than 600 meters to view Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock art on sandstone cliffs, cave walls, and rock overhangs. Look for wallabies, nesting turtles, and crocodile tracks along the shore.
ASHMORE REEF
Reach Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island on the continental shelf edge. This protected reserve hosts more than 250 coral species, 70 fish species, nesting turtles, and visiting dugongs, dolphins, and whale sharks. Conditions permitting, snorkel or dive in clear waters, paddle a kayak, or birdwatch around the lagoons.
SCOTT REEF
Travel 300 kilometers off Australia’s northwest coast to Scott Reef. The atolls include Seringapatam Reef, site of the 1884 Yarra wreck. Historically visited by Indonesian fishermen, the reef has seen coral bleaching but still supports diverse marine life. Depending on weather and tides, join snorkeling, diving, photography, or glass-bottom boat tours, with the chance to land on a remote sand cay.
MONTGOMERY REEF
Experience Montgomery Reef as massive 11-meter tides cause the reef to rise from the sea. Ride tenders through channels and rock pools formed by the receding water. Watch birds feed on exposed marine life and look for turtles, dolphins, dugongs, and sawfish. Later, as the tide returns, the reef disappears beneath the surface in a swirl of eddies and whirlpools.
HORIZONTAL WATERFALLS & TALBOT BAY
See the Horizontal Falls, created as tidal water forces through a narrow gap in the McLarty Ranges. Ride a tender to witness the rushing seawater, described by David Attenborough as one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Explore Talbot Bay in the Buccaneer Archipelago, where rocks date back over two billion years. At Cyclone Creek, view dramatic geological formations, then cruise the Iron Islands past Koolan Island.
Please note: 2026 is the final year tender cruises can pass through the First Gap. From 2027, tenders operate up to the Gap to view peak tidal flows.
THE LACEPEDE ISLANDS
Visit the Lacepede Islands, a class-A nature reserve and vital seabird rookery. Spot brown boobies, roseate terns, pelicans, frigate birds, egrets, and gulls. The islands also serve as an important nesting site for green turtles. If weather and tide allow, explore the lagoons by tender for closer wildlife encounters.
ROWLEY SHOALS
Travel 170 nautical miles offshore to Rowley Shoals, home to three atolls: Clerke, Mermaid, and Imperieuse. Conditions permitting, snorkel, dive, or drift through channels with clear water and striking reef walls. Join guided Xplorer excursions or walk Bedwell Island, habitat for red-tailed tropicbirds.
