The Berkeley River Lodge, Kimberley Australiafeatured
If you are looking to experience the Australian Outback in style, with a touch of luxury, The Berkeley River Lodge in Western Australia Kimberley Coast is a great place to start. It is probably Australia’s most remote luxury lodge. It’s only accessible by air and getting to it is an adventure in itself. A small private plane will take you there from Darwin in 1 hour and 45 minutes. It lands on a tiny airstrip and the second you take a step out of the plane you get to experience the dust, the heat and the incredible beauty of the bright red earth that will cover you right up.
The Berkeley River Lodge resort is located about 150km from the nearest populated area, the small town of Wyndham, which is a port established in 1886 as a result of a gold rush. Otherwise, you can fly here from Kununurra, 250km away, a larger regional center with plenty outdoor things to do!
Martin and Kim Peirson-Jones have built The Berkeley River Lodge in 2012, they say as “a challenge”. All the materials for its construction were brought here by a sea barge and a seaplane. They have managed to create this incredible place with fully self-contained infrastructure that provides a luxury experience whilst being eco-friendly. You will not only indulge yourself with the tranquility of the land but also the exquisite cuisine and high-end service. Each villa is built in such a way that you get to enjoy the panoramic views of the wildernesses in the comfort of your private verandah. The villas are solar-powered and your modern bathroom is set up under the open skies of the Kimberley. In your spare time, have a cocktail by the pool overlooking the Timor Sea and the mountain range!
If you visit this area at the end of the rainy season in April you will see the beautiful waterfalls all around but if you come in a dry season, as we did in September, you will get to trek across them and maybe stand under one or two!
Even if you are not a fan of fishing, you will become one! If you are lucky enough, you can catch a large barramundi that the chef can prepare for dinner. The resort guarantees that you will enjoy it if not on the same night then definitely the next! The Lodge offers river fishing as part of the package but we highly recommend to try heli-fishing tours. Heli-fishing will take you to several very remote locations. Here you can net some bait fish and pray to the fishing gods for that elusive “Barra” to cross off your bucket list in the “Top End”! Besides the fishing, the tranquility of the place is extraordinary.
A definite highlight would be taking the ultimate Kimberley heli-tour. I personally came to believe that seeing this land from the ground does not give it justice. This is one of the last true wilderness areas on Earth where there is no civilization in sight and no roads that lead there. You will visit majestic gorges and remote crystal clear swimming water holes. For a perfect end to the day, they will land you on top of Mount Casuarina for a sunset of a lifetime!
If you are seeking a more relaxing time passing, take a cruise along the Berkley River. Check out the incredible rock formations and spot a saltwater crocodile alone your journey. Then look out for the Raptors that rule the sky here! This one was an Osprey.
Finish the day with a sunset beach drive exploring the ancient Aboriginal land, learning about the culture and traditions, and enjoying incredible views of this remote, almost untouched paradise.
The lodge will also organize tours for you both by foot and by air to see Aboriginal Rock Paintings. Although nobody knows the exact date, researchers believe that rock art ranges from 4,000 to 40,000 years old. I recommend some prior research into Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) rock paintings so that you can ask plenty of questions on the day!
For the best experience atThe Berkeley River Lodge :
What to Pack:
Before your trip, The Berkeley River Lodge will kindly send you a small bag in which to pack your clothes. You can only take 10 kg per person onto the small plane so pack light and no white clothes! The iconic Red Dust will turn these Red in seconds… and they will stay Red. During the day you will need conformable gear for adventure but at night you will have an opportunity to dress up and have your dinner in style. You can even ask the resort to pick you up from your villa if you are inclined to put the high heels on! Also, make sure you have something to swim in, something to trek in and something to cover you from the sun. We have learned that you can get sunburned here even through your shirt! It is a Safari-style adventure, pack accordingly!
Camera gear:
Bring everything! If you are coming in April, don’t forget your tripod for a long exposure of waterfalls, otherwise its handy for your general sunset timelapse. If you are not taking heli-tours, bring a drone, small one. This land is incredible from the air, it will amaze you. Take at long lens if you fancy wildlife, saltwater crocodiles are in abundance!
You can also spot raptors mid-flight or by their nests on the cliffs. Otherwise, a wide-angle lens would be your best friend. It’s very dusty, I would pack plenty of cleaning material. I also shot a lot using my iPhone from the helicopter, the doors don’t come off but you get a small side window. Take a small dry bag for your camera. There is an opportunity on the hiking trail to swim across a small waterhole to reach Aboriginal rock art. You will need to swim with your camera or phone.
Communication:
There is no phone reception. Bring a satellite phone for the urgent calls, otherwise, relax and unwind away from connectivity! Resort has limited Wi-Fi in the main lodge but you are unlikely to succeed with your Instagram updates.