A tent, but not as we know it

Day one of glamping and I woke up to a dawn chorus of Kimberley birdlife followed by the sight of glowing red rocks at sunrise, all without leaving my tent bed. To be clear, it’s not really a tent; yes, it’s canvas with flaps but the spacious wooden-floored mini-chalet came with a very comfortable bed (two singles or a double is an option), oversized bathroom with rain shower, and private veranda to watch the sun go down. Every wilderness lodge had plentiful friendly staff - with porters to do the heavy lifting - and for those who can’t do without connectivity, wi-fi was available but varied in quality from patchy to vastly superior Starlink.

What surprised me most

The food. The day begins with all-you-can-eat BBQ breakfasts from first light, with barista coffee and piles of fruit. On the road, there was a variety of tasty pre-prepared lunches and we also stopped off for steak at El Questro Station (pictured) and afternoon tea with homestead-made scones, jam and cream at Ellenbrae Station (they bake 20,000 over the course of a five-month season). Each night there was a three-course gourmet dinner, proudly introduced by the head chef. This included deep-fried crumbed camembert, poached local threadfin salmon, duck confit, apple and pear tart, and bread baked daily (the rye and fennel was as good as I’ve found in any artisan bakery). There was Margaret River wine, a selection of beers and Broome gin to imbibe around the camp fire. How do they do it 500km and a world away from fresh produce and a supermarket?  Total reliance on once-a-week off-road food truck deliveries. 

Glad I packed...

Swimmers and reef shoes for the waterholes and hot springs, hiking shoes for rock scrambling up dry creeks to waterfalls and through gorges, something warm for desert nights (especially at the Bungle Bungle lodge, pictured), a torch for the surreal experience of Tunnel Creek and, more practically, to spot snakes on the trail getting back to the tent after dinner.

Be Kimberley curious 

The region’s story, ancient and modern, is remarkable; from possibly the world’s oldest known human occupation through to diamond and gold prospectors and cattle pioneers of the 19th century. Guides were passionate and wonderfully knowledgeable and particularly effusive on the history of the Kimberley’s Indigenous tribes, their fight for survival and their storied rock art.

Talk the walk

Hikes through Emma Gorge, up to Mitchell Falls (pictured) and in the unique Bungle Bungle Range required a reasonable level of fitness but the pace was set to suit the least active. It provided every opportunity to engage with fellow travellers, compare experiences, tell travel tales and Insta-brag photos at the wilderness lodge that evening. My tour party of 19 soon had a WhatsApp group going, so if I missed the photo of the day (crocs pose motionless but soaring sea eagles don’t) someone else had probably captured the moment.

Glamping by truck

I developed a love-hate relationship with the big bus, our home on-the-road for two weeks. Loved the fact it can traverse a metre of water, absorb just about anything the dusty, corrugated Gibb River Road threw at it, and that it provided hot tea and iced water all day. The TV screen showcased a head-on camera to put passengers in the driver’s seat but also provided for a screening of the movie, Australia, filmed largely around the Kimberley’s El Questro station and Cockburn Ranges. The tyranny of distance required one 10-hour day on the road, so even that movie was a welcome distraction.

Look up for...

birds of prey, fruit trees you won’t find anywhere else in Australia and best of all, star-filled night skies - wilderness lodges offer total darkness.

Look down for..

Tree frogs in the toilet. I was assured flushing them away just returns them to their natural habitat. 

Look out and listen for...

Feral cats, emus, unique bird calls, night-time howling dingoes. 

The writer was a guest of APT Luxury Travel at Bell Creek, Mitchell Falls and Bungle Bungle Range wilderness lodges.   

See also:

• 6 unforgettable experiences completely unique to Perth
• Best camping trips near Perth
• 10 ways to stay, play (and save) in Perth
• All the amazing stuff you're missing in WA right now