Spirit of the Kimberley: Aboriginal tours that connect you to country

The Guardian

22-05-2025

Planning a trip to Western Australia's North West? Whether you're mapping out your dream Kimberley adventure or already travelling through this ancient and extraordinary region, now is the time to add an Aboriginal experience to your itinerary. With Aboriginal guides sharing generations of cultural knowledge, these experiences offer a rare chance to understand the land and the rich history of Aboriginal people.
The North West is one of Australia's most otherworldly and remarkable places – a land of red cliffs, turquoise waters, towering rainforests and dramatic ranges carved by time. And beneath it all are stories more than 60,000 years old, still lived, shared and passed on today by traditional custodians.
Across the region, Aboriginal-owned tour companies are creating immersive cultural experiences for travellers of all ages and interests – from hands-on foraging adventures to luxury outback wellness escapes. Whether you're based in Broome or heading inland to the Bungle Bungle Range, these are three standout experiences to add to your North West journey.
Mabu Buru Tours, Broome. Photo credit: Jarrad Seng.
Just outside Broome, Johani Mamid – a proud Yawuru, Karrajarri, Nyul Nyul and Bardi man – leads a unique experience along the mangrove-lined creeks and tidal mudflats of Yawuru country. The Binba Mayi coastal foraging tour with Mabu Buru Tours invites guests to jump into their own 4WD and tag along with Johani and his team for a day of traditional hunting and gathering.
The exact location and length of each tour depends on the tides and weather, but what's guaranteed is the opportunity to reconnect to nature, get muddy, go off-track and learn directly from Yawuru hosts about traditional foraging techniques. You and your travel companions might dig for mud crabs, collect mangrove snails or try your hand at fishing with a handline, all while hearing stories of culture, country and the deep knowledge that has sustained Aboriginal people for millennia.
After a few hours on the flats and through the mangroves, the tour culminates in a beachfront cook-up, where the catch of the day is served with damper and bush honey. Over a shared meal, Johani encourages open conversation about Yawuru culture, history and connection to place – making this not just a tour, but also a cultural exchange.
Island Hopping Cultural Tour with Oolin Sunday Island Culture, Dampier Peninsula. Photo credit: Jarrad Seng.
For those heading north to the Dampier Peninsula, a day on the water with Oolin Sunday Island Tours is a look into the Bardi Jawi connection to the sea. Operated by Rosanna Angus, a proud Jawi woman with ancestral ties to Sunday Island, this tour explores one of the most culturally rich and environmentally significant marine parks in Australia.
Departing from the Ardyaloon community, the tour navigates the sparkling waters of the Buccaneer Archipelago, a region known for its pristine coastlines and rich biodiversity. As guests travel through Pearl Passage and visit places such as Goodngarngoon (place of running water), Rosanna shares stories of her family's life on Sunday Island during the mission era, as well as traditional Dreaming stories passed down through generations.
The tour blends cultural storytelling with environmental insight, showcasing the area's importance as a nursery for humpback whales and dolphins, and its spiritual significance to the Bardi Jawi people. It's an opportunity to explore remote, unspoiled places and hear the ancient stories that live in every tide and rock formation.
Hiking through Purnululu National Park, Kingfisher Tours. Photo credit: Jarrad Seng.
Deep in the East Kimberley, the striped domes of Purnululu National Park – known as the Bungle Bungles – rise from the landscape like a geological dream. For visitors wanting to experience this world heritage site with traditional custodians, Kingfisher Tours provides several memorable ways to explore.
The women's wellness tour Women on Country, with Kingfisher guide Bec Sampi, is a standout. Designed exclusively for women and grounded in traditional practices, this overnight experience, run by an all-female team, includes a muntha (smoking ceremony), bush botanical healing sessions and time to connect with country through guided walks and storytelling.
For those seeking a different type of adventure, the Broome to Purnululu Fly/4WD/Trek day tour is a seamless way to explore the Bungles with cultural depth and minimal effort. The day begins with a scenic flight from Broome to Halls Creek, continuing over the Osmond Ranges and into Purnululu. On arrival, you'll be welcomed with a traditional muntha ceremony before setting off on a guided 4WD tour through the iconic beehive formations and into Cathedral Gorge.
Aboriginal guides share Dreaming stories that bring the dramatic landscape to life, and guests enjoy bush tucker-inspired refreshments throughout the day – from damper and bush honey to an afternoon cheese board in the gorge. The experience ends with a flight back to Broome, arriving in time for sunset over Cable Beach (Walmanyjun).
Kingfisher Tours. Photo credit: Jarrad Seng.
What makes these experiences so memorable is not just the beauty of the places you visit, but the depth of cultural connection they offer. Each tour is shaped by the perspective of traditional custodians who know the land in ways no map can explain. Whether you're gathering crabs with Johani in Broome, listening to Rosanna's stories on the waters of the Buccaneer Archipelago, or walking country with Bec in Purnululu National Park, you're invited to see Western Australia's North West through a new lens.
These are not just tours – they are opportunities to listen, learn and walk alongside the world's oldest living culture. Whether you're planning ahead or already travelling through the Kimberley, they're experiences that should be on the top of your list.
Discover more at westernaustralia.com.