Kimberley & Gibb River Road

Personnaly I would not ever go with a tag along or fully escorted 'Safari' tour. They are all big $$$ and too regimented for my liking - they run on a schedule and only visit to main tourists stops and so miss out on all the 'off the beaten track' spots that we enjoy. if driven to the conditions.

The GRR is quite safe - with plenty of travellers these days and can be done in amost vehicles/caravans.The only advantage I can see with a fully escorted tour is that someone else does the cooking and washing up LOL

By the way, The region is called the Kimberley - so no s's, ies or other add ons it only pees off the locals. As an ex resident of KNX we feel the best time is May/June - any later its too crowded and getting drier and drier - less water in the creeks and the grasses all turning brown

John

While I can understand the possible attraction of a tag-along for inexperienced drivers going into very remote or rugged areas, I can see no benefit in a tag-along on the GRR. When all is said and done its a gravel road, that in the dry season gets quite busy. If you drive to the conditions ie keep the speed down, reduce tyre pressures, you should be fine. That way you can travel at the pace that suits you, see the places you want to see and stop when it suits you. Much better value for $$$!

We have a couple of blogs about out two trips to the Kimberley that might be useful.

Cheers,

Val.

I agree with the above that there is really no need to join a commercial Tag-Along Tour for the Gibb river Road and its environs. Much better to explore at your choice and at your own pace.

A good guide such as Ron Moon's The Kimberley Adventurers Guide available here on the ExplorOz Bookshop and elsewhere is very useful.

Have a great trip.

I've done plenty of Tag-along-tours that have taken me to locations that I would never have considered going or worked out how to get there.

As the others above have said the GRR is an easy run and most of the places are easily accessible. We did it and most of the Kimberley by ourselves and found it very enjoyable and no problems at all.

The advantage of doing the Kimberley/GRR in a Tag-along is the comaraderie of being in a group, the safety in numbers aspect, if you have a problem - it's a problem shared, and most tour guides would really know the area well and may be able to show you aspects of the region that a casual observer may miss.

The down side is that they are expensive, you are following somebody elses taillights, go where your told and when with little or no flexibility, you can get frustrated by 2-way chatter, and the slow speed of some of your travelling companions, and in many cases you self-cater.

As said I've done a stack and have had an absolute ball and met some fantastic people and many are now friends.

If in doubt give the company you have your eye on and grill them as to what you'll be getting for your money.
At the end of the day it's your money and your choice.

Last year after trying to arrange a group of friends to do the Simpson with we gave up and instead went with a tag a long. There are some areas where you should not go on your own and I think the Simpson is one of those.

We ended up going with Voyager 4x4 Adventures, who were fantastic. I can not recommend them enough. (http://www.voyager4x4adventures.com.au)

For us it was about safety and also sharing the trip with a group of like minded people. It ended up being a good thing we did as well. On our way out of Innaminca (after the Simpson thankfully) our engine blew. At times like that it is great to have the support from a professional tag along group to help you out.

My advise would be to consider a tag along. But ask them plenty of questions before committing to ensure they meet your needs (ie family friendly? driving pace, etc)

Planning to do the Simpson again this year, but this time with a group of friends.

Regards

Geoff

Agree with most, you do not need to be with a tag a long group for the Kimberley. Lots of people about and really not that remote anymore.
You could also just ask a fellow traveller if they would mind if you travelled with them. That happened to us. A couple we got to talk to, as you do when travelling, asked if they could join us for a few days on some of the side roads/tracks as they were new to four wheel driving. They stayed with us for 2 weeks and we all became good friends and in fact we are meeting up in June and doing the red centre together.
If the roads are slow to open on the Gibb River Road and side roads/tracks when you are heading there, you could do what we did last year. We left Kununurra and followed the highway to Broome and then came back via the Gibb. That way everywhere was open by the time we got there. Lots to see via the Highway also, Bungle Bungles, Wolf Creek etc.
Kevin