14 of the most incredible Broome tours

Kassia ByrnesBy Kassia Byrnes
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Drag yourself away from the beach for the day on a Broome tour and you’ll be rewarded with some truly amazing experiences.

This seaside country town might be small, but it has a mighty history and even mightier modern-day experiences. To really understand how it came to be – from its multi-cultural food scene to its wild pearling history – these Broome tours are a must.

Be sure to contact tour providers before you go, as tours can be very dependent on the weather and the seasons, thanks to rapidly changing tides.

1. Broome And Around Tours

First things first, get situated and familiar with Broome on a Panoramic Town Bus Tour with Broome and Around Tours. Do this right at the start of your trip to get all the local knowledge on where to eat, where to find local art, secret swimming spots and a good overview of the fascinating and brutal history of Broome.

Broome And Around Tours
Get a Broome overview on a Panoramic Town Bus Tour. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Mabu Buru Broome Aboriginal Tours

Your second stop should be Mabu Buru Broome Aboriginal Tours for the Cable Beach Cultural Talk with local Yawuru, Karrajarri, Nyul Nyul, Bardi man, Johani. Meet on the famous Cable Beach where he will walk you through some local Indigenous history and customs, a song performance, and he’ll even help you find the hidden-in-plain-sight dinosaur footprints left in the rocks. More than a tour, however, this is a conversation during which Johani creates a safe space for asking, learning and sharing.  

Mabu Buru Broome Aboriginal Tours 
Share local knowledge, culture and insights with Johani. (Image: Jarrod Saw)

3. Red Sun Camels

Have you even been to Broome if you didn’t ride a camel? It may be an iconic tourist activity, but it’s also a whole lot of fun. There are multiple tour providers who will line up along the beach in the mornings and at sunset, but our pick is Red Sun Camels for their friendly staff, relaxing atmosphere and camels that are far less smelly than some others (trust me on this one).

Red Sun Camels, Broome
Tick off a Broome bucketlist experience with Red Sun Camels. (Image: Kassia Byrnes )

4. Moontide Distillery Tour

While there are a million gorgeous views to stop at on tours around Broome, beverage aficionados will be pleased to know Moontide Distillery is leading the way in craft liquor, even boasting a few awards for their unique gin flavours – like The Pearler’s Gin, crafted with actual oyster mantle. Take a tour to see the behind-the-scenes action, or just have a tasting with nibbles.

Moontide Distillery, Broome
See how the gin is made, then test it out in the tasting room. (Image: Kassia Byrnes )

5. Matso’s Brewery Tour

Speaking of craft brews, Matso’s Mango Beer is a staple on the taps of pubs around Western Australia, and it all started in Broome. A brewery and a restaurant, you can book in for a tour and then sit down to an award-winning lunch.

Matso’s Brewery Tour, Broome
Treat yourself to a Mango beer at the end of your tour.

6. Broome Tours Mudcrabbing Adventure

To brag about catching your own dinner, you can join a Mud Crabbing Adventure with Broome Tours. Follow your guide through the mangroves of Roebuck Bay on a hunt for the prized Kimberley Mud Crab, then cook up your catch for the freshest of seafood lunches. Be prepared to get dirty as you leave the catamaran and wade in shallow water, and also be aware that this tour is weather dependent. 

Broome Tours Mudcrabbing Adventure
Catch your own fresh seafood lunch with Broome Tours.

7. Broome Tours Sunset Cruise

Join Broome Tours for the mud crabbing, but stay for a Sunset Cruise along Cable Beach to catch the shoreline from a different perspective. Broome subsets have not been overhyped, and an unforgettable way to experience it is with a beverage in hand, being served snacks, while sitting on the back of a 42-foot catamaran.

The crew know many Broome tours require concentration, so they’re here to bring the chill vibes and relaxed fun – you can even go swimming in a boom net off the back of the boat (April to early October).

Broome Tours Sunset Cruise
Jump onboard a 42-foot catamaran and sail into the sunset. (Image: Kassia Byrnes )

8. Salty Plum Social

Thanks to the unique immigration history in Broome, it’s an unexpected foodie haven. Locals are more than happy to offer up their favourites, but a Small Bar Walking Tour of Broome’s historic Chinatown with Salty Plum Social is the perfect way to hit all the best spots in one afternoon.

Eat, drink, walk and talk your way through the town, discovering the truly unique background of the area, stopping along the way for drinks and canapes.

Salty Plum Social Broome Chinatown tour
Eat, drink, walk and talk your way through Chinatown. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

9. Horizontal Falls

Described by David Attenborough as “one of the greatest natural wonders in the world", the Horizontal Falls near Broome are caused by the rise and fall of the tides, as water rushes to get through two narrow gaps into the seas beyond.

Join Horizontal Falls Adventures to see this phenomenon from all angles – from your seaplane flight into Talbot Bay, to a jet boat ride through the falls themselves and even a swim with the Tawny Sharks that call this area home.

There’s a huge range of tour options, from day tours to the brand new luxury overnight epic during which you stay aboard The Jetwave Pearl and get to see this incredible part of The Kimberleys at all times of day.

Horizontal Falls Adventures, Broom tours
Zoom through “one of the greatest natural wonders in the world". (Image: Kassia Byrnes )

10. Pearl Luggers Tour

If you don’t have time to visit Willie Creek Pearl Farm 38 kilometres north of Broome, you can still get an insight into the wild history of pearling in Broome on their Pearl Luggers Tour , located in Chinatown. Hold a pearl, taste pearl meat, hold original diving gear and even see a fully rigged and restored pearl lugger, originally built in 1903.

Willie Pearl Farm Pearl Luggers Tour
See a fully rigged and restored pearl lugger.

11. Broome Dinosaur Adventures

Before there were people in Broome, there were dinosaurs, and you can’t leave without discovering the evidence they left behind. Journey across Roebuck Bay with Broome Dinosaur Adventures’ Dinosaur Adventure Tour . Explore secluded bays, creek inlets and beaches to find 120 million-year-old dinosaur tracks, with cocktails, of course.

You’ll need a moderate level of fitness for the walking portions of this tour and be sure to pack your reef shoes. Tour dates depend on the tides.

Cable Beach dinosaur footprints
Jump on a Dinosaur Adventure Tour at low tide to find evidence of dinosaurs. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)

12. Broome Trike Tours

Bikes and buses are nothing new; but a trike or better yet, being chauffeured in a limo trike is certainly unique. This is one of the options with Broome Trike Tours , which takes guests around the local area. Other tour options include meeting crocodiles at the Croc Feeding Tour at Malcolm Douglas Wildlife Park and taste-testing bush tucker .

13. Broome Aviation Tours

This is The Kimberleys for the time poor: Broome Aviation’s Gorgeous Gorges Tour is a full-day adventure – starting and ending in Broome – that encompasses the region’s must-dos, with scenic flights over gorges, waterfalls, red ranges and remote islands that make up the Buccaneer Archipelago.

But what makes this experience so special is the opportunity to travel on land too. Among the many stops is Windjana Gorge, home to the revered Johnstone River Crocodile and an ancient reef system that’s significant to geologists. Passengers can cool off with a swim at Bell Gorge waterfall.

Bell Gorge
Stop for a swim at Bell Gorge waterfall. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
This article has been updated, the original version was written by Tawnee Rothe.
Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
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7 Kimberley experiences that need to be on your bucket list

    Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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    From thundering waterfalls to ancient Indigenous art, Kimberley’s raw beauty will take your breath away.

    Wild, pristine, and shaped by nature, the Kimberley Coast is one of Australia’s most spectacular landscapes. A remote and rugged frontier that remains a bucket list destination for many travellers. Its most breathtaking attractions – including Montgomery Reef, King George Falls and Horizontal Falls – are accessible only by sea or air, making a guided expedition cruise aboard Silversea’s luxury expedition ship, Silver Cloud, the ideal way to explore it.

    From its intricate intertidal zones to ancient rock art, extreme tides and rare wildlife found nowhere else in Australia – or the world – this journey offers an unparalleled exploration of one of Earth’s last true wildernesses.

    Why Silversea?

    Silversea offers a 10-day expedition departing Broome, or an extended 16-day expedition voyage from Indonesia, including landings on the hidden gems of Palopo Sulawesi and Komodo. Accompanied by expert guides and specialists in marine biology, history and geology, guests gain a deeper understanding of the Kimberley’s dramatic landscapes, rich cultural heritage and extraordinary biodiversity.

    Silversea offers one of the experiential travel industry’s leading crew-to-guest ratios. Along with all-suite accommodation (80 per cent with private verandah), 24-hour butler service, a swimming pool and four dining options. Silver Cloud also has an experienced crew of multilingual expedition guides and specialists in marine biology, history and geology to enhance your Kimberley Experience.

    silversea cruise ship pool deck
    Take a dip in the pool deck.

    1. Koolama Bay

    ​​Before visitors see King George Falls, they hear them – a growing rumble in the distance, steady and foreboding as the Zodiac glides through the gorge, the sound echoing off sheer rock formations. At 80 meters tall, the twin cascades carve through the red cliffs, churning the waters below in a spectacular finale – but Koolama Bay holds secrets beyond its striking scenery.

    Named after a ship that beached here following an aerial attack by Japanese bombers in World War II, the bay may seem desolate, yet it teems with life. With Silversea’s expert guides on their 10-day Kimberley itinerary, guests gain a sharper eye for its hidden wonders – rock wallabies darting across the cliffs, crocodiles lurking among dense green mangroves, and high above, the silhouette of a bird of prey circling the sky.

    King George Falls at koolama bay excursion on Silversea Kimberley Cruise
    Take a shore excursion to see King George Falls.

    2. Freshwater Cove / Wijingarra Butt Butt

    Connect with Country on a wet landing at Freshwater Cove, also known as Wijingarra Butt Butt. Considered one of the most special experiences on both the 16-day and 10-day Kimberley cruises, Silversea guests are welcomed by the traditional Indigenous custodians of the land, painted with traditional ochre, and invited to take part in a smoking ceremony.

    Located on the mainland near Montgomery Reef, Wijingarra Butt Butt holds deep cultural significance to the local Indigenous community. Here, rock formations along the shore represent spiritual ancestors, and guests are guided to a nearby rock overhang filled with ancient art, where traditional owners share the stories and meaning behind these sacred paintings.

    welcome to country on freshwater cove during silversea kimberley cruise
    Take part in a smoking ceremony. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

    3. Vansittart Bay (Jar Island)

    Modern history, ancient culture and mystery converge in Vansittart Bay, which is also known as Jar Island. Here, the first thing to catch the eye is the dented, silver fuselage of a World War II-era C-53 plane – a striking relic of the past. Yet, the true cultural treasures lie just a short hike away where two distinct styles of Indigenous rock art – Gwion Gwion and Wandjina – can be found.

    The Wandjina figures, deeply connected to Indigenous traditions, stand in stark contrast to the enigmatic Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) paintings, which date back more than 12,000 years. Significantly different in form and style, the two different styles create a striking juxtaposition, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s rich and complex past.

    aerial view of Vansittart Bay, See it in you Silversea Kimberley Cruise.
    Explore ancient Gwion Gwion rock art at Vansittart Bay. (Image: Janelle Lugge)

    4. Horizontal Falls

    Part illusion, part natural phenomenon, the Kimberley’s much-lauded Horizontal Falls aren’t a waterfall, but a tidal and geographic spectacle that visitors have to see to comprehend. Known as Garaanngaddim, the phenomenon occurs when seawater rushes through two narrow gaps- one just twenty metres wide, and the other seven metres in width, between the escarpments of Talbot Bay.

    With each tidal shift,  the force of the water creates whirlpools, furious currents and the illusion of a horizontal cascade as thousands of gallons of water are pushed and pulled in through the gap every six hours with relentless movement, making this one of the Kimberley ’s most mesmerising natural wonders.

    Horizontal Falls are described as "One of the greatest wonders of the natural world". They are formed from a break in-between the McLarty Ranges reaching up to 25m in width. The natural phenomenon is created as seawater builds up faster on one side of the gaps than the other, creating a waterfall up to 5m high on a King tide.
    Watch whirlpools and furious currents collide. (Image: Janelle Lugge)

    5. Montgomery Reef

    As the tide turns in Montgomery Reef, magic happens. With the Kimberley’s legendary tides varying up to ten metres, at low tide the submerged reef almost appears to rise from the depths: exposing up to four metres of the sandstone reef.

    The impact is otherworldly: as the water drains, waterfalls cascade on either side of the channel,  turtles left exposed scramble and dive, and fish leap in search of sanctuary in shallow pools. Meanwhile, the dinner bell rings for the migratory seabirds dugongs, reef sharks and dolphins that scavenge and feast in the area.

    Using zodiacs, guests cruise through one of the world’s most significant inshore reef systems navigated by experienced guides, exploring the most intricate and fascinating parts of a 300-square-kilometre-wide biodiversity hotspot.

    aerial view of boat going along Montgomery Reef
    Witness seabirds, dolphins and reef sharks on the hunt.

    6. Mitchell Falls by Helicopter

    Experiencing the Kimberley by sea allows you to feel the power of the tides, but travelling by helicopter reveals the sandstone tapestry of the Kimberley, a landscape geologists believe is over 1.8 billion years old.

    One of Silversea’s most popular optional excursions , guests who opt to fly into the interior from the onboard helipad soar up above the rust-coloured landscape of the Mitchell plateau, taking in one of Australia’s most scenic waterfalls: Mitchell Falls, a series of four emerald-coloured pools gently cascades into each other, before plunging down to the river below.

    Seeing the landscape from above reveals a landscape weaved and shaped by the power of the freshwater wet season, juxtaposed to the constant lapping of the relentless and powerful tide on the coast.

    aerial view of mitchell falls on silversea helicopter excursion
    See emerald pools cascade into the river below. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

    7. Indigenous Art Caves, Wandjina Art

    The Kimberley Region of Western Australia is home to some of the most striking and significant

    Indigenous rock art in Australia. Dotted throughout the landscape are caves, cliffs and rock overhangs depicting the striking, ethereal image of Wandjina, the rainmaker spirit and creation being central to many of the Dreamtime stories in this region.

    Some of the paintings are regularly repainted by traditional custodians, while others are believed to be over 4,000 years old. Each artwork serves as both a cultural record and a living connection to the past, offering a rare opportunity to engage with the enduring traditions of the Kimberley’s Indigenous communities.

    Freshwater Cover Rock Art the kimberleys
    Walk among cultural records preserved in stone. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

    See the best of this incredible part of the world on a Silversea Kimberley cruise. Book your 10- or extended 16-day expedition voyage at silversea.com