The Ultimate Guide To Visiting Horizontal Falls

What are the Horizontal Falls?

The Kimberley coast (and the northwest of Australia) has the highest tides on the continent, with a difference of up to 10 metres between low and high tide. These rapidly changing tides force themselves in and out of this large ocean inlet known as Talbot Bay, located around 250 kilometres from Broome, and consequently fights itself to rush through two small gaps (one 20 metres wide, the other only 10) in the Maclarty Ranges. The result? The Horizontal Falls. While not technically waterfalls, this rush of the changing tide does indeed mean that the water on one side is higher than the other, and that the water flows in different directions – something that is ever-changing depending on the tide flow. These aren’t the only falls of their kind in the world, but they are the deepest and most forceful.

See Horizontal Falls from above. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)

They also hold strong cultural significance to the Traditional Owners of Dambeemangarddee Country, who have lived on this sacred land for 56,000 years. They named this place Lalang-garram: a Worrorra word meaning ‘the saltwater as a spiritual place as well as a place of natural abundance’. And tell of how much of this Country was created by the writhing actions of a female Woongudd Snake. Woongudd’s power is most obvious in the movement of tides and whirlpools in the region, such as at Garaanngaddim (Horizontal Falls). The power of the whirlpools is the constant, visible and real manifestation and reminder of the presence and potency of Lalai (Law.)

“The Lalang-gaddam Marine Park Joint Management Plan is a modern way for us to remember our elders and ancestors," the Traditional Owners shared in a statement. The falls are on Aboriginal Reserve Land, meaning they have exclusive possession native title over the area. As such, local tour operators work with them to ensure visitors here are respectful, such as no longer driving speed boats through the middle of the smaller gap, as it, specifically, is sacred.

How do you get to the Horizontal Falls?

You must book a Horizontal Falls tour, all of which leave from either Broome or Derby. You’ll need to catch a seaplane or helicopter over the approximately 1.8 billion-year-old landscape for about an hour until you reach the falls and land in Talbot Bay. You can find direct flights to Broome from Perth and now Sydney as well. You can fly to Derby from Broome, book a Greyhound Australia bus during the week, or drive 2.5 hours.

Catch a seaplane from Broome or Derby. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)

The best time to visit Horizontal Falls

The tour season is from May to September (depending on the weather and the wet season), while the tides are at their highest and therefore the Horizontal Falls at their most spectacular. While this may be winter, with temperatures typically ranging from 20 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius, it’s actually the perfect time to be in Western Australia.

Horizontal Falls tours

Tour options range from half or full day in and out, to luxury liveaboard packages that include all food and activities. While you’re there, tour activities can include jetboats through the Horizontal Falls, swimming with sharks (you’ll be safe in a glass box), helicopter rides (unmissable), fishing, boat tours around the rest of Talbot Bay and more. Discover all your options at our comprehensive guide to Horizontal Falls tours here.

Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures over Talbot Bay

Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Talbot Bay.

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.

The ultimate guide to visiting Horizontal Falls

A unique natural phenomenon in the striking Kimberleys, Horizontal Falls is an underrated Australian wonder.