Are you looking for a one-of-a-kind adventure in a remote and extraordinary setting? Do you love being immersed in nature? If your answer is yes then the Ord River near Kununurra Western Australia could be the perfect place for you.
You know those experiences that stay with you, the ones that become grand stories and stand as pillars in the fabric of your life? Canoeing the Ord River was one of those special moments for me.
As I made my way across the Kimberley from Broome to Kununurra I met a few travellers who recommended the Ord River Canoe Adventure. After the third stranger mentioned it I could no longer ignore it! I hopped on to Google and the rest was history.
Before we get started, read along below for a quick list of important facts to know about the Ord River before you embark on your adventure.
Quick Facts about the Ord River
- The Ord River is huge – it starts at Mount Wells (west of Purnululu) and ends at the Cambridge Gulf, spanning a length of about 650km
- The Ord River is freshwater, and is home to both freshwater and saltwater crocodiles
- The Upper Ord River (just after Lake Argyle and where you will canoe) is occupied mainly by freshwater crocodiles.
- The stretch of the Ord River from Lake Argyle to Kununurra is designated as a ‘Crocodile Control Zone’ by the WA Government. This means that saltwater crocodiles are rare here, but not unheard of.
- Those choosing to swim and recreate in that stretch of river are urged to always be Crocwise and contact DBCA if you do see a saltwater crocodile.
- Lake Argyle is WA’s largest freshwater man-made reservoir, and the dam was completed in 1971.
- The purpose of the dam was to collect water for use in farmland irrigation, but the original rice crops for export to China failed. Crops are currently grown in the area however Lake Argyle remains significantly under-utilised.
- Water from Lake Argyle is continually released downstream into the rest of the Ord River to ensure that the downstream ecosystems can survive.
Now that you know a little bit more about the Ord River, keep reading to see the list of reasons to embark on the most magical experience of your life. You’ll also find helpful tips on how to book your trip.
1. Hidden Waterfalls
If discovering hidden waterfalls and walking barefoot through a tropical oasis sounds like your idea of fun, then you’ve come to the right place.
There are countless hidden landings amongst the wooded river banks that you can pull your canoe up to and take a well-earned break. Each one has the potential to lead you to an undiscovered creek or waterfall that very few people on earth will ever visit.
We had been told about a place called ‘Herbies Hideaway’ which we thought we had found one afternoon. We got out of our canoes and went for a 2-minute walk to find a beautiful little water hole. So naturally we went in for a quick swim, we floated around for a while taking in all the lush greenery and peaceful sounds.
Some of our canoeing companions were keen to keep heading down the river, so they hopped back in their canoes and went on their way. We were still curious about the spot and couldn’t help but do some more exploring. With only our bathers on, barefoot in the dirt, we climbed up and over the rock ledge and started to follow a narrow earth trail upstream. Every curve in the trail led to a new exotic tree, flower or fruit to spot, and we spied countless intricate spider webs, animal tracks and birds through the trees.
After about 15 minutes of walking, we had found Herbies Hideaway! A huge, layered rock wall with a gentle cascade of water falling over the edge. The waterhole was deep and cold, and we could have sworn we were the first people to ever see it. We sat for a while, we floated in the pool, and we marvelled at the history and abundance of life the place had.
Feeling renewed and in awe, we ambled back to our canoes in search of the next thing to marvel at.
2. Camping on the Banks of the Ord River
Not many people can say that they’ve camped on the banks of the Ord River, but you will be able to after this experience.
The folks at Go Wild have spent over 20 years sharing this beautiful place with visitors… and building awesome riverside camps. As a certified Eco Tourism business, Go Wild have created an experience that marries the best of nature together with environmental best-practices.
All their campsites are self-sufficient and low environmental impact, meaning that they’ve got everything you need in a camp without disturbing the pristine environment you’ve come here to enjoy.
You can expect to find running water, cold water showers, composting drop toilets, campfires and firewood, sleeping platforms (some even have roofs), and awesome camp kitchens with gas BBQs, communal cooking equipment, and picnic tables.
All of the campsites are accessible only by boat – which means you’ll have ultimate tranquillity and seclusion.
3. Huge Ancient Boab Trees
Boab trees are one thing that continually stopped me in my tracks while I was in the Kimberley. The species of boab which grows in Australia are endemic to the region, meaning they can be found nowhere else on earth.
They are stunning to look at with their huge bottle-like trunks, smooth bark and grand stature. It’s like being in the presence of an ancient god. These trees have been a part of life and culture on this earth for many thousands of years, and are a remnant of the time when Australia was joined to the landmass of Africa. Some individual trees are known to be more than 1500 years old. Can you even fathom an individual life form that has lived for over one thousand years?
We stopped at Stonewall Camp and paid a visit to the beautiful boab which sat perched high overlooking the river. We took a little track from the side of the camp out to the tree and were in shock when we arrived. There was something surreal and magical about the presence the tree had. We spent some time in its company and of course did our best to get a photo with it – it was so huge that we had to take a vertical panorama to capture the whole thing! My guess is that this particular tree was many hundreds of years old.
4. Explore a Remote Part of the World That Very Few People Will Ever Visit
I cannot describe enough just how remote and incredible this part of the world is. Given that you can only access the place by boat (or canoe!) it means that very few people will ever get the opportunity to visit in their lifetime.
A car, a plane, not even a bicycle will get you to the banks of the Ord River. You will have the opportunity to be completely consumed by nature, experiencing ultimate calm and true seclusion. There’s nothing but you, a canoe and perhaps some freshwater crocodiles!
5. Cliff Jumping
On our second day of canoeing adventures we came across a gorgeous rock wall rising up out of the river. Located on a wide bend in the river, it was the perfect place to pull up and have a rest for the afternoon.
It didn’t take long until someone realised that it would be a perfect spot to get some adrenaline pumping by jumping right off the top! So of course, being the cautious thrill-seeker that I am, I let the other pair of canoers test the waters below before I took my chances. I climbed right to the top of the cliff and took the leap of faith. It was a split second of free fall before I crashed into the cold deep waters of the Ord below.
If cliff jumping is a bit too chaotic for you, it was still a perfect place to get some sun on the rocks and pop in for a swim to cool down.
6. No Fuss Self-Guided Tour Booking with Go Wild
By now you must be wondering about the logistics – where do you get a canoe and how do you know where to go?
Go Wild Adventure Tours have been running self-guided tours of the upper Ord River for 20 years and have all the knowledge and gear to get you on your way. They are the only tour company offering the adventure, and this is the only way you can access this part of the river. They limit the amount of people they send off in canoes each day which means that no place ever becomes crowded.
Before you embark on the adventure, the ever-excited owner Macca will pick you up from your accommodation, take you out to Lake Argyle where the adventure begins, and give you a detailed briefing. The briefing includes tips on all the places to stop, where each camp is, where the tricky parts of the river are, how to navigate them, and what to do in an emergency or if you want to be picked up early. He will also give you an awesome set of life-sized waterproof maps to make sure you can find all the best spots.
He’ll throw you a few jokes and instill just enough fear and excitement to get you motivated, then give you your canoe, help you secure all your camping gear, make sure you can paddle forward, backwards and in a circle – then wish you on your way!
All gear except for food, water and personal items are supplied, so fear not if you don’t have all your own camping equipment. Head over to their website to find a complete list of all the gear they supply and what you’ll need to bring yourself.
7. Take As Much Time As You Like
Because this adventure is fully self-guided it means that you can take as much time as you like at any place that takes your fancy. It’s likely that when you set out you’ll be with a small group, maybe 2 or 3 other pairs with their own canoes.
But there’s no obligation to stick with the group, and no guarantees that the group will even stick together! There’s so much to see and explore that it’s unlikely the group will naturally stay together anyway. You’ll be staying at the same camp each night so you’ll have an opportunity to re-group around the campfire and share your stories from the day.
So relax, take your time, and immerse yourself in the experience.
8. Go Long or Go Short
Go Wild offer a huge variety of options for all kinds of explorers. You can choose to do a day-trip (no overnight camping), or you can camp for 1 night, 2 nights, or 3 nights.
There are camps dotted all the way down the river, so depending on your level of fitness and how keen you are to be out in the wilderness, you can select the right option for you. The two-day option is a total of 32km, and the entire route from Lake Argyle to Kununurra (4 days) is about 55km.
Go Wild also offer early pick-up for an extra fee, meaning that if you discover halfway through that you’re not as fit as you thought, Macca will come and rescue you early!
9. Sunrise and Sunset Perfection
There aren’t a whole lot of words which can accurately depict the magic that happens at sunrise and sunset on the Ord River. It’s something that you must see to truly believe. The land comes alive in a whole new way when the sun is in its twilight zone, and being witness to that is something which can’t be done justice with words and photos alone.
10. Hidden Streams to Explore
Countless streams and tiny tributaries join the Ord River, giving you endless opportunities to explore. Many of them are very narrow and covered in all directions with lush tropical forest. Your canoe-steering skills that you’ve gained so far will help you weave in and out of overhanging trees branches and reeds rising from the water. A maze full of wildlife with unknown treasures at the end – who knows what you’ll discover!
11. Wildlife Like Nowhere Else In the World
Perhaps part of the reason the Kimberley region is on your travel list is because you want to experience life at it’s most wild and untouched. You can expect nothing less than complete abundance of animals existing in harmony on the Ord River. You can expect to see an endless array of birds, even the elusive bower bird with their impressive bowers, bats, hundreds of different insects and spiders, rock wallabies, eagles, snakes, and freshwater crocodiles.
Despite the existence of crocodiles and having spotted one within the first 5 minutes of our canoeing trek, we went swimming countless times in the upper Ord River. As long as you stay aware of your surroundings and don’t disturb the crocodiles if you see them, you can definitely go swimming in the Ord River.
12. Meet Like-Minded Adventurers
I was a solo traveller when I inquired about canoeing the Ord River. The amazing Go Wild team were so accommodating and offered to set me up in a single canoe if no other solo travellers came along (although this was not their most highly recommended option – they told me that solo canoeing would be pretty tough, especially for a novice!) Luckily for me, there was another solo female traveller hoping to experience the Ord River – so they got us in contact, set us up with the canoes, and away we went together!
Meeting a small group of like-minded travellers who set off down the River at the same time was a great way to bond over our common interest and love of nature.
Sitting in a canoe with a stranger in one of the most pristine places on earth was a bonding experience that I will never forget. We learnt how to navigate rapid river waters together, shared the most stunning sunsets and moments of awe, and got to connect in a way that wouldn’t have been possible in any other situation.
Although fear and uncertainty were gripping me before the trip, I put my trust into the situation and went along anyway – and what a beautiful payoff it was.
13. Satisfy the Calm and the Storm Within You
You’ll experience some high-octane moments when you first head down the river, steering and trying to stay upright through the rush of downstream water. After a few kilometres the fast-flowing water being released from the Lake Argyle spillway starts to peter out and you’ll find yourself floating gently downstream.
If you push on to the third and fourth days, the flow becomes almost non-existent. These are the days when relaxed barely-paddling give way to kilometres of paddle power. To make it all the way back to Kununurra you’ll be getting quite a workout. If you want to avoid most of the hard work, opting for the two-day (one night) option will be best.
If you’re looking for some more adrenaline you could go cliff jumping or conquer your fear of spiders by canoeing through their low hanging webs! You might even consider packing a fishing rod and trying your hand at catching a barra from the canoe.
14. There are Caves to Be Found
When we were ready to take a break from all the paddling, we found a landing to stretch our legs and do some exploring. At one of the stops there was a trail leading up to a big rock ledge above – which we had to go and check out of course. Here we were lucky enough to spot a beautiful bower bird’s bower, perched under a tree in front of some caves – absolutely living up to its name!
The more time you take to look around, the more opportunities you have to discover ancient landforms. If caving or abseiling are something you’d like to try, Go Wild also offer these specialty adventures, head over to their website to browse their list of abseiling and adventure eco-tours.
15. Be completely immersed in nature in one of the most abundant, sacred and remote places in the world
Canoeing the Ord River is the perfect way to get a feel for the beauty of the Kimberley in a very personal way. It’s a place you’ll never want to leave and will always feel a pull to return to.
Respect the Environment and Leave No Trace
The Ord River is a spectacular place which supports a huge abundance of life and complex ecosystems. If you are entering the place, be sure to keep that at the forefront of your mind and respect the land with every step you take.
Ensure that you bring every piece of rubbish out with you, including fruit peels and food scraps. If you see any rubbish around, even if it’s not yours, pick it up and take it with you.
Always follow the instructions of the Go Wild team, respect the land, and do everything you can to leave it even better than you found it for the next visitors.
Do You Have Any Final Thoughts?
If you’re feeling inspired, excited, or have any questions about the Ord River canoeing adventure, reach out in the Comments.