The Bungle Bungle Adventure Route is a 200 km overland adventure that takes you deep into Purnululu National Park, following dirt tracks that wind through the park’s striking beehive-shaped domes and hidden gorges. Along the way, you'll discover ancient landscapes, quiet riverbeds, and panoramic lookouts. It’s an immersive journey for those ready to embrace the raw beauty of the Australian outback.
Photo Credit: Tourism WA
Route Overview
Trip Length & Season
Adventure Rating: Epic Trip Length: 196 km, 1.5-3 days Season: The best to visit is during the dry season of April to November (subject to weather and road conditions). The park is closed to vehicular access from December to March, when flooding is common.
Digital Maps & GPX Files
Technical Ratings & Terrain
Recommended Vehicle / Moto / Adventure Vans
Fuel, Provisions, and Recommended Gear
Alternative Routes
Camping Recommendations
Discovery Points
Land Managers & Other Resources
Permits & Papers
Route Details
Around 700 km south of Australia's Top End (Australia's northern coast) lies the extremely remote Purnululu National Park within the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, and the Kija and Djaru people also call the area their ancestral home. In fact, the surreal and rugged Bungle Bungle Range is considered a spiritual site to the original inhabitants of the land. Purnululu comes from the Kija word for sandstone foundations. These massive beehive-shaped sandstone formations are referred to as the Bungle Bungles, and the park is often informally called Bungle Bungle National Park. With only 30-40,000 visitors each year, it's not difficult to find solitude exploring the park’s many hiking trails. The park is filled with gorges, narrow chasms, oddly shaped rock formations, and lies within the semi-arid savannah woodlands.
For overlanders who enjoy exploring outside of their vehicles, the Bungle Bungle Adventure Route is the perfect destination in one of the Kimberley’s lesser-visited regions. And for folks traveling the Gibb River Road, this is a great way to prolong your off-roading adventure! Out here, the best sites can only be reached on foot. But good news—many of the park's most impressive sites require only a short walk, often less than a couple of kilometers. The roads leading into and through the park are wide dirt tracks. While there are a few sections that can be a bit rocky, it's the corrugations you need to be on the lookout for! These can range from mild to bone-shaking, depending on when the roads were last graded.
The route is divided into two sections: a northern section that will take you to sites like the Bloodwoods and Mini Palms Gorge, and a southern section, where the infamous Bungle Bungles and Cathedral Gorge can be found. For the sake of this guide, we'll follow the direction of the GPX file, which takes visitors to the northern section first. Out here, the Bloodwoods are a highlight of the park, essentially a eucalyptus forest. Palms also flourish in the various canyons and gorges, and a walk to Mini Palms Gorge (discovery point) is a must-do on this end of the park. In fact, we'd recommend setting aside 2-3 hours to explore the various discovery points along the Escarpment Trail.
Looping around to the southern end of the park, Elephant Rock (discovery point) marks your near arrival to the Bungle Bungles. These beehive-shaped sandstone formations are one of Australia's most photographed and iconic locations. The Domes Walk meanders between the crevices that separate the Bungle Bungles. Not far from the Domes Walk sits Cathedral Gorge (discovery point), an impressive canyon with towering sandstone cliffs. Just keep in mind, these were—and still are—sacred sites to the Aboriginal custodians of the land. It's vital that we treat such locations with an extra sense of respect and gratitude for being afforded the opportunity to visit. Further down the trail lies the Window (discovery point), a hole in the sandstone that doubles as a window and is a favorite photo location among visitors. And for those feeling super adventurous, consider the hike to Piccaninny Gorge, which can take nearly an entire day to complete!
For the Kija and Djaru peoples, sunset holds spiritual significance. And if you're lucky enough to experience a sunset over the Bungle Bungles, it's not difficult to understand the cultural importance of the setting sun over the magnificent domes. Some of the best locations to view the sunset are the various sunset lookouts in and around Walardi Campground.
Purnululu National Park is best experienced when taking ample time to explore and experiences its many wonders. Whether it’s a quiet walk through Cathedral Gorge or watching the sun dip behind the domes, moments like these remind you why places like Purnululu are worth the detour deep into the outback.
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