Gibb River Road: Derby to Kununurra
About 660 km of mostly unsealed outback track through the Kimberley, with gorges, swimming holes and cattle stations. A dry-season trip only (roughly May to September), best with a 4WD.
- Distance
- 1,130 km (702 mi)
- Driving
- 12 h 19 min
- Suggested days
- 6
- Stops
- 11
- States
- Western Australia
- Updated
- April 26, 2026
At a glance: 6-day road trip of about 1,130 km (702 mi) with 11 stops, from Derby to Kununurra. About 12 h 19 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Western Australia
Route description
Day 1: stock up in Derby, then drive east on the sealed Derby Highway onto the Gibb River Road. The route is almost 660 km long, mostly formed gravel with corrugations and water crossings, and 4WD is recommended; it is usually closed in the wet season. After about 140 km take the road to Windjana Gorge and camp there, so you can walk the gorge early the next morning. Carry spare tyres, extra fuel and water.
Day 2: walk Windjana Gorge at first light while freshwater crocodiles are on the sandbanks, then drive about 35 km to Tunnel Creek and wade through its 750 m tunnel with a torch. Return to the Gibb River Road and continue to Silent Grove for Bell Gorge, a tiered waterfall with a deep swimming pool. The road is rough and slow; allow a full day and do not drive after dark.
Days 3 and 4: continue east to Mount Barnett Roadhouse, where you register and pay for Manning Gorge and its camping area; the walk to the falls takes about an hour each way, including a short swim. Fuel and basic supplies are limited along this stretch, so confirm what is open. For Mitchell Falls, the Kalumburu Road branches north and the Mitchell Plateau track is 4WD-only; allow two or three extra days.
Days 5 and 6: the eastern end passes the Pentecost River crossing and the Cockburn Range, then leads to the El Questro area, where a park permit is needed and many tracks are 4WD-only. Walk to Emma Gorge, about 1.6 km each way, early to beat the heat. Finish by joining the Great Northern Highway and driving about 100 km to Kununurra, with sealed road, fuel, shops and showers.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Derby
Western Australia - 28 km
Prison Boab Tree
HistoryDerby, Western AustraliaA huge hollow boab by the Great Northern Highway south of Derby, estimated to be well over a thousand years old. In the 1890s it was used as an overnight holding place for Aboriginal prisoners being walked to Derby, a sobering stop.
- 3171 km
Windjana Gorge (Bandilngan)
NatureFitzroy Crossing, Western AustraliaThe Lennard River has cut a 3.5 km gorge through a 375-million-year-old Devonian reef, with limestone walls up to about 30 m high. Dozens of freshwater crocodiles bask on the sandbanks. Open in the dry season only, roughly April to November; keep your distance from the water.
- 432 km
Tunnel Creek
NatureFitzroy Crossing, Western AustraliaA creek has carved a tunnel about 750 m long through the Napier Range. You wade in the dark, so bring a torch and sturdy sandals. It was a hideout of the Bunuba leader Jandamarra, killed outside the entrance in 1897.
- 532 km
Windjana Gorge Campground
CampingFitzroy Crossing, Western AustraliaA national park campground near the mouth of Windjana Gorge, the usual base for Windjana and Tunnel Creek on the Gibb River Road side. Camp only in the dry season, bring water and supplies, and keep clear of the river's crocodiles after dark.
- 667 km
Bell Gorge
NatureDerby, Western AustraliaA tiered waterfall drops into a deep pool in the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges, reached by a short rocky walk from Silent Grove. A highlight of the Gibb River Road for swimming. The access road is gravel, so 4WD is recommended and conditions change after rain.
- 7124 km
Manning Gorge
NatureDerby, Western AustraliaA broad waterfall and swimming hole on Mount Barnett Station, reached by a walk of about an hour from the camping area, with a short swim across a pool along the way. Entry and camping are arranged at Mount Barnett Roadhouse.
- 8260 km
Mitchell Falls (Punamii-unpuu)
NatureKununurra, Western AustraliaA four-tiered waterfall on the remote Mitchell Plateau, in Wunambal Gaambera country. The road in leaves the Kalumburu Road and is rough and 4WD-only; the dry season is the only time access is normally possible. Many visitors come by helicopter instead.
- 9315 km
Emma Gorge
NatureKununurra, Western AustraliaA rocky walk of about 1.6 km each way leads into a red gorge ending in a tall waterfall and a cold, green pool. Part of El Questro. Go early to avoid the heat and the crowds; the falls are weaker late in the dry season.
- 1019 km
El Questro Wilderness Park
StaysKununurra, Western AustraliaA former cattle station turned wilderness park, with a homestead, camping, thermal springs and gorges at the eastern end of the Gibb River Road. A park permit is needed and several tracks are 4WD only; it closes in the wet season.
- 11101 km
Kununurra
Western Australia
Suggested stages and overnight stops
6 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Derby → Windjana Gorge (Bandilngan) · 179 km · 1 h 57 minOn the way: Prison Boab Tree.
- Day 2: Windjana Gorge (Bandilngan) → Manning Gorge · 256 km · 2 h 48 minOn the way: Tunnel Creek, Windjana Gorge Campground, Bell Gorge.
- Day 3: Manning Gorge → Mitchell Falls (Punamii-unpuu) · 260 km · 2 h 50 min
- Day 4: Mitchell Falls (Punamii-unpuu) → Emma Gorge · 315 km · 3 h 26 min
- Day 5: Emma Gorge → El Questro Wilderness Park · 19 km · 0 h 12 min
- Day 6: El Questro Wilderness Park → Kununurra · 101 km · 1 h 06 min
Best time to go
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually June–August. Hot in September–May. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Gibb River Road: Derby to Kununurra?
6-day road trip of about 1,130 km (702 mi) with 11 stops, from Derby to Kununurra. About 12 h 19 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Gibb River Road: Derby to Kununurra?
We suggest 6 days: about 12 h 19 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Gibb River Road: Derby to Kununurra start and end?
It starts in Derby and ends in Kununurra.
Which states does Gibb River Road: Derby to Kununurra pass through?
Western Australia.
When is the best time for Gibb River Road: Derby to Kununurra?
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually June–August. Hot in September–May. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
