Criques

Kimberley - Western Australia

3 weeks in the far Kimberley 

DATES

4 to 24 July 2027 (North & South Areas)

3-week Exploration of the Drysdale River in the Solea Falls area.

Drysdale River National Park is one of the least accessible national parks in Australia. There are no public roads, no airstrips and no tracks so it is a really appealing environment for the Notraces philosophy.   The park is located in the North West corner of the remote West Kimberley. The Drysdale River flows through a pristine landscape of untouched landscape, this is the kingdom of nature. The Park showcases vast tracts of Kimberley wilderness, and features open woodland, gorges, cliffs, waterfalls and the creeks of the Drysdale River.

Hidden in space and the past are the hypnotic Gwion Gwion figures, an ancient Aboriginal painting style describing a forgotten time of dancing and ceremonies.

We will walk along the Drysdale River, exploring some wet season side creeks, swimming as much as possible, fishing sometimes and camping in dream sites.

The high cost of this expedition is due to the dismantlement of the seaplanes. Helicopters are now necessary to access the national park.

Certain departure in 2027!

Kimberley - Western Australia

3 weeks pack rafting the Kimberley

DATES

16 May to 5 June 2027

This 21-Day Exploration of the Drysdale River is a real Adventure Voyage. Leaving Kununurra by plane, we will fly west across the vast Kimberley to the Drysdale River station. Once at the station, we will inflate our Alpacka rafts for three weeks of paddling along the Drysdale River to Solea Falls.  We will paddle through tranquil pools linked by long class 1 to 2.5 rapids. You need to be able to paddle with dexterity and have a natural control of your raft in these rapids.
Along our route, hidden in space and the past, are the mysterious Gwion Gwion figures, an ancient Aboriginal rock painting style describing a forgotten time of dancing and ceremonies.
We will reach the superb Solea Falls in the last week and fly back to Kununurra.

To join this tour, you need a Level 1 rafting certification and ideally your own self-bailing raft. Please be aware that if heavy rain is predicted, the tour will be called off and you will get a full refund.

The high cost of this expedition is due to the dismantlement of the seaplanes. Helicopters are now necessary to access the national park.

French Polynesia - South Pacific

3 semaines

DATES

19 Sept to 9 October 2027

Welcome to Polynesia, this land at the end of the world, a string of small islands spread across 2,000 km of ocean. French Polynesia is a magnificent world with five distinct areas located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. We will explore three of them: the Marquises Islands to the North, the Austral Islands to the South, and the Society Islands, where Tahiti is.

As expected, we will begin our journey in Tahiti, where we'll head to the “Petit Tahiti” peninsula for our first walk along the shore of the Ronui volcano. It's a fairly well-known spot, as it's here that the famous Teahupo'o Olympic wave hits a few times a year, attracting the best surfers in the world.

Then, a four hour flight will take us next to the equator, where the magnificent Marquesas Islands are nestled. We will spend half of our trip exploring Hiva Oa, Tahuata and Nuku Hiva.

We will land on the island of Hiva Oa. The Marquesans' kindness will be evident on arrival, where we will be welcomed with flowers and necklaces. In the following days, we will search for the Tikis (ancient stone statues nestled in the heart of the rainforest), swim on black-sand beaches, savour French and Polynesian cuisine, explore the islands' history, and, of course, enjoy the natural beauty of the landscapes. Hiva Oa is also the final resting place of Jacques Brel, one of the greatest French-speaking singers, and the painter Paul Gauguin, whose paintings hang in the world's greatest museums.

We will discover the rich culture of the Marquesas at Puamau and Tohua Upeke, search for a Tiki at Hanapaaoa and petroglyphs at Tehueto.

After 5 or 6 days on Hiva Oa, we'll take a short flight to Nuku Hiva, the largest island in the Marquesas. Then we'll return to the Society Islands, visiting Moorea, Raiatea, Maupiti and Bora Bora.

By planning this trip from late September to early October, we'll have a pleasant time visiting the islands while avoiding school holidays.

New Caledonia - South Pacific

3 semaines

DATES

22 August to 11 Sept 2027

Lifou Island: September 2027

New Caledonia separated from Australia around 80 million years ago. Tectonic forces carried it like a cork towards the immensities of the Pacific Ocean. It is now located 1630 km from Brisbane and 2260 km from Sydney. It's both far and so close!

New Caledonia has been a French territory since 1853 but has been inhabited for around 3000 years by Austronesian populations. Therefore, European culture through French and Melanesian culture coexist on "Le Cailloux" (The Rock), which the natives affectionately call New Caledonia. In a fairly schematic way, French culture is found mainly in the Southern Province around Nouméa and Kanak culture in the Northern Province.

As Bushwalkers travellers, we will have the chance to discover these two provinces by following two Great Walk trails in both provinces, the so-called NC GR1 and NC GR2.

There is a possibility of a one or two-week extension to visit either or both of the Loyalty Islands, Maré and Lifou. It may be possible to do without doing the rest of the trip. Please contact me if you are interested.