Tour details

DRYSDALE RIVER NATIONAL PARK

Start: Kununurra.

Finish: Kununurra

Duration: 21 days

The expedition starts early Sunday morning. We will meet the planes at Kununurra for our flight to the Drysdale River station on Kalumburru Road, which is next to the Drysdale River.

Once we have landed, we will load and inflate the rafts to paddle to our first camp.

We will use single Alpacka rafts but can offer double rafts upon request. You are welcome to bring your own pack raft. Please let me know early so that I can make the necessary changes.

Alpacka rafts have been designed and manufactured in Alaska and Colorado since 2000. They are made from the most lightweight and durable materials and are recognised as the benchmark in adventure rafting. The rafts allow you to store all your gear in the inside tubes of the boat, so you will only need to have the gear you need for the day.

All food and supplies will be taken with us in the plane and the rafts; there will be no food drop.

We will paddle the Drysdale for 21 days. We will leave camp early each morning to avoid paddling in the heat of the day and set camp around 2 or 3 pm. The weather in the area can vary greatly. In April, the season is changing. Day temperatures can still be over 35°, and the nights can be hot and humid or simply perfect.

At the end of the trip, a helicopter will take us back to Kununurra on Saturday. If the weather does not allow the helicopter to fly to the Drysdale River, our departure may be postponed to the day before or the following day.

Inclusions:

Plane flight  from Kununurra

Helicopter flight to Kununurra

Evening 3-course meal

Experienced guide with extensive knowledge of the area

Fully equipped Alpacka raft, double paddle, dry bags, helmet, gloves and life jacket.

Dry bags and on-boat bags are to be kept on and inside the boat.

Exclusions:

Accommodation at Kununurra

First night dinner in Kununurra

Breakfast, lunch and snacks

Farewell dinner in Kununurra

Optional activities:

Nil

Please look at the equipment list to ensure you have the right equipment.

https://notraces-bushwalking-australia.com/bushwalking-essential-gear/

DRYSDALE RIVER DESCRIPTION

Drysdale River article written by Dulaka Martig, 2018 Golden Paddle Award 

Drysdale River Article written by Brad Meiklejohn, Alpacka Raft Legacy Ambassador

Drysdale River National Park is one of the least accessible national parks in Australia. There are no public roads, airstrips, tracks, or even some early days ruins, 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, untouched landscape forgotten by the modern world. This is the kingdom of nature.  The Park showcases vast tracts of Kimberley wilderness and features savanna forests, gorges, cliffs, waterfalls, peaceful landscapes and a fantastic river to paddle.  The river is a succession of large lazy pools linked by long rapids. Some of these rapids can be challenging.

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

NoTraces is the only company organising a rafting expedition in Drysdale River National Park and the Kimberley. We plan this trip to take advantage of good water levels at the end of March. But it is impossible to know in advance what the conditions will be. In 2023, they were just perfect. In 2024, we had to postpone our departure by a week and change all our plans.

We will start our rafting Expedition at Kununurra; a one-hour Cesna flight will take us to Drysdale River station. We will then go to the Drysdale River to begin navigating downstream in Alpacka Rafts. These rafts have been selected for the expedition because they are lightweight and durable, ideal for the Drysdale River conditions. Our preferred model is the Gnarwhal single rafts, which allow you to store all the gear in dry bags inside tubes on the raft. Thus, our gear will stay dry, and the rafts will not be congested. We can also offer double rafts on demand.

We will spend the next 21 days exploring the Drysdale River, paddling about 20km daily. We will come upon serene billabongs teaming with wildlife, swim from sandy beaches and experience the area's tranquil beauty as we move through the paper bark forests. We will also have fun in easy class 1 and more challenging class 2 and 3 rapids. Sometimes, we must portage our rafts around the more uncompromising, challenging rapids. Each night, we will set up camp by the river; some of you may like to contribute to dinner by catching a fish or relaxing and taking in your surroundings.

We will finish our expedition at Solea Falls, one of the most beautiful and inaccessible waterfalls in Australia.

We will be picked up by a helicopter for our return trip to Kununurra.

All rafting equipment will be supplied by NoTraces bushwalking.

1. Gnarwhal One-Person Rafts or Forager Two-Person seating
2. Paddles
3. Helmet
4. Personal floatation device (PFD)
5. Internal Dry Bags  (to be stowed in the raft tubes)
6. External dry bags (for items you will need during the day)
7. Paddling gloves

If you have your own equipment that you prefer to use, please get in touch with Sebastien to discuss

PHOTO DESCRIPTION

A one-hour flight will take us to

The Drysdale River

We will start our pack rafting expedition from Drysdale River Station.

Our first camp on the Drysdale is close from the start of our expedition.

It is also on the Flying Fox "Air Avenue"!

In the first days, the river flows slowly between the melaleucas in shallow waters.

Drysdale flooded pool

Fun class 1 and 2 rapids connect the pools on the Drysdale River. This one is a class 1 rapid.

In the evening, enjoying the sunset, listening to the birds singing, feeling the peaceful power of nature

Back to the river in the early morning

Finding our way on the flooded wet season channels

To the next rapids

To the next short walk exploration

To the next camp

To the next day

To the next pool. Great Egret on the right of the picture

To some more challenging rapids (You don't have to paddle those)

The very few class 3 and 4 rapids will involve a portage.

The Alpacka raft is excellent for that, too!

Camping on flat hot rock camps

Or on sandy camps in an "out of time" atmosphere

Fishing sometimes

Enjoying a few well-deserved rests

We will reach Solea Falls in the last week.

Jump on the Drysdale with us in March.