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Gibb River Road, Kimberley Gibb River Road, Kimberley

4WD  in North West

  • Multiple day
  • 700 km
    • 4WD More Difficult

      Low Range 4WD vehicles required with standard clearance. 4WD experience or training required.

The legendary Gibb River Road, is an icon of outback adventure through the heart of the Kimberley in Western Australia’s north west. The 660 kilometre dirt track passes through remote station country with magnificent scenery and plenty of opportunities to get out of your vehicle to discover one of the many fresh water gorges.

Pentecost River Crossing Gibb River Road Tourism Wa
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The Gibb, as it is affectionately known, was built for droving cattle from Wyndham to Derby.   Today it caters for a steady stream of 4WDs.

Trail signage varies as the area remains privately owned by cattle stations and Aboriginal communities. Every station has a range of beautiful rivers and gorges including; El Questro Station - Chamberlain and Emma Gorges, Mount Barnett Station – Manning Gorge Waterfall Walk, King Leopold Conservation Park – Bell Gorge, Gibb River Station – Barnett River Gorge and Mornington Wilderness Park – Diamond Gorge.

Beware of the fresh and salt water crocodiles. The estuarine crocs inhabit the rivers that meet the sea such as the Durack and Pentecost, whilst the fresh water variety inhabit the likes of the Manning and Barnett.

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Be trail ready for Gibb River Road, Kimberley

Here is everything you need to know before visiting this trail.

Time / Duration

Multi day

Length

700km

Trail Start

Derby, 2350km (29 hours) north of Perth

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Trail End

Wyndham, Great Northern Highway, 3000km (33hours) north of Perth

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4WD

More Difficult

Low Range 4WD vehicles required with standard clearance. 4WD experience or training required.

Visit Trail Tips for further information.

Additional information

4WD experience required

What To Pack

Hazards & Warnings

Water crossings, crocodiles and rocky roads

Facilities

  • Camping
  • Picnic Area
  • Public Toilet

Best time of year

May to October

Fees

National Park fees apply

Trail Access

Air, road or bus to Derby. 4WD only access to trail

Prohibited Items

No fires, gas appliances permitted. Pets are prohibited in national parks.

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3 trail goers have rated Gibb River Road, Kimberley as 4.67 out of 5!

We love to hear from people who've been on our Western Australian trails, so it would be most appreciated it if you wanted to leave a review.

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Martin Hadley

Reviewed 10 Sep 2023, 11:06am

This road is epic. There are so many amazing places to see along the way that you really need weeks or better yet months to explore all the side trails and visit all the scenic locations without rushing. If you have come a long way for a once in a lifetime trip along the Gibb then you really should not rush it. Download the route maps and carefully check out everything along the way. anything you miss or decide not to visit you may never get another chance to see so don't live with regrets. Also, be prepared!!. There is a lot more bitumen and a lot more traffic along it these days so the trip is a little kinder to vehicles than it was when I first drove it. That said there are still some significant water crossings to tackle and the road can get quite rough with all the traffic. My best advice is reduce your tyre pressures and reduce your speed, your vehicle will love you for it. Fuel can be very expensive along the way and not up to the same quality as your major city outlets so put a new fuel filter and if possible an extra one inline with a good water trap as that may save your engine if you happen to get some dodgy fuel. If you drive a Toyota then about 90% of the people you meet will have things like spare tyres you can beg or buy if you need a spare. However if like me you drive a vehicle rarely seen on the Gibb (Range Rover Sport) you need to be much better prepared but overloading your vehicle can also bring you unstuck. Keep your speeds down and as an example why a guy in a Jeep blasted past me once when I was doing about 65klm/h and about 5 klms down the road I found him in a culvert with 3 destroyed tyres on 3 bent wheel rims because he hit the hard sharp edge where the dirt road me the cement road over a bridge that had a 6 inch deep washout along the edge and he was probably still doing 100klm/h when he hit it. That both ruined his trip and would have cost him a lot just because he was hurrying. As a hint, El Questro Station alone is worth at least a week.
Brian Hall

Reviewed 26 Mar 2016, 12:03pm

Loved every minute free camping and stay at the parks. On the Gibb for 6 weeks and done every Gorge and did not have one think brake or any damage on our Kimberly Camper. Will do it again in a couple of years. A Must Do.
steve bennett

Reviewed 24 Aug 2015, 8:50am

Every family should drive the Gibb R R at least once and stop in as many gorges as possible. Every waterfall is so different and so spectacular.

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