# The Savannah Way west: Broome to Katherine

> 8-day road trip of about 1,839 km (1,143 mi) with 11 stops, from Broome to Katherine. About 20 h 03 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-savannah-way-broome-katherine/

**At a glance:** 8-day road trip of about 1,839 km (1,143 mi) with 11 stops, from Broome to Katherine. About 20 h 03 min of driving in total. About 1,600 km across the Kimberley and the northern savannah, from Broome's beaches to gorges, a meteorite crater, Lake Argyle and Katherine, with long gaps between fuel stops and seasonal road closures.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1,839 km (1,143 mi) |
| Driving | 20 h 03 min |
| Suggested days | 8 |
| Stops | 11 |
| Route | Broome → Katherine |
| States | Western Australia, Northern Territory |
| Updated | April 24, 2026 |

## Route description

Days 1 and 2: Broome. Ease in with Cable Beach and its camel rides and the red cliffs of Gantheaume Point, where dinosaur footprints show at very low tides. The dry season, roughly April to October, is the best time for this whole route. In the wet season, many gorges and tracks close and rivers can cut roads without notice, so check Main Roads reports.

Days 3 and 4: Broome to Fitzroy Crossing, about 395 km on the sealed Great Northern Highway. Windjana Gorge, with freshwater crocodiles, and Tunnel Creek lie off sealed roads on gravel access routes and need a full day, in the dry season only. Danggu Geikie Gorge near Fitzroy Crossing offers boat tours with Bunuba rangers. Fill up at every roadhouse; distances between them can exceed 200 km.

Days 5 and 6: Fitzroy Crossing to Kununurra, about 650 km via Halls Creek. Wolfe Creek Crater is a side trip of roughly 150 km south from Halls Creek on the Tanami Road, ending on a short unsealed road; take water and start early. Purnululu's Echidna Chasm needs a 4WD for the 53 km access track and the park is open roughly April to December.

Days 7 and 8: Kununurra to Katherine, about 515 km. Spend time at Lake Argyle, a huge reservoir created in 1971; cruises and swimming are popular, but freshwater crocodiles live here. Cross into the Northern Territory, where clocks run 1.5 hours ahead of Western Australia. The Victoria Highway runs through savannah and the Victoria River, ending at Katherine, a good base for Nitmiluk Gorge.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Broome** (Western Australia)
2. **Cable Beach** (Broome, Western Australia): A 22 km sweep of white sand and turquoise Indian Ocean, famous for sunsets and camel trains on the beach. The beach is named after the 1889 telegraph cable. Swim between flags where patrolled and heed signs about stingers and crocodiles.
3. **Gantheaume Point** (Broome, Western Australia): Red pindan cliffs drop to turquoise water just south-west of Broome. At very low tides, dinosaur footprints about 130 million years old appear in the rock platform; casts above show them at any time. Check the tide table before you go.
4. **Windjana Gorge (Bandilngan)** (Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia): The 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.
5. **Fitzroy Crossing** (Western Australia)
6. **Danggu (Geikie) Gorge** (Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia): A Fitzroy River gorge with white-banded limestone walls, explored on boat tours led with Bunuba rangers. Freshwater crocodiles are often seen; it is open in the dry season and closed during the wet.
7. **Wolfe Creek Crater (Kandimalal)** (Halls Creek, Western Australia): One of the best-preserved meteorite craters on Earth, 875 m across and about 120,000 years old or less, in the desert south of Halls Creek. It lies on the Tanami Road, and the final access road is unsealed. Carry water and a spare tyre.
8. **Echidna Chasm, Purnululu** (Kununurra, Western Australia): A narrow slot of orange rock in the north of the park, a few metres wide and 200 m high, lined with Livistona palms. Light reaches the floor around midday, the best time to visit. The walk is about 2 km return, and the northern section is a long drive from the southern domes.
9. **Kununurra** (Western Australia)
10. **Lake Argyle** (Kununurra, Western Australia): A vast reservoir on the Ord River created by a dam completed in 1971, among Australia's largest by volume. Cruises, swimming and lookouts are the draw; freshwater crocodiles live here, so heed the signs.
11. **Katherine** (Northern Territory)

## Suggested stages and overnight stops

1. **Day 1: Broome → Windjana Gorge (Bandilngan)** (375 km, 4 h 05 min) On the way: Cable Beach, Gantheaume Point.
2. **Day 2: Windjana Gorge (Bandilngan) → Fitzroy Crossing** (127 km, 1 h 23 min)
3. **Day 3: Fitzroy Crossing → Danggu (Geikie) Gorge** (23 km, 0 h 15 min)
4. **Day 4: Danggu (Geikie) Gorge → Wolfe Creek Crater (Kandimalal)** (299 km, 3 h 16 min)
5. **Day 5: Wolfe Creek Crater (Kandimalal) → Echidna Chasm, Purnululu** (254 km, 2 h 46 min)
6. **Day 6: Echidna Chasm, Purnululu → Kununurra** (216 km, 2 h 22 min)
7. **Day 7: Kununurra → Lake Argyle** (44 km, 0 h 28 min)
8. **Day 8: Lake Argyle → Katherine** (502 km, 5 h 28 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 The Savannah Way west: Broome to Katherine?**
8-day road trip of about 1,839 km (1,143 mi) with 11 stops, from Broome to Katherine. About 20 h 03 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for The Savannah Way west: Broome to Katherine?**
We suggest 8 days: about 20 h 03 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does The Savannah Way west: Broome to Katherine start and end?**
It starts in Broome and ends in Katherine.

**Which states does The Savannah Way west: Broome to Katherine pass through?**
Western Australia and Northern Territory.

**When is the best time for The Savannah Way west: Broome to Katherine?**
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)