Australia's Iconic Kimberley
PONANTEX020726HOL

Australia's Iconic Kimberley

Departure 2 Jul 2026
Duration 10 Nights
Cruise Line PONANT EXPLORATIONS
Ship Le Jacques Cartier

Featured Cabins

0800 059 0570

Itinerary

Broome, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 2 Jul 2026

Broome, a coastal town in Western Australia, is famous for its stunning beaches, rich history, and vibrant culture. Located on the Indian Ocean, it boasts Cable Beach, known for its white sand, turquoise waters, and iconic camel rides at sunset. Once a pearling hub, Broome retains its multicultural heritage, reflected in its cuisine and architecture. The town is also the gateway to the Kimberley region, offering breathtaking landscapes and unique natural attractions like the Staircase to the Moon. With warm weather year-round and a laid-back atmosphere, Broome is a perfect destination for adventure, relaxation, and cultural experiences.

Lacepede Islands, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 3 Jul 2026

The Lacepedes are a group of four islands, perfectly nestled off the Kimberley coast. The islands are imperative to Australia’s rich wildlife as they are key breeding habitats for Green Turtles and are home to a wealth of birds such as Masked Boobies, Australian Pelicans, Lesser Frigatebirds and the largest colony of Brown Bobbies in the world. Join your expedition team for a guided zodiac tour to view the prolific wildlife. Due to the sensitive nature of the environment, landings are prohibited on the Lacepede Islands.

Lacepede Islands, Western Australia

Collier Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 4 Jul 2026

Collier Bay is located on the rocky and deserted coast of one of the most remote region of the Kimberley, that visitors can only approach by ship. The tidal movements, amongst the largest range of anywhere on the planet create amazing phenomena as seawater comes in or out: the “Horizontal Waterfalls”, a waterfall up to 4m high between the narrow passages of the vertiginous cliffs in Talbot Bay or Montgomery reef, a spectacular example of the impact of these tides cascading in mini-waterfalls as the entire reef appears to rise from the turquoise-blue waters of the bay. Containing large areas of shallow lagoon, seagrass beds and corals, Montgomery reef is Australia’s largest inshore reef. In this majestic landscape, you enter an aboriginal area. Some outstanding open air painted caves galleries alluding to their myths of creation can be observed after a hike on the hills. As we are at the mercy of weather and tide conditions in this region, the activities mentioned below are only possible experiences and can’t be guaranteed.

Collier Bay, Western Australia

Collier Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 5 Jul 2026

Collier Bay is located on the rocky and deserted coast of one of the most remote region of the Kimberley, that visitors can only approach by ship. The tidal movements, amongst the largest range of anywhere on the planet create amazing phenomena as seawater comes in or out: the “Horizontal Waterfalls”, a waterfall up to 4m high between the narrow passages of the vertiginous cliffs in Talbot Bay or Montgomery reef, a spectacular example of the impact of these tides cascading in mini-waterfalls as the entire reef appears to rise from the turquoise-blue waters of the bay. Containing large areas of shallow lagoon, seagrass beds and corals, Montgomery reef is Australia’s largest inshore reef. In this majestic landscape, you enter an aboriginal area. Some outstanding open air painted caves galleries alluding to their myths of creation can be observed after a hike on the hills. As we are at the mercy of weather and tide conditions in this region, the activities mentioned below are only possible experiences and can’t be guaranteed.

Collier Bay, Western Australia

Careening Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 6 Jul 2026

Careening Bay was named by Lieutenant Phillip Parker King when he careened his ship, HMC Mermaid during a voyage of discovery in 1820. After a series of leaks onboard the Mermaid, King set out for a shallow sandy bay which to careen and carry out repairs. For ten days the Mermaid crew worked hard before refloating the vessel. The ship’s carpenter carved the name of the vessel and the year into a conspicuous boab tree. The famous boab tree is now 3 metres wide and National Heritage listed.

Careening Bay, Western Australia

Hunter River & Mitchell Falls, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 7 Jul 2026
Hunter River & Mitchell Falls, Western Australia

Swift Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 8 Jul 2026

The Bonaparte Archipelago is a rugged maze of islands that stretch almost 150km along Western Australia’s remote Kimberley coast. Remaining relatively unspoilt and remarkably pristine, Swift Bay is landscaped by heavily fractured sandstone providing an abundance of rock shelters. On the walls of these shelters are examples of both Wandjina and Gwion Gwion style rock art. Join your expedition team ashore for a guided walk to a number of rock art galleries depicting these unique rock art styles.

Swift Bay, Western Australia
Day 1

Broome, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 2 Jul 2026

Broome, a coastal town in Western Australia, is famous for its stunning beaches, rich history, and vibrant culture. Located on the Indian Ocean, it boasts Cable Beach, known for its white sand, turquoise waters, and iconic camel rides at sunset. Once a pearling hub, Broome retains its multicultural heritage, reflected in its cuisine and architecture. The town is also the gateway to the Kimberley region, offering breathtaking landscapes and unique natural attractions like the Staircase to the Moon. With warm weather year-round and a laid-back atmosphere, Broome is a perfect destination for adventure, relaxation, and cultural experiences.

Day 2

Lacepede Islands, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 3 Jul 2026

The Lacepedes are a group of four islands, perfectly nestled off the Kimberley coast. The islands are imperative to Australia’s rich wildlife as they are key breeding habitats for Green Turtles and are home to a wealth of birds such as Masked Boobies, Australian Pelicans, Lesser Frigatebirds and the largest colony of Brown Bobbies in the world. Join your expedition team for a guided zodiac tour to view the prolific wildlife. Due to the sensitive nature of the environment, landings are prohibited on the Lacepede Islands.

Lacepede Islands, Western Australia
Day 3

Collier Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 4 Jul 2026

Collier Bay is located on the rocky and deserted coast of one of the most remote region of the Kimberley, that visitors can only approach by ship. The tidal movements, amongst the largest range of anywhere on the planet create amazing phenomena as seawater comes in or out: the “Horizontal Waterfalls”, a waterfall up to 4m high between the narrow passages of the vertiginous cliffs in Talbot Bay or Montgomery reef, a spectacular example of the impact of these tides cascading in mini-waterfalls as the entire reef appears to rise from the turquoise-blue waters of the bay. Containing large areas of shallow lagoon, seagrass beds and corals, Montgomery reef is Australia’s largest inshore reef. In this majestic landscape, you enter an aboriginal area. Some outstanding open air painted caves galleries alluding to their myths of creation can be observed after a hike on the hills. As we are at the mercy of weather and tide conditions in this region, the activities mentioned below are only possible experiences and can’t be guaranteed.

Collier Bay, Western Australia
Day 4

Collier Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 5 Jul 2026

Collier Bay is located on the rocky and deserted coast of one of the most remote region of the Kimberley, that visitors can only approach by ship. The tidal movements, amongst the largest range of anywhere on the planet create amazing phenomena as seawater comes in or out: the “Horizontal Waterfalls”, a waterfall up to 4m high between the narrow passages of the vertiginous cliffs in Talbot Bay or Montgomery reef, a spectacular example of the impact of these tides cascading in mini-waterfalls as the entire reef appears to rise from the turquoise-blue waters of the bay. Containing large areas of shallow lagoon, seagrass beds and corals, Montgomery reef is Australia’s largest inshore reef. In this majestic landscape, you enter an aboriginal area. Some outstanding open air painted caves galleries alluding to their myths of creation can be observed after a hike on the hills. As we are at the mercy of weather and tide conditions in this region, the activities mentioned below are only possible experiences and can’t be guaranteed.

Collier Bay, Western Australia
Day 5

Careening Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 6 Jul 2026

Careening Bay was named by Lieutenant Phillip Parker King when he careened his ship, HMC Mermaid during a voyage of discovery in 1820. After a series of leaks onboard the Mermaid, King set out for a shallow sandy bay which to careen and carry out repairs. For ten days the Mermaid crew worked hard before refloating the vessel. The ship’s carpenter carved the name of the vessel and the year into a conspicuous boab tree. The famous boab tree is now 3 metres wide and National Heritage listed.

Careening Bay, Western Australia
Day 6

Hunter River & Mitchell Falls, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 7 Jul 2026
Hunter River & Mitchell Falls, Western Australia
Day 7

Swift Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 8 Jul 2026

The Bonaparte Archipelago is a rugged maze of islands that stretch almost 150km along Western Australia’s remote Kimberley coast. Remaining relatively unspoilt and remarkably pristine, Swift Bay is landscaped by heavily fractured sandstone providing an abundance of rock shelters. On the walls of these shelters are examples of both Wandjina and Gwion Gwion style rock art. Join your expedition team ashore for a guided walk to a number of rock art galleries depicting these unique rock art styles.

Swift Bay, Western Australia

Vansittart Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 9 Jul 2026

Vansittart Bay is a beautifully protected large bay with several islands and coves. Jar Island contains ancient rock art galleries depicting the Gwion Gwion style unique to the Kimberley region. Mainly neglected by, or unknown to, the early European researchers of Aboriginal culture in the Kimberley in favour of the dominant & more dramatic Wandjina art, Gwion Gwion art has in recent years gained world prominence. Join your Expedition Team ashore for a short walk, past some fascinating rock formations, to the site of the Gwion Gwion art galleries.

Vansittart Bay, Western Australia

King George River – WA Australia

Date of arrival 10 Jul 2026

No additional details available for this day.

At Sea

Date of arrival 11 Jul 2026

No additional details available for this day.

Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Date of arrival 12 Jul 2026

Darwin is Australia’s most colorful, and exotic, capital city. Surrounded on three sides by the turquoise waters of the Timor Sea, the streets are lined with tropical flowers and trees. Warm and dry in winter, hot and steamy in summer, it’s a relaxed and casual place, as well as a beguiling blend of tropical frontier outpost and Outback hardiness. Thanks to its close proximity to Southeast Asia and its multicultural population it also seems more like Asia than the rest of Australia. Darwin is a city that has always had to fight for its survival. The seductiveness of contemporary Darwin lifestyles belies a history of failed attempts that date from 1824 when Europeans attempted to establish an enclave in this harsh, unyielding climate. The original 1869 settlement, called Palmerston, was built on a parcel of mangrove wetlands and scrub forest that had changed little in 15 million years. It was not until 1911, after it had already weathered the disastrous cyclones of 1878, 1882, and 1897, that the town was named after the scientist who had visited Australia’s shores aboard the Beagle in 1839. During World War II it was bombed more than 60 times, as the harbor full of warships was a prime target for the Japanese war planes. Then, on the night of Christmas Eve 1974, the city was almost completely destroyed by Cyclone Tracy, Australia’s greatest natural disaster. It’s a tribute to those who stayed and to those who have come to live here after Tracy that the rebuilt city now thrives as an administrative and commercial center for northern Australia. Old Darwin has been replaced by something of an edifice complex—such buildings as Parliament House and the Supreme Court all seem very grand for such a small city, especially one that prides itself on its casual, outdoor-centric lifestyle. Today Darwin is the best place from which to explore Australia’s Top End, with its wonders of Kakadu and the Kimberley region.

Darwin, Northern Territory
Day 8

Vansittart Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Date of arrival 9 Jul 2026

Vansittart Bay is a beautifully protected large bay with several islands and coves. Jar Island contains ancient rock art galleries depicting the Gwion Gwion style unique to the Kimberley region. Mainly neglected by, or unknown to, the early European researchers of Aboriginal culture in the Kimberley in favour of the dominant & more dramatic Wandjina art, Gwion Gwion art has in recent years gained world prominence. Join your Expedition Team ashore for a short walk, past some fascinating rock formations, to the site of the Gwion Gwion art galleries.

Vansittart Bay, Western Australia
Day 9

King George River – WA Australia

Date of arrival 10 Jul 2026

No additional details available for this day.

Day 10

At Sea

Date of arrival 11 Jul 2026

No additional details available for this day.

Day 11

Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Date of arrival 12 Jul 2026

Darwin is Australia’s most colorful, and exotic, capital city. Surrounded on three sides by the turquoise waters of the Timor Sea, the streets are lined with tropical flowers and trees. Warm and dry in winter, hot and steamy in summer, it’s a relaxed and casual place, as well as a beguiling blend of tropical frontier outpost and Outback hardiness. Thanks to its close proximity to Southeast Asia and its multicultural population it also seems more like Asia than the rest of Australia. Darwin is a city that has always had to fight for its survival. The seductiveness of contemporary Darwin lifestyles belies a history of failed attempts that date from 1824 when Europeans attempted to establish an enclave in this harsh, unyielding climate. The original 1869 settlement, called Palmerston, was built on a parcel of mangrove wetlands and scrub forest that had changed little in 15 million years. It was not until 1911, after it had already weathered the disastrous cyclones of 1878, 1882, and 1897, that the town was named after the scientist who had visited Australia’s shores aboard the Beagle in 1839. During World War II it was bombed more than 60 times, as the harbor full of warships was a prime target for the Japanese war planes. Then, on the night of Christmas Eve 1974, the city was almost completely destroyed by Cyclone Tracy, Australia’s greatest natural disaster. It’s a tribute to those who stayed and to those who have come to live here after Tracy that the rebuilt city now thrives as an administrative and commercial center for northern Australia. Old Darwin has been replaced by something of an edifice complex—such buildings as Parliament House and the Supreme Court all seem very grand for such a small city, especially one that prides itself on its casual, outdoor-centric lifestyle. Today Darwin is the best place from which to explore Australia’s Top End, with its wonders of Kakadu and the Kimberley region.

Darwin, Northern Territory

Cabin Options

PONANT, Le Jacques Cartier, Privilege Suite 1.jpg

Privilege Suite

Welcome to the Privilege Suite aboard the Le Jacques Cartier from PONANT EXPLORATIONS, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort.
Room Type Suite
Occupancy 3 persons
Size 344ft² (32m²)
PONANT, Le Jacques Cartier, Grand Deluxe Suite PONANT, Le Jacques Cartier, Grand Deluxe Suite 1.jpg

Grand Suite

Welcome to the Grand Suite aboard the Le Jacques Cartier from PONANT EXPLORATIONS, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort.
Room Type Suite
Occupancy 4 persons
Size 484ft² (45m²)
PONANT, Le Jacques Cartier, Owner's Suite 1.jpg

Owner's Suite

Welcome to the Owner's Suite aboard the Le Jacques Cartier from PONANT EXPLORATIONS, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort.
Room Type Suite
Occupancy 4 persons
Size 484ft² (45m²)
PONANT Le Jacques Prestige Suite SS 1.png

Prestige Suite

Welcome to the Prestige Suite aboard the Le Jacques Cartier from PONANT EXPLORATIONS, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort.
Room Type Suite
Occupancy 4 persons
Size 409ft² (38m²)
PONANT, Le Jacques Cartier, Deluxe Suite 1.jpg

Deluxe Suite

Welcome to the Deluxe Suite aboard the Le Jacques Cartier from PONANT EXPLORATIONS, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort.
Room Type Suite
Occupancy 3 persons
Size 290ft² (27m²)
PONANT Le Jacques Prestige Stateroom SS 1.png

Upper Decks Balcony Stateroom

Welcome to the Upper Decks Balcony Stateroom aboard the Le Jacques Cartier from PONANT EXPLORATIONS, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort.
Room Type Outside
Occupancy 2 persons
Size 204ft² (19m²)
PONANT, Le Jacques Cartier, Deluxe Stateroom 4.jpg

Lower Deck Balcony Stateroom

Welcome to the Lower Deck Balcony Stateroom aboard the Le Jacques Cartier from PONANT EXPLORATIONS, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort.
Room Type Outside
Occupancy 2 persons
Size 204ft² (19m²)

Ship Facilities

Dining
Enrichment
Entertainment
Health & Fitness
Younger Travellers

About the Ship

Equipped with an underwater lounge, the Blue Eye, and the latest technologies limiting the impact on the environment Le Jacques Cartier offer you a different way to experience the expedition.

Le jacques cartier

Le jacques cartier Information

Launched 2020
Length 430 ft (131m)
Guest Capacity 184
Cabins 92
Crew Members 118

Deck Plans

Deck 3

  • Marina
  • Pool
  • Grill
  • Bar
  • Main Lounge
  • Shop
  • Excursion Desk
  • Reception Desk
  • Deluxe Suite
  • Lower Deck Balcony Stateroom
  • Medical Centre
  • Theatre 

Deck 4

  • Restaurant
  • Deluxe Suite
  • Upper Decks Balcony Stateroom

Deck 5

  • Bridge
  • Owner’s Suite
  • Privilege Suite
  • Prestige Suite
  • Deluxe Suite
  • Upper Decks Balcony Stateroom
  • Accessible room  

Deck 6

  • Observatory Lounge
  • Art Gallery Studio PONANT
  • Library
  • Grand Suite
  • Privilege Suite
  • Prestige Suite
  • Deluxe Suite
  • Upper Decks Balcony Suite

Deck 7

  • Spa
  • Fitness Room
  • Hair Salon
  • Sun Deck

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