First, a little about Kimberley weather

The Kimberley has a tropical monsoon climate.

Unlike southern Australia, where we tend to think in terms of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the Kimberley essentially has two seasons:

Wet and Dry.

And it’s warm throughout both.

The major differences are rainfall, humidity and, as a consequence, what is happening to the landscape.

The wet season: Approximately November to March/April

The Kimberley wet season generally begins around November and continues into March or April – although Mother Nature doesn’t always stick neatly to the calendar.

This is when the vast majority of the region’s annual rainfall occurs. That doesn’t mean it rains continuously. But when the skies open in the Kimberley, you know about it.

Huge volumes of water can fall in relatively short periods. Rivers swell, waterfalls appear across enormous escarpments and the landscape transforms. Add high temperatures, substantial humidity and some spectacular tropical thunderstorms, and this is the Kimberley at its wildest.

It is also why the heart of the wet season sits outside the conventional Kimberley expedition cruise season.

Approximately March/April to May

Think: thundering waterfalls, greener landscapes, lots of water – and a little more unpredictability.

This can be one of the most exciting times to experience the Kimberley.

You’ll sometimes hear it described as waterfall season, and for good reason.

The wet season has only recently begun to retreat and, if the summer rains have delivered, an enormous amount of water is still moving through the landscape.

Rivers are fuller. Freshwater pools have been replenished. The country can be wonderfully green. And seasonal waterfalls that may slow considerably – or disappear altogether – later in the year can be in full flight.

This is Waterfall country

For many people, this is the big attraction of travelling early.

Places such as King George Falls can be absolutely thundering.

There is something quite extraordinary about approaching a huge Kimberley escarpment by Zodiac and seeing vast amounts of water cascading over the edge.

If the picture you have in your head of the Kimberley involves towering red cliffs and enormous curtains of water, this is the part of the season I would look at first.

It can also be spectacular for photography. You have water, greenery, dramatic skies and a landscape that still feels very much influenced by the wet season.

But there is a trade-off.

The weather is less predictable

The wet season doesn’t simply stop because the first expedition ships have arrived.

This is a transition period.

Humidity can still be high. Temperatures can feel hotter. Rain is possible and tropical weather systems can still influence conditions.

In other words, you’re exchanging some of the weather certainty of the middle of the season for the possibility of experiencing the Kimberley when it is at its most powerful and water-filled.

For some travellers, that’s an easy decision.

For others – particularly anyone who finds heat and humidity difficult – travelling a little later may be more comfortable.

Approximately June to August

Think: clear skies, lower humidity, beautiful light and the best overall balance.

By June, the dry season has generally become well established.

Rainfall is much less likely, humidity has fallen and long periods of clear blue sky are common.

This is the classic Kimberley cruising period and, unsurprisingly, the most popular time of year to travel.

I sometimes think of it as the Kimberley’s “hero weather.”

These are the conditions you see in so many of those beautiful photographs: enormous red sandstone cliffs, deep blue skies and expedition boats sitting on wonderfully calm-looking water below.

Wonderful conditions for photography

This period can also produce exceptionally clear light.

I’ve spoken to plenty of serious photographers who particularly like the middle of the season for exactly that reason.

The combination of blue sky, red and ochre sandstone and water can be extraordinary. And you certainly don’t need a bag full of professional camera equipment to appreciate it – modern phones can produce beautiful photographs in these conditions.

Warm days – and surprisingly cool evenings

Daytime conditions are generally wonderfully comfortable for expedition cruising.

But one thing that occasionally surprises people is that evenings can actually feel quite cool.

If you’re sitting on an open deck after sunset – particularly when there’s a breeze – you may find yourself reaching for a light jumper or jacket.

That can seem slightly ridiculous when you’re packing for the tropical Kimberley, but you’ll be pleased you brought one.

It’s all about balance

Perhaps the greatest advantage of travelling in the middle of the season is balance.

There’s generally less humidity. Walking conditions can be more comfortable. Zodiac excursions are wonderfully pleasant and you have those long, settled days for exploring.

There can still be water around, particularly earlier in this period, but the landscape is steadily drying. And that brings us to an important point.

Peak season does not automatically mean peak waterfalls.

Seasonal waterfalls naturally diminish as you move further away from the wet. So if seeing enormous waterfalls is your number-one priority, I wouldn’t automatically choose July simply because it’s considered “peak season”. I’d be looking earlier.

If, however, you want the best all-round combination of settled weather, comfortable expedition conditions and classic Kimberley scenery, the middle of the season is very hard to beat.

Approximately September to October

Think: extraordinary geology, intimate exploration, wildlife, warmer days – and a landscape stripped back to its bones.

Late-season Kimberley is different again.

And I think it is sometimes unfairly overlooked.

By September, months have passed since the wet season.

The country has dried considerably. Water levels have fallen and many seasonal waterfalls have slowed or stopped altogether.

At first glance, that might sound as though you’re getting “less Kimberley”.

You’re not.

You’re seeing a different Kimberley.

This is when the geology really comes into its own

As the water recedes and vegetation dries back, more of the extraordinary geological structure of the Kimberley is revealed.

Layers, folds, fractures, colours and textures in the sandstone become increasingly prominent. Lower water levels can expose sections of the landscape that were hidden earlier in the year.

Instead of standing back and watching an enormous waterfall crashing over an escarpment, you may find yourself concentrating on the rock itself – travelling beneath towering cliff faces and seeing the details of a landscape that has been forming for an almost unimaginable length of time.

It’s a much more up-close-and-personal Kimberley.

For travellers interested in geology and photography, or those who have visited before and want to see the region differently, I think late season can be fascinating.

Wildlife and wildflowers add another dimension

There are other reasons to consider travelling later too.

This part of the season coincides with humpback whale activity along the Kimberley coast, adding the possibility of some wonderful wildlife encounters.

As always with wildlife, nothing should be treated as guaranteed – but it can add another dimension to a late-season expedition.

Wildflowers can also bring unexpected splashes of colour to what is otherwise an increasingly dry landscape.

One lovely example is the Kimberley Rose, or Sticky Kurrajong, which produces striking red flowers after shedding its leaves.

And if fishing is an important part of your expedition, particularly aboard one of the smaller vessels where fishing features prominently, the warmer late-season conditions can also be appealing.

The trade-off: the heat is returning

As September progresses towards October, temperatures rise and humidity begins to creep back.

The Kimberley is preparing for another wet season.

That doesn’t mean every day is oppressively hot, but conditions can feel noticeably warmer than they do in June or July.

By October, particularly, you need to be comfortable travelling in the heat.

There’s something rather exciting about it, though.

The atmosphere is changing. The country has been dry for months and you can almost sense it waiting for those first big rains to return.

Fewer waterfalls doesn’t mean fewer water experiences

This is also where it’s important to understand the difference between the Kimberley’s various attractions. Not everything relies on wet-season rainfall.

Montgomery Reef, for example, is a tidal phenomenon. The extraordinary experience of watching the reef seemingly rise from the ocean as the tide falls isn’t dependent on having recently had a big wet season.

Likewise, the experience of the Horizontal Falls is driven by the enormous tidal movements through the Buccaneer Archipelago. And King Cascade is spring-fed, making it quite different from seasonal waterfalls that rely heavily on wet-season runoff.

So while the character of the waterfalls changes as the dry season progresses, it certainly doesn’t mean the Kimberley’s great water-based experiences disappear.

Is shoulder season better value?

Potentially.

Some Kimberley cruise operators distinguish between peak and shoulder-season departures in their pricing.

That can make departures towards the beginning or end of the season attractive if you’re flexible.

But I wouldn’t choose your dates on price alone.

A cheaper early-season departure isn’t necessarily good value for you if you really struggle with humidity.

Likewise, paying more to travel in the middle of the season doesn’t necessarily make sense if the one thing you’ve always dreamed of seeing is King George Falls absolutely pumping.

Choose the experience first. Then compare the ships and prices available at that time.

Do school holidays matter?

Not nearly as much as they do with mainstream cruising.

Kimberley expedition cruises are predominantly adult experiences. There are exceptions, of course, and some families with older children and teenagers do travel, particularly on smaller vessels, but this is rare.

But these aren’t conventional family cruise ships with kids’ clubs, waterslides and children’s entertainment.

Broome and the wider Kimberley can certainly be busy during the dry season, though, so flights and accommodation are worth organising well in advance.