Spectacular north-western landscapes, unique access to unexplored areas, luxury transport, five-star accommodation and great company – that’s all it took to convince Haissam Aoun that group travel could be more fun than expected. I’ve always been hesitant to try group touring. Generally, I like my own freedom and prefer not to be thrown in with a pack of strangers. However, not having the time nor the patience needed to drive through Australia’s vast north west, a luxury air cruise with eight other passengers seemed my most comfortable shot at giving group touring a try.

Flying over the region you quickly develop a real appreciation of just how incredible the Australian coastline is and just how vast this land is.

One of the main advantages of air cruising (flying at low altitude) in a small plane is that everyone has a window seat and a grandstand view. This adds a whole new dimension to travel and reveals sights that would be hidden to ground-based travellers, like the amazing Ningaloo Reef’s seemingly infinite shades of blue or the intricate natural architecture of the spectacular gorges in the Bungle Bungle Ranges.

With a passion for conservation and an environmental science background, our journey director Gai kept the trip as nourishing for the mind as it was for the spirit.

Gai also expertly managed all our activities, ensuring all bookings, meals and tours ran as smoothly and comfortably as possible. Her sunny attitude of “nothing is too difficult to arrange” is as rare these days as the wild dingos we encountered.

Bill Peach Journeys, the touring and adventure company we’re travelling with, also partners with local tourist operators who have extensive knowledge of each region and have access to areas normally undiscovered by most solo travellers.

The trip covers an extensive list of destinations in the North West of Australia, with stops in Denham, Exmouth, Tom Price, Karratha, Broome, Kununurra before finally touching down in Darwin.

It’s impossible to summarise all the beautiful areas we visited, but some of my personal highlights included:

• Flying at low altitude over Ningaloo Reef looking for migrating whale sharks and drinking in the spectacular aerial views from the air of Horizontal Falls.
• Walking barefoot on Shell Beach, a coastline created from millions and millions of tiny shells.
• Stargazing at Karijini National Park in the heart of the Pilbara and being acutely aware of the total silence of night.
• Sunset from aboard an original Pearling Lugger in Broome.
• Cruising in Chamberlain Gorge at El Questro Wilderness Park.

You also get to experience an array of travel modes: flights, boat and coach and countless sites to walk around, so you’ll be busy and active on the trip. At a cost of $12,000 per person, you’ll need a healthy bank balance but the price includes all activities, gourmet meals, air, sea and land tours as well as accommodation.

You stay in different styles of upscale accommodation from five-star hotels to tented camps such as Eco Retreat in Karijini National Park, a permanent structure with all amenities including floorboards and a queen-size bed.

And you’ll eat very well – full breakfasts and three-course lunches and dinners where you can order what you want and as much as you want (alcohol is not included in the price).

So if you want to indulge your sense of adventure and see Australia from a truly unique and luxurious perspective, then this could be just what you’re looking for. By the end of this incredible journey, I felt privileged to have visited this region and was left with a deep sense of wonder at just how vast and spectacular the Australian landscape truly is. 

This 12-day trip starts in Perth and ends in Darwin. For more details on any Bill Peach Journey, call 1800 252 053 or visit Bill Peach Journeys.