Road trip: The Savannah Way

Undara Experience has a range of accommodation, from huts to tents and even converted railway carriages.

Club Hotel has comfortable motel units, a small but welcome pool and does great steaks.

Karumba is one of the few towns on this route that is actually on the coast, and is famous for its fishing. If you don’t get any bites, Karumba’s Sunset Tavern is the place to go for fresh caught barramundi and chips. Then, enjoy beachfront accommodation at the End of the Road Motel which offers self-contained apartments perfect for a family getaway. Or stay at Savannah Shores at Karumba Point which has a swimming pool, BBQ and crab cooker for guests to enjoy.

It’s a long day’s drive today but the destination is worth the long haul. Adels Grove is a privately run camping park and resort with serene swimming holes and a restaurant and bar just 10km from one of the outback’s most beautiful spots, the palm filled Boodjamulla, or Lawn Hill Gorge.

Enjoy big skies and plenty of wide open space as you continue west across the vast Gulf Savannah. Relax at day’s end with a soak in the thermal pool beside the campground at Lorella Springs, one of the best wild swimming holes in the Gulf. Camp or stay in one of the self contained air conditioned cabins and enjoy a drink at the shady outdoor bar.

Mataranka is another Top End spot where you can chill out in hot springs. At the end of the day, you’ll find Bitter Springs Cabins and Camping just a short walk from the thermal pools.

Celebrate the halfway point of your journey with a leisurely drive to Katherine and an afternoon cruising through Nitmiluk Gorge, a dramatic chain of 13 scenic gorges flanked by towering red sandstone cliffs. Then treat yourself to a night of luxury at Cicada Lodge or in one of the safari tents or chalets in the national park.

By the time you get to Timber Creek, on the banks of the crocodile filled Victoria River, you’ll start to see the boab trees that are synonymous with the Kimberley – there’s a huge one inscribed by explorer Augustus Gregory in 1855 not far from the highway just west of Timber Creek. Wirib Store & Tourism Park offers shady campsites beside the Victoria River as well as ensuite cabins.

The sandstone domes in Keep River National Park are the same geological formations as the Bungle Bungles, but a lot easier to get to. Explore them on the 7km Jarnem Loop Walk and enjoy a sunset cruise on Lake Argyle.

After dark, choose from luxury lakeview villas, studio cabins or a shady campsite at Lake Argyle Resort & Caravan Park, and have a swim in the infinity pool, it’s one of the most spectacular in the Kimberley.

You could spend several days exploring El Questro with its 4WD tours, fishing trips, horse treks, river cruises and helicopter flights, but if you’ve only got an afternoon to spare, take a walk and a swim in beautiful Emma Gorge. El Questro is also home to five levels of accommodation, plus three restaurants, bars and a swimming pool.

You’ll need a 4WD to explore Purnululu, aka the Bungle Bungles, by road. Bungle Bungle Caravan Park does 4WD tours to Purnululu, or opt for a scenic helicopter flight. The art centre at Warmun is another must see; its founding artists include Queenie McKenzie and Rover Thomas.

Fitzroy River Lodge has a swimming pool, barbecue, tennis courts and plenty of room to camp as well as motel units and self contained cabins.

If you'd prefer to stay more centrally, try the Fitzroy Worker's Camp. Camp kitchens, laundry services and BBQs are all provided.

The Derby Boab Inn offers affordable accommodation. There is a choice of accommodation types, including a double or single room and family rooms.

Wander through Broome’s historic Chinatown, visit the Pearl Luggers Museum and perhaps a pearl showroom or two. Watch the sun slide into the sea from the back of a swaying camel on Broome’s Cable Beach, followed by a celebratory drink at Sunset Bar & Grill Bar and a night at Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa – after driving all the way across the country, you deserve it!