A Guide To Driving The Gibb River Road For The First Time

A Guide To Driving The Gibb River Road For The First Time

The Australian outback is filled with so many incredible off-road routes where you can escape civilization and reconnect with nature. But out of all the different ways available, the Gibb River Road is one of the most iconic. 

Many people describe it as the last Australian adventure, and if you want a true sense of the outback in its rawest form, this is the route for you. The picturesque 660-kilometre course takes you through some of Kimberly’s most secluded parts of the northern region.

If you want to drive the entire route, you can start in Derby and then pass through Windjana Gorge, Mount Hart Homestead, and El Questro Wilderness Park, finishing in Wyndham or Kununurra. 

 

 

   A Guide To Driving The Gibb River Road


A Guide To Driving The Gibb River Road Pixabay CCO License

 

A Guide To Driving The Gibb River Road For The First Time

The Gibb River Road has a reputation as a challenging trail that is only for expert off-roaders. That used to be the case in the past, but these days, it’s a lot more accessible.

However, that doesn’t mean that it’s a walk in the park, and you still need to ensure that you are prepared. If you want a real adventure, here’s everything you need to know about driving the Gibb River Road. 

 

 

How Long Should You Go For when travelling the Gibb River Road?

If you wanted to drive the entire route from start to finish, you could do it in a day at a push. But if you rush through it, you won’t get to see any of the incredible sights along the way.

Although it depends on your itinerary, most people plan an 8-day trip at least. If you have time for a more extended trip, it’s worth it because you can relax a little, and if you enjoy a specific place, you can stop for a bit longer. 

 

When Should You Go?

The best time of year to go depends on how well you can handle the Australian summer while driving. October and November are incredibly hot, and it can be a bit much when you are stuck in the car for hours on end.

April and May are the transitional periods between the wet and dry seasons, and the weather is far more moderate in these months, so this is always a good time to go. January and February are the cyclone months, and there is a significant risk of floods, so avoid those months at all costs. 

 

What Are The Roads Like on the Gibb River Road? 

Before you go, you need to know what you’re letting yourself in for when driving the Gibb River Road. If you go between November and April, when the wet season is in full force, some roads are dangerous to drive on and could be closed.

If your car isn’t in good shape when you set off on Gibb River Road, you could find yourself in a challenging position. Some road areas are heavily corrugated, so you must prepare your vehicle for a rough ride. You’ll need a 4×4, and it’s a good idea to look at wheel and tyre packages so you can upgrade to something sturdier. 

Before going on your trip, ensure you get your vehicle serviced and make any necessary repairs. Check fluids and tyre pressures before setting off and periodically throughout the journey. If you think something is wrong with your car, get it looked at and don’t take any chances. 

 

What Should You Pack?

 

Clothes

Preparation is critical when driving a route like this, so you must think carefully about what you pack. It will be hot if you are going in the dry season between May and October, so fill plenty of light clothes to help you keep cool, with a few warm items for the evening. Make sure you bring something to cover you up and give you some respite from the heat. 

If you drive the route between November and April in the wet season, the weather can be incredibly unpredictable, so you must be prepared for everything. November is boiling hot but also very rainy, so that it will be humid. Light mesh clothing designed for safari is a great option when travelling at this time of year. 

 

Food and Water 

The Gibb River Road has changed a lot in recent years, and as it has become more popular, more amenities have opened up along the way. For most of the trip, you should find places along the way where you can buy food and water.

However, some places like Windjana Gorge are still very sparsely populated and have no shops. When you travel through these areas, make sure that you stock up on a few days worth of food and water.

It’s best to buy more than you need, just in case anything goes wrong and you get stuck. When you plan the trip, it’s a good idea to map out where all of the supermarkets are so you can easily find supplies. 

 

Car Spares 

Bringing spares and equipment to repair your car is vital. Although there are garages along the route where you can get your car fixed, you could break down in the middle of nowhere, and you’ll need to get the car back up and running again to make it to the nearest mechanic. 

The roads are rough, and the risk of punctures is much higher than on normal roads. Always pack at least one spare tyre but, if possible, take two just in case. Pack some engine oil and brake fluid, and put a few zip ties in as well. Zip ties are significant for quick, temporary repairs that will get you to the nearest mechanic. 

Driving the Gibb River Road is a truly fantastic experience, and it’s one of the best ways to see the Australian outback in all its glory. But even though it’s a lot more accessible than it used to be, it can still be dangerous, so make sure you remember everything in this guide when planning your trip.

 

 

Perfect Paradise – Types of Travelling Which is Ideal For You!

Perfect Paradise – Types of Travelling Which is Ideal For You!

The perfect paradise is one thing only you can answer, the types of travelling styles ideal for you, and only you. There are different types of tourists, and travel varies from individual to individual.

Paradise is defined in many ways depending on the individual; it’s not always cocktails by the swimming pool in a stunning tropical location. There are different kinds of travel; often, travellers have their definition of what their perfect paradise may be when seeking that ideal destination when travelling around the world.

The first lot of paradise that comes to mind often is a vacation on the beach in the tropics, with plenty of palm trees and cocktails to go around, a country you think of maybe Thailand, Hawaii or the Maldives. Paradise is also defined as a picturesque lake tucked amongst the lush green forest, and perhaps it’s a chalet in the woods on a cold winter’s night with the fire blazing all through the night.

It all sounds quite perfect when you consider the different kinds of trips available worldwide.

The perfect paradise is several forms of travelling, with many scenarios coming to mind. It may not be the usual stock standard choice of the everyday traveller. Let’s go through and dissect a few methods of the perfect paradise that may suit any individual travelling around the world.

And please feel free to add the preference of your favourite types of travelling which is deal for you in the comments below, just in case I have missed a couple.

 

Book your dream holiday for your different kinds of travel with Booking. com

 

 Types of Travelling

Perfect Paradise – Types of Travelling Which is Ideal For You!

 

Perfect Paradise – Types of Travelling Which is Ideal For You!

If you love the idea of long lazy days on white sandy beaches with plenty of time to read, relax and rejuvenate, then a beach vacation is probably the perfect paradise.

If you prefer to be more active on your holidays and enjoy exploring new places, learning about different cultures and trying new things, then an adventure or cultural vacation might be your style.

If you’re looking for a romantic getaway, then a luxury resort or city break might be the perfect paradise. And if you love the great outdoors and spending time in nature, then a camping or hiking trip might be your idea of heaven.

Whatever your ideal vacation looks like, there’s sure to be a perfect paradise for you. So what are you waiting for in your idea of a perfect paradise? Start planning your dream vacation today!

 

A luxury resort by the white sandy beaches

It’s commonly the first choice for travellers to book a holiday to the tropics when they think of paradise. With so many destination choices around the world for a bit of fun in the sun, it’s easy to find a convenient location for relaxation in paradise, be it a winter warmer or simply a getaway for a few days.

A vacation at a beach-side luxury resort often means it’s time to settle on the poolside deck chairs, order a cocktail from the pool bar and chill in the sun with palm trees not too far away to give your vacation that real tropical vibe from there its about long walks by white sandy beaches and listening to the sounds of the ocean.

The beach-side tropics scenario lets you know that your stay in a perfect paradise has well and truly begun, as you appreciate for a moment that you have escaped the hectic everyday life of the rat race in the real world.

 

Alaya Resort

Relax in paradise at a luxury resort in Ubud, Bali.

 

Escape to the woods, hidden away in a peaceful cabin

The sounds of nature away from the big city are welcomed by those who need to escape the real world and other humans for a while. The sounds of the wildlife creeping around the falling branches of the forest, with the insects buzzing around with little care in the world, is enough for travellers to head out to the sticks and create their little paradise in the form of a hideaway cabin, a chalet or even a basic tent under the stars with the fire blazing.

When you think about what an escape to the woods means, peace and tranquillity come to mind. There’s no traffic with cars roaming around, and the mad world of city life is a distant memory; spending your precious time exploring the great outdoors, spotting wildlife or hiking to discover another part of the world that is often forgotten.

 

Nannup Hideaway

Nannup Hideaway in Western Australia provides relief from city life.

 

 

Anything or Anywhere freshwater is involved, always a Perfect Paradise

The vividly stunning freshwater views are always kind to the eyes, especially when there are next to no crowds nearby to distract you from the sounds of the flowing water. Each fantastic feature will give your Instagram profile extra appeal for your followers, whether a picturesque lake, a flowing river, or a thunderous waterfall.

Imagine staying in accommodation overlooking the gorgeous freshwater views, a welcomed sight during your time at the picturesque settings, with ample opportunities to appreciate the pretty picture in front of you and relax with the sounds of the flowing water echoing through your ear. It’s all very soothing.

A crushing waterfall may not be your idea of paradise, but it may be for someone else who loves nothing more than to take a dip in the fresh water and feel the sensation of the powerful water massaging your back as you attempt to hold your balance. There is a lot of fun at such a hidden attraction surrounded by trees, mountains and other greenery; it’s planet earth’s way of showing off its beautiful nature.

 

Elephant Waterfalls - Da Lat

Elephant Waterfalls in Da Lat, Vietnam.

 

When winter arrives, the snow comes out to play.

Far away from the sun, the palms and cocktails, winter snow is appreciated by travellers who find snow scattered throughout the mountain ranges a beautiful view, especially for those who live in an area where snowfall doesn’t happen.

Whether it’s a busy ski resort with holiday goers hitting the slopes or an isolated holiday house in the woods, paradise also comes in the form of a cold winter, as the falling snow provides a spectacle and creates many highlights for the visiting tourist. If you can adapt to the sub-minus temperatures, you’re bound to have an epic holiday appreciated by all sorts of travellers looking for a bit of fun in the snow.

There are a few ideal scenarios for when you are travelling around the world and seeking that perfect paradise. Whether in the form of sun, forest, water or snow, your favourite ideal holiday is out there waiting for you to visit. Right now, I would love to hear your description of your perfect paradise by commenting below; it may help give me ideas for when I am chasing that precious holiday.

 

Book your dream holiday for your different kinds of travel with Booking. com

 

What are your perfect paradise and the ideal type of travelling? Tell me in the comments below.

 

Perfect Paradise

Your types of travelling may include the snow, like this stunning location in Muju, South Korea.

Booking.com
Paradise

perfect paradise
Booking.com
4 Excellent Reasons to Take a Gap Year and Travel Abroad

4 Excellent Reasons to Take a Gap Year and Travel Abroad

Penguin Island Perth

 

Many young people decide to take a gap year between graduating from high school and going to university or getting a job to begin work in the real world. They take a year out from their academic studies in which they travel the world, exploring new places and making precious memories in the process.

It might be for the simple pleasure of travel, to work abroad or volunteer in a foreign country and conducting a dutiful cause. Whatever the reason, a gap year can be a perfect way for a young adult to learn about themselves and better understand the cultures abroad.

 

For your gap year and travel experience, find a bargain at Booking.com!

 

Phang Nga Bay

Four Excellent Reasons to Take a Gap Year.

 

4 Excellent Reasons to Take a Gap Year and Travel

 

If you are unsure whether to take a gap year of your own, here are four excellent reasons to pack your bags and travel the world.

 

It’s the perfect time to explore

There is no better time in life to spend a year travelling the world than after leaving school. You enter a natural break in your life, and it is easy to put your studies or career path on hold for a year, and nothing will have changed when you get back.

You won’t have a mortgage to pay or young children to look after. If you wait until you’re middle-aged to catch the travel bug, it will be a lot harder to find the time to get away. Please take the opportunity while you can, and don’t wait until it’s too late.

 

Make lifelong friends while roaming the world.

By the end of your travels, you will have amassed a huge number of new friends from all over the world. If you’re going solo and are nervous about getting lonely, you’ll soon realise these fears are unfounded. Hostels, campsites, and tourist attractions in any country will be full of young people like yourself exploring the world and finding themselves.

And they will all be feeling the same way as you. You’ll make plenty of connections along the way with whom you’ll share unforgettable experiences. Once you’ve gone bungee jumping or experienced the night activities in Melbourne with someone, you will have an unbreakable bond for life.

 

Avoid academic burnout

You’ve likely been at school for as long as you can remember. Constantly studying for exams and doing homework each night, with only a few weeks of respite each year. As you get older, each academic year puts more pressure ever on you, and this will only increase when you begin university.

If you’re not careful, you run the risk of burnout and mental health issues. Give yourself a well-deserved break by taking some time off for yourself. You won’t have to worry about grades or job applications until you get back.

 

Learn more about the world and have a great appreciation of life

For most young people, the only experience of the world they have is an occasional holiday with their parents. A gap year will open you up to the world and make you aware of how much more there is out there.

You will experience new cultures, foods and ways of life. You’ll learn the history of the countries you visit, and you may even learn a new language out there. And most importantly, you’ll learn more about yourself too. Once you’re free from the restrictions of parents and school rules, you’ll find out what kind of person you are and gain a clearer view of what you want from life.

 

Angthong Marine Park

Make the most of the world and see it during your gap year adventures.

 

Holiday Fashion Essentials For Fair-Skinned Travellers

Holiday Fashion Essentials For Fair-Skinned Travellers

Guilderton

When you’re roaming the world, a few Holiday Fashion Essentials are required For the Fair-Skinned Travellers, here is some sound advice.

Do you love travelling but you’re always worried about your skin, amongst other things? Do you often look around and curse the dark and olive-skinned guys and girls who don’t seem to have as much concern about the sun as you do?

Having skin that burns easily is a problem for the fairer folk, especially when you’re in a foreign country with scorching heat and the mercury can hit 30°C and above.

Still, it shouldn’t stop you from seeing the world and enjoying the experience because there are ways to have fun abroad and cover-up simultaneously to protect yourself. Sure, you might have to avoid some of the hottest trends, but it’s better than going from pale white to atomic red in seconds, in the end, it could save your life!

 

Koh Samui pictures

Holiday Fashion Essentials For Fair-Skinned Travellers.

 

Holiday Fashion Essentials For Fair-Skinned Travellers

 

In this article, we cover a few pieces of advice to consider for Holiday Fashion Essentials For Fair-Skinned Travellers, some of this advice could be crucial to your health.

 

Wear a Sun Hat

A hat is always the first port of call because it protects everything from your head to your face and shoulders if you choose properly. For those with fine hair, the sort that leaves your scalp exposed, a baseball cap is always a wise option since it encases everything.

However, travellers with thick, luscious locks can opt for visor hats because your hair will block the UV rays from hitting your skin. If you can’t be bothered applying cream all day long, a wide-brimmed hat will cover you from your head to the bottom of your shoulders.

 

Espadrilles & Linen Mule Sandals

Sadly, you can’t let your body parts hang out and enjoy the breeze as they’ll burn if you’re not careful. This goes for everything from the major features, such as your face and shoulders, to the limbs that go under the radar.

Yes, that’s a reference to your feet. Sit around long enough, and the tops of your feet will catch the sun, which is why it’s better to leave them open sandals and thongs and go for linen mule sandals or espadrilles as they cover most of your feet’s surface area.

 

A Midi-Dress & T-Shirt Combo

Sometimes, adding length doesn’t always result in the required protection. For instance, a midi-dress is perfect at covering everything from the neck down. However, the rest of your body is in the open, such as your shoulders and neckline.

Thankfully, there’s a cool trick to make a midi or sundress practical and stylish – layer it with a t-shirt. The tee shouldn’t stand out too much, as long as it is the same colour, yet the additional material will reflect the sunlight and protect your pale skin.

 

A Shawl

The problem with donning extra material is that it makes you hot. Yes, sometimes you need to decide whether you prefer to overheat and burn, the former wins every time. Still, it’s nice to strike a balance. You can do with a shawl as it has the right amount of fabric to ward off the sun’s rays.

However, the material is fragile and breathable, so it doesn’t stop the sea air from reducing your body temperature. It beats wearing a hoodie in the middle of the summer!

Whether you’re a man or a woman, you can use hats, tees and polos, and closed-footwear to keep your skin safe while travelling.

 

 Holiday Fashion Essentials

When you’re roaming the world, a few Holiday Fashion Essentials are required For the Fair-Skinned Travellers, here is some sound advice.

Taking Eye Health Seriously In Travel and Looking Healthier!

Taking Eye Health Seriously In Travel and Looking Healthier!

Rottnest Island

Many ways travel can affect your health, some of them not as immediately apparent as others might be. For instance, while you might know to avoid food poisoning and sunstroke on your adventures, are you taking care of your eyes just as well?

In this article, we’ll look at a few pieces of common wisdom to help you keep those peepers safe and healthy on your travels, especially in sunnier destinations.

 

Taking Eye Health Seriously In Travel

We are taking Eye Health Seriously In Travel and looking after yourself.

 

 

Mind the sun most of all

The most significant danger to your eyesight and comfort will be climates where sunny weather is one of the essential drawing factors.

UV rays can affect your eyes just as much as they affect your skin, damaging that can result in permanent changes to your vision if you’re not careful. Make sure you’re choosing sunglasses certified to protect your eyes against UV rays and that fit your prescription if you have one.

All sunglasses have tinted lenses, but only sunglasses that bear a UV protective market on the glass after actually going to offer your eyes any protection. A lot of cheap market stall glasses found overseas might have that mark but might not protect your vision as well as you think.

Another way to ensure you’re protecting your sight is to wear wide-brimmed hats that can keep your eyes out of the sunlight as best as possible.

 

Arrange an appointment with your optician

Before arranging any major trip, it’s worth taking the time to see whether or not your prescription still suits your needs best.

Our eyes tend to work harder when we’re surrounded by new environments, especially if we’re always keeping them peeled for new sights, road signs, and the like.

The wrong prescription when you’re out and about can lead to eyestrain, can make it dangerous to drive, and generally make your vacation a lot less fun than it should be.

Take the time to arrange an eye test before your next vacation. Once you get your results, you will either know that your current glasses work just fine or that you need to look at ordering some new drinks instead. Either way, it’s better than being left in the dark.

 

Make sure you have a pair of spares.

It might not be something you aim for or want to expect, but you should always be prepared for the possibility that you might lose your pair of glasses.

For those who rely on them, whether it’s for reading at the poolside or because you need to wear your glasses every waking moment of the day, this can be a natural disaster.

As such, it’s a good idea to make sure that you have and pack at least one pair of spares. If you already know your prescription or can get it from your optician quickly, it’s easy to order a spare pair online. It’s just a little insurance to ensure your vacation doesn’t hit a significant road bump early.

 

Watch out for dehydration.

Dehydration affects all of us when we’re travelling, and you can be confident that it will affect your eyes just as quickly as the rest of you. Of course, the best way to ensure you’re fighting dehydration is to drink as much water as you need.

There are plenty of apps that can track how much water you drink, as well as give you reminders to top-up for the day. Otherwise, find some shade to rest when you’re out in the sun and the heat.

Your eyes can dry out when you’re out and about; they need lubrication to remain comfortable throughout your trip. Eye drops are a good idea since they keep your eyes clean of dust, pollen, and other particulates in the air. It would be best if you took some care to pack some eye drops with you.

 

Don’t spend too much time looking at a screen.

The blue light that screens give off can cause your eyes to get dry and irritated. Therefore, don’t spend too much time with your face buried in your phone while out and about. Otherwise, you might have to end up cutting some excursions short.

At best, eyestrain can lead to migraines that can ruin a day during your vacation. At worst, if you’re not protecting your eyes from the sun, you can end up doing real damage to them. Keep the tips above in mind on your travels.

 

Rottnest Island Western Australia

How beautiful is Rottnest Island, Western Australia?

Why travel

Get Your Free E-Book Today!

Stay in the loop with our monthly newsletter! Get expert travel tips and destination advice, and snag a free E-Book!

You have Successfully Subscribed!