Horizontal Falls Questions Answered
Practical answers on trips to Garaanngaddim in Talbot Bay, from seaplanes to day cruises.
Picking A Tour
Which tours include a jet boat ride at the falls?
Seaplane and jet boat tours, plus Kimberley Day Cruise tenders, put you on the water at the falls. Three of them run with Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures from Broome or Derby, landing on Talbot Bay before the jet boat leg. The Kimberley Day Cruise departures also reach the falls by boat. Scenic flights stay airborne the whole way.
How does a seaplane tour differ from a scenic flight?
A seaplane tour touches down on Talbot Bay and transfers you to a jet boat at the falls. A scenic flight only overflies the falls and the Buccaneer Archipelago, sometimes landing at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, and includes no boat ride through the gaps. Seaplane days also cost more on average.
Can I depart from Derby instead of Broome?
Yes. The Derby Half Day Adventure covers the same jet boat experience, and the seaplane hop from Derby to Talbot Bay is shorter than the flight from Broome. Trips also leave from Cygnet Bay.
Costs And Booking
What does a trip to the falls cost?
Every price is per person in Australian dollars. Scenic flights start at A$780, the seaplane and jet boat days run from A$1,390 to A$1,650, and the six day helicopter safari tops the range at A$24,950. A few flights add a fuel surcharge, shown under exclusions on the listing.
Can I cancel my booking for free?
Sometimes. All seven scenic flights listed here offer free cancellation, while the seaplane and jet boat tours and the cruises generally do not. Check the cancellation terms on the listing before paying.
Is hotel pickup provided?
It varies by operator. Some Broome departures collect you from your accommodation, others begin at a central meeting point (see Things To Do In Broome). Pickup details sit on each listing, so confirm before booking.
Best Time
What time of year suits a visit best?
The Kimberley dry season, roughly May to October, is the main window, and several tours here are sold as dry season products, with wet season variants where conditions allow. Cyclone season trims departures heavily. Operators publish exact season dates on their listings.
Do tides affect the falls?
They do. The falls form when huge tidal movement pushes water through two narrow gorges in Talbot Bay, so the effect shifts with each tide. Operators time departures around it. Our tides page explains the mechanics.