Gibb River Road

The Gibb River Road is the Kimberley's rite of passage, and unlike the Old Telegraph Track it is a route a well-set-up rig can actually tow. Six hundred-odd kilometres of formed dirt link Derby and Kununurra, and in a good dry season a strong off-road van will make the distance. The corrugations are the real story here, not the creek crossings. ## Can your van do the Gibb? Our short answer is yes, with the right van and sensible speed. Plenty of off-road vans cross the Gibb every dry season. The road punishes trailers through vibration rather than obstacles, so it is chassis cracks, shattered welds and shaken-loose fittings that end trips, not water. If you are shopping for a rig with this road in mind, start with [how to choose an off-road caravan](/articles/how-to-choose-an-off-road-caravan). Camper trailers and coil-sprung independent vans handle it best, and a couple of full-size spares are cheap insurance. ## The corrugations and the Pentecost Long straights of severe corrugation are the daily reality, worst late in the season before the graders come through. Drop your tyre pressures, slow down, and check every bolt each morning. The Pentecost River crossing near the eastern end is the famous one, wide and rocky with estuarine crocodiles in the system, so cross with care, watch the tide and the level, and never wade in to check depth. It is a saltwater river, not a swimming hole. ## Where the road turns 'no vans' The main Gibb suits an off-road van, but its best detours do not. The Kalumburu Road and the Mitchell Plateau track out to Mitchell Falls are rough, remote and rate a firm 'leave the van behind'. Base at Drysdale River Station and run those spurs unladen. Windjana Gorge, Bell Gorge, Manning Gorge, Galvans Gorge, El Questro, Emma Gorge and Home Valley are the gorge stops most travellers build the trip around, and they are the reason to be here. ## Fuel, supplies and distances Fuel and supplies are spread thin. Derby, Imintji, Mount Barnett at Manning Gorge, Drysdale River Station and Ellenbrae are your lifelines between the two ends, and gaps run to a few hundred kilometres, so carry range and water for the whole leg. Book gorge camps ahead in peak season, because the good sites at Silent Grove and Manning fill fast. Carry a fridge full of food and cold drinks, because resupply options are basic and the stops between are hours apart. ## Season and conditions The Gibb closes in the wet, roughly November to April, and opens once the rivers drop, usually around May. Late-season travellers get the worst corrugations but the surest crossings. Check Main Roads WA and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions for road and park status, and confirm station and community access before you rely on it, because openings shift year to year. Our full [Gibb River Road trip plan](/itineraries/gibb-river-road-trip) sequences the gorges and camps, and it links neatly into the [Savannah Way](/itineraries/savannah-way) if you are crossing the top of the country. Take it steady and this is one of the great drives of the continent.