Often overshadowed by the day-trippable national parks near Darwin or the monoliths of the Red Centre, Katherine is well worth a stop on any Northern Territory itinerary.
We spent five days in the town of 10,000, with the bulk of it exploring the nearby Nitmiluk National Park. About a half-hour’s drive from town, the national park is home to the vast Nitmiluk Gorge (also known as Katherine Gorge). Well, technically the 13 gorges that make up the system. They become one large gorge during the wet season, but separate as water levels drop during the dry. And the latter is when it’s best to explore.
See it from above, from the shore or from the water itself; there’s plenty of ways to take in the rugged beauty of the home of the Jawoyn people.
Our favourite? Kayaking. But here’s all the ways you can experience Katherine Gorge.
Boat trips on Katherine Gorge
Price: From $139 per person plus park fees from $10 per person, per day
Time required: Minimum 2 hours
Accessible? No. You do need to walk between gorges, so unfortunately it’s not accessible as the path isn’t completely flat.
Perfect for those scorching-hot Top End days, guided boat tours take you through up to three gorges over the course of two-to-four hours. When we visited the park in January, this was the perfect way to see the soaring cliffs in the soaring temperatures. They easily reach the high 30s to 40s this time of year.
Local guides will teach you about the gorge, the local Jawoyn culture and the flora and fauna that call the national park home.
There’s a few options when touring the gorge by boat:
- 2-gorge tour: 2 hours for $139 per person
- 3-gorge tour: 3-hours for $229 per person (May to September only)
Departures available: Daily, with departure times dependent on the cruise you choose. The 2-gorge cruise is available multiple times per day, while the 3-gorge cruise is only available at 9am.
✅ We’ve done this!
If you’ve got your own boat, you are allowed to use it to explore the gorge, but you’re limited to just the first one. Restrictions do apply, including maximum speeds of 7 nautical miles per hour, and maximum boat sizes of 4m long and 15 horse power.
If you’d like to see more of the local area, you can also join a day tour that will combine a cruise with other local attractions.
Kayaking on Katherine Gorge
Price: From $129 per person plus park fees from $10 per person, per day
Time required: Minimum 4.5 hours
Accessible? No.
Combining two experiences into one, the kayaking trips start with a boat ride to the end of the first gorge. This gives you the chance to take in the incredible views and take some pictures before hopping into your boat and grabbing a paddle.
At the beginning of the second gorge, you’ll grab your single or double kayak and start off for an incredible adventure through the system. You can technically go as far into the gorge as you’d like, but given the time restraints, you’ll probably only make it through a few.
Along the way, there’s plenty of spots to hop out of the kayak and explore the sandy beaches or short pathways to viewpoints. During the dry season (the only time kayak trips are available), it’s perfectly safe to swim in the river too. We did the half-day kayaking experience, and paddled through the end of the third gorge.
There’s a few options for kayaking experiences:
- Malappar Traveller: From $129 for 4.5 hours from June to October (mornings or afternoons)
- Kuluyampi Explorer: From $159 for 9.5 hours from June to October (mornings)
One thing to keep in mind for the kayak trips is that you will need to carry the boat between the gorges, which can be a bit tricky if you’ve got a single kayak.
✅ We’ve done this!
Hiking in Nitmiluk National Park
Price: Park fees from $10 per person, per day.
Time required: From 1 hour.
Accessible? No.
We love a good hike. Not only is it good for you, but it rewards you with some of the most beautiful views. And that’s very much true for the walks along Nitmiluk Gorge.
Much more affordable than the helicopter journeys, the hiking trails in the national park are the only way to see the gorge from above and offer and incredible perspective that pairs perfectly with a boat trip or kayak journey. They range in length, too, depending on how much time (or energy) you have.
- Pat’s Lookout via Windof Walk: 8.4km of combined bush and gorge views, with incredible lookouts at the end (as pictured above) (✅ We’ve done this one !)
- Baruwei Lookout Walk: 1.8km to the lookout point at the first gorge
Helicopter rides above Nitmiluk National Park
Price: From $189.
Time required: From 10 minutes
Accessible? No.
One that very much still sits on our bucket list, is a helicopter ride over Katherine Gorge. Available during the day, or at sunrise or sunset, this offers a unique viewpoint of the gorge that will get you to deeper parts than hiking or boating could.
Depending on the ride you choose, you’ll be able to see much more than just the gorge, too. Spots like Jedda’s Rock, Butterfly Gorge, and Lillypond are all on these itineraries.
While we haven’t yet done one in Nitmiluk National Park, we have done helicopter tours elsewhere and it truly is a breath-taking experience.
