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Trek Notes - AustraliaKakadu Wetlands & Gorges 8 Days
Katherine Gorge and Kakadu are names synonymous with this amazing part of the Northern Territory where stunning scenery and diverse landscapes are mixed with a deep notion of Aboriginal history and heritage. Our journey to this beautiful area becomes not just a wilderness expedition, but a spiritual journey in which we learn how important the region is to the indigenous people, in more ways than one. Starting in Darwin we venture out to Nitmiluk National Park, where we enjoy canoeing on the river in beautiful Katherine Gorge. In Kakadu we climb to the top of waterfalls to survey the stunning surroundings. We learn about Aboriginal culture on informative riverine walks before travelling to Jim Jim Falls - the highest drop of any waterfall in Northern Territory. A shuttle boat takes us through the gorge at Twin Falls. We also enjoy a sunrise cruise on the Yellow Water Wetlands and then look out for some of the abundant bird life as well as the enormous estuarine (saltwater) crocodile before heading across the Jabiluka Floodplains to look at some ancient Aboriginal rock art and enjoy stunning views to the Arnhem Escarpment. The final leg of our journey takes us across the floodplains of the mighty South Alligator River and back to Darwin. Itinerary Day 1: Darwin Your trip starts in Darwin, capital of Northern Territory. Today is just an arrival day, so no activities are planned. Please make your own way to our centrally-located joining hotel (details are in your travel documents). In the evening we meet our tour leader and our fellow travelling companions at a Welcome Meeting (this is usually at 6pm, but you will be advised as to the exact time and place on message on a noticeboard located near the reception of our hotel), where our leader will give us a briefing on what lies ahead on our tour. After the meeting we have the chance to go out for an optional group dinner (at extra cost). Day 2: Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park - Katherine Leaving Darwin, we head south down the Stuart Highway to Pine Creek, scene of a major gold rush a century ago. After a brief stop here, we continue on to Katherine. After lunch we pick up our two-man canoes to enjoy an afternoon paddling in the beautiful Katherine Gorge, in Nitmiluk National Park. We are able to canoe in the first two gorges of this 13 gorge river system. There are areas where we can pull up our canoes and walk over to a tropical plunge pools for a refreshing swim. We stay the night in the town of Katherine. Day 3: Kakadu National Park - Gunlom Falls It's an early start to the day as we make our way to Kakadu National Park. We then head northwards into the spectacular stone country in the southern section of the park, arriving in the late afternoon at Gunlom Falls. After settling in at our wilderness camp we set off on an energetic climb to the top of the falls, where we enjoy breathtaking views of the escarpment and surrounding countryside. We spend the first of our two nights in our permanent wilderness camp. Day 4: Jarrangbarnmi (Koolpin Gorge) - Gunlom Falls This morning we travel to Jarrangbarnmi (Koolpin Gorge), a pristine wilderness area of very limited access. Koolpin Creek flows down several hundred feet through a series of waterfalls and spectacular pools and is often called the Giant's Staircase. We have the entire day to explore this area, photograph its grandeur, swim in the crystal clear pools or just relax on the sandy banks of the creek. In the late afternoon we return to our permanent wilderness camp at Gunlom. Day 5: Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre - Mardugal We break camp and travel northwards to Maguk (Barramundi Gorge) on the Arnhem Escarpment, where we can swim and explore the monsoon rainforest. After lunch we visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, an impressive building built in the shape of the local pig-nosed turtle. From here we travel to Patonga where we meet Mandy Muir, a traditional Murumburr woman who will lead us on an informative river walk and explain to us the Aboriginal and European history of the area. Afterwards there is the opportunity to discover more about the Aboriginal culture and traditions, as we learn how to use pandanus plants to weave basket and mats, as well as the local ways to make jewellery. Tonight we stay at another permanent wilderness camp, this time at Mardugal. Day 6: Jim Jim Falls - Mardugal Today we travel by 4WD on a track to Jim Jim and Twin Falls. At Jim Jim we have the opportunity to view the tallest cascade in Northern Territory - a most impressive sight! On our visit to Twin Falls, we travel by shuttle boat through the gorge and then by foot to the base of the falls. We return in the late afternoon to our permanent wilderness camp at Mardugal. Day 7: Yellow Water Wetlands - Jabiluka Floodplains - Darwin We make an early start to the day and enjoy a sunrise cruise on the Yellow Water Wetlands. Here we have a chance to see the abundant bird life and perhaps the awesome saltwater crocodile. We then head north across the Jabiluka Floodplains to Ubirr to view the Aboriginal rock art, which bear testimony to some 23,000 years of seasonal occupation. Our walk around the galleries culminates in a short climb to the highest point in the area, where we enjoy magnificent views from the top of the rock across the floodplains to the north and west and to the Arnhem Escarpment in the east. As we travel back to Darwin we cross the floodplains of the mighty South Alligator River, which is around six kilometres wide at this point. We arrive back in Darwin in the late afternoon. After checking into our hotel and freshening up, we have to opportunity to go out for a final group dinner (optional and at extra cost) and farewell our crew who have looked after us for the past week. Day 8: Darwin Our trip ends in the morning after breakfast in Darwin. If you wish to stay on in Darwin, it is possible to book additional post-tour accommodation. Please book this before you commence your travels.
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