Kakadu Short Circle old
EXPERIENCES / KAKADU
Kakadu Short Circle
Overview
This is the only one of our trips that allows you to visit the upper reaches of Koolpin Creek, an area noted for its abundance of Aboriginal art sites. This trip provides most groups with more time for visiting Aboriginal art sites, birdwatching, botanising and/or simply relaxing than is possible on most of our other circle trips.
Every season has its advantages. This trip takes place in Bangkerreng - The Knock Em Down Storm Season
a time when the rain has eased off but there is still plenty of water allowing us to visit places that would be too dry later in the year. There are still lots of wildflowers and is probably the best time to see nesting and newly fledged birds. You get to see a still fairly green landscape that dry season visitors can only imagine.
The trip finishes with a night at Cooinda and the dusk and dawn Yellow Waters cruises, a relaxing end to an amazing trip.
KAKADU
18 April - 1 May 2021
This is the only one of our trips that allows you to visit the upper reaches of Koolpin Creek, an area noted for its abundance of Aboriginal art sites. This trip provides most groups with more time for visiting Aboriginal art sites, birdwatching, botanising and/or simply relaxing than is possible on most of our other circle trips.
The walk begins at Flying Fox Crossing on the South Alligator River in the southern part of Kakadu, about 330 kilometres and four to five hours from Darwin. A relatively flat eight kilometre walk along the banks of the river and across the plain brings us to the beginning of Koolpin Gorge.
Koolpin Gorge is beautiful. The pools are perfect for swimming. The waterfalls and views are a photographer's delight and a memory to treasure.
From the top of the gorge, we follow Koolpin Creek to the area where it begins – that short sentence doesn’t do justice to the walk.
One pool follows another. There are small waterfalls and cascades. Most groups will take a relatively leisurely three or four days to do this. Faster groups might spend a day at a base camp allowing time to explore without full packs.
From Koolpin, we make our way to the top of Graveside Gorge where a double waterfall drops 100 metres into a pool in the gorge below. After taking time to have a good look, we move along to Cascades Creek. The pools and art sites are too nice to pass by, so stops are frequent as we make our way down to the cascades for which the creek is named. The last 500 metres often takes two hours or more as the deep pools and a natural water slide are much too inviting to rush past.
Next, we visit Gronophylum Creek with its unusual multi-trunked palms, beautiful, sandy camp sites and deep, clear pools. The rugged landscape away from the creek is reminiscent of central Australia with its red rock and spinifex covered hills. several days.
From Gronophylum, we cross to the Barramundi system and its many waterfalls. Our final campsite in Barramundi Valley is on the banks of a huge, shady pool below a small waterfall.
The next morning a one kilometre walk brings us to the steepest climb of the trip. From the spectacular vantage point at the top of the hill we enjoy a magnificent view out across the plateau and over the broken rock country that makes up the headwaters of Waterfall Creek. We climb down to a small rocky plateau brings us to a creek which we follow to a shorter climb down onto the plain above Gunlom Falls. A six km walk past the largest termite mounds we have ever found on the plateau brings us to a rocky area with numerous pools and cascades. A further four kilometres gets us to the top of Gunlom Falls where we look out over the plains below.
We follow a marked trail to the car park and our vehicle. The walk is over.
The walk may be over, but our trip is not. From Gunlom, our vehicle takes us to Cooinda and the Kakadu wetlands, a very different environment from that through which we have been walking. The wetlands are flat and full of mosquitoes, not the best place for a bushwalk. However, they are also full of wildlife. We do the late afternoon Yellow Waters cruise.
The day finishes with a meal at the Cooinda bistro and a night in their campground followed by a final Yellow Waters cruise the next morning. The early hour ensures that we see the wildlife at its best while the day is at its coolest. Better still, at this time of year, not only are the boats are no where near as crowded as they are in peak season July and August. it is the best time to see nesting birds.
Cruise over, we board our vehicles for the long drive to Darwin, arriving in time for people to catch planes that night.
Details
DATES
18 April - 1 May
PRICES
Full price: A$2695
GROUP SIZE
4 - 12 guests
CAMP SITE
Mix of sand and rock ledges. Most sites are excellent. You are unlikely to see anyone else at most of the campsites.
ART
Koolpin has one of the greatest concentrations of rock paintings in Kakadu. There are a number of good sites in other areas as well.
SWIMMING
Excellent. This is a good time to see the waterfalls on this route. We will have good pools at almost every campsite lunch spot as well as other pools along the way.
WILDLIFE
Birds are always present but spread out at this time of year. You are unlikely to see many large animals. The Yellow Waters cruise is excellent for birds, many of which you are unlikely to see on the walk.
This is the best time of year to see nesting birds and newly fledged chicks. The cruise also gives you a good chance to see large estuarine crocodiles.
This is the best time of year to see nesting birds and newly fledged chicks. The cruise also gives you a good chance to see large estuarine crocodiles.
CLIMATE
It will be hot. It will also be humid although the humidity normally drops substantially between March and May. The average daily maximum is 33-34ºC (91-94ºF). The average minimum is 20-22ºC (68-71ºF). It can, however, get much cooler. Rain is unlikely but possible. We recommend that you bring a tent or mosquito net with a fly.
FIRE
We plan to have a campfire every night and will have hot water available every morning.
WALK RATING - MODERATE TO HARD
Terrain
The terrain is a mix of almost everything Kakadu hgas to offer. A detailed description is in the trip notes.
Except for one tiny bit at the end, none of the walking is on a marked trail. If you are not used to off-trail walking, it is especially important that you read the
detailed trip notes.
Vegetation
Much of the walking is through relatively flat, open woodland with a grassy understorey. Some short sections of grass may hide a broken rocky surface where you will have to be particularly careful. There may be some slow sections where you will have to pass though thick scrub. The vegetation can vary from year to year depending on when last burnt. At this time of year, the spear grass has finished seeding and dried out.
Wildflowers are particularly abundant at this time of year.
Distance
4-6 hours per day. A few days will be longer.
Pack Weight
You need to carry 13 days food. This will include about 3½-4½ kg of the evening meals. We recommend both a lightweight sleeping and a tent or mosquito net and fly.
Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change
Note. The last few pictures in the gallery below are things you can only see at this time of year.
View more
2019 All rights Reserved