KakaduShort2023
EXPERIENCES / KAKADU
Kakadu Short Overnight
Overview
- Two separate overnight walks, each of which has two nights at one campsite.
- Several day trips and overnight accommodation.
- The Guluyambi and Yellow Waters cruises.
- Two Aboriginal cultural tours.
This is the easiest trip we offer that includes overnight walks.
It overlaps the Kakadu Day Walks trip, 2-6 September.
We may or may not be able to run them both. Whichever gets four bookings first will be a definite departure.
KAKADU
Sep 1-8 2024
We leave Darwin early in the morning, first stop, Fogg Dam.
A short drive from there brings us to the Pudukul tour where you get an insight into traditional Aboriginal practices as well as the cultural beliefs that remain so important to them today.
After a roadhouse lunch stop, we continue to Kakadu and the Mamukala wetlands where we do a short walk before continuing to Jabiru where we spend the night at the Anbinik Resort.
Next day, we do the 9 AM Guluyambi cruise on the East Alligator River, a short walk or two, visit the Injalak Art Centre in Arnhem Land, do the walk at the famous Ubirr art site and finish with a night back at Anbinik.
Having had two days to acclimatise, it’s time to do an overnight walk. We drive to Jim Jim Falls for a quick look, then continue to Twin Falls for our first two night walk. The trail to the top of the falls is somewhat steep and rocky in places but not too difficult. Once at the top of the falls, we have a good look around before continuing upstream past the day use area to our own private beach and campsite.
We use this camp as a base for a day walk to and above Amphitheatre Falls, one of the many magical places that only overnight hikers can see.
Next morning, a relatively short walk brings us back to the vehicle we left at the car park. We drive to Cooinda for lunch.
At 1 PM, we are picked up by the Animal Tracks tour and given a cultural experience second to none.
You will get to experience how the local people collected their bush tucker, see how they made some of their crafts and take part in the preparation of a traditional bush meal.
First thing the next morning, we do the 6:45 AM Yellow Waters cruise where we see a variety of birds and other wildlife.
From Cooinda, we drive to the southern part of the park where we do a two night walk at Koolpin (Jarrangbarnmi) Gorge. From the car park, 500 metres along a marked, but unformed trail brings us to the first waterfall and the last sign of civilisation we’ll see until the end of the walk.
From Cooinda, we drive to the southern part of the park where we do a two night walk at Koolpin (Jarrangbarnmi) Gorge. From the car park, 500 metres along a marked, but unformed trail brings us to the first waterfall and the last sign of civilisation we’ll see until the end of the walk.
Beyond that, we have to climb past a number of small waterfalls before reaching our campsite on a sandy beach. It’s only about 2 km. The rewards are worth it.
Koolpin Gorge is beautiful. The pools are perfect for swimming, the waterfalls and views a photographers delight. Aboriginal art sites tell us that this has been a special place for thousands of years. We spend the second day exploring the upper part of the gorge, enjoying the pools and visiting some of the art sites.
On the final morning, we return to the vehicles and drive back to Darwin.
Details
DATES
1-8 SeptemberPRICES
Full price: A$TBA
*discounts available
GROUP SIZE
4 - 12 guests
CAMP SITES
Mix of sand and rock ledges. Both sites are good to excellent.You are unlikely to see anyone else except at the beginning and end of the walks.
ART
We visit the well-known Ubirr art site and will see more at Koolpin.
SWIMMING
We will have good pools at every campsite and lunch spot.
WILDLIFE
Birds are always present but spread out at this time of year. You are unlikely to see many large animals. The cruises will
give you a good chance to see large estuarine crocodiles.
CLIMATE
It will be hot but it should be very dry. The average daily maximum is 34ºC (93ºF). The average minimum is 19ºC (66ºF). On rare occasions it has been recorded as low as 12ºC (53ºF). A light sleeping bags
should be enough to keep you warm. are essential. Rain is very unlikely but we recommend bringing something to use as a shelter if we fluke a rain storm.
COOKING
We will have campfires every night on the walks and hot water available every morning.
WALK RATING - MODERATE
Terrain
There are steep climbs to get to the top of both Twin Falls and Koolpin Gorge. Neither is more than 200 metres in total., As short as they are, these climbs are strenuous. Some may require using your hands to hold on as you climb up or down.
Vegetation
Much of the walking is through relatively flat, open woodland with a grassy understorey. The walk along Twin Falls Creek will require a substantial amount of rock hopping. 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.
Distance
2-4 hours per day when we are carrying packs. 4-6 hours otherwise.
Pack Weight
You need to carry 2 days of food on each walk.
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