EXPERIENCES / KAKADU
Kakadu Short Overnight No. 1
Overview
- Two separate walks, each of which has two nights at one campsite.
- Jim Jim and Twin -- the two largest waterfalls in the park.
- The Guluyambi cruise on the East Alligator River.
- A night and short cultural tour at the Aboriginal owned Kakadu Billabong Safari camp.
With vehicle access to Twin Falls closed due to roadworks, the second walk will be longer than normal. We should, however, have the area to ourselves.
KAKADU
Aug 23-29 2020
Introduction to country
Kakadu is Aboriginal land, home to a living culture of people whose ancestors have lived here for thousands of years. We will spend our first day driving to the park, visiting the Ubirr art site and doing the afternoon Guluyambi cruise on the East Alligator River. The Aboriginal guide on the boat will give you an insight into their past and present culture. You will almost certainly see a large number of crocodiles, something you won’t see in the areas where we walk.
After a night in accommodation in Jabiru, we drive to the Jim Jim car park we follow the the Barrk Marlam trail to the top of the falls. The first part of the track is steep but shady. After a stop to enjoy the view from the top of the falls, we move about one km upstream to a base camp where we stay for two nights. The total distance walked with a pack is about five km.
The next day, we do a return walk to Anbadgoran or the Rainforest Gorge. Although it is much smaller than nearby Jim Jim and Twin Falls Creeks, the creek which created this gorge continues to flow long after its more famous neighbours have stopped.
We return to our camp the way we came. The next morning we follow the trail back to the car park, collect our supplies and begin a 3½ hour walk to the base of Twin Falls. Another hour on a marked trail brings us to the top.
With the Twin Falls track closed because of road construction, we should have this magnificent area entirely to ourselves.
From our camp, we do a long day walk through the upper Twin Falls Gorge to visit the Amphitheatre Falls. Anyone who doesn’t feel up to the full walk can rest by one of the many pools along the way until we return.
Upper Twin Falls Gorge has it all: boulder hopping, flat sandy beaches, flat rock ledges and so many beautiful pools that we can’t possibly stop to swim in them all.
The next day, we put on our packs and return to the vehicles. We then drive to the Aboriginal owned and operated Kakadu Billabong Safari Camp where we do a short cultural tour before our last night in the park.
Details
DATES
23-29 AugustPRICES
Full price: A$2095
*discounts available
GROUP SIZE
4 - 12 guests
CAMP SITES
Mix of sand and rock ledges. Most 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 may see other art elsewhere.
SWIMMING
We will have good pools at almost 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 Guluyambi cruise 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 Jim Jim and Twin Falls. Both are on marked trails. 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
4-6 hours per day. Full packs on three days, day packs on the others.
Pack Weight
You need to carry 3 days of food on each walk.
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