Katherine Gorge, NT

A cruise through the spectacular Katherine Gorge is one of the many unforgettable experiences of a journey to the Top End of the Northern Territory. The gorge is described as 13 gorges but it is in fact one big, deep, fractured gorge with walls more than 70m high, carved by the Katherine River that winds 12 km through ancient sandstone. In the wet season, the river rages like a torrent through the gorge. In the dry season the river becomes a series of pools, albeit river-sized ones, that are separated by rocky bars, each of 13 sections being created by the drop in the water level, thus becoming 13 separate gorges.

These gorges, along with Edith Falls, are the main attraction at Nitmiluk National Park which is situated 244 km southeast of Darwin. Previously named Katherine Gorge National Park, its northern edge borders Kakadu National Park. These gorges and the surrounding landscape have great ceremonial significance to the local Jawoyn people, who are custodians of Nitmiluk National Park. In Jawoyn, Nitmiluk means place of the cicada dreaming. Ancient Aboriginal rock art can be seen on the canyon walls.
There are a number of Katherine Gorge Cruises available from an easy two hour cruise with or without a short walk to a four hour tour/cruise that includes some walking. For those who are fit and enjoy a bit of rock climbing a strenuous full day adventure of cruising and walking is available. Katherine Gorge Cruises also have options of a Dawn Break Breakfast cruise and Nabilil Dreaming Sunset Cultural Cruise. If it is your preference, you can discover Katherine Gorge at your own pace in a rental canoe or fly over by a helicopter.

If you drive down from Darwin, be aware that the drive takes close to three hours, so leave early or plan to visit other attractions like Edith Falls on your way down, so you can have a full day exploring the gorges. If you plan on taking a cruise, pre-booking is essential, especially during the peak season (June to September). Before returning to Darwin, we recommend a refreshing swim at the crocodile free Edith Falls. Visits to Cutta Cutta Caves and the Mataranka Thermal Pools are well worth adding to your schedule if you are based in Katherine for a couple of days.
If you are travelling between Darwin and Alice Springs in either direction on The Ghan, the train makes an extended stop-over at Katherine and incorporates a number of tours of the gorge area which include cruises and canoe trips up the gorge. My experience is that these tours often sell out quickly and some passengers have been bitterly disappointed at having missed out on a seat on one of the tours, with are sold on a first-come first-served basis. If you do travel on The Ghan and particularly want to see Katherine Gorge, it would pay to have a contingency plan up your sleeve (eg. a free day and a hire car on stand-by in Darwin) because there is no guarantee that there are enough places available on each tour to ensure everyone who wants to go gets to go.

All tours depart from the Nitmiluk National Park Boat Jetty, located approximately 32kms from Katherine township. From Katherine take Gorge Rd (all sealed) out to the national park, the turnoff from town is at the only set of traffic lights in Katherine. Passengers should allow for boarding and be at the boat jetty 15mins prior to departure. Nitmiluk Tours offers a transfer service daily to the Gorge. Please see the brochure for times, the transfer can be booked online.

Katherine town centre	Low Level, Katherine River near Katherine

Town of Katherine: Often called the 'Crossroads of the North' because it is here that Victoria Highway, the only road west from the Northern Territory into Western Australia branches off from Stuart Highway. Victoria Highway leads to the Kimberley region of WA and the towns of Wyndham and Kununurra.
Katherine is the fourth largest town in the Northern Territory and is located 312 kilometres south-east of Darwin on the Katherine River. With a population of over 9,804 people Katherine is a modern thriving regional centre that offers a wide range of services to communities from the Western Australian border to the Gulf of Carpentaria on the Queensland border. There is a modern air conditioned shopping centre, hospital, sports grounds, parks and gardens as well as a large number of Commonwealth and Territory Government services.