Getting to Kakadu National Park

Guided Bush Camping Tours and Escorted Coach Trips to Kakadu National Park

The are many companies offering daily and scheduled departured camping safaris to Kakadu National Park. These can be either camping at permanent campsites sites with full camping facilities to backpacker safaris camping in semi permanent and bush camps with minimal camping facilities. A selection of Guided Bush Camping Tours and Escorted Coach Trips to Kakadu National Park at www.kakaduayersrocktours.com.

Roads to Kakadu National Park

Road conditions in the Park vary according to the tweo seasons being the Green 'Wet' season or Dry season. Widespread Green 'Wet' season flooding occured historically and frequently during November to April there nowdays the seasons have changed signifciantly. Therefore you should check the road conditions well before your departure . Up-to-the-moment road reports can be obtained from the Bowali Visitor Centre (Telephone +61 (0) 8 8938 1120). The Arnhem and Kakadu Highways are sealed and generally remain open throughout the year. Green 'Wet' season flooding associated with any prolonged heavy rains may have various locational temporary closures.

We we here also provides helpful tips on Kakadu National Park and what to see and activities available, visitor safety, park camping and accommodation facilities, emergency contacts and useful Kakadu Parks information.

If time allows, we advise you stay in the park for a few days so that the major sites can be explored at your leisure. Kakadu National Park can be visited selfdrive a 2 wheel drive vehicle though access is limited to the Kakadu Highway and the Arnhem Highway. Ubirr, Yellow Waters, Jabiru and Nourlangie Rock being main the extent of where you can visit a 2 wheel drive vehicle.

Bushwalking Information

A bushwalking leaflet is available at the Bowali Visitor Centre which lists twenty five marked trails in Kakadu National Park. Most are short nature based wilderness trails but included are some that offer a medium level of challenge to experienced bushwalkers (such as the twelve-kilometre Bark Walk - a six-hour trek through Nourlangie Rock's back country). Experienced bushwalkers can apply to Park HQ with proposed itineraries, which need to be approved before a permit is given. Specific popular walks have been approved by traditional owners and generally permits are issued for these areas and denied for other areas. Allow seven days for processing permits.

Most trails are well signposted with interpretative maps erected at the beginning of each walk stating clearly how far (kilometres) the path is, how long (hours/minutes) it takes and whether the walk is easy/moderate or difficult. Most of the walking is relatively easy but some require rock hopping along creeks or mildly strenuous climbing.

Unguided Walks

Where: Gungarre Monsoon Walk: - South Alligator River Area
Features:Kakadu Resort is surrounded by Gungarre Monsoon Forest and the billabong walk takes you through a monsoon forest, along the edge of a billabong and finally through fringing woodlands. The chance to see flora and Aboriginal use of plants from the three habitats, monsoonal vine forest, floodplain and woodland. The walk is open all year round, is 3km.
Allow: 1.5 hours.

Where: Mamukala Wetlands - Nourlangie Area
Features: Mamukala is a wetlands observation platform with well presented information. Viewing isall year round, it is at its most dramatic in the late Dry Season, when thousands of Magpie Geese congregate to feed on the Mamukala Wetlands. Choose from a 1km to 3km trail and walk to see these wetlands. Open all year round and entry is free.
Allow: 1.5 hours.

Where: Mirrai Lookout Walk - Nourlangie Area
Features: Mirrai Lookout walk, 30 kilometres south of the Bowali Visitor Centre, is in the Nourlangie Area. The walk takes you to a platform lookout on Mount Cahill. Around 3.6 kilometres return, the walk involves a steep climb, making it more difficult than most.
Allow: 2.5 hours.

Where: Ubirr - East Alligator Region:
Features: There are currently four hiking trailas and walking tracks, ranging from the comfortable1 km walk graded easy at Ubirr.
Allow: 1 hour.

Where: Ubirr - East Alligator Region:
Features: There is also a 8 km wilderness hike that can take over 3 hrs return through escarpment along the East Alligator River.
Allow: 4 hours.

Where: Sandstone and river bushwalk - East Alligator Region:
Features: (dry season only) Starts off the Bardedjilidji walk located in the Ubirr Area (See East Alligator Area link). An easy 6.5 km marked circular walk which takes you past Catfish Creek, floodplains, billabongs, sandstone outliers and the East Alligator River. The Bardedjilidji walk leads to the rocky outcrops of Arnhemland and is one of Kakadu's best short walks at just over an hour to complete comfortably.A recommended attraction.
Allow: 4 hours.

Where: Nourlangie Rock - Nourlangie Area
Features:This art site is a flat 4 km, up to 2hr walk from Nourlangie Rock. The fact that the access road is very corrugated and doesn't get tour buses means the art site sees fewer visitors. Nanguluwur includes images from the Contact period when Aborigines first encountered explorers and settlers.
Allow: 2 hours.

Where: Barrk bushwalk - Nourlangie Area
Features:This marked walk branches off the Nourlangie Rock lookout track, just past the Main Gallery (see Nourlangie Area link). A 12 km difficult walk through the sandstone country of Nourlangie, past the Nanguluwur art gallery and back to the car park. See the Barrk Walk Park Note.
Allow: 6 to 8 hours.

Where: Barrk Marlam Bushwalk - Jim Jim Falls Area
Features: (dry season only) This marked day walk branches off the Jim Jim Falls Plunge Pool track (see Jim Jim Falls Area link). A difficult 6 km return through the rugged stone country typical of the Arnhem Land Plateau.
Allow: 6 to 8 hours.

Where: Budjmi Lookout - Jim Jim Falls Area
Features: Starts at the Day Use / Picnic Area near the Jim Jim Creek crossing. A 1km return walk to the top of a rocky outcrop which provides great views of the escarpment cliffs.
Allow: 1 hour.

Where: Jim Jim Falls Plunge Pool - Jim Jim Falls Area
Features:Jim Jim Falls Plunge Pool A 2km return walk through monsoon forest and over boulders will take you to a deep plunge pool surrounded by spectacular, 150-metre high cliffs. This walk is suitable for people who are fit and can manage uneven terrain (large boulders, often slippery). Visitors who choose to swim at the Jim Jim Falls plunge pool do so at their own risk. Please note the visitor safety page regarding crocodiles and all crocodile warning signs on site. Do not enter the water downstream of the Jim Jim Falls plunge pool. Estuarine crocodiles may be present.
Allow: 1 to 2 hours.

Warnings - External Link On Crocodiles, Swimming in pools and gorges, Disease-carrying insects, Large feral animals, Dehydration, Lost or injured group members, Wildfires, Flash flooding, Emergency telephone numbers.

http://www.environment.gov.au - Click here for more extensive information on visitor safety to Kakadu National Park.

Warnings - External link http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/kakadu/visitor-information/safety.html
Please note sometimes the main link from the government database is replaced if so here is the start of the Parks section and please subsearch for crocoidle warngs etc http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/index.html + Kakadu http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/kakadu/index.html

Where: Twin Falls Plateau Walk
Features:Twin Falls Plateau Walk This is a steep and challenging 6-kilometre return walking trail to the plateau above Twin Falls. The highlights make the challenge worth it - stunning views across the Park and swimming in the pools along the creek. A permit is required from the Bowali Visitors Centre.
Allow: 3 to 4 hours.

Where: Yurmikmik Walks
Features:Yurmikmik Walks This series of interconnected walking tracks in the southern part of the Park take walkers to waterfalls and swimming holes. Many walks are open all year round including the Boulder Creek Walk, Yurmikmik Lookout Walks and Motor Car Falls.
Allow:

Where: Mirrai Lookout Walk
Features:Mirrai Lookout Walk This moderately difficult 3.6km return walk departs from the Mirrai carpark, 30kms south of the Bowali Visitor Centre. The walk goes to the Mount Cahill lookout and after a steep climb you'll be rewarded with unparalleled views of the Kakadu escarpment.
Allow: 1.5 hours.

Activities: Guided Walks

If you plan to camp overnight on a bushwalk you will need a permit.

Permits

Make sure you read and understand all of the permit conditions.

Saftey Notes

• As a safety precaution, there must be a minimum of 2 people on any overnight bushwalk in Kakadu National Park.
• Very good navigation skills are essential when bushwalking away from the designated marked trails.
• Your proposed bushwalking route and camping sites must be approved by park management and clearly indicated on a 1:50,000 or 1:100,000 topographic map, to be submitted with your permit application.
• Mobile phones without satellite reception do not operate outside the Jabiru local area.
• Don't forget your water water, suitable hiking clothing for the heat and sun protection.

Parks & Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory

Kakadu National Park - Seasons

But Australia's Kakadu sees seasons of varied extremes -- so varied, in fact, that the park's longtime aboriginal inhabitants have divided the year into six distinct seasons.
• Kakadu Seasons - Gunumeleng Pre-Monsoon Storm Season - Gunumeleng, from mid-October to late December, may in fact last from a few weeks to several months.
• Kakadu Seasons - Gudjewg - Monsoon Season - Gudjewg, from January to March, can be described as the 'true' wet season.
• Kakadu Seasons - Banggereng - Knock 'em down storm Season - Banggerreng, in April, is the season when the rain clouds have dispersed and clear skies prevail.
• Kakadu Seasons - Yegge - Cooler but still humid Season - Yegge, from May to mid-June, is relatively cool with low humidity.
• Kakadu Seasons - Wurrgeng - Cold Weather Season - Wurrgeng, from mid-June to mid-August, is the 'cold weather' time; humidity is low, daytime temperatures are around 30°C and night-time temperatures are around 17°C.
• Kakadu Seasons - Gurrung - Hot Dry Weather - Gurrung, from mid-August to mid-October, is hot and dry.