We are the first ever Larapinta walking operator to provide a self guided option on the Larapinta Trail. To add to its uniqueness, we opt to get up and start walking before sunrise each morning (covering anywhere between 8 and 17kms), and so we arrive at our destinations each day in the mid-morning (or on one of our more our zealous days, before breakfast). The biggest day is 17km which can be finished in 4 to 6 walking hours. The ulitmate 11 day Pack-Free walking showcasing the best walks of Central Australia including Trephina Gorge in the East MacDonnell ranges, the Larapinta trail, Giles Track and Kings Canyon Rim walk in Watarrka National Park, as well 'The Valley of the Winds' walk in Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and around Uluru in the Red Centre. Every hour of walking reminds you just how hot it’s going to get, and it’s a constant race to beat off dehydration. But the walk also offers a spirit that I’ve never experienced anywhere else on this continent. With the red-tail black cockatoos continuously passing overhead, there’s a sort of sadness at the idea of leaving the trail so soon. ... this is a great Northern Australian walk and anyone seriously interested in self guided, multi day walking in Australia should get their name on the waiting list to get a permit to do this walk. Each campsite is uniquely beautiful, with gorgeous views, waterfalls, and crystal-clear swimming holes to wait out the heat of the day. Flying in from cool Canberra we were intimidated by the idea of hiking for hours in the heat of northern Australia and pretty concerned about not over-doing it. You will encounter river crossings, mud, burnt areas (up to a third of the park is burnt each year), rocks, softer sandy paths, and riverine stretches with paw potholes from water buffalo. I was keen to experience the Jatbula Trail before it became too well known; too well trodden. Day three also dropped us into the amphitheatre, a little desert oasis with beautiful geology and ancient rock art – it’s one of the only locations on the that’s trail signposted and teaches walkers about the sacredness of the site and its importance on this songline. The Jatbula Trail is a 5-day hike through everchanging ecosystems in Nitmiluk National Park. I’ve always loved my adventures, but I’ve spent years not understanding how walking a really long way is somehow desirable, and cynical that the ground covered by foot could really change enough to keep me interested. The Twins who Flew to the Australian Red Pole, Stunning waterholes to camp at every night, There’s a great burger & milkshake joint at the end, Headtorch – both for the campsites and early morning starts, Broad Brimmed hat and sunscreen – it is HOT, Hiking in the dry season, we didn’t take a tent – opting just for sleeping mats and mosquito nets, EPIRB/ELB – There are emergency contact devices at each campground, but you should carry one throughout the day. With a limited amount of hikers allowed at once, you get to deeply immerse yourself in the Australian outback and ancient landscapes as you walk this traditional Indigenous songline. The Jatbula Trail is a full pack bushwalking adventure, taking us far away from city life and immersing us into this ancient wonderland. This gives the walk an interesting community feel, where you spend all day walking alone only to find the same familiar faces at the campsite each night – each of whom we will enjoy getting to know progressively over the week. We spent time with our newly found friends, swapping stories and delaying the inevitable end. The final day takes you out of the dense tropical forest and into open grasslands, across dry mud plains (which must be hell to hike at the beginning of the season), and along river banks to Sweetwater. The Jatbula Trail starts from the Katherine River in the Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park, 30 kilometres east of Katherine, in the Northern Territory. The trail is well sign-posted and perfect for self-guided hikers. Since we pioneered the first commercial trek on the Larapinta in 1995 we have always prided ourselves on our ability to lead the way in creating unique trekking and walking opportunities for our travellers. But this trail is ancient, and it constantly reminds you of this as you pass by unprotected rock art, rarely signposted but reaching out to you with the full weight of the history that it represents. This trail follows the traditional route (used by the Jawoyn) along the western edge of the Arnhem Land Escarpment. ... Jatbula Trail. Shot by @1andre, Millaa Millaa Falls is an 18 metre high heritage-l, Hiking attire has changed a lot over the last cent, How Feral Horses Damage Australia’s Precious Alpine Environments, El Questro is an Outback Oasis Along The Gibb River Run, Bikepacking The Central West Cycling Trail in 6 Days, Nitmiluk Gorge Southern Walks – Secluded 4 Day Solo Hike, Conquer The Canberra Centenary Trail as 12 Day Hikes, Capturing The Landscapes Of The Larapinta. The nearby campground is nice and flat, toilets are provided. Rock art at various sites along the trail bears testimony to long heritage of this walking trail. For a basic overview of the trail and logistics. From here, walk the final stage (you will start to see people) down to Leliyn (Edith) Falls, burgers and milkshakes! Definitely worth a dip though! Walking the trail in 6 days splits up as follows: Day 1: 8.3km Day 2: 11km Day 3: 10km Day 4: 16.8km Day 5: 11km Day 6: 4.5km. The track is well marked and the distances not too significant, but the heat can have a significant impact on those not used to it. The Jatbula Trail - Katherine Gorge. This fully guided 5 Day, 58 kilometre (36 Mile) Jatbula Trail features stunning scenery, waterfalls, and ancient Aboriginal rock art. On day four, the biggest day at 16.8km, we saw the country change yet again. Operated by Wilderness Experiential Learning. It follows the escarpment across the park to Leliyn (Edith Falls). Operated by Darwin Horse and Carriage. The more challenging walk option will be on a section of the long distance Jatbula Trail to Sweetwater Pool. Adventure Photography – a load of Redbull! The land, scarred by fire, speaks of a recently burned savanna with just the upper reaches of the gums remaining. The trail is an ancient Song Line used by the Jawoyn people. Tours 3 Day Family Tour to Kakadu. The trail moves from Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) to Edith Falls/ Leliyn. You should have a reasonable level of fitness for this hike. As you get closer to the end, the trail begins to fill up with day hikers, who somehow seem to miss the grandeur of the land that they’re walking across. The Jatbula Trail takes you from Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) Visitor Centre to Edith Falls, a 65km track that is marked for self-guided walking during the dry season. We are walking the 62km of remote desert trail that traces the western edge of the Arnhem Land escarpment in Nitmiluk National Park, just out of Katherine, NT. To complete this journey we take a short 4WD safari in to the heart of Kakadu National Park, camping and … Heading out of camp on day two begins through the boggy upper reaches of the cascades, with our eyes peeled for buffalo, the landscape soon enough changes again into dry, rocky outcrops and our first sighting of the ancient rock art that defines the region. But out of the still-regenerating landscape emerges crystal falls, offering some of the most stunningly clear swimming spots of the trail. Day 3 – 10km – Leave Crystal Falls on the way to the Amphitheatre, a beautiful break from the desert sun and some great rock cart. The bulk of our weight is made up of water, of which we’re carrying 6L each, and we’ll need every drop. The path never diverts too far from the stunning Indian Ocean where you can enjoy white sandy beaches and fabulous swimming. It’s a few hours until our ride is due to pick us up, which we spend swimming across the pools at the bottom of the falls and relaxing on the grass – taking time to appreciate the places we’ve seen. As per the below map from the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife website on the Jatbula Trail. In the Top End, the Jatbula Trail is a wilderness camping, full-pack carrying trek along the Jatbula Trail on the Arnhem Land escarpment. Few places in Australia have inspired that same feeling in me. Some opt to camp here, but with only a 4km to the end it doesn’t seem like a real stop. Powered by. The Jatbula Trail is a 62 km one way walk, departing from Nitmiluk Gorge, traversing through the western edge of the Arnhem Land escarpment over sandstone plateau scrub, woodlands, monsoon forests and riverine landscapes finishing at Leliyn (Edith Falls) You will walk in the footsteps of generations of Jawoyn who traditionally travelled this land. It’s not the same as driving up to a protected patch of historical landmarks. It’s not just the human history of this place that’s striking, the geology is incomprehensible. We climbed through greener landscapes than anywhere else on the trail, across muddy flood plains, tropical savanna, and then descending to Sandy Pool. We’re hiking light this trip, our two packs carry a respectable 10kg each. Continue on to Biddlecombe Cascades to camp for the evening. The Jatbula Trail is a once-in-a-lifetime experience full of majestic beauty in the heartland of the generations of the Jawoyn people.The Jatbula Trail runs along the western edge of the Northern Territory’s Arnhem Escarpment with the adventure taking you along a 62km graded trail beginning on the edge of the stunning Nitmiluk Gorge, continuing through the Nitmiluk National Park and ending at the … Guide Book & Map. With a limited amount of hikers allowed at once, you get to deeply immerse yourself in the Australian outback and ancient landscapes as you walk this traditional Indigenous songline. Trekking across the top of the escarpment and looking out into the valley below, the vastness that is Central Australia somehow feels different with the knowledge that it’s a three day walk back to any human infrastructure. Operated by Parliament House Tours. Attractions, accommodation options and more…, © NT Immersions & Monsoon Studio. This has got to be one of the most gorgeous campsites of the trail, set on the banks of a large permanent waterhole. It’s a moderately challenging hike with a full pack, doable by any able adult but best enjoyed if you have a good level of fitness, even better if you’ve practiced carrying a full pack. Jatbula Trail: Jatbula Hammock Hiking!! The Jatbula Trail is a full pack 6 day hike through Nitmiluk National Park in the Northern Territory. I don’t know if I’m a full convert yet, but what I do know is that hiking offers a connection to country that you can’t get from the car. Quickly the magic of being so remote gives way to the excitement of indulging in a burger and milkshake at the campsite tuckshop. Nonetheless, we arrive in at Leliyn Falls at the peak of the heat (courtesy of our extra-long stay at Sweetwater), and that burger never tasted so good. The trail management of Jatbula only allows 15 people to walk any one section per day and walkers are set to a strict schedule of pre-identified campsites. Guided trips give you a wonderful opportunity to create lasting friendships with other travellers on the trip, where you often find a great combination of active people with similar interests in travel, fitness and experiences. The Jatbula is an exclusive destination opening only during the dry season from June to September, with a limit of 15 people per day permitted on the trail. 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