Nitmiluk National Park was one of our favourite stops around Katherine! It’s home to Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, Leliyn (Edith Falls), and some great hikes. 

Here’s a quick summary of the best things to do across the park:

• Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, it’s actually a group of 13 gorges! Absolutely mindblowing. You can explore them by kayak like we did, or with a cruise.

• Baruwei Lookout and Loop, solid hike for epic views over the gorge and 17 Mile Valley.

• Leliyn (Edith Falls), beautiful waterfall area with natural pools and a campground. 

• Jatbula Trail, a massive multi-day hike between Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge and Leliyn.

There are campgrounds at both Nitmiluk Gorge and Leliyn. Nitmiluk Gorge Caravan Park has powered and unpowered sites, a pool and bistro, while Leliyn Campground is more basic.

If they’re booked out, we recommend staying at the local Discovery Parks. We stayed there as it’s a short drive from Nitmiluk Gorge and it was good. 

We recommend spending 2 days just exploring the park. Use one for Nitmiluk Gorge and Baruwei in the southern section, then another for Leliyn and swimming in the different pools.

But if you’re short on time and can only do 1 thing, we’d recommend doing a canoe tour through Nitmiluk Gorge! Like this one.

Paddling between the cliffs was one of the most peaceful experiences we had in the NT, nothing prepares you for how massive the gorge is. We loved it!

You can find more about our tour experience in the pin called “Nitmiluk Gorge Canoe Tour”. You can find it in the interactive map or in the “Spots” tab.

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Towering gorge walls, swimming holes and hiking trails

• Canoe tours and boat cruises through Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge

• Very little shade on exposed walks like Baruwei, so come prepared

• The Jatbula Trail takes 5-6 days. It must be carefully planned and booked early

TO ACCESS

• NT Parks Pass required

• 2WD accessible

• ~30-60 min from Katherine depending on where you’re going