Things to do at Katherine Gorge
Cruise, paddle, swimThe boat is the headline. A night nearby gets you the rest.
Cruise it, paddle it, and swim near it. The headline is a two-hour boat cruise below 70 metre cliffs through Nitmiluk's sandstone gorges, and it is on our day trip from Darwin from $339. With more time you can take the gorge by canoe, swim at Edith Falls, 60km north of Katherine, and spend a full day among rock art, waterfalls and wildlife on a five day Top End trip from $1,749. May to October, the dry season, is when all of it is open.
Checked on 28 October 2026.
Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk, is thirteen gorges carved through sandstone, 320km south of Darwin. It is Jawoyn land, managed jointly with the national park. What you do there depends mostly on how long you give it: a day gets you the river, a night or two gets you the rest.
The things to do
- Cruise the gorge.The two-hour NitNit Dreaming boat cruise runs below cliffs up to 70 metres high. It is the one everybody does, and it is the centre of our day trip from Darwin.
- Paddle it yourself.The gorge can also be taken by canoe if you have longer than a day.
- Swim at Edith Falls.It is 60km north of Katherine, and the dry season is when the swimming there is reliable. Our Darwin to Broome trips offer it as the alternative to the gorge itself.
- Rock art, waterfalls and wildlife.The five day Kakadu, Litchfield, Katherine and Arnhem Land trip gives Nitmiluk a full day rather than a stop.
- Sleep nearby.Two nights at Katherine on the five day Kakadu, Litchfield and Katherine Gorge trip, in permanent tents or bush swags, so the gorge is not squeezed between two long drives.
Which way to see it
| Trip | Length | Your time at the gorge | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Katherine Gorge Tours | 1 day | The two-hour cruise below 70 metre cliffs, from Darwin and back in a day | $339 |
| 5 Day Kakadu, Litchfield & Katherine Gorge | 5 days, 4 nights | Two nights camped at Katherine, with Kakadu and Litchfield either side | $1799 |
| 5 Day Kakadu, Litchfield, Katherine & Arnhemland | 5 days, 4 nights | A day at Nitmiluk among rock art, waterfalls and wildlife | $1749 |
| 10 Days Darwin to Broome | 10 days, 9 nights | Camped at Nitmiluk: the gorge, or a swim at Edith Falls | $3149 |
Prices are the current from price and update on their own.
The day trip is rated 2 out of 5 for effort, so it asks very little of you physically. It is a long day, around 780km all up, with Darwin accommodation transfers included. Meals are not: breakfast and lunch are bought along the way, at Adelaide River, Pine Creek or the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre.
Katherine month by month
| Month | Average top | Average overnight | Rain | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34.6°C | 24.2°C | 266.6 mm | The wettest month. High water in the gorge and the country at its greenest. |
| February | 33.9°C | 23.9°C | 234.3 mm | Still the wet: big storm skies and green country. |
| March | 34.2°C | 23.1°C | 192.6 mm | The wet easing, with the river still full. |
| April | 34.0°C | 20.8°C | 42.6 mm | The turn. Rain falls away and the country stays green. |
| May | 32.1°C | 16.9°C | 4.8 mm | The dry arrives. Warm days and cooler nights. |
| June | 30.1°C | 13.8°C | 0.4 mm | The driest month. Perfect cruising and camping weather. |
| July | 30.4°C | 13.0°C | 0.9 mm | The coolest nights of the year. Peak season, and it earns it. |
| August | 32.3°C | 14.6°C | 1.4 mm | Excellent. Still dry, still cool after dark. |
| September | 35.8°C | 20.1°C | 5.9 mm | Warm and dry, with the crowds starting to thin. |
| October | 37.7°C | 23.7°C | 29.5 mm | The build-up: the warmest month, with the first storms. |
| November | 37.4°C | 24.6°C | 90.3 mm | Dramatic storm skies over the sandstone. |
| December | 35.9°C | 24.5°C | 216.6 mm | The wet returns: green, full and quiet. |
Bureau of Meteorology averages for Katherine Aviation Museum, station 014903, over 26 years.
So when?
May to October if you want everything: the dry season is when the swimming at Edith Falls is reliable and the whole gorge is open to boats. June to August brings the coolest nights, down to 13°C, which is what makes camping at Katherine a pleasure. The wet, December to March, is when the river runs high and the country is at its greenest. The cruises run year round, though high water closes the upper gorges to boats.
The trips
1 Day Katherine Gorge Toursfrom $3391 day1 day. The cruise, from DarwinView trip
5 Day Kakadu, Litchfield & Katherine Gorgefrom $17995 days, 4 nightsTents or Swags5 days. Two nights at KatherineView trip
5 Day Kakadu, Litchfield, Katherine & Arnhemlandfrom $17495 days, 4 nightsPrivate Safari Camp5 days. Adds Arnhem LandView trip
10 Days Darwin to Broomefrom $314910 days, 9 nightsCamping under the stars10 days. Darwin to Broome via the Gibb River RoadView tripPeople also ask
- How do you get to Katherine Gorge from Darwin?
- When is the best time to visit Darwin and Kakadu?
- How many days do you need in Darwin and the Top End?
- What day trips can you do from Darwin?
Where this comes from. Temperatures and rainfall are Bureau of Meteorology long-term averages for Katherine Aviation Museum, station 014903, over 26 years. The cruise, what each trip does at the gorge, effort ratings, meals and prices are each trip's own details as held on its page here, and prices update on their own. Nitmiluk's joint management with the Jawoyn people is the park's published arrangement.