Jatbula Trail

The Jatbula Trail is a 62-kilometre one-way walk through Nitmiluk National Park in the Northern Territory, running from Katherine Gorge to the plunge pool at Leliyn (Edith Falls). It follows a route long used by the Jawoyn people, the traditional owners of the country, and passes some of the finest rock art and waterhole scenery in the Top End.

The walk takes five to six days, camping at a series of designated sites beside spring-fed creeks and waterfalls where swimming is one of the trail's great pleasures. The path crosses stone country and open savanna woodland at the edge of the Arnhem Land escarpment, taking in the Amphitheatre, a lush pocket of monsoon forest, and ancient Aboriginal painting sites. Elevation change is modest, but the terrain is rough and the sun relentless.

Difficulty is moderate. The main challenges are heat, the weight of carrying several days of food, and rocky, sometimes faint tread. The trail runs one way only, north to east, and numbers are strictly limited, so a permit booked in advance through Nitmiluk is compulsory. Walkers must be self-sufficient, though the many waterholes make water relatively reliable in season.

The trail is open only in the dry season, roughly June to September, when the creeks still flow but the risk of extreme heat and monsoon flooding has passed. In the wet season the park closes the route entirely. A boat shuttle across the Katherine River begins the walk. With its cascades, art sites and deep cultural significance, it is among the most rewarding walks in tropical Australia.