Thirteen sandstone gorges cut by the Katherine River on Jawoyn country, half an hour from Katherine town.
Glide between red cliffs on jade-green water, cross a rock bar to the next boat, and spot freshwater crocodiles sunning on the sand.
2026 season: after the March floods, Nitmiluk Tours says canoe hire and Cutta Cutta Caves stay closed until 2027. Cruises and helicopter flights are running. Nitmiluk Tours
Gorges, countedWhich gorges each tour really sees
Real guest ratingsLive figures from GetYourGuide
Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before on most tours
2026 status checkedFloods, closures and the park pass
Tours
Choose your Katherine Gorge tour
In the centre, the AAT Kings day from Darwin with by far the most reviews. Either side, the cheapest way to
cruise the gorge from Darwin and a 10-minute flight for when you are already at the gorge. Every card opens a full tour page.
The cheapest way to cruise the gorge from Darwin: the same 2-hour Nitmiluk Tours cruise and Edith Falls, in a smaller coach. You buy your own meals on the way.
The classic coach day from Darwin with AAT Kings: a 2-hour cruise through the first two gorges, a buffet lunch and a swim at Edith Falls when it is open.
What's included
2-hour cruise through gorges 1 and 2, with a walk between boats
Buffet lunch (on board from May to September)
Edith Falls stop, swimming when the pool is open
Air-conditioned coach from Darwin, back about 8:30 pm
Ten minutes over the first three gorges, Jedda's Rock and Butterfly Gorge, from the helipad by the Nitmiluk Centre. Short, but the view a boat never gives you.
Three questions sort it out. Where are you starting: Darwin or Katherine? Do you want the water or the air? And how
many of the 13 gorges do you actually want to see?
The NT parks pass (A$10 a day for adults, sold online only) is extra on the Darwin day trips; AAT Kings
says it will include the pass from 1 April 2027. Booked direct at the gorge, Nitmiluk Tours lists its 2-gorge cruise from A$139.
Before you book
Thirteen gorges, two by boat.
Katherine Gorge is not one canyon but a chain of 13 gorges along about 13 km of the Katherine River, separated by
rock bars and rapids that no boat can cross. Nitmiluk is the Jawoyn name for it, and since the handback of 1989 the
park has been Jawoyn land, leased back and run with NT Parks. The cruise company at the jetty, Nitmiluk Tours, is
Jawoyn-owned too.
That geography shapes every tour. On the standard 2-hour cruise you ride the first gorge, walk about 400 m
over a rock bar, and board a second boat for the second gorge. The 4-hour 3-gorge tour adds another 800 m walk, and it
only runs from May to September. No boat goes past the third gorge. To see all 13, you fly. Every Darwin day trip on
this page uses the 2-hour cruise.
13
Gorges in the system. A boat shows you two, or three in the dry season. A
helicopter flight of 20 minutes or more covers them all.
Gorge cruiseHelicopterDay tripMulti-day
Jawoyn rock art sits along the gorge walls. Some cruises and one helicopter flight stop at painted sites.
01
Do I need a park pass?
Yes, unless you live in the NT: A$10 a day for adults, bought online before you go.
02
When should I go?
May to August for cool, dry days. October is the hottest month of the year.
03
Can I swim?
Never in the first gorge. Above it, in the dry season only, once rangers clear it.
04
Who should skip a day trip?
Anyone who dreads eight hours on a coach, and children under 6 on two of them.
Your day
How a day trip from Darwin runs
13.5 to 14 hours door to door, about two of them on the water. This is the shape of it.
01
Early pickup in Darwin
Coaches leave central Darwin around 6:30 am and head south on the Stuart Highway.
3.5 to 4 hours
02
Stops on the way
Coffee at Adelaide River or Pine Creek, and on AAT Kings a stop at the Adelaide River War Cemetery.
20 to 40 minutes
03
The gorge cruise
Two gorges and a 400 m walk over the rock bar between boats, with a Jawoyn-run commentary.
2 hours
04
Edith Falls and home
A swim at Leliyn when the pool is open, then the long drive north. Back around 8 to 8:30 pm.
Season, prices, the park pass and what to bring: one tab each.
May to August: the dry season at its best. Clear skies, mean highs of 30 to 32°C, cool nights, every cruise running.
September and October: still dry but hot. October averages 37.7°C, the hottest month of the year.
November to April: the wet. Storms, high water and green cliffs with waterfalls. Cruises can shrink to the 1.5-hour first gorge, and swimming closes.
3-gorge tour and sunrise flights: May to September and May to October only.
Day trip from Darwin with the 2-hour cruise: from $223 (meals extra) to $257; AAT Kings with lunch $240.
Helicopter at the gorge: $133 for 10 minutes, $252 for all 13 gorges at sunrise, $308 at sunset with a landing.
Longer flights with a landing: $477 to $492.
Booked direct with Nitmiluk Tours: 2-gorge cruise from A$139, 3-gorge from A$229, sunset dinner from A$269.
Flying in from Darwin with the cruise: $1,099; a 4-day Top End tour: $1,607.
NT parks pass: A$10 a day, A$30 for two weeks, A$60 a year (adults). Online only, before you go.
NT residents do not need one. Kakadu needs its own, separate pass.
Swimming: never in the first gorge; above it and at Edith Falls in the dry season, when signs say open.
No glass within 10 m of the water. Canoes are not allowed in the first gorge.
A wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle: the gorge is hot from September.
Shoes with grip for the rock-bar walk between boats. Flip-flops slip.
Swimwear and a towel if your tour stops at Edith Falls.
Cash or a card for meals on the tours that do not include them, and insect repellent for the evening.
From Katherine30 kmAbout 30 minutes on the sealed Gorge Road to the Nitmiluk Centre.
From DarwinAbout 315 km3.5 to 4 hours down the Stuart Highway, each way.
Edith Falls60 km northLeliyn is the park's other section, 90 km by road from the gorge.
On the water2 hoursOn the standard cruise, gorges 1 and 2 with a walk between boats.
Park passA$10 a dayAdults, online only. NT residents are exempt.
Refund24 hoursFree cancellation up to a day before on most GetYourGuide tours here.
Where it happens
Where the gorge is
The Nitmiluk Centre, end of Gorge Road
Gorge Road, Nitmiluk National Park, 30 km east of Katherine, Northern Territory
Every cruise leaves from the jetty below the Nitmiluk Centre, which also holds the cafe, the ticket desk and the
helipad nearby. Katherine itself is a small town on the Stuart Highway, about 315 km south of Darwin. There is no
scheduled bus to the gorge, so you either drive, take a taxi, or come on a tour that brings you to the jetty.
4.5★★★★★ 285 reviews · Katherine Gorge & Edith Falls day tour GetYourGuide rating
★★★★★
This is a very long day trip but we'll worth it...much easier to leave the driving to someone else. [...] Katherine Gorge itself was stunning and Jamie our guide on the boat was very knowledgeable.
★★★★★
The tour through the Kathrine Gorge was beautiful and the later cooling off at the waterfall was a dream.
★★★★★
Beautiful flight with Miriam, Katherine Gorge breathtaking, only ten minutes but this organisation is so close to the gorge, that is all that is needed. Highly recommend!
★★★★★
The boat tour was very impressive, and I also really liked the stop at Edith Falls. The transportation was on time, and the guide was very nice. [...] Lunch (included) was good.
★★★★★
Fantastic helicopter trip with remote landing. The pilot was very friendly and informative, and looked to understand my interests to tailor the commentary and work out what to concentrate on.
★★★★★
We loved not having to drive ourselves, being able to take in the environment, visit and swim at the falls and relax on the way home.
★★★★★
Fantastic day the gorge was beautiful, we spotted a crocodile while on the boat, the guide Jason was knowledgable and gave so much info. [...] Take note it is a very long day spending 10+ hours on a bus but it’s worth it and comfortable.
★★★★★
The bus driver/guide Milo was excellent and the boat driver/guide on the Katherine Gorge was outstanding. A very professionally run experience.
★★★★★
Perfect weather, Mirium is a very professional pilot who made us feel safe and secure, a very enjoyable experience.
In Katherine town
Add an Aboriginal art workshop
Staying the night in Katherine? Spend a few hours with a local artist before or after the gorge.
A different half day in Katherine: artist and cultural guide Manuel Pamkal greets you with the didgeridoo, tells stories of growing up in the bush, and shows you how to throw a spear and make fire. Then you paint your own rarrk-style piece to take home. It is a new listing, so there are no reviews yet.
Most people meet Katherine Gorge as a photo of a boat between red walls. The real thing has more to it,
and a few surprises that change how you should book.
A river, a chain of gorges and Jawoyn country
The Katherine River has worn its way through a sandstone plateau that geologists date to roughly 1.7 to 1.8 billion
years old. Along about 13 km it has cut 13 gorges, linked by rock bars, rapids and boulder fields. The walls rise
straight out of the water, and in the dry season the river is calm enough to mirror them.
The land belongs to the Jawoyn. They lodged their land claim in 1978 and, after eleven years, the park was handed back
on 10 September 1989 and leased to the Territory for 99 years. A board with a Jawoyn majority runs it with NT Parks,
and Nitmiluk Tours, which runs the cruises, the cafe, the campground and Cicada Lodge, is Jawoyn-owned. When you pay
for the cruise at the jetty, the money stays local.
The 2-hour cruise uses two boats, one in each gorge.
The cruise is a relay
Because the rock bars block the river, every cruise beyond the first gorge is a relay. You ride to the end of the first
gorge, step off, walk about 400 metres over rock and steps, and board a second boat. The 3-gorge tour repeats the trick
with an 800 m walk, and you get time for a swim in the third gorge when it is open. Guests who would rather not walk can
wait at the transfer point; wheelchair access ends at the head of the first gorge.
The upshot: the standard 2-hour cruise shows you two of 13 gorges. That is still the most beautiful two hours most
people spend in the Top End, but it explains why helicopter flights exist here at all.
The honest small print: GetYourGuide does not sell the cruise on its own. If you are already in
Katherine with a car, book the 2-gorge cruise direct with Nitmiluk Tours (listed from A$139) and spend your budget on a
flight. The tours on this page earn their price by bringing you from Darwin, or by putting you in the air.
From Darwin, the day is the drive
Katherine is about 315 km south of Darwin. Every day trip leaves around 6:30 am and returns between 8 and 8:30 pm, for
13.5 to 14 hours in all, and about 8 of those hours are on the Stuart Highway. Reviewers love the gorge and almost all
mention the length of the day. If you can, sleep a night in Katherine or at the gorge, and treat the cruise as a morning
instead of a marathon. If you cannot, the AAT Kings day with lunch included and the cheaper Wildlife Tours Australia day
both get you on the same 2-hour cruise.
Flights leave from the helipad near the Nitmiluk Centre.
Swimming, crocodiles and the 2026 floods
The first gorge is closed to swimming all year. Above it, swimming opens in the dry season once rangers have checked
for saltwater crocodiles, which can come upriver in wet season floods. The crocodiles you will see from the boat are
freshwater ones, shy and small, nesting on the sand banks. Edith Falls (Leliyn), an hour away, is the easy swim.
March 2026 brought a record flood: on 6 March the river at the Nitmiluk Centre passed 8.7 metres, above the 2000 record.
Cruises and flights are running again, but Nitmiluk Tours says canoe hire stays closed for the 2026 season and reopens in
2027. Check our blog before you travel.
The Baruwei Lookout walk is 1.8 km return from the Nitmiluk Centre.
Straight answers to what people ask most about Katherine Gorge.
Is Nitmiluk the same as Katherine Gorge?
Yes. Nitmiluk is the Jawoyn name for the gorge and the national park around it; it means "Cicada Place". The park was handed back to the Jawoyn people in 1989 and is run jointly with NT Parks, which is why signs, maps and tour names use both. The park chapter explains the rest.
What is the best way to see Katherine Gorge?
For most people, the 2-hour cruise: it covers the first two gorges, with a short walk over a rock bar between boats. A helicopter is the only way to see all 13 gorges, and a 10-minute flight shows the first three. Compare them in the cruise guide and the helicopter guide.
How much does a Katherine Gorge cruise cost?
Booked direct with Nitmiluk Tours, the 2-gorge cruise is listed from A$139, the 3-gorge tour from A$229 and the sunset dinner cruise from A$269 (NT Tourism listings, October 2026). A day trip from Darwin that includes the 2-hour cruise costs from $223 on GetYourGuide. You also need an NT parks pass, A$10 a day for adults.
Is there a day trip to Katherine Gorge from Darwin?
Yes, several. Expect 13.5 to 14 hours door to door for 2 hours on the water: Katherine is about 315 km south of Darwin. The coach tours add Edith Falls and lunch or meal stops. See the day trip guide for which one suits you.
Can you swim in Katherine Gorge?
Not from the cruise jetty: the first gorge is closed to swimming all year. Above it, swimming is allowed in the dry season only, once rangers have surveyed for saltwater crocodiles. Edith Falls and Southern Rockhole are the usual swims. Details in swimming and crocodiles.
Are there saltwater crocodiles in Katherine Gorge?
The crocodiles you see on the sand banks are freshwater crocodiles, which nest in the gorge. Saltwater crocodiles can come up the river in wet season floods, which is why swimming stays closed after the wet until rangers have checked and trapped. Only swim where a sign says you can.
How far is Katherine Gorge from Katherine?
About 30 km, or 30 minutes by car on the sealed Gorge Road. There is no scheduled bus, so without a car you need a taxi or a tour. Edith Falls (Leliyn) is a separate section of the park, about 60 km north of Katherine.
What times do the Katherine Gorge cruises run?
The 2-gorge cruise leaves several times a day, all year, as river levels allow. The 3-gorge tour leaves at 9 am, May to September only. In the wet season, high water can cut the cruise back to the 1.5-hour first-gorge tour. Times are on Nitmiluk Tours.
Is Katherine Gorge worth it?
If you are already in Katherine, without a doubt: it is a 30-minute drive. From Darwin it is a long day for a 2-hour cruise, so it is worth it if the gorge is the point of your trip, and better as an overnight stay. Our honest take is in is it worth it?.
How many days do you need in Katherine?
Two nights is the sweet spot: one day for the cruise and the Baruwei Lookout walk, one for Edith Falls (Leliyn) on the way north or back. With a single day, do the cruise in the morning and a helicopter flight or the lookout in the afternoon.
Where can I hire a canoe in Katherine Gorge?
Nitmiluk Tours rents canoes at the gorge from about June to October, but it says canoeing is closed for the 2026 season after the March floods and will reopen in 2027. Until then, the cruise or a flight is how you see the gorge.
When is the best time to visit Katherine Gorge?
May to August: dry, clear and cooler, with every cruise running and swimming open. October is the hottest month, at a mean of 37.7°C. From November to April the wet season brings storms, high water and waterfalls you only see by air.
Ready to book
Pick your boat, or your view from above.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on most tours, and the price you see is the price you pay on GetYourGuide.
Lowest price
★ 4.713.5 hoursFree cancellation
