Walking ideas for Kakadu area

[stuart53]

We're planning a trip of a week to 10 days in the Kakadu area in May or June 2013 with a group of 4 to 6, but having difficulty finding decent track notes. We have the "Take a Walk" publication but would like to have a few more options to consider. We've done a number of extended walks before - we did 8 days in the King Leopold Range in 2009, Jatbula in 2010, 8 days on the South West Cape (Tas) circuit last year, so we're comfortable with walking in remote areas. We can manage off-track navigation, and have appropriate safety gear (sat phone, GPS). We're Melbourne-based and would need to organize transport to and from the walk.

Any ideas?

Stuart

[mountnman]

This is an exact copy from John Chapmans website:

"In the far north, the Kakadu National Park is one of the best known reserves in Australia. The eastern half of the area is an aboriginal reserve in which you are not allowed to enter. The western half of the park has some excellent bushwalking country and there are some fine walks of up to 5 days in length. Permits are required and are not readily given out so you must make arrangements well in advance if you want to walk in Kakadu. Restrictions apply because many aborigines follow a traditional lifestyle in the park and a strict permit system reduces conflicts and unexpected contact.

To get permission to walk in Kakadu, you must send in a map with your detailed route. This is often rejected if your route approaches a sacred or protected aboriginal site. They will not give you a list of sites to avoid, so obtaining permission from afar is a hit or miss affair. Practically, you need local knowledge to know where you can go and this makes it more difficult for visitors to obtain a permit. Many bushwalkers employ local commercial guides for walks in Kakadu as they have the required knowledge and this is a practical, although expensive, alternative."

I hope you can find the information you need, it doesn't look like it's well publicised.

[ofuros]

Try the Bowali cultural & info centre on the outskirts of Jabiru in the heart of Kakadu.....they should be able to help.
08 8938 1121
Open 8-5pm NT time.

.....via tapatalk.

[GraemeSpedding]

We're planning a trip of a week to 10 days in the Kakadu area in May or June 2013 with a group of 4 to 6, but having difficulty finding decent track notes. We have the "Take a Walk" publication but would like to have a few more options to consider. We've done a number of extended walks before - we did 8 days in the King Leopold Range in 2009, Jatbula in 2010, 8 days on the South West Cape (Tas) circuit last year, so we're comfortable with walking in remote areas. We can manage off-track navigation, and have appropriate safety gear (sat phone, GPS). We're Melbourne-based and would need to organize transport to and from the walk.

Any ideas?

Stuart

I just saw this..and your planning is probably well advanced by now. BUT, many of the access roads will/ may still be closed in May Jun. I have been walking up there for about 16 years or so and have started getting trouble getting into Koolpin even in July.
That Said, if you ring parks at the Bowali Visitor Centre and ask to speak with the permits officer, they are very helpful and will try to help you plan an Out an Bak or point to point route. A WALK Up the Koolpin Creek, from Flying Fox Crossing to KC upper reaches can provide for a relaxed and very scenic trip. IfI can be of help, pls message me and I can call and talk thru some ideas.

[DaveatArmidale]

Sorry to intercept your message; I was researching a walk that I first became aware of when, back in 2007, I was swimming in Graveside Gorge and 2 bushwalkers came along on their end of a 9 day walk from Koolpin Gorge. It was their walk, in that country, that inspired me to take up bushwalking. One of the walkers had busted his thumb up badly and was in need of medical assistance. Ringing any bells Graeme Spedding???? Does anyone on the forum have information on the Koolpin to Graveside walk......and I know you do Graeme!!! Any info or links would be appreciated.

[stuart53]

Hi Graeme,

sorry about the delay is responding. We put in our walk application in Feb planning for an early August start date and I haven't revisited this forum since, in part because the advice we had was that there would be no news about access to the park until early June. The most recent message from the Kakadu parks people was that they expect to check out that part of the park in a week or so. The process for getting a permit is pretty complicated. You apply and say where you want to go, then they tell you if there are parts of the route that are in areas where you're not allowed, then you revise your route accordingly. At that stage you're listed for a walk permit, but it doesn't get issued until the NP people check that the route is still ok after the end of the wet. It seems to be a combination of negotiating around the concerns of the traditional owners who don't want walkers traipsing through sacred sites - reasonable enough, but it's a bit tricky as you're not allowed to know where the sacred sites are that you're not allowed to go to - and the usual parks bureaucratic concern that people don't go heading off to places where they might get into trouble. We're basically planning to ascend Koolpin Creek, cut across to Twin Falls Creek and descend as far as the falls, then retrace a bit and go NE across country to the middle reaches of Jim Jim creek, then descend that to the falls and exit, taking about 7 days. I'm aware of the route from Graveside around to Twin Falls - depending how we go we might even explore that bit. I have done a couple of trips in the top end and I know it's pretty tempting stop walking around early afternoon and spend the rest of the day in a waterhole.

[scottie 68]

Hi Stuart
I am really keen to to complete the Koolpin to Twin Falls route in August 2014. we are about to apply for our permit and would like some advice on the process and any tips you may have to ensure our success in completing this independently. I am awaiting my maps to arrive and looking at how we can transfer from Darwin to Koolpin and twin fall return.
Cheers
Scottie

[jahalpin]

Hi Stuart, Scottie and others,
I'm looking to do some walking in the next few months in Kakadu (possibly Koolpin to Twin Falls) but am finding that the transfer from Darwin to start/end of routes is the most difficult aspect to organise.
Does anyone have advice on: (1) the "best" dry season 5-6 day hike in Kakadu, AND (2) how to go about getting to/from trail heads without a private vehicle? i.e. is there a private company that will do shuttles that won't cost the Earth?
Much appreciated,
Jacqui

[andrewp]

Hi all,

Me too. I'm thinking about Koolpin to Twin Falls or Jim Jim Falls in Jul/Aug 2015. Like the others I don't know how to get transport to the trackhead. Anyone had any luck with this.

Cheers
Andrew

[hellodustin]

I would love any advice, tips on planning a trip to Kakadu. We are in a Subaru Outback wagon but realize 4wd is recommended for a lot of the trips. We are well experienced, prepared bushwalkers willing to walk rather than drive if necessary.

We'll have 10 days to explore.

This suggestion: "A WALK Up the Koolpin Creek, from Flying Fox Crossing to KC upper reaches" sounds like something we'd get into. I'd imagine it requires the application process?

We really hope to spend 2 nights at Koolpin Gorge if feasible to get in without a proper 4wd.

I'll be ringing Bowali Visitor Centre very soon to discuss options as well.

[north-north-west]

We really hope to spend 2 nights at Koolpin Gorge if feasible to get in without a proper 4wd.

It isn't. Or at least, it never has been and there's no reason for that to have changed since I was last in Kakadu. They keep that road in 'ordinary' condition on purpose to discourage visitors.

[elthampete1]

Hi,

If anyone has some concrete GR's that the permit office will deem acceptable for a Koolpin to Twin Falls permit application, i'd appreciate the help and streamlining the process.

Thanks, Peter