An extensive guide to hiking the Jatbula Trail
Thinking about hiking the Jatbula Trail? If you’re a keen walker then this unique Australian trail should definitely be on your list. Somewhere towards the top, really. Read on to find out why.
Imagine a hike with undulating trails, which takes in around three to four hours of walking every day.
The scenery is incredible. The area, remote. There’s amazing birdlife constantly around you.
Each campsite has its own watering hole and after you finish walking, you spend the day napping, reading or getting to know your fellow hikers.
And at night, an intensely starry sky reveals itself. Bliss.
This is the Jatbula Trail and it’s got to be one of the best hikes in Australia… maybe even the world?
This 62 kilometre one-way walk starts in Nitmiluk Gorge, around a 20 minute drive from the town of Katherine, in the Northern Territory. It finishes at Leliyn, which is also known as Edith Falls. There are lots of waterfalls in this part of the world, which is quite exciting.
On this trail, you hike across rocky escarpments, through woodlands and forest, and alongside and sometimes across rivers. It’s all a little bit pretty.
There are five designated campsites, where hikers must spend the night (although you are permitted to skip the last one). They each have toilets and permanent water, where you can fill your water bottles and bladders (making sure to purify/filter/boil).
You can then spend the majority of the day lazing about in the water. Sounds pretty nice, hey?
The Jatbula is one of the most sought after multi-day hikes in Australia, usually selling out within hours every year.
I think you’ll agree, this is for good reason.
Something to note: many of the hikers you meet on the Jatbula Trail have often hiked it before. Yes, people love this multi-day hike so much, they’ll happily come back for a repeat experience.
And while you can opt to book onto a guided version of the trail, it’s actually not to difficult to plan a self-guided hike.
This post will show you how.
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Your guide to hiking the Jatbula trail
History of the Jatbula Trail
The Jawoyn people are the Traditional Owners of the land this trail traverses.
The trail itself is named for Peter Jatbula, who was a key figure in securing land rights for his people.
Here are some quick facts about the Jatbula Trail:
- How far? 62 kilometres; a one way trail from Nitmiluk Gorge to Leliyn/Edith Falls.
- How long? 5-6 days – you can’t skip most of the campsites (and why would you want to?).
- How many campgrounds? there are five designated grounds.
- What’s the cost? there’s a cost for each campsite and a walking fee as well. Other costs apply, more below.
- Are there restrictions? each campground is restricted to 15 people at a time.
- Indigenous history: keep an eye out for rock art of the Jawoyn people along the trail.
Why hike the Jatbula Trail?
So, why should you hike the Jatbula Trail?
This is one of the most sought-after treks in Australia, up high on any hiker’s dream list.
Permits are extremely hard to source, so you if you get the chance, you really should leap on it.
It’s also not a particularly hard hike to complete, graded as moderate/challenging. There’s one really long day (in comparison to the others, anyway) and a river crossing, but apart from that, it’s generally a straightforward amble. Anyone with a good level of fitness should be able to complete it.
How to get a permit for the Jatbula Trail
It’s not possible to just ‘rock up’ and hike the Jatbula Trail. Usually, it requires careful planning… sometimes months in advance.
To hike the trail, you need to book a permit well in advance. These are sold via the Northern Territory Parks Booking System.
Tickets usually go on sale in early February, for the hiking season of that same year.
Something to note – access to the Jatbula Trail can sell out within minutes. Treat it like you’re trying to get tickets to see your favourite and very popular band.
This is because the walking season is relatively short, beginning in June and ending at the tail end of September. Plus only 15 hikers are allowed to begin the hike, each day of the walking season.
When is the best time to hike the Jatbula Trail?
While the trail is open from June-September, the best time to hike it is generally June and July.
Why? Northern Australia is notoriously hot and the Top End can be quite humid.
Depending on conditions (weather, the trail itself) you may be able to obtain a permit to walk the trail in April or May, the shoulder season.
The trail is closed from October to end of March, as the weather is just too ridiculous in that part of Australia to go walking then.
Costs of the Jatbula Trail
The permits for the trail aren’t free, but they are fairly reasonably priced.
You’ll pay $10 per night, per campsite – so $50 all up, if you’re staying at all five.
There’s also a ‘walking fee’ of $25, which covers the entire trail.
You’ll need to catch a ferry from Nitmulik Gorge to the start of the trail near 17 Mile Creek. The ferry costs $25 (when you’re on it, it feels a bit like you’re paying a dollar per second, the ride is so short). You can book the ferry in advance online.
If you’re staying at Nitmulik Gorge before the hike, you’ll need to book a campsite. One site for up to six people is $60 a night.
Similarly, you may want to kip down at Leliyn Campground for a night, before heading elsewhere. The cost is $15.
Those are the basic costs, not including travel to Darwin or accommodation there. Nor accounting for any gear you may need for the trip, which you may be able to hire, to save money.
Getting to the Jatbula Trail
This is a one-way walk, which starts at Nitmiluk Gorge. It is possible to be picked up at Katherine, which is 27 kilometres from the Gorge.
The walk ends at Leliyn. From here, you can catch a transfer to Katherine or back to Nitmiluk Gorge, if that’s where you left your car.
Gecko Canoeing and Trekking offer transfers, which can be booked in advance online.
Food and water
Each campsite has access to fresh water, but it’s highly recommended to filter or boil the water before consuming it.
Make sure you fill your hydration bladder and water bottle right up before you leave each campsite.
There are no drop-off points for food – when hiking the Jatbula Trail, you’ll have to carry everything you plan on eating with you.
What to pack for the Jatbula Trail
And probably the most important consideration – what should you pack for hiking the Jatbula Trail?
The essentials
- Lightweight hiking tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping bag liner
- Ultralight pillow
- Self-inflating mattress
- 3L hydration bladder
- Lifestraw bottle
- Head torch
- Osprey 65L backpack
Other gear
- First aid kit
- Snake bandage
- Sunscreen
- Aloe vera
- Toilet paper or pee rag
- Hand sanitiser
- Lipbalm (SPF15)
- Electrolytes
- Garbage bag
- Fast-drying towel or sarong
Clothing
- Hiking pants or leggings
- Shorts
- Gaiters
- Fly net
- Hat
- Sunnies
- Hiking boots
- Merino shirt
- Merino socks
- Sports bra
- Fast-drying underwear
- Bathers/swimmers/cozzie
- Hanky
Food and cooking
- JetBoil stove
- JetBoil fuel (available for purchase in Katherine or Darwin)
- Emergency matches
- Cup
- Plate
- Spork
Optional (but recommended)
Jatbula Trail itinerary: day-to-day
Here’s an account of hiking the Jatbula Trail, to give you a bit of an idea of the day to day. For more, read my personalised field notes from the trail.
Day one: Nitmiluk Gorge to Biddlecombe Cascades – 8.3km
Best to get up early, pack your bags and get to the ferry as soon as possible.
It’s an extremely short ride across the river and then you’ll be off – your walk along the Jatbula Trail will have officially begun!
There’s a place where you can stop for a swim, a cuppa, or both, around an hour in.
You’ll probably make it to Biddecombe Cascades at around 11am, if you start at 7am.
Here you can go for dips in the water, read a great book, get to know your fellow hikers or take a delicious afternoon nap.
Day two: Biddlecombe to Crystal Falls – 11km
The terrain on this part of the trail is a bit rocky and there are a fair few ‘hills’. Nothing too hectic, just prepare for a little up and down action.
Crystal Falls is one of my favourite campsites of the trail. There are some little rapids you can sit in, which give off spa vibes and feels really lovely on tight muscles.
I recommend getting a good night’s sleep, so you can get up early and tackle one of the two challenges of this trail (if you don’t have to count the heat) – a river crossing.
Day three: Crystal Falls to 17 Mile Falls – 10km
Take it slow and steady across the river. You’ve got this. With luck, your hiking group will be supportive and rally around you.
After this crossing, the walk to the next campsite is pretty easy. You get a really lovely view of where you’ll be staying as you head towards it. I was quite lucky; as we were approaching, a flock of black red-tailed cockatoos flew overhead, screeching dramatically.
This campsite has a cool little plunge pool, which is fun to muck around in… although we realised it was full of some kind of larvae, which had covered our bodies and were crawling just about everywhere. Icky.
I recommend another early night and if possible, get up super early to tackle the most gruelling section of the walk.
Day four: 17 Mile Falls to Sandy Camp – 16.8km
This is a very scenic, but long walk. You’ll be glad to reach Sandy Camp, which is probably the prettiest campsite.
There are some nice plunge pools here, but they’re not very well sheltered from the sun. Wear a hat and slip, slop, slap.
You’ve got two choices from here – you can choose to bypass the next campsite, walk out and finish a day early.
Or you can take your time, heading towards Sweetwater Pool, setting yourself up there for the night and eking out the magic of this trail just a little while longer…
Day five: Sandy Camp to Sweetwater Pool – 11.1km
This part of the day will feel like a leisurely stroll, compared to the day before.
Once at Sweetwater, set up your tent and enjoy your last day on the trail.
Be warned, Sweetwater is easily accessed from Leliyn and through the day, you’ll definitely have visitors dropping in for a dip in the pool. It’ll feel unreal to see people outside your group of up to 15 – you may have forgotten that other people even exist.
In the late evening and night, you should have the place to yourself. Enjoy the peace, the quiet and the wide, open sky.
OPTIONAL: Day six: Sweetwater Pool to Leliyn – 4.5km
And so ends your time on the Jatbula, as you make your way to Leliyn.
Once there, make sure you spend a little extra time in the water, before pitching camp. I recommend Upper Edith Falls for a swim.
Then continue on to camp kiosk, for a hard-earned burger and milkshake. After six days of dehydrated meals, food has never tasted so good.
Can you hike the Jatbula Trail solo?
Although I didn’t walk the Jatbula solo myself, it would be a good hike to tackle on your own.
We had one solo hiker in our group. She fit seamlessly in among everyone else, cracking us up with her twisted sense of humour. Sometimes we walked along with her – other times we each hiked alone.
It is the kind of trail where it’s easy to keep an eye on everyone – the group is small and if someone doesn’t make it back into camp, you’re gonna notice.
If you’re walking the trail on your own, make sure someone back home knows when you’ll be hitting the trail and finishing up.
How to prepare for the Jatbula Trail
In terms of fitness – well, this was my first multi-day hike. I consider myself fairly fit, but I’d injured a rib about six weeks prior to walking, plus was getting over a lingering foot injury.
The most jarring thing will be carrying a backpack, with all your gear in it. If you’re unused to doing this, I recommend getting in a few gentle hikes with your pack before you head to the Top End.
Once you’re there
You will need to attend a safety briefing at Nitmiluk Gorge before you set off.
Safety briefings take place at 8am and 3pm. If you want to get the 7am ferry, then you’ll need to attend the 3pm briefing the previous day.
If you’re taking the 9am ferry, you can go to either session.
Navigating the Jatbula Trail
Navigating your way along the Jatbula Trail is pretty easy. It’s one of the best signposted trails I’ve ever been on.
Every few metres, you’ll encounter a small sign with a white background and blue triangle on it. These are the official markers, indicating you’re walking along the trail.
I only got confused once, when I wasn’t really paying attention. I hardly went off track and it was pretty easy to find my way back on the trail.
Staying safe on the Jatbula Trail
A few tips to staying safe on the Jatbula Trail.
- Stay on path and follow the trail markers.
- Make sure you carry at least three litres of water on you while walking, and keep hydrated throughout the day.
- Purify all water in some way.
- If you’re hiking towards the end of August or in September, try to leave early to avoid the heat.
- Keep an eye out for wildlife – if you do encounter them, leave them be.
Where to go after hiking the Jatbula Trail
And what can you do after the Jatbula? Well, there are a few options.
You can choose to hang around Leliyn (Edith Falls) for a few days, booking a campsite there and further soaking up the serenity.
Or, you may want to head to nearby Katherine and explore the township a little bit more.
Alternatively, you can either drive, or take a Greyhound bus back to Darwin. It’s around a three hour drive.
So there you have it – a complete guide to hiking the Jatbula Trail.
If you are indeed tackling this hike, I hope you have an absolutely superb time. It’s something special, that’s for sure.
And if you have hiked it, I’d love to hear about your experience. Would you go again?
If you have any specific questions that I haven’t covered in this post, please leave me a comment. It may also be worth joining this extremely helpful Facebook group.
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All prices are correct at the time of writing.
The Jatbula Trail is located on the lands of the Jawoyn people. We acknowledge them as Traditional Owners and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
