Jatbula Trail hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Jatbula Trail is the Northern Territory's best-known multi-day walk. It runs 62 km one way through Nitmiluk National Park, from Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge to Leliyn (Edith Falls), along the western edge of the Arnhem Land plateau. Most walkers take 5 or 6 days and camp each night at a waterfall, cascade or spring-fed pool. The trail follows a route that Jawoyn people have walked for generations and is named after Peter Jatbula, a Jawoyn man who helped win back land rights for his people. The park is Jawoyn Country, owned by the Jawoyn and run with NT Parks and Wildlife.

Closed until June 2027: read this first

The Jatbula Trail is closed now. In October 2026 the NT Parks status page for Nitmiluk lists the trail as closed, with a forecast reopening on 1 June 2027. This is the normal wet-season closure: from October to March no permits are issued, and the walk opens again in the dry season once rangers declare it safe. Leliyn (Edith Falls) and its campground stay open. Check the NT Parks Nitmiluk status page before you book or travel; permits for 2027 should go on sale in early February.

The route

Walkers check in at the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre, take a short ferry across the Katherine River and start on the east side of 17 Mile Creek. Day 1 climbs onto the plateau past the Northern Rockhole to Biddlecombe Cascades. The next days cross open woodland and sandstone country to Crystal Falls and then 17 Mile Falls, passing the Amphitheatre, a shady gorge with Jawoyn rock art. Day 4 is the longest: 16.8 km across grassland and savanna with three crossings of the Edith River to Sandy Camp, a big paperbark-lined waterhole. The last two days follow the Edith River to Sweetwater Pool and down to the plunge pool at Leliyn.

This guide follows the route mapped on OpenStreetMap and splits it into 6 stages, about 10.1 km each, the official 6-day plan. The trail is low and fairly flat: it starts at about 120 m, tops out near 310 m on the plateau and has only about 400 m of climbing in total. The difficulty is the heat, the rough ground and the long, exposed sections between water.

Highlights

• Northern Rockhole: a seasonal waterfall and pool about 4 km from the start
• Biddlecombe Cascades: rock pools and rapids above a small waterfall at the first camp
• The Amphitheatre: a cool monsoon-forest gorge with Jawoyn rock art, between Crystal Falls and 17 Mile Falls
• 17 Mile Falls: a year-round waterfall over a sandstone wall, with a deep swimming hole below the camp
• Edith River crossings and Sandy Camp: wading the river, then a long sandy beach under paperbarks
• Leliyn (Edith Falls): the upper pools and the big plunge pool at the finish, with a kiosk and showers

When to walk the Jatbula Trail

The walking season is the dry season, June to September. The trail may open in April or May if rangers say it is ready; from October to March it is closed and no permits are issued. June to August is best: days are around 30°C and nights drop to about 10°C. From mid-August the heat and humidity build. In the wet season temperatures go over 40°C, floods cut the creeks and new growth hides the track markers. In October 2026 NT Parks lists the trail as closed until its forecast opening on 1 June 2027.

How many days do you need?

Choose 5 or 6 days when you book. The 6-day plan stops at all five campsites: Biddlecombe Cascades (8.3 km), Crystal Falls (11 km), 17 Mile Falls (10 km), Sandy Camp (16.8 km), Sweetwater Pool (11.1 km) and Leliyn (4.5 km). The 5-day plan skips Sweetwater Pool and walks 15.6 km from Sandy Camp to Leliyn on the last day. Each campsite can be used for one night only, so you cannot add rest days. Most days are 3 to 4 hours of walking; start early to walk in the cool and swim in the afternoon.

Permits, booking and fees

Every walker needs a permit booked online through the NT Parks booking system for a fixed start date. Only 15 walkers may start each day, and each campsite holds 15 people. Bookings open in early February for the whole season (9 am ACST on 3 February in 2026) and the places fill fast. There is no waitlist, but cancelled places go back on sale at once, so keep checking.

The walking fee is $25 per person per night, capped at $125, plus a camping fee of $10 per adult per night. A 6-day walk costs about $175 per adult. Visitors from outside the Northern Territory also need an NT Parks Pass ($30 for 2 weeks for an adult). The ferry to the start costs $25 per person and is booked separately with Nitmiluk Tours.

Getting there and logistics

Katherine is 3.5 hours by road south of Darwin on the Stuart Highway, with buses and The Ghan train. Nitmiluk Gorge is 30 km from Katherine. Spend the night before at the Nitmiluk campground, cabins or Cicada Lodge, attend the walker briefing (8 am or 3 pm; 3 pm the day before if you take the 7 am ferry) and be at the boat ramp 15 minutes before the ferry with your signed permit. The ferries leave at 7 am and 9 am.

Leliyn is 63 km (45 minutes) from Katherine and 90 km from Nitmiluk Gorge by road. Book a transfer back before you start: NT Parks lists Gecko Canoeing and Trekking, and the Katherine Visitor Information Centre can arrange others. You can leave a car at either end; tell the parks desk or the Leliyn kiosk your name, car and return date.

Water, food and camping

Each campsite is beside fresh water, with toilets and an Emergency Call Device. Treat all water with a filter or UV. Carry at least 3 litres when you leave camp, more on day 4, where the only water is at the first Edith River crossing 11.5 km in. There are no shops, shelters or bins on the trail: carry a tent, a gas stove (fires are banned), all your food and all your rubbish. The kiosk at Leliyn sells hot food, drinks and basic supplies.

Money and phone signal

Pay all fees online before you go; you cannot pay in the park. Katherine has banks and supermarkets. There is no mobile reception on the trail, so carry a personal locator beacon or a satellite phone.

Difficulty and safety

NT Parks grades the walk 4, moderate to difficult: you need to be fit and have some bushwalking experience. The track is marked but rough, with rocky plateau sections, loose stones, sand and creek crossings, and almost no shade in places. The main danger is heat. Walk early, drink often and pack rehydration sachets. Never jump or dive into waterholes and do not climb waterfalls. Evacuation is by helicopter and the walker pays, and NT Parks says about 15 walkers are evacuated each year.

What to pack

Light tent with insect mesh, sleeping mat and a light sleeping bag (nights can be cool), gas stove and fuel, water filter or UV pen, 3–4 litres of water capacity, sun hat, long sleeves, sunscreen, insect repellent, sandals for river crossings and swimming, first aid kit with blister care and rehydration salts, head torch, power bank, PLB, and bags to carry out all rubbish.