Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
volume of water may not be all that impressive, but their settings are magical.
Both are accessible by four-wheel-drive only, and neither is open in the Wet.
WHERE CAN I SWIM?
Many people swim at spots that are generally regarded as croc-free, such as Jim
Jim, Twin Falls, and water holes such as Gubara (it's a long walk to it, but it can
be lovely in the Wet), Maguk, and Koolpin Gorge. However, you do so at your
own risk. Although rangers survey the swimming holes at the start of the season,
and crocodiles are territorial creatures that stick to one spot, there can never be
an ironclad guarantee that a saltwater crocodile has not moved into a swimming
hole. A good indication that the hole is croc-free is the presence of many other
people already swimming in the water hole. Crocs tend to eat whatever's mov-
ing pretty much immediately, so if there are people swimming happily, the pool
is almost certainly croc-free! Macabre it may be, but it's a tool many people use
to gauge a pool's safety. Ask at the Bowali Visitor Centre which pools are croc-
free that year (it can change from year to year) before setting off into the park.
If you are unsure about a water hole's safety, the only place rangers recommend
you swim is your hotel pool. Water hole depths change dramatically with the
season. Check with the Bowali Visitor Centre for the swimming spots that are
best at the time you visit.
A 1km (
1
⁄
2
-mile) walk over rocks and through rainforest leads to a
deep green
plunge pool
at Jim Jim Falls, 103km (64 miles) from the Bowali Visitor Cen-
tre. An almost perfectly circular 150m (492-ft.) cliff surrounds the water. Allow
2 hours to drive the final 60 unpaved kilometers (37 miles) off the highway. Due
to floodwaters, Jim Jim Falls may not open until as late as June.
Swimming
at nearby Twin Falls is great, too. The falls descend into a natural pool edged by
a sandy beach, surrounded by bush and high cliffs.
Kakadu Gorge and Waterfall Tours
(book through Gagudju Lodge
Cooinda;
&
08/8979 0145
) run an excellent small-group day trip for active peo-
ple. You bushwalk into Jim Jim Falls for a swim and morning tea, four-wheel-
drive through the bush, and then paddle in a canoe past a “friendly” freshwater
crocodile (the kind that does not typically attack humans) to Twin Falls for
swimming and lunch. Tours depart daily from Jabiru and Cooinda May through
November and cost A$135 (US$88) for adults, A$115 (US$75) for kids 4 to 14
(no kids under 4 allowed). Book in advance for July, the busiest month.
Kakadu's wetlands are brimful of barramundi, and there is nothing Territori-
ans like more than to hop in a tin dinghy barely big enough to resist a croc attack
and go looking for them.
Kakadu Fishing Tours
(book through
Gagudju
Lodge Cooinda;
&
08/8979 0145
) takes you fishing in a 5m (16
1
⁄
2
-ft.) sport-
fishing boat. Tours depart from Jabiru, 5km (3 miles) east of the Bowali Visitor
Centre, and cost A$120 (US$78) per person for a half day (A$190/US$124 if
there is only one of you) and A$240 (US$156) per person for a full day. They
will pick you up from your Kakadu accommodations.
Wide-ranging
bush and wetlands walking trails
lead throughout the park,
including many short strolls and six half- to full-day treks. Typical trails include
a
3
⁄
4
km (less than
1
⁄
2
-mile) amble through the Manngarre Monsoon Forest near
Ubirr Rock, an easy 3.8km (2
1
⁄
2
-mile) circular walk at the Iligadjar Wetlands
near the Bowali Visitor Centre, or a tough 12km (7
1
⁄
2
-mile) round-trip trek
through rugged sandstone country at Nourlangie Rock.
One of the best wetlands walks is at
Mamukala wetlands,
29km (18 miles)
from Jabiru. Thousands of magpie geese feed here, especially in the late dry season
