Canoeing and kayaking
Paddling on a river is without doubt one of the best environmentally low-impact activities. No tracks have to be maintained, and it is so quiet and unobtrusive that you can often see wildlife that would otherwise flee. Katherine Gorge is well known as a superb kayaking/canoeing spot, with dramatic cliffs plunging down to the pandanus-lined Katherine River. Hire canoes from Nitmiluk Tours and go for a casual paddle for a few hours, or aim to get to the end of the fourth gorge in a 16 km eight-hour round trip. You can even take the craft out overnight and stay in a camping area just for canoeists.

Explore the mighty Katherine downstream from the township with Gecko Canoeing. Their catered and fully guided 3 day and 6 day kayak trips down the Katherine and beyond are peaceful, relaxing and you will see sections of the river that few others get to, accompanied only by a rainbow of birds, crocodiles and other wildlife.

Hiking
Within Nitmiluk National Park’s 3000 sq. km are a network of great walking tracks that will take you to stupendous lookouts and waterfalls, divine swimming spots, Aboriginal art sites and away from the river into tropical woodlands and spinifex country. The premier walk is the 58 km, 4–5 day Jatbula Trail. The track is well-marked and popular. It’s only open in the dry season and campsites are limited to 10 people, so you will need to book at the Nitmiluk Centre on (08) 8972 1886.

Around the Nitmiluk Centre and Katherine Gorge there are great tracks of various difficulties and lengths. Don’t miss the Edith Falls section of the park, where the circular 2.6 km Leliyn Trail leads to swimming pools and waterfalls; or take the 8.6 km return walk to Sweetwater Pool, one of the most gorgeous spots in the park.

Aboriginal experiences
Nitmiluk Tours is an eco-accredited indigenous company that offers a variety of tours, several of which are in Nitmiluk National Park. You can travel with your guide to the Aboriginal community of Manyalluk, 110 km away, and spend a day learning traditional Aboriginal skills including basket-weaving, spear-throwing, fire-lighting, painting, and understanding of bush medicines and bush tucker.

Within the national park you can do a 4–5 km bush tucker walk that includes explanations of the Jawoyn seasons and a swim at a beautiful waterhole. Sunset and multi-day walks are also on offer, including the four day Dreaming Place Trail, which follows a traditional Jawoyn hunting route on the Katherine River and includes a canoeing segment.

Swimming and soaking
Although, like many places in the Top End, you need to be vigilant in checking for saltwater crocodiles, particularly straight after the wet season when they could be almost anywhere, the Katherine region has some stunning and safe swimming areas, such as Edith Falls and Sweetwater Pool in Nitmiluk National Park. Closer to town, the Katherine Low Level Nature Reserve is a popular swimming spot.

For a soak in warm water, try Katherine Hot Springs, which has great amenities and is just 2 km from the centre of town. About 100 km away, other top spots for a soak are Bitter Springs and the thermal pool in Elsey National Park. To keep these waters as pristine as possible, avoid the use of insect repellent or sunscreen. If necessary, swim in clothes for sun protection.

Wildlife watching

The Katherine region is brimming with tropical birds – more than 200 species have been recorded in the area, many of which are difficult to see anywhere else, and you don’t have to go far. In the small wetland across the highway from the Katherine Visitor Centre you can see such beautiful species as yellow-rumped and chestnut-breasted mannikins, and along waterways, blue-winged kookaburras and a wealth of waterbirds including jabirus, or black-necked storks, and great-billed herons. Sharp-eyed birders have a chance to spot endangered Gouldian finches and hooded parrots along Edith Falls Road. Other well-known birding spots include Springvale Homestead and the Manbulloo Homestead Caravan Park. Dedicated birders can take a private tour with the extremely knowledgeable guide and ex-ranger Mike Reed.

Beautiful agile wallabies are often seen around the parks and waterways of the area, even during the day. But for some other special creatures, take a trip to Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park, just 27 km south of Katherine. The 45-minute guided tours of the limestone caves will introduce you to five bat species, including rare ghost and horeshoe bats, and possibly brown tree snakes, which coil up on cave ledges.