Cruising the gorge in an open-sided boat is the most popular way to appreciate its beauty. Katherine Gorge is actually a series of 13 gorges, but most cruises ply only the first two, because the second gorge is the most photogenic.
Nitmiluk Tours (tel. 08/8972 1253; www.nitmiluktours.com.au) operates all cruises. Most people take a 2-hour cruise, available four times a day. The morning cruises, at 9am and 11am, are cultural cruises and cost A$50 (US$40/UK£20) for adults and A$29 (US$23/UK£12) for children 5 to 15. The afternoon cruises, at 1pm and 3pm, cost A$45 (US$36/UK£18) adults and A$19 (US$15/UK£7.60) children. There is also a 4-hour cruise at least once daily, although you will probably be satisfied with 2 hours. An 8-hour cruise-hike safari to the fifth gorge is available from about May to mid-October only. Wear sturdy shoes; because each gorge is cut off from the next by rapids, all the cruises involve some walking along the bank.
In the height of the Wet season, the cruises may not operate when the floodwaters really start to swirl. Instead, a jet boat runs as far as the third gorge. This 45-minute adventure costs A$53 (US$42/UK£21) for adults and A$38 (US$30/UK£15) for kids 5 to 15. Departure times vary with the floodwater conditions.
Cruising is nice, but in a canoe you can discover sandy banks and waterfalls, and get up close to the gorge walls, the birds, and those crocs. (Don't worry -- they're the freshwater kind and not typically regarded as dangerous to humans.) Rocks separate the gorges, so be prepared to carry your canoe quite often. You may even want to camp out on the banks overnight. A half-day canoe rental from Travel North is A$35 (US$28/UK£14) for a single canoe and A$53 (US$42/UK£21) for a double, with a A$20 (US$16/UK£8) cash deposit. Canoeing the gorge is popular, so book canoes ahead, especially in the Dry season.
Guided paddles are a good idea, because you will learn and see more. The most knowledgeable company is Gecko Canoeing (tel. 1800/634 319 in Australia, or 08/8972 2224; www.geckocanoeing.com.au), whose tours are known for their ecotourism content. Gecko's guides have Australia's elite Savannah Guide status. They offer 3- to 7-day canoeing-camping safaris on the Katherine River, as well as a 1-day canoe safari at a cost of A$188 (US$150/UK£75) per person. The company also runs canoeing and camping safaris (with any other activities you like, such as mountain biking, rock climbing, wildlife photography, hiking, or fishing) of up to 10 days in little-explored wildernesses and river systems across the Top End. Tours run between April and November, with departures on request, and can be tailored to your needs.
Some 100km (62 miles) of hiking trails crisscross Nitmiluk National Park, ranging in duration from 1 hour to the lookout to 5 days to Edith Falls . Trails -- through rocky terrain and forests, past water holes, and along the gorge -- depart the Nitmiluk National Park ranger station, in the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre, where you can pick up trail maps. Overnight walks require a deposit of A$20 to A$50 (US$16-US$40/UK£8-UK£20) per person, and a A$3.30 (US$2.65/UK£1.30) per-person camping permit, payable at the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre.
One of the nicest spots in the park is 42km (26 miles) north of Katherine, 20km (13 miles) off the Stuart Highway. Edith Falls is an Eden of natural (croc-free) swimming holes bordered by red cliffs, monsoonal forest, and pandanus palms. Among the bushwalks leading from Edith Falls is a 2.6km (1 1/2-mile) round-trip trail, which takes about 2 hours and incorporates a dip at the upper pool en route.
More than the gorge itself, the aerial views of the ravine-ridden Arnhem Plateau, which stretches uninhabited to the horizon, are arresting. North Australian Helicopters (tel. 1800/621 717 in Australia, or 08/8972 1666) offers daily flights over the gorges, starting at A$189 (US$151/UK£76) per person. To see all 13 gorges will cost you A$278 (US$222/UK£111) per person.
