Hi, . We used hiking boots but some in our group actually wore running shoes. A good quality hiking shoe would be fine I think. Some places do require rock hopping, also there are creek crossings so we had TEVA hiking sandals in our packs. Cheers Sally and Francis

Hi there I'm not sure if they go from Darwin, but Gecko Canoeing Katherine definitely do Katherine and are pretty helpful so worth a try. If they don't do it they will probably have a suggestion.

I went barefoot and it was fine. Save the weight

Hi Daniel, my name is Andrea and I’m responding on behalf of the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the NT. It is possible to walk the trail starting at the end of April, however it is subject to Wet Season conditions. Please be aware that the trail or park may be still be closed at this time for public safety reasons. Saltwater crocodiles are a higher risk during the wet season in the Katherine Gorge and Leliyn/Edith Falls bottom plunge pool, both of which may be closed to swimming. Northern Rockhole which is connected to the Katherine River along the trail and is not regularly monitored over the wet season, therefore entry may not be permitted. Some of the other issues that you may face walking the Jatbula trail at this time of year may include: • Missing track markers due to storm damage, • Increased vegetation growth making certain sections of the trail more difficult to find as well as potential high humidity, both of these factors can make the experience quite trying for those not acclimatised to Northern Australia • Storm damage to radio repeaters affecting the reliability of the emergency call devices hence their reliability cannot be guaranteed • Presence of buffalo along the trail after the wet season, particularly along the Edith River section • Deeper creek crossings and flash flooding in some sections, such as Crystal Creek and Sandy Camp. N.B Flash flooding can occur along the Katherine, 17 Mile and Edith Rivers due to heavy rainfall up the catchment which you may not be aware of. This impacts the safety of river crossings whilst walking the Jatbula trail. Rangers begin walking patrols in May to identify and repair the issues related to signage, track markers, emergency control devises and other facilities. For these reasons we recommend the best time to walk the Jatbula Trail is from 1 June to 30 September. As you are aware, you are required to complete a by-law 8 application and forward to the permits office via: pwpermits@nt.gov.au to walk the trail in April or May. A permit application form can be obtained by emailing jatbula.trail@nt.gov.au More information about walking the Jatbula Trail , can be obtained via the Parks and Wildlife NT website.

Hello Anne, Not many options from Darwin to Katherine other than Greyhound bus service which goes up and down the Stuart Hwy every day. Cost is about $65ea and trip time is around 4hrs. Another Katherine bus service available is the Bodhi Bus which does Darwin-Katherine 4 days a week for about $50ea. Taxi from Katherine to the Gorge (Nitmiluk National Park) where you start the Jatbula trail is only flexible option. NOT CHEAP. For a main tourist town in the NT, Katherine is not well serviced unfortunately. As for getting out of Edith Falls after your hike, best bet is to contact Nitmiluk Tours who may be able to arrange a pickup. This service from them is off and on so not sure what they are doing this season.

We did the walk in July 2016 and it was awesome! Tips to keep weight down - weigh Everything and really make sure you need it if you are carrying it. Get rid of all packaging. Put things in zip lock bags and only take as much as you will use in the few days - including deodorant, toothpaste etc. Clothing as above - you rinse your clothes each day after walking so it's easy to keep wearing the same thing. We carried water according to the length of walk that day. If it was a long walking day, we took 3 ltrs. pp. but on the shorter days only needed 1.5 - 2 ltrs water. Share cooking burners & gas cans if possible. A lot of people leave the fly to the tent behind and sleep under the stars. We had forecasts of rain on our walk (very unusual for that time of year) so we took ours and used it most nights because of the cool temperatures.But if the forecast is clear and the temps look high enough, you could save a bit there. Have a great time! We absolutely loved it. The water holes each day are such a treat!

Hey, We did the Jatbula Trail this time last year and there is water, water everywhere. One of the highlights of the trip is arriving at the camp site each afternoon and being able to have a swim in gorgeous waterholes and parts of the Edith River, just divine. One tip i would recommend is to have some old runners or aquatic shoes to wear in the water as there are many rocks ect and its slippery getting in and out, other than that you will love it, enjoy! :)