In the middle of the outback of Western Australia lies the Karijini Nationalpark. With an area of over 600 000 hectares, Karijini Nationalpark is the second largest national park in Western Australia and therefore has a lot to offer.

The Nationalpark is known for its spectacular gorges, breathtaking waterfalls and versatile waterholes. If you want to enjoy the nature of the Australian Outback without access to the Internet, you should definitely spend a few days in Karijini Nationalpark and explore it in detail.

In this blog post you will find everything you need to know for a stay of several days in Karijini Nationalpark:

How long will you need

For a trip to the Karijini Nationalpark you should plan at least three days. To really see all the Main Sights, you should plan for at least five days.
I spent a total of seven days in Karijini Nationalpark. Because I liked some places like Fortescue Falls particularly well, I have been there often. In the seven days I had enough time to explore everything intensively without feeling a lot of time pressure.

When to go

You can visit the Karijini Nationalpark all year round. But in the summer months from November to March it can get very hot in Karijini Nationalpark with temperatures of over 40 degrees. In addition, during the summer months there is also a dry season, so there is little water in the nationalpark.
Therefore, the best time to visit Karijini Nationalpark is April – May and September – October. From June to August it can get very cold at night with temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, these months are also good for beautiful walks through the gorges.

How much does it coast

Karijini Nationalpark costs $15 per vehicle per day. If you are staying in the park for several days, it is worth buying the Western Australia Nationalpark Pass. This can also be obtained at the Visitor Center as well as the day ticket. The Western Australia Nationalpark Pass costs $60 for four weeks and is valid in all nationalparks in Western Australia.

Where to stay

There are two options to stay overnight in Karijini Nationalpark. One at Karijni Eco Retreat and the other at Dales Gorge Campground. The Dales Gorge Campground is a very large but also very quiet campsite. One night here costs $11 per person.
The Dales Gorge Campground is located near Fortescue Falls and the Fernpool. These can be reached very quickly on foot from the campsite. At the campsite there are only toilets and no water.
If you want a little more comfort, you can rent a glamping accommodation at Karijini Eco Retreat. But it costs a lot more than a campsite.

How to get around

The best way to get around the Karijini Nationalpark is in a 4WD. Most of the paths in Karijini Nationalpark are sealed, including the path to the Visitor Center or to the campsites. However, most roads to tourist attractions lead over up to 40 kilometers of unsealed roads. These routes can only be driven with a 4WD.

What you need to know

A trip to the Karijini Nationalpark should be very well planned, as there is no network or supply facilities there.

The tourist attractions cannot be reached without a car and are often several kilometres apart. As there are no petrol stations in Karijini Nationalpark, it is important that you have enough petrol available for your stay.

Those who still run out of gas will find the nearest gas station in Tom Price. A small town located 100 kilometers from the Karijini Nationalpark.
Tom Price is also the only place you can buy groceries. Here, too, it is important that you have a supply of food in the car. Furthermore, there is no drinking water in Karijini Nationalpark.
The only showers in the Nationalpark are located at the Visitor Center, which is located in the middle of the Nationalpark not far from Dales Gorge Campground. The shower costs 4$ per person.
Since there is no electricity throughout the Nationalpark, you can only charge your phone at the Visitor Center.

What to pack

Of course, food, water and petrol are particularly important. As it is very warm most days of the year in the Karijini Nationalpark, short T-shirts and shorts are sufficient. Sunscreen and a cap should not be dispensed with at warm temperatures.
In the winter months, however, it gets very cold at night, so you should bring warm clothes. In addition, you should not do without hiking shoes, mosquito spray and a flynet for the face.

Top Things you need to do in Karijini National Park

Get impressed by the Fortescue Falls

Personally, I think the Fortescue Falls are the most beautiful attraction in Karijini Nationalpark. To get to Fortescue Falls you have to take a longer steel staircase into the gorge. At the end of the stairs are the Fortescue Falls, which lead into a small pool where you can go swimming.
It is best to arrive at Fortescue Falls in the late afternoon or early evening. By this time most of the tourists have already left, so you will have the place all to yourself. Here you can watch the sunset in peace and then watch the stars.

Take a bath in the Fernpool

Just 500 meters behind the Fortescue Falls is the Fernpool. Here, in the middle of nature, a small waterfall flows into a pool. You can also go swimming in this pool. If you swim across the pool, you can climb on a rock behind the waterfalls and sit there relaxed and enjoy nature and the waterfall.

Have a view from Circular Pool Lookout

The Circular Pool is located two kilometres behind the Dales Gorge Campground and is therefore easy to reach on foot from the campsite. Here you have the opportunity to look down into the gorge at the circular circular pool from a lookout point. The Circular Pool is also accessible by the gorge, however the pool was closed when I was there due to rockfalls.

Hike through Weano Gorge

In Karijini Nationalpark there are many gorges through which you can hike. One of them is Weano Gorge. If you go a bit further into the gorge, you will very quickly find yourself between spectacular rock faces. These narrow rock walls eventually lead you to the Handrail Pool. Here you can swim in a small pool between the rocks or climb along the cliffs and continue your walk through the gorge behind the Handrail Pool.

Have a view from Oxer’s Lookout

Coming back from your walk through Weano Gorge, you only need to walk a few meters further to get to Oxer’s Lookout. From Oxer’s Lookout you have a breathtaking panoramic view over four gorges of Karijini Nationalpark.

Explore Hancock Gorge

Also near Weano Gorge is Hancock Gorge. Here, a narrow hiking trail and several steps lead down into the gorge. Arriving at the bottom, a hiking trail that is easy to master leads over some rocks. If you follow the trail a bit further into the gorge, you end up at the Kermits pool. It looks similar to the Handrail Pool and is also good to refresh yourself with a bath.

Enjoy the nature of Joffre Gorge

Another gorge in Karijini Nationalpark worth exploring is Joffre Gorge. From the Joffre Gorge Lookout you can see the water flowing through the gorge from the top. You can also go for a walk through the gorge. You can reach the bottom of the water via a few steps.
Particularly beautiful is the view over the Joffre Gorge in the evening, when the sun goes down.

Also worth seeing is the Hamersley Gorge. This is a waterfall between a gorge that flows into a small pool. To get to Hamersley Gorge you need a car with 4WD, as you have to drive 40 kilometers on an unsealed road. Since our car was not suitable for such a long distance, I have unfortunately never been to Hamersley Gorge.

If you would like to find out what I experienced on my adventure through Karijini Nationalpark click here.