Helicopter scenic flight · Nitmiluk Gorge helipad
A helicopter flight over the full 13-gorge system that keeps going deeper into the park and lands at a secluded Aboriginal rock art site, where your pilot walks you through the paintings. It's the only GetYourGuide option that puts culture and the full gorge in one trip.
The flight starts like the 13-gorge scenic: lift off from the helipad inside the park and follow the Katherine River through all 13 gorges. Then it goes past the usual turning point, deeper into the gorge country, and lands at a secluded Aboriginal rock art site. Your pilot guides you along a series of painted rock faces and talks through what's known about them.
Rock art is spread right through the Nitmiluk gorge system, some of it thousands of years old, and the Jawoyn are its Traditional Owners. Nitmiluk Tours sells a similar Heli Art Site flight that lands near the 8th gorge, according to the Nitmiluk Tours helicopter page. This listing doesn't name the site or the operator, but the wording matches North Horizon Heli Adventures.
Be realistic about the guide: it's a pilot, not a Jawoyn ranger, and the GetYourGuide listing has only one rating so far, with no written review to quote. For a cultural session led by an Aboriginal artist, Manuel Pamkal's workshop in Katherine is the better fit, and cheaper.
At the Nitmiluk Gorge helipad by the visitor centre: briefing and weigh-in.
Up the Katherine River over all 13 gorges and the escarpment.
Beyond the standard scenic route toward the art site.
Your pilot walks you through the painted rock faces and the stories connected to them.
Fly back over the gorge country to land at the helipad.
Read next:
You fly the full 13-gorge route, continue deeper into the park and land at a secluded Aboriginal rock art site, where your pilot guides you past the painted rock faces. The whole trip is about 100 minutes.
Yes. The route takes in the full 13-gorge system before heading to the art site.
Your pilot. For a cultural session led by an Aboriginal artist, look at Manuel Pamkal's art and culture workshop in Katherine.
Yes. Some cruises point out rock art on the walls of the first two gorges, and the Jawoyn Valley walk passes painted galleries, but it's a 2 to 3 day hike.
Ready to book
Fly the full gorge system and land at a remote Aboriginal rock art site with your pilot.
70-Minute Helicopter Tour with Remote LandingSeventy minutes over the gorge and Leliyn (Edith Falls), with about 20 minutes on the ground somewhere no road reaches.★ 5.0 · 70 minutes · from $492
Helicopter Sunset Flight with Landing & DrinksAll 13 gorges at golden hour, then a landing on the escarpment with a drink and nibbles as the sun sets.★ 5.0 · 40 minutes · from $308
Aboriginal Art & Culture Workshop in KatherineRarrk-style painting, spear throwing and fire making with artist Manuel Pamkal, on the road between Katherine and the gorge.New · 3 hours · from $133