Come with us & discover the wonders of Joffre Gorge!
Watch the sun rise over this stunning landscape, climb down to the naturally formed plunge pool at the base of Joffre Falls or gaze at a night sky full of shimmering stars.
We have created four unforgettable guided tours, exploring the amazing Joffre Gorge (or Jijingunha in the local aboriginal language), located a short stroll from Karijini Eco Retreat. Choose from the Colours of Karijini – Sunrise or Sunset Walk, Joffre Explorer or our Night Sky Tour.
Learn about ancient rock formations, the unique plant species that thrive in this harsh environment and historical stories significant to the local communities. Experienced guides will teach you how to enjoy this stunning, but rugged landscape safely, and help you create your own amazing memories.
Colours of Karijini Sunrise or Sunset Walk
Class 4 | Approximately 1.5 - 2 hours return
Sunrise and sunset are always amazing at Karijini; not only because you have a panoramic view of the distant horizon, but the gentle golden light bathes the gorges and surrounding countryside in a stunning array of colours, making it an experience you won’t forget.
During sunrise the dark rock walls of the gorge are transformed into a breath taking canvas of vibrant reds, oranges and purples and the graceful white trunks of the snappy gums stand out starkly against the prickly spinifex mounds. As the sun rises higher, the light spreads slowly down the cliff face, until the sky is reflected in the pools of water below.
At sunset the transformation is reversed, until the last of the golden glow recedes and the gorge is once again, plunged into darkness.
Follow our experienced guide along ‘Joffre Ave’, a narrow gravel path winding its way through the spinifex, to Joffre View; a lookout with views to the bottom of the gorge.
Continue along the gorge rim as it curves around the top of the falls. The creek feeding the falls is merely a trickle for most of the year and often dries up completely, but after heavy summer rains, a raging torrent thunders over the precipice and cascades down the rocky ledges to an incredible pool at the base of the falls, making the crossing impassable.
The trail ends at a second lookout, with stunning views along the gorge to Joffre Falls and the plunge pool below. As you enjoy some light refreshments, take time to ponder the amazing forces of nature that took millions of years to carve this amazing landscape.
Joffre Explorer
Class 4-5 | Approximately 2 hours return
If you're feeling adventurous, the Joffre Explorer Tour takes you all the way to the bottom of the gorge, where after heavy rains, you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the waters of the plunge pool below the falls.
This tour follows the same path as the Colours of Karijini Walks, but instead of going around the top of the waterfall, the trail branches off along the gully and along a rocky path to a series of ladders, taking you deeper and deeper into the gorge. As you descend, you can see the layers of rich red rock up close and huge flat slabs that have broken away and tumbled to the gorge floor.
At the bottom, creep along a narrow rock ledge or wade through the water to a nature-inspired pool, created by the falls thundering over the cliff, after heavy summer rains.
The towering curved cliffs wrap themselves around the emerald green water, creating a natural ampitheatre. As the light changes throughout the day the cliffs change colour from deep reds and purples to stunning coppery shades.
Cool down with a refreshing dip in the jewel-coloured waters before retracing your steps and climbing back up the ladders to the top.
Night Sky Tour
At the end of the day, when the sun sinks below the distant horizon, the velvety dark skies above Karijini are filled with a mesmerising display of twinkling stars.
Our Night Sky Tour lasts for 90 minutes and with the aid of state of the art telescopes, our tour guides will help you peer deep into outer space, view far away galaxies and identify popular constellations. Marvel at the moon up close, Saturn’s rings and some of the many moons orbiting Jupiter.
Between February and October, the Milky Way creates a dazzling display of faraway stars and distant galaxies, as it arches its way across the southern sky.
Karijini is an astrophotographer’s delight, but you don’t need to be an expert to get some great shots. You will need a tripod or something to hold the camera absolutely steady and some knowledge of your cameras settings.
Choose a high ISO of 1600-3200 and a long exposure of 10-30 seconds. Zoom in and focus manually on a large star and be sure to use the timer function to prevent moving the camera when you press the shutter button. Many mobile phones offer ‘Pro’ or advanced settings to manually adjust focus, ISO and exposure time.
But if that all sounds a bit complicated, you may like to just sit back and immerse yourself in the spectacular display spiraling above and consider, that while the landscape on the earth has changed vastly over time, the view above remains exactly the same!
Karijini Eco Retreat Tours are the perfect introduction to the gorges and a great way to meet fellow travellers, exchange stories and share travel tips. All our tours start at Karijini Eco Retreat Reception and bookings can be made online or at Reception when you check-in.
