Glen and I went to Karajini National Park in Western Australia’s North-West for Easter this year. Two of our friends came along too and we made a bit of a long weekend of it. Karajini had been on our list for a long time, but it’s not the easiest place to get to. We flew from Perth to Paraburdoo and then drove two hours to reach the national park. Despite the distance involved, it was well worth it. Karajini lived up to all my expectations.
We ‘glamped’ at the Eco Retreat, each couple taking over a ‘tent’ with its own ensuite – hot water and a flushing toilet in the middle of nowhere? Hell yeah! Who cares about the cost? Highlights from the accommodation included nights looking up at the Milky Way, the ability to have a prepared meal, and scores of frogs inhabiting the ensuite. It wasn’t until the day we left that we were told that Stimson Pythons like to live underneath the toilet rim and feed on the frogs. Apparently the snakes are buggers to get out. I’m glad we only heard about this as we were leaving.
Gorgeous Gorges
We divided our days across different gorges, ticking off most of the accessible tourist gorges. (There are plenty of other off-road places but you need to either know about them or go with experienced guides. Maybe next time.)
On our first day we went to Oxer Lookout (very easy) and then hiked down Weano Gorge. Glen rolled his ankle before we’d gone five minutes down the gorge but he soldiered on. This gorge was narrow, filled with undergrowth, and led to a small pool, which, for some reason, I took forever to make the decision to get in. FOMO pushed me over the edge and I got in. Our first gorge, our first swim in a pool. Was magical.
On our second day we hiked down Kalamina Gorge. This one was stunning, a wide gorge with water trickling down over layered rocks, and at the end we went swimming in Rock Arch Pool, frightened of spiders and trying to find warm patches. Beautiful to say the least.
On day three we want down Dales Gorge and checked out Fern Pool, Fortescue Falls and Circular Pool. Amazing places (even if Glen described Fern Pool as ‘an ordinary pool’). Highlights were the waterfalls at each location, including the ‘warm’ one at Circular Pool (this pool is so cold that anything else feels warm), and the fruit bats and Olive Python at Fern Pool.
On day four, our last day, we attempted part of Joffre Lookout (and then I chickened out at seeing the sheer cliff face we had to climb down) and then left the Eco Retreat and drove a long way to Hammersley Gorge. Again, another beautiful gorge. We were worried we’d been rained out as the skies opened on the drive but it was intermittent and we enjoyed swimming along the 400-metres of this gorge, in between sheer rock faces. Unfortunately Spa Pool was out of bounds but we got to enjoy its warm waters trickling down.
Karajini is definitely way up there for special experiences.
Travels with Dan 
What do you say, eh?