Located 70km off the Kakadu Highway, finding the remote double spectacle of Twin Falls is a challenge but well worth the side trip and the effort. The breath-taking 220m drop is revealed through a ravine where this pristine waterfall spills onto a palm-fringed beach within the Jim Jim area of Kakadu National Park.
Unlike the nearby Jim Jim Falls, which is reduced to a mere trickle during the dry season, Twin Falls is in full flow all year round. The iconic sight can only be accessed by a boat shuttle that takes visitors through the gorge and deposits them close to the waterfall. The Twin Falls Gorge Boat Shuttle Service operates with a guide and AU$15 return tickets must be pre-purchased from Bowali Visitor Centre or Gagudju Lodge Cooinda before boarding. Set aside two hours for the boat trip and falls.
From the boat transfer drop-off point, there's a two-minute journey along a marked walking track over boulders and sand as well as an over-water boardwalk to reach the sandy beach and the plunge pool at the base of Twin Falls. While the crystal-clear water may look inviting, there's no swimming in the area due to estuarine crocodiles that have been know to live and breed here. If you're feeling energetic, there's also a 45-minute steep walk to Budjmi Lookout for views over the escarpment, or set aside four to six hours for the return hike to the plateau above Twin Falls. During the wet season, Twin Falls can be viewed via a scenic flight.
Access to Twin Falls is by 4WD in the dry season only. To get there, take the Jim Jim Falls Road off the Kakadu Highway, turn right off the road before the carpark then travel 10km further to the Twin Falls carpark. The gorge and boat shuttle are a short walk from the carpark.
