Carnarvon Gorge
See it, know it, love it!
Planning your trip to
Carnarvon Gorge 2023
Carnarvon Gorge is a remote location (the nearest major supermarket is 250km away). This guide will help you decide when to visit Carnarvon Gorge by looking at how climate varies throughout the year. Next, you'll need to decide where to stay at Carnarvon Gorge as there are several options. Then we'll check out how best to get here depending on your mode of travel, how to stay informed of local travel alerts, and where to grab supplies before arrival. Last, but certainly not least, we'll run through the options of what to do with yourself while you're here...
Carnarvon Gorge Travel Planner
When will you visit
Carnarvon Gorge?
October-March
Hot and stormy, with low visitation.
Pros: There will be fewer walkers on the Gorge's trails and solitude will be easier to come by. Migratory wildlife, such as dollarbirds and little red flying foxes, come to Carnarvon Gorge to breed.
Cons: Maximum temperatures will generally range from 30°C-45°C at this time of the year, making walking uncomfortable. Storms are common, particularly in the afternoons. Greatest chance of Carnarvon Creek flooding.
Recommendations:
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Stay on top of weather forecasts, both current and a few days out.
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Pack breakfast and snacks and start walking at first light.
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Plan on returning to camp for lunch to avoid afternoon storms, if forecast.
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Take more water than you think you'll need.
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Wet a cloth in the creek everytime you cross and drape it around your neck to keep cool.
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Your raincoat should always be with you.
April-May
Variable weather, with visitation climbing.
Pros: May generally sees maximum temperatures become cool enough for comfortable walking and the Gorge should remain lush and green after the wet season. Carnarvon Gorge's tracks won't get overly busy until really cold weather inspires the southern sub-species of Grey Nomad to migrate north. May is Simon's favourite month in the Gorge for these reasons.
Cons: April's maximum temperatures can be all over the place and you should pack for both warm and cold weather at this time of year. The Easter school holidays will see a spike in visitation as Carnarvon Gorge fills up.
Recommendations:
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Book your accommodation and tours at least 6 months in advance to avoid disappointment around Easter.
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Avoid school holidays if you are averse to busy tracks.
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Be prepared for all sorts of weather conditions. For example, it's not unusual for it to rain around Easter, nor for temperatures to dip well below 10°C overnight in May.
June-August
Cool days, Cold nights, with high visitation.
Pros: Winter weather is dominated by dry high-pressure systems at Carnarvon Gorge. This means great weather for walking, low chance of rain, and dazzling blue skies above the cliffs.
Cons: Overnight temperatures will approach zero at the Carnarvon Gorge's accommodation centres. If it turns up, rainy weather can keep daytime temperatures at around 10°C. Days are short, so don't start late if you're planning on a big day up the track. Visitation is strong at this time of the year, and will peak again during the June-July school holidays.
Recommendations:
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Book your accommodation and tours at least 6 months in advance to avoid disappointment around the June-July school holidays.
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Avoid school holidays if you are averse to busy tracks.
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Be prepared for cold weather. For example, it's not unusual for heavy frosts to occur in the farming country east of Carnarvon Gorge. Minus 10°C is not uncommon out there.
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Layered clothing is the key to success. You might warm up as you walk in the open sections of the Gorge, but as soon as you head into any of the side-gorges it will get chilly no matter what time of day it is.
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Keep a torch in your pack in case the early sunsets catch you still some distance from the end of your walk.
September
Cool to warm days, Cool nights, with high visitation.
Pros: Spring may be short, but it can be spectacular. Many of Carnarvon Gorge's plants will come into flower at this time of year, including some of our more obscure orchids. Walking remains reasonably comfortable, although maximum temperatures will climb towards 30°C. This is Michelle's favourite time of the year for these reasons.
Cons: Afternoon storms may commence at this time of year, and this is also when a lot of burning off can occur, both inside and outside Carnarvon Gorge National Park. Another busy School Holiday period will occur in late September.
Recommendations:
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Book your accommodation and tours at least 6 months in advance to avoid disappointment around the September-October school holidays.
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Avoid school holidays if you are averse to busy tracks.
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Be prepared for variable weather. Rain is a strong possibility (as all the graziers will have been performing rain-dances for quite some time).
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Keep an eye on weather forecasts and avoid walking late in the day if afternoon storms are forecast.
Whilst the conditions just described are usual, there are exceptions. If you do get caught in the Gorge during rain - feel privileged. The majority of visitors never get to see this side of the Gorge’s personality. Providing you prepare for it, walking the Gorge in light rain can be spectacular, with heightened bush smells, glistening foliage and mist shrouding the cliff-lines.
