Kakadu National Park, NT

Gubara Pools Walk

Shady spring-fed pools after a hot, quiet walk through sandstone country

Length
6.1km
Time
4hr
Elev. change
18m
Difficulty
Moderate
  • No dogs
  • High point 48 m
Parkwolf audio tour111 stories across Kakadu’s roads

Overview

About Gubara Pools Walk

Why go

  • Less trafficked than nearby marquee sites, so the pools are often quiet
  • Distinct seasonal displays: lilies and orchids in the wet; bold eucalypt and grevillea blooms early dry
  • Cooling monsoon-forest finish after a hot, exposed approach

Heads up

  • The approach is exposed and can be brutally hot by late morning
  • Wet-season flooding and mud can alter access and track conditions
  • Uneven ground and slippery rocks require care after rain

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Kakadu map
Full map
Elevation30–48 m
TrailheadKubara Pools Carpark-12.83707, 132.85837
Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Park at the Kubara Pools carpark/trailhead, reached via the access road after the Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) carpark. The road can be rough and high-clearance 4WD access may be required depending on conditions; check Kakadu's current access report before travelling. No water or other services are available at the start.

Best time to go

Safety

Heat and sun exposure on the approach; uneven ground; wet-season mud or flooding; and slippery rocks around the pools. Crocodiles may be present in Kakadu waterways: do not enter the water unless current Kakadu guidance explicitly permits it.

8 active Kakadu alerts

  • ClosureJim Jim and Twin Falls area closed for 2026The Jim Jim and Twin Falls area is closed for 2026; do not visit the closed sites.Official details
  • ClosureBarrk sandstone walk closedBarrk sandstone walk is closed at the request of Traditional Owners; do not enter. Check the current Kakadu access report before travelling.Official details
See all 8 alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Kakadu Tour Guide

Your drive to Gubara Pools Walk, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Kakadu National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Kakadu audio tour

More stories near here in the app

  • Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) Rock Art and Lookout
  • Leichhardt's Grasshopper
  • Burrungkuy (Nourlangie): A 20,000-Year-Old Art Gallery
  • Nawurlandja Lookout: A Top Sunset Spot
  • 111 audio storiesacross Kakadu’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Saltwater Crocodile, Water Buffalo, Frilled Dragon, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 35 trails, 54 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
★★★★★
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
JMJamesApp Store review
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Wildlife

Wildlife in Kakadu

All Kakadu wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kakadu. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Gubara Pools Walk

See it all on the map

Trails that start nearby

Places near the trailhead

Parkwolf’s Kakadu ranking

Top-rated trails in Kakadu

All 35 trails
  1. 1Ubirr Walk (Nadab Lookout)Easy · 1.2 km
  2. 2Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) Rock Art WalkEasy · 1.5 km
  3. 3Jim Jim Falls Plunge Pool WalkModerate · 2 km
  4. 4Nourlangia Art WalkEasy · 2.3 km
  5. 5Barrk Sandstone WalkChallenging · 12.1 km
  6. 6Nawurlandja Lookout WalkModerate · 0.6 km

Take Parkwolf to Kakadu.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

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