Karijini National Park, Australia
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A collection of emerald pools, cascading waterfalls and craggy red gorges, Karijini National Park is the Australian outback at its most wild and beautiful. But beware, this remote part of Western Australia is prone to extreme weather conditions including dangerously high temperatures and flash flooding. The hazardous roads, lure of plunging into the cool deep water and rockfalls have also led to fatalities.
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Thankfully, Karijini's enticing waters are crocodile-free as it’s too far inland for the predators – but you may find yourself coming close to a snake or two. A woman was bitten by a highly venomous king brown snake in 2022. The gorge walk from Hancock to Weano Gorge – known as Miracle Mile – was once a test of endurance for Perth schoolboys and more recently a favourite backpacker challenge. Access to this precarious route through the gorges is now restricted but people can join canyoning tours down into the hidden crevices and rock pools.