Northern Territory

You have not been down under until you have experienced the famous Australian Outback. There is something magical about the open roads, majestic landscapes, being silenced by the outback sounds and witnessing the rich red setting sun. As you may or may not know, the Indigenous Australians hold a deeply spiritual connection to the land that dates back tens of thousands of years. It is an honour to hear the creation stories and to experience the essence of the land and country. Discovering this diverse region will open your eyes and heart to the beautiful colours and vastness of the outback, allowing you to feel connected and immersed in its unique beauty.

A ROAD TRIP THROUGH THE OUTBACK

The Top End is famous for its sunsets, ancient art, the wildlife of Kakadu, Litchfield’s waterfalls, the majestic Katherine Gorge through to iconic Uluru and the alluring outback charm of Alice Springs. There is adventure and stories around ever corner, so be sure to add the below suggestions to your itinerary and we guarantee you will have a heart full of lasting memories.

First things first, you will need decide between joining an organised tour or hiring a 4WD with your mates. To the solo travellers out there, we’d personally recommend going with an organised tour, purely based off the fact that the Outback requires a fair amount of preparation and knowledge, as some areas are quite remote and can be dangerous, you’d hate to get stuck with a flat tire in the middle of no where! If you are with a group of friends or family, definitely hire a 4WD, as you will be able to set your own pace. One thing to keep in mind, is that most companies have a 100km travel limit each day, which means upon return you will most likely owe $$$ for the extra kilometres you drive, as you will most likely be doing 150-300km of driving per day.

Enough rambling and more excitingly, below we’ll some up the top things to do in each place!

DARWIN (2-3 days)

  • The Museum and Art gallery of the Northern Territory (Hot chippies at the museum are amazing)
  • Mindil Beach Sunset Markets (operates from the last Thursday in April until the last Thursday in October)
  • Parap Markets
  • Deckchair cinema
  • Explore the Darwin waterfront
  • Cullen Bay
  • Sky City Darwin Casino & Resort

KAKADU NATIONAL PARK (3-4 days)

Just as a heads up, Kakadu is the largest National Park in Australia, so it takes time getting from A to B.

  • Walk through the ancient shelters at Nourlangie
  • Gunlom plunge pool
  • Ubirr sunset viewpoint and rock art
  • Moline Falls
  • Yellow waters sunrise or sunset cruise (breakfast is included!)
  • Jim Jim Falls
  • Twin Falls
  • Maguk Falls

LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK (2- days)

If you don’t have time to get to Mataranka hot springs in Katherine, on your way to Litchfield, pop into Berry Springs (45 minutes from Darwin). These springs are quite touristy, however still a nice place to stop and put your togs on for a swim. On your way to Litchfield, you’ll be passing hundreds of termite mounds (some up to 100 years old) standing tall and proud!

  • Florence Falls
  • Wangi Falls
  • Tolmer Falls
  • Buley Rockhole

KATHERINE & NITMILUK NATIONAL PARK (3-4 days)

  • Hire a canoe and paddle along the gorges to see waterfalls, Aboriginal rock art and wildlife
  • If you have time and are fit, walk the Jatbula Trail
  • Edith Falls (follow the scenic walking track to Sweetwater Pool)
  • Nitmiluk Visitor Centre
  • Mataranka

Important tips and tricks!

Ensure to have plenty of water, a first aid kit, snacks, sing-along playlists, hard copies of maps for the National Parks (yes we know, very old school, however, you’ll drop out of range in some areas), another option is to download ‘maps me’ an app that does not use the internet, you will just have to download the map of the NT before departing on your road trip.

Enjoy! We hope you love the Northern Territory as much as we do xx