We found a spot at one of the other large commercial caravan parks, Discovery, which was functional and close to the city center, but nothing special, and the only powered spot available was a large caravan slot, so it was the most expensive fee on the whole trip at 60 AUD for the night. 'Resort' does not mean luxury: A few of the campgrounds label themselves 'Resorts' which usually means they do have a pool and kiosk or shop...but read the reviews on Tripadvisor, because some will just have a small pool and sell canned food, while others will have a large, beautiful pool area and cafe or restaurant. Look for: rock art at Nourlangi, thousands of years old. TIP: our standard camping 'first aid kit' is made up of the following - suntan lotion, insect repellent, cream for insect bites or sunburn, pain killers, plasters for small cuts, gauze and bandages for larger cuts, small scissors, spare matches or cigarette lighter, tweezers for splinters and a small first aid guide book. We only had 7 days and were very wary of doing too much and failing to really enjoy our time. If you are tight on time, you can skip Katherine and Mataranka and do the Kakadu This is the largest river system in Kakadu and contains extensive wetlands, including river channels, floodplains and backwater swamps. END ITINERARY B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / D = Dinner 4 Day Kakadu and Katherine 4WD Tour- Tour code SESTE4 S TIP: You don't have to book at the visitor center, you can also book down at the tour office by the river, and they seem to know much better what they are talking about! This tour is accommodated in motel rooms, Bush Bungalows and station rooms. The best thing about having the campervan is being able to enjoy some peace and quiet and the natural beauty of the area before all the tourists come between 10am - 4pm. But the road trains are limited to 100km/h or 60 mph, and the truck drivers are often helpful and will indicate to you when it is safe to overtake. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. But in the Top End, getting a stone chip on your paintwork or windscreen from a flying stone thrown up by another car or road train is not unusual, and could be costly if you don't insure against it. We wanted to see some aboriginal rock art, and have a swim at a nice waterhole on the way to Cooinda. Kakadu, Katherine & Litchfield Adventure, a 4 days tour from Darwin to Litchfield National Park, Mary River National Park and 3 destinations. Book ahead if you can: if you have a good idea of your planned schedule, and where you want to stay, book at least a few days ahead if you want to secure a campsite with power. We now travel back to Darwin, arriving at approximately 6pm. This topic has been locked by a moderator. It's not a dangerous road at all, just be sure you allow enough time to take it slowly! Start from Darwin and travel in a loop through the waterfall-laden landscapes of Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks. Thorn Tree is currently set to READ-ONLY mode. Our family of four spent nine days in July 2013 touring Kakadu and the Top End of Australia in a small campervan, swimming, bushwalking, sightseeing and swimming some more. Prices include GST and are valid until 30 September 2021. Apollo has a roadside service arrangement you can use at no cost if your vehicle breaks down, but if you need to use the service because you do something dumb (lose your keys, drive into a ditch) you will be charged. (That said, on one walk we were overtaken by a young couple who were barefoot...they looked pretty hard core though! A highlight for us was watching a group of local aboriginal teens who had their own stall, and were creating and selling small artworks right on the spot. To make your trip planning easier, we created a map indicating all the places mentioned in this article. We chose to stay at one of the commercial campgrounds in Batchelor, both due to the time we arrived there (middle of the day) but also for convenience because Batchelor is a good place to stock up on food and other essentials. At Wangi we also did a nice easy 1 hour walk which takes you first through a patch of tropical rainforest, where we startled a wild boar who dashed off in a huff, then up an escarpment to the river feeding the falls, and back down again to the rainforest. Important to know, is that the refrigerator, microwave, and water pump only run when the van is connected to external power. The wavepool has professional lifeguards on duty both by the side of the pool, and in the water. So if you are going to prepare your own meals here is a good shopping list of foods that don't require refrigeration: instant noodles, pasta, dried fruit, canned tomatoes, canned tuna, 'longlife' (ultra heat treated) milk and or sweetened condensed milk, cordial instead of fresh juice, cracker breads, pasteurised eggs, red wine or port. The Rock Pools are a 200 metre long series of small cascading waterfalls which tumble down a tiny valley lined with shade trees where people sit, picnic, sun themselves and swim. Because it is quite tall you have to be aware of the vehicle height in car parks and under bridges (2.6m or 8'6") and strong winds tend to give it a bit of a shove. The General Store and gas station sells freshly baked bread rolls in the mornings but get there early, the sell out quickly! Look for: on the highway out of Darwin, the huge termite mounds along the roadside, and black kites (big hawks) circling in the skies. I found that most people stayed in hotels and only made day trips to the scenic areas and water holes. You are given a mandatory first aid kit, but if you use it at all, you will be charged the 50 AUD cost, so take your own - you can buy them at camping stores or large supermarkets. We took a room at the nearby Vibe Hotel for convenience, and after freshening up, we went out to eat. For the adventurous there are rock ledges where the children can 'bomb' into deep water, and for those looking for relaxation, you can park yourself by a small waterfall or in a warm shallow pool with a magazine or book and just chill out. Budget versions without the same interior fittings, but suitable for backpackers sharing costs, are available from Wicked. Note: Solo travellers must have single accommodation unless twin share of the same sex can be found. In the afternoon we did a '2 Gorge' (2 hour) cruise of the Gorge. In the morning, we did the Northern Rockpool walk. It was here we had a close encounter with a pair of beautiful black tailed rock wallabies and it was a real joy to watch them jumping up a sheer cliff face with the grace and agility of Olympic gymnasts. While you should always be careful swimming in the Top End, the crocodile population in this part of the river is controlled by the Parks and Wildlife staff so that swimming is possible without having to worry about Saltwater Crocodiles. Leilyn is part of Nitmiluk National Park and is well known for it’s picturesque waterfalls and pools, particularly the large pool at the base of the escarpment which is great for a swim. Darwin to Kakadu Itinerary Overview: Day 1: Litchfield National Park Day 2: Nitmiluk National Park & Katherine Gorge Day 3: Katherine Hot Springs & Gunlom Falls, Kakadu Day 4: Arnhem Land & Ubirr Rock, Kakadu TIP: If you are planning to go deeper into the park, take a spare gasoline container with you and keep it full, it is easy to underestimate how quickly the gas will be used driving on rough roads. Most van rental companies will however let you store luggage at their premises while you are on the road. I did a very similar itinerary in July 2008, although I went further south to Mataranka as well. So we used 9 days (and we could easily have used ten.). I still remember my meal of freshly barbecued prawns with sweet chilli sauce, salad and nice glass of white wine, enjoyed on a beautiful warm evening watching the children chase each other around in the pool. TIP: Buy some freezer blocks at a supermarket and freeze them when you have power. TIP: if you do the loop walk, go clockwise - left to right. Whether you’re planning a day trip, a week or longer on the road, awaken your senses on a trip to the Northern Territory. Gasoline in the Top End is expensive. We did have an idea that we might stay at the public camping ground at Edith Falls if there was a vacancy, but there wasn't. Stay at: Gagadju Lodge, Cooinda (1800 500 401). But don't be stupid. Children sleep up top in the roof extension, and have about 20cm of space above their heads when they lie in the 'upstairs' bed. We saw literally dozens of big black kites (hawks) circling the air above the falls, no doubt waiting for people to leave so they could check out the picnic grounds for leftovers. You will be served with damper (bush bread) and tea after the experience. Please enquire upon booking to avoid disappointment. While Kakadu offers unparalleled wildlife and rock art experiences, Litchfield offers equally stunning natural beauty in a more compact and easy to traverse park. Have a go at throwing a spear or blowing a didgeridoo, play the clapsticks and learn about our local bush food and medicine. Staff are friendly, but rather 'relaxed'. The big driving challenge on Top End highways, as you will learn, is overtaking the 'road trains', which are huge semi-trailers (heavy haulers/articulated lorries) pulling between three and four wagons. We took our time doing this Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, Litchfield loop trip and you could certainly do it in less time if you were happy to do more driving, and sacrifice the ability to stay an extra day along the way, as we did. AUSTRALIA, Toll Free: 1800 659 279 The van we hired had enough power to be able to safely overtake these road trains. (outside Sydney Metro). We flew into Darwin from Singapore at 6 am, had breakfast at the airport (there really is nowhere in arrivals but a very small cafe in the airport to buy food, so it is a boring place to kill time but we didn't want to waste money on a taxi into town and out again) and at 8 am picked up the campervan from Apollo when their office opened for the day. In all we drove about 1500km and paid 400 AUD for gas. We have a swim here and you also have the option of taking the Leliyn Trail – a walk that takes you across the top of the waterfall, where you can have a swim in the upper rockpools and get views of the waterfalls and Edith River from a couple of lookouts. Upgrade to a hotel room with en-suite at the Mercure Crocodile Hotel for an extra $125 per person twin share and $215 single, per night. If you wanted, and had time, you could also go into Jabiru and visit the Bowali information center. I found that 1-2 hrs a day of driving was enough to keep the batteries charged. Mary River has the largest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in the world, and has organised crocodile spotting tours if you have a couple of hours to spare. Then we travel to Gunlom (Waterfall Creek), in the very south of the park. Look for: easy access to the beautiful falls and swimming hole at Edith Falls, without any strenuous walking. There is a good picnic ground here for lunch, and although they are attracted by the chance to scavenge, there was a stunning number of big Black Kites here and if you have a camera, this is a great place to take close up pictures of them diving and swooping through the air. Ask at the visitor center about times for ranger guided tours of the site and be sure to take the walk up to the escarpment for fantastic views. Departures: After a scenic drive in, on an unsealed dirt road, we reach a large plunge pool at the base of the falls. This takes you up to the top of the cliffs via the steps, and then downhill by a long sloping path to the river again. Then you’ll take a cultural tour at Pudakul cultural tours. Our current itinerary is Set out on a camping safari through captivating Kakadu National Park. During the 2 hour cruise, you’ll view the beautiful scenery and discover the customs of the traditional owners, the Jawoyn people. We are planning for October next year but just wondering how long we should allocate for Kakadu, I was thinking of If you wanted to further break the long drive from Katherine to Litchfield, you could take a side trip from Pine Creek (about halfway) to the Umbrawarra Gorge for a swim. Gunlom is one of the Kakadu locations you often see in tourist brochures, showing people frolicking in a still pool at the top of a waterfall overlooking the Kakadu landscape. You could easily stay an extra day here, relax and enjoy the campground facilities, or take another cruise or sightseeing trip - we did! Not for very small children but easy walking for older children or adults. Your water pump runs on the car battery and will only work for a limited time. Tour operates during the dry season only (May to September). Look for: good advice and friendly Kookaburras at the Nitmiluk Visitor Center BUT BEWARE, ask for a Parks and Wildlife staff member to advise you. Although the town of Katherine itself has little charm, it is a good place to restock with groceries and gasoline before you go out to the Gorge, as there are a couple of large supermarkets in town. Look for: Waterfalls, waterholes, picnic spots, walking and swimming. Looking for recommendations for things to do in Darwin, Kakadu and Litchfield. The falls here are also double falls, with a huge pool at their base and the pool has a sandy bottom so you can wade out quite a long way. After a couple of hours here we went to the new waterfront district, which is another easy place to while away a few hours. We travel to the very north of the park to Ubirr, where we walk through galleries of ancient aboriginal rock art, which your guide will interpret. Click Here Go beyond the normal and experience the best of the NT’s Top End. Allow at least 1 hour for the check-in process so that you are familiar with the vehicle before leaving the depot. Was thinking drive to Jabiru (spend 2 nights), then Cooinda ( 1 night) then to Katherine (spend 2 nights) then to Litchfield (spend 2 nights) then back to Darwin. TIP: Save time by leaving the 'upstairs bed' set up. She also sent some acquaintances of ours off on a full day boat trip up the Gorge, without telling them they would need to bring their own lunch, and swimming gear. Quite busy in the middle of the day when we were there, quieter early morning or late afternoon. You will be dropped off at your accommodation. It was an easy walk, well marked with good stairs and well suited to older walkers or those with young children, though not for wheeled strollers or prams. You will see the huge 5-6 metre tall termite minds all over the Top End, but here they are a different kind, and there is a great interpretive information stop at one site just inside the park where you can learn about these natural wonders, and take your photo beside them. So bring comfortable outdoor walking shoes, not just sandals. Australia & the Pacific - Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine itinerary help - I'm looking for some feedback on my itinerary for the Top End in early August. Please feel free to browse existing topics for answers to your travel questions. Stay at: The caravan park all the locals recommend is actually the 'Freespirit' park, but this was booked out, so again, if you can book early, book this one. Overnight accommodation: Motel room with en-suite in Katherine. I would look at a loop something like this: Night 01 - Darwin Night 02 - Darwin Night 03 - Kakadu NP Night 04 - Kakadu NP Night 05 After a couple of days though everyone got used to the small sleeping space. Check out the tour price, highlights, itinerary and book online today Twin: Two people sharing a room, one of whom must be 18 years and over. If you’re wondering how far it is from Darwin to Kakadu National Park, the distance from the city to Jabiru, a town in the heart of the national park is 255km. We spent two days in this fabulous park, and could have spent longer if we had the time. AT LITCHFIELD STAY AT: There are many camping grounds to choose from in the Litchfield park area - either commercial camping grounds near the town of Batchelor at the entrance to the park, or within the park itself. TIP: You don't need a van, you could do this trip in a car and stay at cabins at most camping grounds, but these are limited so you would need definitely need to book ahead, and what you save by hiring a car instead of a van, you would need to factor in as extra accomodation and meal costs. For an entry fee of a few dollars, the kids can grab a knee board or a surf ring and ride the waves, which come in sets every fifteen minutes, with a nice break in between so the kids can get their breath back. They can be up to fifty metres or 160 feet long and overtaking in a campervan takes some patience as you need to wait for a nice long stretch of straight road with an overtaking lane to do it. After being told by the Nitmiluk tours staff member that there were no short 1-2 hour walks to waterholes from the campground area, we spoke with some other guests and found out about a fantastic short walk to a beautiful waterhole called the 'Northern Rockpool'. Most of the attractions in the Litchfield national park are within 1.5-2 hours drive of Batchelor so easy to reach for day trips. 2021 There are also plenty of crocodiles in their natural habitat, and buffalo on the floodplains. Stay at: Aurora Kakadu campground, telephone 088 9790166. Our first stop today is the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, for an insight into the cultural heritage of the park. There is a swimming beach and grassy park with shady trees, but more importantly for the kids, a wavepool which generates artificial surf. You can easily spend a full day or more in the Nitmiluk park, walking, swimming, canoeing or joining an organised tour, including aerial tours of the beautiful gorge (canyon). Always bring more water than you think you will need when you are out walking, and a handful of energy bars - some places are so beautiful you might want to stay out longer than you planned. Set off early today and head back to Ubirr in Kakadu’s East Alligator Region. Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge, Litchfield National Park, Howard Springs, Humpty Doo, Adelaide River, Mary River, Ubirr Art Site, , Florence Falls, Douglas Hot Springs National Park, Edith Falls. Most people come from Darwin though (that’s the closest airport), which is also around 150 kilometres from the ), DAY 1: DARWIN to JABIRU via Arnhem Highway (2.5 hours). Our next stop is Maguk (Barramundi Gorge and falls). A cafe serves good coffee, cold drinks, ice creams and light meals. The next day we spent at the YMCA Leanyer Recreation Park at 215 Vanderlin Drive. Finally, late this afternoon, board the sunset Yellow Waters wetlands cruise. There is a large shaded area with picnic tables, and big grassed area for children to run around on. However, I believe a 2 week Darwin road trip itinerary will give you the perfect amount of time to explore the best of what this area has to offer. Our kids loved that. Mid-afternoon, we depart Litchfield and begin our drive back to Darwin, arriving at approximately 5.30pm. I hadn't expected a holiday in the Top End of Australia to be so aquatic, but it was a pleasant surprise. The closer you are to Darwin, the higher the chance a campground will be 'sold out' if you just turn up and hope for a powered site. If you have 10 days to explore the Top End let our Self Drive Package provide you with the ultimate experience exploring Kakadu, Litchfield and Katherine. The falls are about 30km off the main highway, and there is a patch of the unsealed road which is more like the bottom of a dried out creek bed, than a road, and the 30km took us about an hour to negotiate in our campervan as much of the journey was done at 20 km/h. A GPS or sat nav unit (not really necessary, we found) costs about 50 AUD. Our tour guide for the sunset cruise was mature, friendly, extremely knowledgeable and expert at spotting the wildlife. These wetlands have international significance because of their beauty and natural ecosystems. update your settings Dinner tonight is at your own arrangement and expense and there are a couple of restaurants nearby to our accommodation. Choose from one of our itineraries or create your own trip. It was mid afternoon by the time we set up at the campground, and the kids spent the late afternoon at the swimming pool, then we made a barbecue dinner. This 5 day tour to Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield 4WD Tour starts and finishes in Darwin. The Lodge can organise your cruise, day tours and other sightseeing trips for you. One Nitmiluk Tours 'backpacker' employee in particular could not answer our questions about bushwalking in the area with any authority, as she had not done any of the walks herself. Follow the Nature’s Way from Darwin through to the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park and Nitmiluk National Park before returning via Litchfield National Park. Contact us for more information on the Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield 4WD Tour. 3-5 Stapleton Avenue We head south along the Stuart highway and along the Arnhem highway into the wetlands region. This evenings accommodation is at Mt Bundy Station. You can Darwin to Kakadu Collect your campervan in Darwin. Departs from Darwin. Darwin-Kakadu-Katherine-Litchfield-Darwin 7 Days Day 1. That said, it is usually possible to get an unpowered campsite without booking. TIP: A word on crocodiles and swimming in rock pools and rivers in the Top End: If you swim during the day, at the popular waterholes like the ones described in this guide, which are frequented by dozens or hundreds of tourists a day, and checked regularly by parks officers, you do not need to worry unduly. This five day loop drive from Darwin through Kakadu National Park to Katherine and beyond follows sealed roads which are usually open all year and will lead you to some of the Top End’s most spectacular waterfalls, gorges and rock art galleries. The van hire was $x per day, for unlimited kilometers or miles. Otherwise you might be a bit tight for luggage space - there isn't really space for more than two large suitcases and few small day packs, unless you use the suggestion above. Be prepared for getting the most out of the landscape and wildlife: if you like looking at birds or crocodiles close up, take some small binoculars. When you don't, they will help keep your food cold, and you can also use them when you are out walking if you are taking fresh food for a picnic. Our destination is Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve. The highest fee was in Darwin, and did not equate to the best campground of our trip. Lonely Planet. Plus you have the satisfaction of knowing your money is going straight into the pocket of the artist, with no 'middleman.'. It was quite a teeth chattering ride. You can see a schematic here: http://www.apollocamper.com/campervan-hire-endeavour-camper.aspx. Nitmiluk has a relaxed campground, with good facilities and especially nice swimming pool and cafe area where the house chef will prepare a BBQ meat or fish meal for you from fresh ingredients for a very reasonable price, right next to the swimming pool. This visitor center has two desks, one staffed by the private 'Nitmiluk Tours' company, which seems to use foreign students or backpackers to staff the visitor center and their knowledge of the area is not as good as the Parks and Wildlife staff. Today is spent swimming and exploring beautiful Litchfield National Park. The waterfront has several modern restaurants to choose from and all of them were buzzing with customers, but we didn't have to book. The other 6 nights I just parked on the road side and in car parks in the national parks etc. excellent post, full of detailed information, very useful for other people. Welcome to the Thorntree. Open to doing 1-2 day tours. Most campgrounds, especially the larger commercial ones, take bookings. Kakdau National Park, Litchfield National Park, Katherine Gorge, Tropical Darwin City 5 day Natures Ways from Darwin to Litchfield, Kakadu and Katherine in Northern Territory selfdrive suggested itinerary Self-Drive Tour with Hotels Car Hire (unlimited kms) Bonus Vouchers. We chose the smallest van available that would sleep a family of 4 (two parents, two children aged 12 and 14). Itinerary is exclusive and subject to availability, road, weather and cultural conditions. They buy their vans from Britz, Apollo etc. Solo travellers can also request own room and pay single supplement**. You will be dropped off at your accommodation. Termite mounds are abundant along the dirt road that takes us to the Maguk car park and from there, we take a walk through a paperbark forest to reach the gorge. Look for: the rock pool at Gunlom, which has a nice swimming hole at the base of its waterfall, and another at the top of the falls, which is worth the hike up the side of the falls to enjoy, and which gives you the iconic Kakadu view.
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