Visit the top end of Australia and you’re immersing yourself in the true-blue Aussie outback country. Be amazed by the beauty and diversity of Darwin and surrounding Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. A truly unique and ore-inspiring experience.
Darwin
Darwin is a modern Australian city, an island of civilization in the “Top End” of Australia. The rest of the expanse of this immense area is a land of mystery, a land of intriguing natural features from waterfalls to wetlands, wide-open spaces and a full tropical environment merging gradually into the red deserts of the interior of Australia.
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu is huge – one third the size of Tasmania, or half as big as Switzerland, and is home to Aboriginal Cultural Sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Area. Plan to stay a night or two on a safari to really feel the distance and the solitude. This is one of the most iconic places in Australia, making it a bucket-list location.
Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park contains several types of typical Top End habitats, including lush monsoon forests, termite mounds, unusual rock formations, waterfalls and cascades. The park encloses much of the spectacular Tabletop Range, which is a wide sandstone plateau, mostly surrounded by cliffs. During the green season, four major waterfalls thunder from the cliffs to tropical rock pools many metres below. During the dry season, the waterfalls flow more gently, making the waterholes the perfect spot for a cool dip. The Park’s traditional owners are the Wagait Aboriginal people, many of whom live in the area.
Depart Darwin and travel along the Arnhem Highway, their major river systems and wetlands, into Kakadu National Park. Located 257 kilometres east of Darwin, this national park covers 20,000 square kilometres of landscape, from rocky escarpment home to historic Aboriginal rock art dating back thousands of years to floodplains abundant with wildlife.
Visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre to view the informative displays depicting the traditions of the Aboriginal people in Kakadu. Join your local guide on a cruise of Yellow Water Billabong. Search for saltwater crocodiles and the colourful range of birdlife for which this region is renowned. After lunch, stop at Nourlangie, where your driver-guide will lead you on a walk to view the rock art galleries.
Overnight accommodation at Aurora Kakadu in a Superior Room.
This morning join your driver-guide to explore the World Heritage Area of Ubirr, where you’ll climb up through the ancient Aboriginal rock art galleries, believed to be 20,000 years old, to the lookout for a view over the surrounding wetlands. Join the Guluyambi Cruise on the East Alligator River.
An Aboriginal guide will provide an insight into their culture, including local mythology, the river’s abundant food chain, as well as bush survival skills. With special permission of the local people, you are able to go ashore in Arnhem Land. Visit the Bowali Visitor Centre before returning to Darwin, where your short break concludes.
Overnight accommodation at Travelodge Mirambeena resort Darwin in a Guest Room. (L)
Litchfield National Park contains several types of typical Top End habitats including lush monsoon forests, termite mounds, unusual rock formations, waterfalls and cascades. The park encloses much of the spectacular Tabletop Range, which is a wide sandstone plateau mostly surrounded by cliffs. During the green season, four major waterfalls thunder from the cliffs to tropical rock pools many metres below. During the dry season, the waterfalls flow more gently, making the waterholes the perfect spot for a cool dip. The Park’s traditional owners are the Wagait Aboriginal people, many of whom live in the area.
We follow the Stuart Highway via the township of Batchelor to Litchfield National Park where we will visit the main falls. First stop is Florence Falls, where you have the opportunity for a scenic and interpretive bush and monsoon vine forest walk. There is also the chance for a swim by making your way down the stairs to the plunge pool below.
Travel on to Tolmer Falls for a magnificent view of the water cascading down to the deep waterhole at the base of the falls. Finally, we visit Wangi Falls, with its large crystal clear pool, another relaxing spot for a swim. On the way back to Darwin we make a stop in at Howard Spring Nature Park, where you will have the chance to feed the Barramundi and Turtles. A great day for taking many fascinating photos, including the amazing stand of termite mounds. Lunch is included today.
Short note to thank you for a terrific itinerary and choice of accommodations. We got back from Australia having had the best 'real' holiday in years. Loved it! The order of the trip was perfect and all the hotel bookings worked seamlessly.
We had a wonderful time! We so appreciate your arranging everything for us. It all went very smoothly. We just had to show up where and when you told us to. It took away any stress to this leg of our journey.
At long last & very overdue, we wish to thank you very much for all the bookings you made on our behalf for our adventure. We were pleased with all the accommodation bookings you made, we particularly noted we got what we asked for, walk in showers, twin beds & all clean & tidy. Thanks Madi, well done!!
Just wanted to say a big thank you!!! We have now returned from our holiday & it was fantastic. We would really like to thank you for how well everything was organised. Accommodation & tours were fabulous. We really loved how well organised our trip was and this is a credit to you!!! Thanks again, will be recommending you to friends and family.