Roadtrip by way of the Top End National Parks. Considered one among Australia’s nice roadtrips, Nature’s Way is a loop taking in Kakadu, Nitmiluk and Litchfield National Parks and recognised as one of the best of the Top End National Parks.
The spherical journey is roughly 1,000 kilometres appropriate for 2WD automobiles.
With so many wonderful National Parks within the Top End, it’s no surprise they designed a road-trip to absorb one of the best of one of the best.
Have you come to the Top End to expertise our tradition, our wildlife and our extraordinary surroundings?
Take Nature’s Way to tour the Top End National Parks
Drive your self on a vacation of a lifetime. Nature’s Way takes you on a street journey loop taking in a few of the finest surroundings within the Top End National Parks.
Your roadtrip will begin by driving east to world-famous Kakadu National Park earlier than heading south to Katherine to discover the gorgeous Nitmiluk National Park. The final leg of your roadtrip will take you thru Litchfield National Park on the best way.
We advocate you are taking a minimum of every week to actually benefit from the loop so have included our 7 day itinerary suggestions to get pleasure from Nature’s Way.
Arrive into Darwin
- Fly into Darwin in your favorite airline. Qantas, Virgin and Ryan air fly into Darwin each day
- Arrive on the Ghan, the rail prepare from Adelaide.
- Hire a automotive or drive your personal on this Territory journey..
Day 1 – 3: Darwin to Jabiru – Kakadu National Park
Accommodation in Jabiru:
Start your roadtrip from Darwin, the Northern Territory’s multicultural capital by taking the Arnhem Highway in the direction of World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park.
There are a variety of issues to do and locations to discover so try our publish Escape to Kakadu National Park for what to do and the not-to-miss sights in Kakadu.
Ubirr Rock
One of my favorite issues to do is to climb Ubirr Rock (it’s a straightforward climb). Expect an extraordinary sundown over this Arnhem Land escarpment. If you’re an early morning particular person, dawn is simply as spectacular and prone to be much less crowded. Allow time to exlore the traditional Aboriginal Art round Ubirr Rock.
Start with a go to the Bowali Cultural Centre and take the cultural discovery tour to be taught concerning the custodians of this land and it’s significance to the Bowali individuals.
Nourlangie Rock
Explore historical Aboriginal rock artwork at Nourlangie Rock, to see an abundance of wildlife together with the gorgeous Rainbow Bee Eaters.
Take one of many strolling trails to Gunwarddehwarde Lookout overlooking the escarpment and go to the magnificent Anbangbang Billabong.
Yellow Water
Take a Yellow Water billabong cruise on a billabong fringed by pandanus, paperbark swamps and monsoon rainforest. The cruise will take you thru wetland waterways the place you’ll see a variety of untamed buffalo, saltwater crocodiles and 1000’s of distinctive birds because the solar units within the distance.
For the extra adventurous – take a tour to magnificent Gunlom Falls, Maguk Gorge, Jim Jim Falls or Twin Falls.
A reminder: when you’re swimming within the Top End, at all times ‘be crocwise’ and verify the indicators earlier than swimming to ensure it’s protected to take a dip.
Read extra: The 6 seasons of Kakadu
Day 4 – 6: Drive to Katherine through Pine Creek
Accommodation in Katherine
Drive south roughly 3 hours in the direction of Pine Creeok en-route to Katherine and Nitmiluk National Park.
Pine Creek
Historic Pine Creek continues to be an energetic gold mine. The township is barely off the Stuart Highway however is an effective place to cease for lunch and go to the Railway Museum, the Old Repeater Station and the Mining exhibition.
Leliyn
Stop in for a swim at Leliyn – Edith Falls is on the western aspect of Nitmiluk National Park. The lush, grassy campsites make Edith Falls an idyllic spot for tenting and an amazing place to remain a couple of days.
The giant pandanus-fringed pure swimming gap is ideal to calm down in on the base of the falls. Walking trails take you as much as the swimming holes above Edith Falls that are nicely well worth the stroll.
Katherine
Katherine is a brief 60 kilometres drive additional south alongside the Stuart Highway.
Katherine township is the gateway to Nitmiluk National Park. Nitmiluk National Park is on the lands of the Jawoyn individuals and has a few of Australia’s most gorgeous surroundings and bush walks all through the gorge.
Stop in for a swim in Katherine’s Hot Springs within the centre of city. These crystal clear water swimming pools are on the tepid temperature of 32 levels all yr spherical.
Read extra: Things to do whereas visiting Katherine.
Nitmiluk
Visit the Nitmiluk Cultural Centre for a superb presentation of early settlement historical past within the Katherine area and cultural artifacts and souvenirs.
Nitmiluk Gorge is also called Katherine Gorge and is laced with cascading waterfalls and imposing sheer rock cliff faces towering some 70 metres above. Here you will discover a few of the Territory’s finest journey actions akin to canoeing, bushwalking, gorge cruises, swimming and tenting out below the celebs.
Take a sundown cruise up the gorge to see the vivid colors on the sandstone partitions of the gorge reflecting the depth of the setting solar. The colors will actually take your breath away!
Cutta Cutta Caves
About 20 minutes drive south of Katherine city is Cutta Cutta Caves. Inside the caves you’ll see glowing limestone formations of stalactites and stalagmites and a number of other species of bats together with the uncommon ghost and leaf-nosed bats.
Day 7: Drive from Katherine to Litchfield National Park
The drive to Darwin is roughly 3 hours from Katherine.
Adelaide River
Stop into the Adelaide River Hotel for an early lunch in your approach to Litchfield Park. Charlie the buffalo from the Crocodile Dundee film is behind the bar – stuffed in fact!
This is a superb little roadside pub with nice worth steaks, barra and buffalo burgers served with a great deal of pleasant, outback hospitality.
Litchfield National Park waterholes are typically crocodile free however monitored intently – simply in case!
Exploring Litchfield National Park
Several main freshwater swimming holes are scattered by way of Litchfield National Park fed by stunning waterfalls. Most will probably be open for swimming yr spherical.
You can go to the entire most spectacular ones on a day drive from Darwin and most are 2WD accessible.
Termite Mounds
The very first thing you’ll see whenever you enter the park is a big group of “magnetic” termite mounds – 2m-high blades, all aligned north-south to maintain the within of the mound cool towards the warmth of the solar.
Buley Rockhole
Enjoy a refreshing swim within the cascading swimming pools of Buley Rockhole. A sequence of spa-like swimming pools linked by small waterfalls. It’s one of the vital common locations to swim the park. Wade by way of the swimming pools, take up the scenic bush surrounds or sit and calm down, because the cool water rolls over your shoulders. Open for many of the yr.
Florence Falls
Take a refreshing dip within the crystal clear waters of the pool and benefit from the scenic stroll to the viewing platform excessive above the falls for panoramic views of the open valley and the waterhole beneath.
Tolmer Falls
One of probably the most spectacular falls in Litchfield National Park. It cascades over two excessive escarpments into one deep plunge pool. A brief stroll takes you to a viewing platform on the prime of the waterfall. From right here you’ll be able to take the 800 metre stroll – a straightforward stroll that takes about 45 minutes. Swimming isn’t permitted above the falls.
Wangi Falls
Where two waterfalls cascade into a really giant plunge pool set amid the rainforest. It is the most well-liked of the swimming holes, and consists of wheelchair entry into the water.
Lost City
4WD-only monitor to the Lost City a bunch of fantastically-shaped eroded sandstone towers.
Litchfield to Darwin – 1.5 hours drive time
Accommodation in Darwin metropolis
Travel again the best way you got here into Litchfield for the simplest approach again to Darwin, or take the unsealed loop again to the town (really useful 4×4 solely). Its unsealed and could also be inaccessible within the moist season, nevertheless it’s very fairly with a number of shallow creek crossings.
Don’t miss one other magical sundown … pin this for later.
The nationwide parks within the Top End are accessible, pristine and spectacular. You will see uncommon native vegetation and spot distinctive birds and animals within the wild. Swim within the pure swimming holes or take an Aboriginal cultural tour to be taught extra about this land.
You will love your Nature’s Way road-trip although one of the best Top End National Parks!
