Journey through the wild landscapes of Australia’s Top End, combining independent exploration with expert wildlife experiences among the wetlands, ancient escarpments, and spectacular gorges of Kakadu and Nitmiluk.
Hit the road and discover the diverse landscapes, abundant wildlife, and ancient culture of Australia’s tropical Top End. From Darwin, travel through vast wetlands and monsoon forests to World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, before continuing south to the dramatic sandstone country of Nitmiluk. Along the way, the freedom of a self-drive is complemented by carefully selected wildlife experiences, including a private birding tour and a cruise through the wildlife-rich Yellow Water Billabong.
Kakadu is one of Australia’s great natural destinations, protecting an extraordinary mosaic of floodplains, billabongs, woodland, and ancient escarpments. Encounter saltwater crocodiles, jabirus, brolgas, magpie geese, kingfishers and birds of prey, while discovering Aboriginal rock art and a culture stretching back more than 50,000 years.
Further south, Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge National Park), offers a striking change of scenery as the Katherine River winds between towering sandstone cliffs. Spend three nights at Aboriginal-owned Cicada Lodge, with time to explore the gorges on foot, by boat or canoe and search for freshwater crocodiles, wallabies and abundant birdlife.
Read about Product Manager Chris Smith's trip to Australia's Northern Territory.
On arrival in Darwin, pick up your hire car and drive to your accommodation in the city. The remainder of the day's free to relax and recover after the long flight.
Accommodation: Mantra on the Esplanade, 2-nights
Explore Darwin’s diverse habitats with an expert local birding guide, visiting mangroves, monsoon forests, wetlands, and tropical woodlands. Look for rainbow pitta, rufous owl and colourful kingfishers, with the possibility of sought-after species such as chestnut rail and Gouldian finch when conditions are favourable.
Today, drive to Jabiru township via Mamukala Wetlands, where you can stop to visit a bird hide to see the spectacle of thousands of migratory magpie geese congregating to feed; there’s also an observation tower with fine views over the wetland. Several trails start here, from an easy 30-minute walk to a somewhat more demanding 2-hour walk.
Accommodation: Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, 2-nights
Spend the day exploring Kakadu National Park at your own pace. Discover ancient Aboriginal rock art, dramatic escarpments and wildlife-rich wetlands, perhaps visit Ubirr or Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) for their impressive rock art and sweeping views across the park.
Travel south through Kakadu National Park to Cooinda. Depending on where you visited the previous day, you could stop at Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) and the Nawurlandja Lookout. If time permits, continue to Mirray Lookout for panoramic views across Kakadu’s vast landscapes.
Accommodation: Cooinda Lodge, 2-nights
Today's at leisure until late afternoon, where you can take a superb 2-hour wildlife sunset cruise on the Yellow River Billabong. This is a perfect outing for first-time visitors who wish to witness the Kakadu Wetland’s beauty and incredible wildlife - such as the legendary saltwater crocodile, buffalos and wild horses. With its diverse landscapes ranging from untouched coastline to mighty river systems, from rocky escarpment to billabong and floodplain, the World Heritage Site of Kakadu is home to one third of Australia’s bird species, and warrants a close look so you can fully appreciate its immense natural diversity and cultural significance.
Leave Kakadu and travel south to Nitmiluk National Park. Pass through the historic gold-mining town of Pine Creek before continuing to Katherine, where the tropical Top End meets the vast landscapes of the outback. If time permits, stop for a swim at Katherine Hot Springs, a series of natural thermal pools set amongst tropical vegetation on the banks of the Katherine River. From Katherine, continue to Nitmiluk National Park, home to the spectacular Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, where the Katherine River winds between towering sandstone cliffs.
Accommodation: Cicada Lodge, 3-nights
Spend two days exploring Nitmiluk National Park. Explore on foot, by boat or canoe, looking for freshwater crocodiles, agile wallabies and birdlife including great bowerbirds, red-winged parrots, rainbow bee-eaters and white-bellied sea eagles.
This morning set off for the drive back to Darwin. We suggest you break the trip with a stop to explore Litchfield National Park approximately 130 kilometres south-west of the capital of Northern Territory. A 1,500 square-kilometre-park was established in 1986, and Litchfield features numerous waterfalls which cascade from a sandstone plateau known as the Tabletop Range, monsoon rainforests, intriguing magnetic termite mounds and historical sites. 4-wheel-drive tracks lead into some of the more remote parts of the park and the surrounding region.
Continue to Darwin and check in to your accommodation.
Accommodation: Mantra on the Esplanade, 1-night
You're free until it’s time to drive to the airport to hand over your hire car and check in for the flight back to the UK.
The capital and largest city of Australia’s sparsely populated Northern Territory, Darwin lies on the Timor Sea. Originally a pioneer outpost, the area is the ancestral home of the Larrakia Aboriginal people and gateway to the impressive Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land. Find Out More about {acc:title}
Lying 240 kilometres east of Darwin, Kakadu is Australia’s largest national park. Covering almost 20,000 square kilometres it is a place of huge biodiversity whose rare endemic animals include more than a third of the country’s bird species and a quarter of its freshwater and estuarine fish species. Find Out More about {acc:title}
Nitmiluk a.k.a. Katherine Gorge is a system of 13 immense gorges carved from the region’s ancient stone over the millennia by the Katherine River. The gorges are of huge cultural significance for their traditional owners, the Jawoyn, for whom Nitmiluk is the place where the spirits of creation dwell. Find Out More about {acc:title}
Explore Tropical North Queensland with an expert wildlife guide, searching Daintree National Park and Atherton Tablelands for cassowary, tree-kangaroos, platypus and crocodiles, with a Daintree River cruise, rainforest walks, wetlands, crater lakes and nocturnal wildlife watching. Find out more about North Queensland Wildlife Safari
The luxury Cicada Lodge makes a perfect base from which to explore Nitmiluk Gorge and its ancient landscape. The architect-designed lodge delivers a high standard of service, and its contemporary, sophisticated style fuses international, modern Australian and indigenous design. Find Out More about Cicada Lodge
Located right in the heart of Kakadu National Park, the indigenous-owned Cooinda Lodge offers 48 spacious air-conditioned rooms where you can relax and re-energise in cool comfort with convenient access to all the park’s attractions and amenities, and enjoy a variety of activities. Find Out More about Cooinda Lodge
From its cool marble foyer to its unique crocodile-shaped exterior representing the area’s most famous inhabitant, Kakadu Crocodile Hotel is a comfortable retreat in a superb location in Kakadu National Park’s wilderness, and an ideal base for exploring the Ubirr, Nourlangie and Jim Jim areas. Find Out More about Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel
British Travel Awards
Awarded Silver in Favourite Tour Operator for Nature & Wildlife 2024 & 2025
Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards
Awarded Bronze in Best Travel Company for Wildlife & Nature Holidays 2024
