Trip to Darwin and Nature Parks in the Northern Territory
♦ Additional article about NT: Trip to Alice Springs and Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta Parks.
In this article, a description of several trips to Darwin and natural parks in the northern part of the Northern Territory.
Guided Tours from Darwin
I recommend taking the following guided tours from Darwin. These are recommended tours from Viator and are also suitable for those who do not want to drive themselves (and on the left side, no less) and also want an experienced local guide.
♦ Recommended tours in Darwin from Viator:
Trip to Litchfield Park
Departure for a trip to Litchfield Park in the morning. The park is located about 120 km from Darwin. At the turnoff to the park, stop at a tourist information center hut in a place called Batchelor and collect brochures with tourist information.
After 23 km from the entrance to the park (there is no checkpoint for entrance fees), you reach a magnetic termite mound site. The ants build tall nests, between one to five meters, in a special shape to give them maximum shade.
At the site, there is an elevated walking path several dozen meters long from which you can view a large, dense field of mounds that look like tombstones in a cemetery.
From there, continue another 10 km to Buley Rockhole Falls. This is a stream composed of a series of small waterfalls, next to each of which there is a kind of pool where you can bathe. On the way back, you can stop here again and bathe in the pools—cool, pleasant water, which is ideal in the warm weather outside.
Continue from there for another two kilometers to Florence Falls. This is a tall waterfall—about 15 meters high with a large pool and plenty of vegetation. You can just view the waterfall from above; you don't have to go down to the bottom to swim.
Return to the main road and continue inside the park another 20 km to Tolmer Falls. This is an even higher waterfall than the previous one; there is a good viewpoint overlooking it, but swimming is not allowed there. At every body of water, there is signage indicating whether swimming is allowed or prohibited due to the risk of crocodiles.
Continue into the park another nine kilometers and reach Wangi Falls. These are the most impressive waterfalls, featuring a giant pool beside them, almost a small lake. Usually, swimming in this pool is recommended, but sometimes it is closed for swimming due to crocodile concerns.
From here, head back towards the park exit via the same route you entered, and it is worth stopping here for a very enjoyable swim at Buley Rockhole Falls.
Return to Darwin, arriving toward evening. You can still stroll through the lawns along the coast in front of the hotels (where there are quite a few Aborigines), then pass through the pedestrian mall which closes at 17:00 (the Aussies are tired...). You can see government buildings and restored historical houses.
The sunset in Darwin, famous for its beauty:
You can eat on Mitchell Street, which is the only street where businesses remain open after sunset—mostly restaurants and bars.
Trip to Kakadu Park
Depart on the road in the morning, a 250 km drive to Jabiru.
At the beginning of the drive, the landscape consists of grass and wetlands, which then changes to sparse tropical forest. Along all the roads through the forests, some areas were burned and others were in the process of burning. The fires are initiated and controlled, conducted mainly at night, not during hot periods, and when there is wind. This is done to prevent the accumulation of dry grass and large fuel loads that would cause giant, destructive fires where all trees would be destroyed. Under the current method, most trees do not burn, only low bushes and grass. You can see birds of prey lurking and hunting, during the fire, small animals fleeing for their lives from the flames.
The first stop is made at a viewpoint over a lake with beautiful aquatic plants where birds are supposed to be in the appropriate season.
Continue from there to the park's visitor center near Jabiru. The display at the center is meager; there is also a film screened once an hour about the park. Pick up a trail map and inquire about recommended routes.
Nourlangie Rock
Start at Nourlangie Rock, located about 30 km south of Jabiru. At the site, there is a 1.5 km walking trail that passes near ancient rock art (up to 20,000 years old). Most of the paintings are faded, but it is a wonder that some have lasted so long in hot, humid, and rainy weather, especially since these are water-based paint drawings.
Due to the intense heat, 35 degrees, it is advisable to take a break in the pool of the hotel (which looks like a giant crocodile from above) right upon check-in. From the spacious and pleasant room at the hotel, you can walk out through the balcony directly into the pool.
It is recommended to spend the end of the day at Ubirr, which is also an ancient rock art site. There is also a short walking trail leading to a cliff top that offers a very beautiful view, and the sunset from there is particularly lovely.
Departing from the hotel around 16:00, on the way there are two road sections that are water crossings, which cannot be crossed during the wet season.
Walk at Ubirr along the marked rock art trail; here, they were even more faded than at Nourlangie.
Climb to the viewpoint at the top of a high cliff, a relatively gentle climb. From there, a beautiful view unfolds of green grass with streams and lakes into the distance.
Wait here for the sunset, as planned, on the rock and watch the landscape and the beautiful sunset.
Head back to the hotel in Jabiru in the last twilight and drive carefully so as not to run over any animals.
Trip to the Swamps of Yellow Water in Kakadu
Depart in the morning toward Cooinda, where you board a boat setting out for a cruise in Yellow Water. Book the cruise in advance, but this is necessary only during peak season.
There is a cruise departing almost every two hours. From the hotel in Cooinda (you pay at its reception), there is a minibus that takes about five minutes to reach the boat jetty.
Set off on a river cruise through a swampy area surrounded by dense grass and partially submerged river vegetation. There are many beautiful water flowers and tons of birds of various species; you can see them up close, including nesting birds, birds hunting insects, or diving to catch fish, as well as crocodiles of all sizes. Some lurk beneath the tangled trees along the riverbank, while others float motionless in the water, ambushing other animals. When approaching them, they dive and disappear from view.
In the area, fishing boats can also be seen. The boat tour is successful and interesting, and the weather is pleasant when sitting in the shade of the boat, of course.
From here, head toward Edith Falls in Nitmiluk Park, located about 200 km away. The maximum allowed driving speed in the park is 110 km/h.
Edith Falls in Nitmiluk Park
In this park, there is a 2.6 km loop trail reaching the upper waterfall. It can be done in one hour. The first half kilometer features a steep ascent, after which the trail becomes fairly flat or has mild ups and downs. Along the way, there are beautiful viewpoints overlooking the waterfalls.
The site features a series of 3–4 waterfalls, and next to each waterfall is a pool suitable for swimming. The upper pool, which is the hardest to reach, is the best for swimming. It has shallow, clear areas of water, and it is not intimidating to enter because you can see there are no crocodiles.
In contrast, the lower pool—which is very large and deep—is a bit intimidating because there are warnings about freshwater crocodiles; they aren't dangerous, but you can't always trust them.
Next to the lower pool, there is also grass and a kiosk/restaurant.
Katherine
Arriving in Katherine, drive first to the hotel to check in. The hotel name is All Seasons Katherine; the room is spacious, with a double bed plus a single bed, coffee area, and refrigerator.
Head out to the hot springs located within the town. The pools are situated in a stream divided into sections with depths from half a meter to 2 meters. There is easy access and a paved but sandy area.
The water is very clear and at a temperature of about 32 degrees Celsius, making it very pleasant for swimming.
In the town, there is an indoor shopping center where many idle Aborigines hang around, slightly intimidating, mostly barefoot.
Here as well as in Darwin, you can see police cars showing a noticeable presence near them. Each police car has a cage/box for detainees, so presumably there is reason for concern.
Nitmiluk Park – Katherine Gorge
Depart in the morning toward Nitmiluk Park, located about 30 km from the town.
At the visitor center, check what walking trails and boat tours are available.
The river gorge is divided into sections separated from each other by a rocky area with small waterfalls impassable by boat. The cost of the cruise depends on the number of sections chosen. At the end of each section, you disembark from the boat and walk a few hundred meters to the next boat waiting in the next section. It is recommended to take a two-section cruise lasting about two hours. A three-section cruise takes four hours (for those who have more time). Available nearby are scenic flights over the gorge and kayak rentals in the first section only.
Since it isn't particularly hot in the morning, it is advisable to start first with a 3 km walking trail and then take the two-hour cruise starting at 11:00.
Most tourists start with the boat cruise, and the boats departing at 09:00 are usually full, while later there are fewer people.
The walking trail includes a steep ascent at the beginning (a recurring theme) and climbing stairs for about twenty minutes to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the river and the boats cruising along it.
The rest of the trail passes through a partially burned forest, like all the forests seen, which is not particularly interesting except at the end, where you see trees with smooth reddish trunks or particularly thick trunks. Occasionally, you see kangaroos here and there.
Board the boat at 11:00 with other travelers and three boat operators: a driver and two Aboriginal guides.
The scenery on the cruise is beautiful; at first, you see short stretches of nice sand where crocodiles nest, and further on the gorge walls become increasingly steep.
The cruise is accompanied by explanations and a demonstration of several Aboriginal items: a spear, boomerang, woven basket, and horn. Disembark from the boat at the end of the first section and walk to the boat waiting in the second section. In this section, the walls are much more impressively steep, and the gorge also becomes narrower.
We stopped near a crevice in the rock and watched bats hanging on the rock face.
On the cruise, you also see crocodiles.
From the park, depart right after the cruise toward Katherine, have lunch there, and continue to Darwin, a 3-hour drive.
Arrive in Darwin in the evening and stroll along the northern coast. The beach is really beautiful and inviting to enter, especially given the hot and humid weather. The water is calm and smooth as a lake due to the island chain north of Darwin. But (!!!), in this sea there are deadly box jellyfish, which is why there were only 2–3 people in the water (who probably didn't know what was in there...). The jellyfish season ends in May, but even when there are no jellyfish, swimming in the sea is not recommended because there are also crocodiles... lol.
You can see a beautiful sunset from here.
It is recommended to combine another trip in the southern Northern Territory with this trip.