Walk Kakadu National Park

Take a drive along Nature’s Way in the Northern Territory – a round trip that takes in the best of the Top End. You’ll travel through the spectacular landscape of Kakadu National Park, followed by a few days in Katherine and a day at Litchfield National Park, with plenty of spectacular hikes along the way. View some of the world’s most impressive rock art sites, see thundering waterfalls and go swimming in natural waterholes. This eight-day small group trip combines scenic walks, comfortable accommodation and a knowledgeable leader with some of Australia’s most spectacular scenery.

Itinerary

Day 1: Darwin

Welcome! Your adventure begins in Darwin (Gulumerrdgen in the language of the local Larrakia people, who are the Traditional Wwners of the land on which Darwin is now located). Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your leader and the rest of your group. If you arrive early, why not check out the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory or discover Australia’s war history at the World War II oil storage tunnels along the waterfront. After the meeting, you’ll head to a local restaurant to get to know each other and celebrate the start of your adventure.

Day 2: Kakadu National Park / Jabiru

After breakfast, set off on the drive to Mamukala Wetlands in the UNESCO World heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, where water pythons, birds, crocodiles, turtles and other wildlife can be spotted. From here, drive to Ubirr – widely regarded as one of the world’s most outstanding rock art sites. Here, you’ll embark on a walk to discover the different rock art galleries and learn about the incredible history of this area. After you’ve checked out the fascinating paintings, which include depictions of some of the first interactions with non-Aboriginal people, head to Jabiru and check into your comfortable motel for the next few nights.

Day 3: Arnhem Land / Jabiru

After breakfast, embark on a journey through Cahill’s Crossing on the East Alligator River into Arnhem Land with Traditional Owners. Here, you’ll spend the day with an experienced First Nations guide leading the way and discover the Australian outback from 4WD buses in Mikkinj Valley and beyond. See rock art sites, sandstone gorges, forests, flood plains and an abundance of birdlife, whilst learning about the Aboriginal culture and heritage of this area. Enjoy some time by the water, then grab a bite to eat at Inkiyu Billabong.

Day 4: Kakadu National Park / Jabiru

Kakadu National Park has one of the world’s highest concentrated areas of rock art and today, you’ll drive to Nourlangie and walk to the famous painting of Namarrgon – the lightning man, who is said to control the wet season lightning storms. You’ll also view the rest of the site, which is reminiscent of a traditional art gallery with multiple rooms (caves) featuring different styles of art. After, take on the Barrk Walk through the sandstone country of Nourlangie. After an initial steep climb to the top of a rocky outcrop, you'll be rewarded with spectacular views of the World Heritage area. Roughly half-way through, you’ll reach Nanguluwurr art site, where you’ll find more paintings. From here, you can choose to turn back or complete the entire circuit.

Day 5: Kakadu National Park / Mataranka / Katherine

Today, you can enjoy a day off from walking as you make the long drive south. After breakfast, sit back and relax as you embark on the drive to Mataranka Thermal Pools, stopping in Pine Creek along the way. When you arrive, take a quick soak in the pools and relax the muscles. Along the way we’ll have brief stops in Pine Creek and Katherine. Then head to Katherine – your home for the next three nights.

Day 6: Nitmiluk National Park / Katherine

Drive to the northern section of Nitmiluk National Park to Leliyn (Edith Falls). The falls are the last stop along the Jatbula trail, which begins 62 km away in Katherine Gorge. Today, walk part of the trail along a sandy path to Sweetwater Pool, where rich red rocks frame the waterhole. Along the way, there will be plenty of smaller natural pools to take a quick dip in. Then, on the walk back, you’ll stop at the Upper Pools of Leliyn for one final dip to cool off before the drive to Katherine.

Day 7: Nitmiluk National Park / Katherine

Drive to the southern section of Nitmiluk today to Katherine Gorge. Depending on the temperature, your local guide will offer a selection of walks of varying difficulty and length (6 to 12 km). Take your time to discover Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, which was created as the Katherine River carved its way through ancient sandstone cliffs more than 20 million years ago. You’ll notice the natural horizontal bands defining the cliffs that were created by layer upon layer of sediments. After a full day exploring all that Katherine Gorge has to offer, make your way back to Katherine for the evening.

Day 8: Litchfield National Park / Darwin

After breakfast, drive to Litchfield National Park where waterfalls cascade from escarpments into plunge pools and there are deep prehistoric-looking forests. During the wet season, four major waterfalls thunder from the cliffs into rock pools and in the dry season, the waterfalls flow more gently, making the waterholes perfect for swimming. Stop by the Magnetic Termite Mounds, then head out on a walk determined by your local guide. See stunning waterfalls and billabongs along the way, then drive to Darwin where your trip comes to an end. No accommodation is provided tonight but if you would like to spend more time here, just speak to your booking agent to book additional accommodation.

Departure Dates