Intrepid Travel: Best of the Top End & Kakadu

This morning, travel into Litchfield National Park. Situated on a huge sandstone plateau, the park is home to waterfalls, secret swimming spots and towering rocky pillars. Your first stop will be Wangi Falls, where you can take a short loop walk or plunge into the natural pool. Then, it’s off to Tolmer Falls and Florence Falls. Hidden among monsoon forest, you'll stop for a picnic lunch next to a bubbling creek. Continue to Litchfield’s Magnetic Termite Mounds – these 100-year-old natural sculptures are distinctive to the northern parts of Australia. Later, continue back to Darwin where you’ll stay tonight.

Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Activities:

• Litchfield National Park - Wangi Falls
• Litchfield National Park - Tolmer Falls
• Litchfield National Park - Florence Falls
• Litchfield National Park - Termite Mounds

Staying in:

• Darwin (1 night)

After breakfast, drive towards Kakadu National Park – covering an enormous 20,000 sq km, the park is a world of its own. Along the way, stop at the Mamukala Wetlands and see if you can spot the wetland birds, before continuing to Ubirr – one of Kakadu's rock art gems, where you’ll learn more about the local First Nations history and hear stories from your leader. This afternoon, hop aboard a cruise up the East Alligator River (despite the name, you won’t see any alligators – this is crocodile country) and take in the surrounding wilderness of this UNESCO World Heritage landscape. As you float along the river, hear about the cultural significance of the landscape, and the plants and animals that live here from an Aboriginal guide. Later, travel to your accommodation in Kakadu. Tonight, join your group for dinner to celebrate the last night of your trip through Australia’s Top End.

Your travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours.

Activities:

• Kakadu National Park - Guluyambi Cultural Cruise on the East Alligator River
• Kakadu National Park - Ubirr Rock Art Cultural Walk
• Kakadu National Park - Mamukala Wetlands

Staying in:

• Hotel (1 night)

Your final morning at Kakadu National Park starts with a drive to a local cultural arts centre at Jim Jim Creek. Here, depending on availability, you might take part in a cultural weaving class, where you’ll learn the craft and hear stories about the significance of weaving in the local culture. After lunch, continue to Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) – a region known for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed rock art created by the Bininj people. When you arrive, set off on one of the various short walks, each offering a different perspective on the wildlife, art and natural features of the area. After, drive back to Darwin where your adventure will finish at around 5.30 pm. If you’d like to extend your stay in Darwin, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Activities:

• Kakadu National Park - Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) rock art site