Kakadu National Park

No visit to the Top End of the Northern Territory can ever be complete unless you experience the magnificent Kakadu National Park. It is supremely beautiful and immensely important for its Aboriginal history and unique ecology.

The 19,000 square kilometer World Heritage listed park is 260kms (162 miles) east of Darwin on the sealed Arnhem Highway. Most accessible in the dry season from May to September, it is at its most spectacular in the Wet as evening storms deluge the land creating massive lakes teaming with birdlife. Though you may not be able to see the entire park’s most beautiful places, such as Jim Jim and Twin Falls, any time is the right time to go to Kakadu. What you do see you will never forget.

Allow as much time as you can to visit Kakadu. A day tour from Darwin is a great introduction, though if time permits stay overnight so you can give yourself at least two full days. The park headquarters at Bowali, near the main town of Jabiru, and entry stations on the Arnhem and Kakadu Highways have detailed maps and brochures. You can see much of the park in a conventional vehicle but some areas are accessible only to four-wheel drives. Some roads are closed from the start of the Wet for six months.

Drive yourself or take one of the many guided tours from Darwin. Kakadu is a very varied and complex place, so even if you have a rental vehicle, take a guided day tour which concentrates on either Aboriginal culture or the environment. These generally operate in the dry season from Jabiru, though some are year round.

There is a full range of accommodations at the Kakadu National Park. It is possible to camp out or stay in hotels ranging from budget to first class. Hotel/motel style accommodation is available at Cooinda, Jabiru and South Alligator River.

Kakadu offers an amazing variety of activities and attractions like Scenic Flights, Boat Cruises, Kakadu Walking Tours and Fishing Tours.

Unfortunately, but logically Kakadu highways avoid wet or rocky terrain, and the forest veils some of the scenic the sights you expected to see. That’s why a Kakadu Air scenic flight is a great option to see the park giving you the opportunity to rise above it all and see the views that will forever change your perception of this timeless land.

If you have a free day and would love to catch a barra, then a fishing tour is for you. From February to May, fish the South Alligator River, Shady Camp and Adelaide Rivers as Barra congregate in the annual feast of food from the recent wet season. From June to November fish Corroboree. The birdlife around these water lily lined billabongs is spectacular and many people visit these just to see the scenery and wildlife, you will be doing it while presenting your lures to Barra, Saratoga, and Tarpon. Salt water day trip options include Bynoe Harbour, Darwin Harbour and the Vernon Islands fishing for multiple species as well as the Barramundi. Bait or lure fishing can be accommodated.