A Darwin road trip is the best way to experience Australia’s very own magical outback – The Top End. The laid back vibe and unique vast landscapes are some of the reasons why Northern Territory keeps growing increasingly popular. Northern Territory is a hot spot for all Australian’s who want to escape the cold winter months and chase the sunny weather.
This short 6 day Darwin road trip itinerary is filled with picturesque gorges, fresh water rock pools, refreshing waterfalls, crystal clear thermal springs and an amazing cultural experience.
What’s the best way to travel on a Darwin road trip?
Planning your very own self drive road trip in the Northern Territory can be daunting if you don’t know what to expect. Don’t worry we are here to tell you that it can be done easily and safely.
The driving conditions during the dry season between May to October are very manageable in a van. All of these places visited on our Darwin road trip can be accessed by a van and 2wd.
What we love about travelling in an Apollo van is the freedom to travel anywhere and also having household conveniences. This includes a bed, shower, toilet, kitchen and transport all in one. This is the third time we have travelled in Apollo’s Euro tourer van and we highly recommend it for anyone who loves to travel around in comfort.
Save yourself 15% off you daily rental rate when you book your next Apollo trip with code “LETSESCAPE15”. Click the link here and enter the code at check out. Don’t miss out, promocode expires 1 December 2021.
Importing things to remember before your road trip
- No matter what time of year it is remember to keep hydrated, carry plenty of water, be sun smart and wear a hat.
- If you are visiting National parks, rock pools or thermal pools be crocodile aware. If there are signs saying NO swimming please don’t swim. The places we have visited on this road trip are safe to swim in. If there has been a salt water crocodile sighted at any places they will be shut off to the public and have signage.
- If you are planning on doing long drives be sure to fuel up where ever there is a fuel station.
- Phone reception can be very limited while on the road. Apps like Maps.Me let you save locations to your phone and operate without reception. This app is a great way to keep track of where you need to go when Google Maps can’t.
- It is recommend to visit in the dry season between May to October. This is when the weather is most comfortable and the most famous events take place including – Mindil Beach Sunset markets and Darwin Festival.
- Drones are prohibited in National Parks without a valid permit. *Please note all drone images in this blog were obtained with a permit.
Your Darwin Road Trip starts now
Day 1: Arrive in Darwin
When you step off the plane in Darwin you will immediately notice the warmer weather. We came from rainy and cold Perth so it was an absolute pleasure to feel some sunshine again! We now totally understand why the NT is so appealing to everyone that enjoys sunshine and warm weather!
Once you depart the airport make your way to the taxi rank or catch an uber to Apollo at 440 Stuart Highway Winnellie which is only 15-20 minutes from the airport.
Our first 2 nights we spent in Darwin at Mindil Beach Casino Resort located right on Mindil Beach. We made a quick pit stop into Woolworths in Darwin city to stock up on water, food and necessities. The next day we are planning on visiting Litchfield National Park early in the morning so it’s practical to stock up on supplies now. We spent our first 2 nights at Mindil Beach resort to experience what Darwin had to offer. If you would like to stay at a caravan park with the van we would recommend Discovery Parks Winnellie.
If you do choose to stay at Mindil Beach Resort we recommend spending the afternoon lazing around the beautiful Lagoon pool. The lagoon pool is great for kids and family’s and includes a swim up bar and day beds on the sand.
If you would like a more up beat vibe head over to Infinity at the beach casino resort. Here you will find banging tunes, sunset beach views, cocktails and the famous infinity pool. All of which you can enjoy at once!
Stay: Mindil Beach Resort Casino
Day 2: Litchfield National Park and Mindil Beach Markets
Depart Darwin early in the morning to make your way to Litchfield National Park. The drive via Stuart highway takes about 1.5 hours. Be excited for a big day exploring the the 1,500 square kilometre reserve filled with stunning waterfalls, refreshing rock pools and some of the biggest termite mounds in Australia. As you drive through Litchfield National Park you will be in awe of the landscape and monsoonal vine forests.
First waterfall to see in Litchfield National Park will be the spectacular Florence Falls. Smaller waterfalls cascade down before forming into two big falls. There is the option of taking the short easily accessible path to the viewing platform where you are rewarded with panoramic views of the waterfall, plunge pool and surrounding monsoon forrest. You can also take the gorge rim walk down to the bottom of Florence Falls where you can enjoy a refreshing dip.
Relax in the cascading natural spa and rock pools at Buley Rockhole. Here is perfect place for a picnic so don’t forget your own towels, snacks, drinks, bathers and sunscreen. Find a spot on the rocks and get ready to spend hours here.
The biggest and most popular attraction in Litchfield National Park is Wangi Falls. If you packed any floaties, here is the perfect place to jump in the water and float for hours. The large plunge pool forms at the bottom of two waterfalls. What is so great about Wangi Falls is the lake picnic area with manicured lawns, picnic tables, bbq’s, various walking tracks and a kiosk.
Mindil Beach Markets
In the afternoon we made our way back to Mindil Beach Resort in time to make it for the iconic Mindil Beach markets. The markets start from 4pm-9pm and run from April to October very Thursday and Sunday. The markets have over 200 stalls, ranging from a variety of food stalls, juices, art stalls, crafts and services stalls. It is a great afternoon out and has something for everybody. I made sure that I had heaps of room in my stomach for all the different cuisine meals I was going to consume. You must try the famous Laksa, it is amazing!!!!!
Bring your own rug to sit on while eating dinner on the beach infront of the spectacular sunset or have dinner at your own private table at the VIP sunset lounge. We booked a table at the VIP sunset lounge which gave us a private premium market experience. There are a wide variety of different packages including complimentary drinks, Mindil money to spend at the food stalls and cheese and wine packages. We loved being able to enjoy our food on the table and chairs while being close to where all the action of the markets were.
Stay: Mindil Beach Resort Casino
Day 3: Edith Falls and Nitmiluk Gorge Helicopter Tour
Another early morning wake up today and time to say goodbye to Darwin before making the drive to Katherine. On the way down we stopped in at Edith Falls/Leliyn which is about 3 hours (293km) from Darwin.
Edith Falls is located on the western side of Nitmiluk Gorge and is a wonderful stop for a swim and nature walk. Take the moderate 2.6 km Leliyn track to the Upper pools and be rewarded with picturesque waterfalls and a secluded plunge pool. There are plenty of larger rocks around the upper pools to leave your belongings while you go swimming. Swim in the plunge pool or climb up to the top cascading waterfalls. Just be careful when climbing up the slippery rocks.
Nitmiluk Gorge Helicopter Tour
After your refreshing dip make your way another 90kms south to Nitmiluk Gorge, approximately 1 hour drive. For the afternoon we would highly recommend booking the 15 minute 8 Gorge scenic helicopter flight over the Gorge with Nitmiluk Tours. The helipad is located only a short 3km from Nitmiluk centre and where you will be staying for the next 2 nights.
Even though 15 minutes is short it was enough to appreciate the beauty of Nitmiluk National Park and the landscape from such a unique perspective. Our pilot Matt was wonderful, he had a lot of knowledge of the area and talked about some interesting facts about the gorge.
There are a variety of flights to choose from and all offer magnificent views from the air, with ‘photo’ or ‘video’ opportunities of Nitmiluk Gorge and surrounding landscape. It’s a great way to see Nitmiluk gorges from above.
Book your scenic flight with Nitmiluk Tours here.
Stay: Drive to the camp site at Nitmiluk Campground (located next to the Nitmiluk Visitors centre). Nitmiluk Camp ground is only a short 10 minute walk from the gorge tour jetty. The location is very convenient if your exploring the gorge as most of the tours depart from the jetty.
We spent the next 2 nights at the campground with a powered site.
Book your Nitmiluk camp site here.
Day 4: Nitmiluk Gorge tours
Wake up, have breakfast and walk 10 minutes to the Nitmiluk jetty for the 8am half day Malaparr traveller canoe tour. The tour starts with a scenic bout tour through the first gorge while learning about the Jawoyn culture and the gorges landscape. The second gorge is where you depart the boat and jump onto the canoes for a few hours of exploration.
We loved being able to explore the magnificent gorge system on our own self guided tour. You can take your time canoeing while taking in the sheer cliff faces and unique rock formations. With the option to pull up onto the rocks for a swim or carry the canoes over the rocks into gorge number 3- it really is a way to enjoy the gorge at a slower, relaxed pace.
Click here to book the half day canoe tour.
The half day tour finishes at 12:30pm so you have a few hours to enjoy at your own leisure before the next gorge tour- the Sunset Dinner Cruise.
Sunset Cruise
At 4:00pm make your way back down to the same jetty for the Nabilil Dreaming Sunset Dinner cruise. The tour includes a cruise along the first two gorges, complimentary sparkling wine and a delicious 3 course candle lit dinner. All while you sit back, relax and take in the tranquil surroundings.
Before you depart for the tour the staff will show you the menu for you to make your selection. The 3 course meal is all prepared and cooked aboard the boat by the friendly chefs. The dinner was delicious and presentation was on point. Max even commented saying it was probably the nicest place he has ever had dinner.
Watching the golden light reflect off the gorge as the sun goes down and as the boat moves quietly through is a great way to finish off a day well spent on the gorge. At the last gorge the boat stops and the food is served. The presentation of the food was outstanding and so was the taste.
Sitting at the tables were many friendly and happy faces. We met travellers from other parts of Australia, all with their own story to tell which was great. The sunset cruise was by far our favourite experience on the Nitmiluk Gorge. It was a once in a lifetime experience and we highly recommend it.
Click here to book the Sunset dinner cruise.
Stay: Nitmiluk Campground
Day 5: Katherine Hot Springs and Bitter Springs
Watching a sunrise or sunset over Nitmiluk Gorge is a must see especially from the newly built platform at Baruwei Lookout. The moderate 1.8km trail to the lookout starts next to the jetty car park and takes about 15 minutes to reach the top lookout. At the top you are rewarded with amazing views over Nitmiluk Gorge as the sun pops up.
On the way to the lookout and at the top you can read about Jawoyn Aboriginal stories from the ‘Dreamtime’ including how Nitmiluk got its name, how the death of Nabilil (a dragon-like creation) created the flowing water which forms Nitmiluk gorge and Bolung (the Rainbow Serpent who is a life giver and destroyer). Continue down the same way as you come up or take the Baruwei Loop Walk and continue on from the Lookout along the escarpment and back down towards the Visitor Centre. This trail is a total of 4.8 km.
Afterwards its time to make the journey to Bitter Springs in Mataranka. Before you leave make the quick stop into the Kathrine Hot Springs on Riverside drive. These natural thermal springs are only small in comparison to Bitter Springs but the crystal clear pools are a great spot to have a quick swim, picnic or grab a coffee from the pop up coffee shop next door- Pop Rocket Cafe.
Bitter Springs
The drive to Bitter Springs in Elsey National Park is roughly a 1 hour drive south (111 km). If you need to stock up on water, food or a floaty to take to Bitter Springs we would recommend stopping in at Target in Katherine.
A highlight of the Darwin road trip has to be Bitter Springs. You will be as surprised as we were at how clear and warm the water is. The spring fed thermal pools are surrounded with palms and tropical woodlands. The best way to enjoy it is to jump in with a noodle/floaty and let the slow current take you 100 metres downstream. The water temperature is like a warm bath and you could spend hours relaxing here. The water is crystal clear however snorkel and masks would give a better view under the water. See if you can spot a turtle!
For our last sunset on our Darwin road trip we decided to head back to Baruwei Lookout at Nitmiluk Gorge. This is another awesome experience to do and a great way to spend our last night. The views at sunset were amazing and the atmosphere was buzzing. Groups of people also visited Baruwei lookout to watch the sunset. They filled the platform and anywhere which had a good view of the sunset. If you want to make the experience a little more special bring a rug, snacks and some wine. If you plan on staying after sunset make sure you have a torch for the walk back.
Stay: Katherine Holiday park
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Day 6: Top Didj Cultural experience – last day of the Darwin road trip
While in the Northern Territory it was important for us to learn about its indigenous culture. One of the best cultural experiences is Top Didj Cultural Experience, hosted by Top End Aboriginal artist Manuel Pamkal and winner of the Tourism NT Brolga award in 2013 for his outstanding interpretive guide.
The Top Didj Cultural Experience in the Northern Territory was founded in April 2009 by Alex and Petrena Ariston. Both have a very passion for Indigenous culture, artwork and have worked with indigenous communities around Katherine since 1997.
The 2 hour experience allows you to interact with Manual, learn about the significance of his painting style and how he lived off the land. Manual enjoys talking about growing up in the bush, cultural differences and his own family tree after playing a traditional welcoming tune on the didgeridoo. His stories were so fascinating to hear about and he is a true living legend of the area.
Learn the technique of Rarrk artwork (Cross Hatch) before you have a go at painting your own Rarrk painting. Watch, learn and have a go at the ancient craft of lighting a fire by rubbing two extraordinary stick together and be fascinated by the story describing the two sticks. Also try your aim as Manuel explains how to use a Woomera and Spear to perfectly hit the target that is a fake kangaroo.
After the hands on activities, you have an opportunity to look through the Aboriginal Art Gallery, purchase souvenirs, authentic didgeridoos and artwork. At the end of the tour we met the cutest baby Agile wallaby. The founders Alex and Petrena are wildlife carers and rescue orphan wallabies.
End of the 6 day Darwin road trip
Unfortunately this was the end of our road trip and time for us to drive back to Darwin for our flight back to Perth. If you have longer than 6 days you could easily add Kakadu National Park to this itinerary or spend a few more days exploring Darwin. There is so much beauty to see and wonderful experiences to do in Northern Territory.
Special thanks to Northern Territory Tourism for organising and planning this trip for us. We had the best time and we can’t wait to return back to Northern Territory and explore more of this amazing place.
We hope our 6 day Darwin Road trip will help you plan your next Northern Territory visit. You can easily modify the itinerary to suit your very own road trip. If you have any other recommendations of places to visit we would love to hear about them in the comments below and hopefully when we return we can also visit them.
For more inspiration about road trips in Australia, check out our road trips guides on the Kimberley, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia.
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