Australia is a paradise for overlanders, a land of vast wilderness and breathtaking nature easily accessible with the right set of wheels. And wheels you must have!
Read here about car rentals and other practical matters: Outback Australia – Car rental and practical tips.
We arrived in Darwin on September 6th and headed straight to Kakadu National Park, where, somewhat surprisingly, we experienced temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius the very next day. Normally, it should have been closer to 30.
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu is one of Australia’s largest national parks, encompassing vast plains and wetlands adorned with trees and palms, transitioning into mountainous regions in the south. Slow-flowing rivers meander from the mountains towards the coast. The park is dotted with peculiar-looking limestone formations, many adorned with cave paintings from the time when only Aboriginal people inhabited the continent. Small lakes, known as billabongs, are scattered around, remnants of dried-up rivers. Most of these billabongs are inhabited by massive saltwater crocodiles and are not suitable for swimming.
Every water’s edge is marked by prominent signs warning of the crocodiles. Crocodiles were nearly extinct in the 1960s due to hunting, but their population has exploded since they were protected. Every year, people are killed by these creatures, which can grow up to nearly 6 meters long and weigh over 1000 kg.
The park has two main roads, one north and one south. These roads are asphalted and of good quality, with several camping areas along the way. In addition, numerous side roads lead to remote bush camps and hiking areas, most of which require a four-wheel-drive vehicle to access.
Alligator River and Merl Camp
Most camping areas are located in the southern part of the park, near the mountains. So, on our first day, we covered the 25 miles on the northern road from Darwin to the east. The landscape was flat and dry, covered with shrubs and smaller trees, not particularly exciting.
Near Alligator River, in the far east of the park, lies Merl Camp, and it is the safest place to see crocodiles. When the tide flows up the river twice a day, it brings fish from the sea, which crocodiles eagerly feast upon. During this time, you can witness up to 20 large saltwater crocodiles indulging in their meal. However, check the tide schedule in advance, as it varies from day to day. Unfortunately, we missed the tide but still managed to observe around a dozen of these prehistoric creatures.
Fun fact: There are no alligators in Australia, but some Dutch explorers who came here mistakenly gave the river this name, and it has stuck. However, it is teeming with crocodiles. The large and extremely aggressive ones are saltwater crocodiles, which can also be found in freshwater. There is also a smaller freshwater crocodile that is not dangerous unless provoked.
Spacious bush camps
These camps are nothing like traditional campgrounds. The bush camps are spacious, with 50-100 meters between sites, giving you a sense of solitude. Large trees provide welcome shade, and there is a campfire spot at each site, even though it’s bone-dry. In fact, there is a tradition of controlled burns in the park to prevent catastrophic fires, such as those occurring in California due to careless forest management.
Ubirr – Rock art
Right next to Merl Camp, you’ll find Ubirr, a field with the most magnificent cave paintings in Australia. Many of these drawings, some dating back up to 20,000 years, fall under the so-called “x-ray” type, depicting the skeletons and internal organs of fish and animals. These paintings adorn stunning limestone cliffs. The highest one is very popular for watching the sunset, providing a panoramic view of the vast plains.
You can sign up for a free guided tour on the internet: ranger-guided-activities. Just remember to do it before you arrive at the camp because there’s no internet coverage there. A good idea is to visit the visitor center just outside Jambu. There, you can get valuable information and access to the internet, which is scarce within the park.
It is Hot!
When temperatures are soaring, and the sun is scorching, you need to plan your day accordingly. We love hiking, but 40 degrees Celsius and intense sun directly overhead can dampen the enthusiasm for a stroll. Our routine became to drive in the middle of the day when it was hottest, set up camp in the afternoon, and then go for a hike early in the morning. It’s manageable until around noon or one o’clock. After that, we continued our journey if that was the day’s plan. So close to the equator, the sun rises at 7 in the morning and sets at 7 in the evening.
Heading east
From Alligator River, we followed the southern road westward. Along this route, you’ll find campsites like pearls on a string. Close to the road are serviced camps with showers and flush toilets, while further into the bush and up in the mountains, you’ll encounter bush camps with no water and outhouses. To reach the latter, you typically need a four-wheel-drive vehicle with good ground clearance.
The landscape becomes more diverse, though it’s still dry, covered in shrubs. Sometimes, termite mounds dot the terrain, some reaching several meters in height, and there’s a lot of flat land broken up by peculiar-looking rocky outcrops.
Gorges – Hiking in Canyons
The most popular hikes in the north are those leading into the numerous canyons. In the open, the shrubs offer little shade, but inside the canyons it’s often humid, with a dense forest of trees and palms providing not only exquisite beauty but also a cooling shade.
Entering some canyons may be challenging due to rugged terrain, while others are as flat as a living room floor. Barramundie Gorge near Maguk camping falls into the latter category. You follow a trail into a tropical wonderland with palms growing in running water.
At some points, there are fences along the path to prevent crocodile attacks, but by now, you’re getting used to Australia, so it’s alright. Further up in the gorge, there are large pools and, at the very end, a 60-meter-long pool with refreshing, cool water, perfect for a dip after a sweaty hike. This pool is replenished by a spectacular 100-meter-high waterfall.
We asked an Australian if there were crocodiles in the area, and he said that the place was considered safe. But, he added, it had only been six months since a tourist was attacked and seriously injured in another “safe” place.
We weren’t the first to jump in…
Burrunggui/Nourlangie Hike and Rock Art
If you’re looking for a more traditional mountain hike, this is the place. There’s a 9 km circuit with some elevation gain, but you’ll be rewarded with a fabulous view. The area is also adorned with many sites featuring rock art.
Litchfield National Park
If you don’t want to circumnavigate all of Kakadu, you can instead visit Litchfield, which is easily accessible, located 100 km south of Darwin. Here, you can experience even more fantastic natural beauty than in Kakadu. The park is renowned for its waterfalls and natural pools where you can swim.
These waterfalls are a phenomenon in themselves. You drive through a flat, dry semi-desert landscape, and suddenly, you’re at a 100-meter-high waterfall in a lush jungle full of colorful birds and kangaroos. And the occasional snake…
This phenomenon is due to a flat sandstone plateau that rises a couple of hundred meters above the surrounding area. During the rainy season, large amounts of water accumulate in the porous sandstone. There’s enough water to feed many waterfalls throughout the dry season.
If you don’t want to circumnavigate all of Kakadu, you can instead visit Litchfield, which is easily accessible, located 100 km south of Darwin. Here, you can experience even more fantastic natural beauty than in Kakadu. The park is renowned for its waterfalls and natural pools where you can swim.
These waterfalls are a phenomenon in themselves. You drive through a flat, dry semi-desert landscape, and suddenly, you’re at a 100-meter-high waterfall in a lush jungle full of colorful birds and kangaroos. And the occasional snake…
This phenomenon is due to a flat sandstone plateau that rises a couple of hundred meters above the surrounding area. During the rainy season, large amounts of water accumulate in the porous sandstone. There’s enough water to feed many waterfalls throughout the dry season.
The park offers numerous camping spots. Some are only accessible with a four-wheel-drive vehicle and good ground clearance. We chose one of the most popular and easily accessible campsites, Wangi Falls.
Here, we encountered live kangaroos for the first time. Two of them hopped into our camp, glanced at us, and hopped away. We also crossed paths with a snake, although we didn’t actually see it. We had made it down to the pool for a swim and wondered why everyone was on land. As we approached the water, a lady advised us to hold off for now. A giant snake had just been spotted near the place where you could enter the water. No one could say whether it was venomous or not, so we decided to skip the swim at that moment. But other than that, no one seemed to be overly concerned about such things. Any crocodiles that appeared were caught in traps and removed.
If you wish to hike, there are many marked trails and camping spots within the park.
You must purchase a park pass and reserve a campsite before you arrive. There is no phone or internet coverage in the park.
Map showing camping areas etc: litchfield-national-park.pdf
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Practical tips
• Visits to Kakadu require a camp pass. Buy it online before you go into the park See here XXx
• There are only a few places in the park where there is telephone and internet coverage.
• You can buy food, water and diesel in Jabiru and Cooinda Lodge.
• In the northern area, only one telecommunications operator has coverage, Telstra. Be sure to buy a SIM card from this, or another that uses the same network.
• Camping in Kakadu costs $6 per person per night at the simple camps. Simple does mean no shower and an outhouse. Campers with shower and WC cost $15 per person per night.
• The camps are not serviced. You pay in cash by putting money in an envelope in a mailbox.
• Remember to exchange for suitable bills in advance!
• Camping sites outside nature parks costs around 30$ per night, without electricity. They have a good standard.
• If you are traveling in the northern regions and want to buy some beer or wine, please note that sales only take place in “bottleshops” and there are quotas on how much you can buy per day. The rules vary from place to place. The shops open between 12:00 and 14:00.
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