Best road trip around incredible Northern Territory

The Northern Territory offers one of Australia’s most unique road trips - a massive outdoor playground where the red soils of the outback meet tropical oases.

Use our 7-day Northern Territory road trip guide to plan your travels. It can be modified to suit the number of days you have available and includes all the best sightseeing and camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive times, distances, the best season to travel and much more!

This particular route takes you through cities and towns like Darwin, Katherine and Jabiru. Along the way, you’ll visit some of the Northern Territory’s best sights including Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge and Litchfield National Park.

6 places you can’t miss on a Northern Territory road trip

Total Distance: 1,302km | Recommended Days: from 7 - 10 days | Best Time to Visit: Between May and October | Route on Google Maps

1. Darwin

Darwin is the perfect place to start a Northern Territory road trip if you are visiting from interstate or overseas thanks to its international airport. In the NT’s capital city you can revel in the tropical outdoor lifestyle whilst treating your tastebuds to a range of Asian and seafood delights.

Be sure to visit Crocosaurus Cove, home to the World’s largest display of Australian reptiles and some of the largest saltwater crocodiles in the country. If you’re feeling brave you can take on the Cage of Death, Australia’s only crocodile dive, where you are carefully lowered into the water with a 5m saltwater crocodile for 15 minutes (tickets start at $175 per person). Crocosaurus Cove is located in the heart of Darwin city-centre and entry is $36 per adult.

Stay overnight at the Oasis Tourist Park, a quiet and family-friendly campground only 20 minutes out of the Darwin city centre. There’s a range of grassy campsites set amongst the tropical grounds and the facilities include a swimming pool and modern amenities blocks. Prices start at about $35 per night.

2. Jabiru (Kakadu National Park)

Drive Time: 2hr 45min | Distance: 254km

Jabiru is the main township in Kakadu National Park and a hub for tourists. You can find all the services that you need here, including a shopping centre, medical clinic, pharmacy and gas station. Nearby sites like Nourlangie Rock are easy to access via 2WD and boast World-Heritage listed ancient Aboriginal rock art.

In the afternoon, make the 30-minute drive from Jabiru to the Ubirr Aboriginal Rock Art site in the middle of the Kakadu. Marvel at some of the world’s oldest and most outstanding rock art, which depicts the extinct Tasmanian Tiger, the Rainbow Serpent and the local Aboriginals' first interactions with Europeans. The site is easy to get to by 2WD, making it accessible to everyone!

If you need somewhere to stay, try the Aurora Kakadu Lodge and Caravan Park which provides 200 spacious and shady camping sites. There’s a range of facilities including a bistro, bar and lagoon-style swimming pool.

3. Katherine

Drive Time: 3hr | Distance: 305km

Katherine is the third-largest town in the NT and is known as the place “where the Outback meets the tropics”. It’s surrounded by ancient gorges, powerful waterfalls, thermal hot springs and underground caverns like the Cutta Cutta Caves. Use Katherine as your gateway to the Nitmiluk National Park and Elsey National Park as you continue your Northern Territory road trip southward.

On the way from Jabiru to Katherine, make sure that you stop at Yellow Water Cruises. This award-winning cruise operator offers unforgettable boat rides through the world-famous Yellow Water Billabong - the “heart of the Kakadu”. Cruises run all year round at both sunrise and sunset and you have the option of either a 90-minute or 120-minute ride. However, be sure to book online in advance!

Camp just outside of Katherine at the Shady Lane Tourist Park. This campground offers powered sites for all kinds of campers and boasts quiet and clean amenities as well as a large swimming pool.

4. Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge)

Drive Time: 20min | Distance: 23km

Just a short drive out of Katherine is Nitmiluk National Park, a vast area famous for its 13 monolithic gorges including Katherine Gorge. Strap up your hiking shoes, hire a canoe or jump aboard a cruise and explore this ancient sandstone landscape by water and land. The best part is, entry to Nitmiluk National Park is free!

One of the most popular walking spots in Nitmiluk is the Southern Rockhole (8km / 3-hour return walk from the car park). If you don’t feel like walking, however, you can always catch the boat ferry which will drop you off only 150m from the Rockhole. In the end, you are rewarded with a seasonal waterfall and a magical swimming hole set amongst sandstone rocks.

The best place to camp is the Nitmiluk Katherine Gorge Campground. This park offers powered and non-powered sites starting at $23 per night. Services include amenities blocks, laundry, swimming pool, restaurant, BBQs and outdoor kitchens.

5. Elsey National Park

Drive Time: 1hr 40min | Distance: 148km

The 13,800 hectare Elsey National Park is renowned for being the setting of the popular novel ‘We of the Never Never’. Around the park, you’ll find some memorials that pay tribute to the great Australian novel, including the graves of many of the local characters at the Old Elsey Cemetery.

The gateway to Elsey National Park is the small town of Mataranka, famous for its sandy-bottomed thermal pool Bitter Springs. Located just 2km out of town, the springs are easy to access on a 500m loop walk from the car park. Soak away the afternoon in these pools which normally reach temperatures of about 33 degrees celsius and are surrounded by palms and tropical woodlands.

Stay in the Little Springs Cabins and Caravan Park, a safe and clean camping ground on the banks of the Little Roper River. This site is only 3 minutes out of Mataranka and is located right next to Bitter Springs. They offer both unpowered and powered campsites starting from about $30 per night. Facilities include water, camp kitchen, hot showers, toilets, laundry and more.

6. Litchfield National Park

Drive Time: 3hr 50min | Distance: 372km

The second-last stop on your Northern Territory road trip is a visit to one of the “must-see” attractions - Litchfield National Park. This natural oasis is one of the most famous parks in the Top End thanks to cascading waterfalls, crystal clear swimming holes, magnetic termite mounds and geological wonders like the Lost City.

The most popular attraction in Litchfield National Park is Florence Falls, a beautiful swimming hole set amongst monsoon forests. It’s one of the most visited falls because it is so easy to access. From the car park, it's only a 500m walk to the panoramic viewing platform. If you continue down the 135 steps to the gorge below, the plunge pool at the bottom is open year-round for swimming.

Wangi Falls is also very popular and easy to access via sealed roads. If you need somewhere to stay, set up camp on the expansive lush lawns for $6.60 per adult. From your camping spot, you can watch the two waterfalls cascade over the red rockface into the swimming hole below. Facilities include flushing toilets, hot showers, a kiosk, picnic tables, barbecues and more.

Return to Darwin

Drive Time: 1hr 20min | Distance: 116km

It’s only a one hour drive from Litchfield National Park to Darwin, the final stop on your Northern Territory road trip. Once you arrive, why not unwind with a stroll along Darwin’s famous waterfront. Stop at one of the many local cafes or restaurants and try the fresh seafood or craft beers on offer. Between 4 pm - 9 pm on a Thursday or Sunday (between April - October), don’t miss the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets which boasts over 60 amazing stalls.

Organise your road trip with Camplify

Now that you’ve got your Northern Territory road trip itinerary sorted, it’s time to start organising the finer details that’ll guarantee a great vacation!

Need to arrange campervan hire in Darwin? Camplify is a platform that allows travellers to quickly search through privately-owned rentals. Simply enter your pickup location and budget and within seconds, you can find the perfect motorhome, caravan or campervan for your road trip!

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• Comprehensive hire insurance

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