17-Day Cairns to Darwin Tour

Undara Volcanic National Park

Pickups starting at 630am. Starting from the stunning coastal city of Cairns in Far North Queensland we head over the Great Dividing Range. We stop on the way for a picnic lunch and get into camp early on day 1. This afternoon you will explore the majestic Undara Lava Tubes with excellent interpretation from a local Savannah Guide. This evening we will have dinner out as a group.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Normanton

This morning we cover some distance, heading west across the Savannah Way. We’ll pop into a few sites on the way inc. the old Blackbull Railway Station, to discover some of the amazing history of this rail line from “nowhere to nowhere”, built in the late 1800s. Tonight we camp at a nice quiet camp outside of Normanton.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Burketown

Today we stop at Normanton to sight see before heading west on dirt roads. We visit Camp 119, the northern-most point of the ill-fated Burke & Wills expedition. We then check out the old bore on the way into Burketown. We will continue to explore town and the museum afterwards and head around town to see some of the historic sights and set up camp. This afternoon we will be treated to either a river cruise or a salt pan drive (depending on the wet season), finishing with a stunning sunset.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Boodjamulla National Park

This morning, we take turns at getting in the air over Australia’s largest aggregate salt pans! Then we head south to the stunning Boodjamulla National Park, where we will stay for 2 nights. We should have some spare time this arvy to either jump in the kayaks or go for a hike! This place is breathtaking!

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Boodjamulla National Park

Today we have a few exciting activities up our sleeve. We start the day by heading an hour south to the world famous Riversleigh Fossil Site #4. Here we take a short, easy walk through the fossil trail. David Attenborough is quoted as saying this site is one of four of the most important fossil deposits on the planet. Whilst the fossils aren’t huge, the sheer number of fossils here has helped describe and fill in many gaps in our archaeological understanding. Heading back to Lawn Hill, you will have plenty of time to hire a kayak near camp and paddle up the gorge to the first set of falls. There are some stunning walks here, including Indarri lookout, a perfect point to view the cascades from above. In the afternoon you will have free time for hiking or kayaking. On the day we may shuffle these depending on what works best.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Riversleigh Fossil Fields

Exploring fossil area Site D.

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Today we weave our way through some more stunning outback & station roads towards Hell’s Gate. This arvy we might take a peek at Hell’s Gate as the sun sinks into the horizon. Tonight, we will treat ourselves after a big day and head to the station house for dinner!

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Borroloola

We drive west on some rough outback roads that run parallel to the Gulf of Carpentaria. We cross two beautiful rivers today; the Calvert & Robinson Rivers and will stop at one for lunch. Arriving in Borroloola, we can do some shopping before pulling into camp. We have shortened this day to make it easier.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Limmen National Park

Today we will make an early start to get to the stunning sandstone formations that make up the Southern Lost City. We want to hike these in the cool! As the morning warms up and we’ve ticked off one hike, we head to the gorgeous Butterfly Falls to cool down! Later, we pass the pretty Towns River Crossing and nudging deeper north into Limmen NP, we pull into Lomarieum Lagoon to do a little wildlife & bird spotting. A stunning lagoon filled with water lilies, it bares resemblance to many of the lagoons in Rinyirru (Lakefield, Qld) & Kakadu National park. Tonight we camp not far from Roper Bar, the famous crossing point of Leichardt’s overland party in 1845.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Mataranka

Heading west towards Mataranka we pull in to have a look at Roper Bar. Time permitting we will check some sites in Elsey NP on the way to town. We will head to camp to setup early! We are here for 2 nights. This will be a good chance to do washing and reset. Tonight, we camp right near the natural, and stunning Bitter Springs.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Mataranka

Today will be a nice, slow day! This morning we will visit the Elsey Cemetery & Homestead (an immaculate replica), based off the 1982 film ‘We of the Never Never’. From here we can stroll down to Mataranka Springs for a dip. We will return to camp and put our feet up for the day. From camp you can stroll down the road and soak your body in the hot thermal pools!

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Bitter Springs

Springs and swimming

2 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Elsey Cemetery National Reserve

Elsey Cemetery

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Mataranka Thermal Pool

Thermal pools

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Elsey National Park

Elsey Homestead and NP.

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge

Today we make the short drive to Katherine, where we pop into Top Didj Cultural Experience & Art Centre. Here we have a unique cultural tour! A local Traditional Owner will guide you through creating a painting of your own. You will also learn how to throw a spear under his careful tutelage! Afterwards we pop into camp to set up. We then head into Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge National Park and finish the day off with a 3.5-hour Nitmiluk Gorge cruise while enjoying a setting sun and a 3-course meal! Cruising through the gorge, we can hear all the wonderful sounds of the local wildlife.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge

With both our tours done yesterday, we have the day today to explore some of the walks in the park. It can be very hot, so timing your walks is critical; early morning and late afternoon are best. We will pop into town in the heat of the day to do some shopping.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Top Didj & Art Gallery

Culture, painting, spear throwing.

2 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Kakadu National Park

A nice cruisy day today, we head north from Katherine and into Kakadu National Park! On our way there we will pull into historic town, Pine Creek. We'll also check out one of the stunning local waterfalls. This evening, we have a surprise in store!

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Kakadu National Park

With an early start (no tent pack down today), we head to Ubirr Rock to see incredible rock art and walk to the lookout in the cool. We will swing by the famous Cahill's crossing and then head back to camp to the incredible Warradjan Cultural Centre. To finish the day, we head out on Ngurrungurrudjba (Yellow Water) for a sunset cruise and to see crocs, buffaloes and birds play in a wetland paradise!

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Scenic, wildlife spotting boat cruise.

2 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Batchelor

This morning we use the cool of the morning to explore the Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) Rock Art site. We then head towards Litchfield NP, camping just on the outskirts. The order of activities in Kakadu may change, depending on what timing is best.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Litchfield National Park

Without wasting any time, we head straight to the action at Litchfield National Park! Litchfield is a stunning National Park in the NT’s north-west, rich with stunning waterfalls that plunge into magical swimming holes! We pull in to check out and swim at Buley Rockhole, Florence Falls, Wangi Falls & and pass by some amazing & very picturesque termite mounds! We slowly wind through Litchfield NP, and pull into camp by the ocean at Crab Craw Island. Tonight we celebrate and dine out as a group.

24 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Darwin

It’s the last day and Crikey Mick it’s a special one! We head to Top End Safari Camp, owned by Aussie celebrity, Matt Wright. Here you go on airboat tour through famous Sweet’s Lagoon, as well as a larger houseboat cruise. You will witness the massive rescue crocs being fed before being flown over the floodplains in a helicopter. Now that’s going out with a bang! Hesitantly we board Zeus and head to the big smoke of Darwin, to wrap up the tour. Drop offs today can be expected around 5pm.

12 Hours • Admission Ticket Free