3 day Litchfield & Kakadu

Location: Darwin to Litchfield, Bamurru Plains and Kakadu National Park
3 day Litchfield & Kakadu

Treat yourself to luxurious adventure on this 3 day odyssey, visiting Litchfield and Kakadu National Park, with 2 nights and a day in wild bush luxury at Bamurru Plains wilderness resort.

3 day Litchfield & Kakadu highlights

  • Your personable Aboriginal guides will treat you to the real story of their own areas with fun and laughter.
  • You’ll discover spectacular landscapes, fascinating pioneer heritage and rich Aboriginal traditions.
  • You’ll be picked up from your hotel and travel in a safe, comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles.
  • You’ll cover the tyranny of distance by light plane, getting unrivalled views of the landscape from the air.
  • You’ll traverse vast, otherwise inaccessible wetlands by airboat.
  • You’ll see saltwater crocodiles, myriad waterbirds and iconic water buffalo in the wild.
  • You’ll splash about and swim in clear, natural pools, out of the reach of crocodiles.
  • You’ll enjoy freshly cooked wild-caught barramundi, crocodile and kangaroo for lunch as exclusive visitors to beautiful Woolaning Spring.
  • You’ll see spiritually important waterfalls and stone country, ancient rainforest and unspoilt woodland, and learn their places in Aboriginal culture.
  • You’ll take away a deeper understanding of Aboriginal life, its relationship to country and its place in modern society.
  • You’ll be enriched by this unforgettable experience.

3 day Litchfield & Kakadu itinerary

Pick up and return

We’ll pick you up for your Litchfield tour in a comfortable LandCruiser 200 GXL from your Darwin city accommodation between 7:15 and 7:30 am (a bit later for suburban and outlying accommodation, and 9:00 am from Batchelor). We’ll return you to Darwin about 5:30 pm (or Batchelor about 4:00 pm)

Finniss River Crossing

Back roads from Darwin take us to the Finniss River and beyond, into Tess’s family’s country. We’ll stretch our legs at this shady riverside stop and discover the resources available from this river country.
* From time to time during our tropical summer, from about December to May, road authorities close the back road into Litchfield National Park due to flooding at this crossing. When this occurs we will enter and leave Litchfield by the main road through the pretty town of Batchelor.

Wangi Falls

We’ll visit iconic Wangi Falls, its plunge pool a popular dry season swimming spot and a special place for indigenous women. Cool off with a swim or explore the nearby lush rainforest, home to a variety of birds and restless fruit bats. For the keen there may be an opportunity for a more strenuous walk around and over the falls.
* When water levels reach a pre-determined point during our tropical summer, from about December to May, park authorities close the Wangi Falls plunge pool to swimming due to strong currents and the potential for saltwater crocodiles to enter the plunge pool. Viewing the falls, however, and doing the walk around and over them, is safe and especially spectacular at this time of year.

Bush foods and medicines

We’ll find seasonal bush foods and medicines used by local Aboriginal people for thousands of years. Our guides show how string is handmade from local plants and describe the relationship of Litchfield’s landscape features to local indigenous culture.

Termite mounds

We’ll see and learn about the many termites, primary herbivores of the Northern Territory, and the huge housing complexes they build. Guests will be amazed at how indigenous people use these industrious creatures and their homes.

Woolaning Spring

As exclusive visitors to beautiful Woolaning Spring* we’ll enjoy a freshly cooked lunch of wildcaught barramundi, crocodile and kangaroo in nature’s rainforest dining room. We’ll take a therapeutic dip in the warm spring waters or explore the remains of Tess’s family’s sawmill camp.
* Woolaning Spring is on Tess’s family’s private land. During our tropical summer, from about December to May, the track into Woolaning Spring is sometimes too boggy to use. When this occurs we will enjoy our lunch at Wangi Falls.

Blyth Homestead on the Reynolds River Track

The four-wheel drive-only Reynolds River Track and two creek crossings lead us to heritage-listed Blyth Homestead. Tess’s uncle Max and Aunty Esther grew up here in this tiny, rough-hewn homestead their family built about 1928. Get a taste of pioneer life in the days of working cattle, tin and vegetables, carving out a living in this rugged environment.
* During our tropical summer, from about December to May, park authorities close the Reynolds River track due to flooding. When this occurs we will instead visit Tolmer Falls and experience the spectacular one kilometre walk through Litchfield’s stone country. The stone country comes alive at this time of year with a profusion of life and a gushing of water into Tolmer’s deep chasms. And you can swim without crowds or crocodiles in crystal clear Tolmer Creek.

Florence Falls

We’ll see stunning Florence Falls from the plateau-top lookout, a short walk from the car park. Keen swimmers can tackle the 135 stairs that lead down to the clear, refreshing waters of Florence’s stone-walled gorge and plunge pool. Easier walks allow swimming too, in the warmer waters above Florence Falls.

Bamurru Plains

Your personal light plane will meet you at Batchelor airstrip for an exclusive flight across the wetlands and floodplains of the Adelaide and Mary Rivers to Bamurru Plains. A profusion of birds and wildlife are on the doorstep of a unique bush camp that exudes ‘Wild Bush Luxury’ and brings a touch of style to a remote and beautiful wilderness. For 2 nights and a day you will partake in gourmet meals, go birdwatching, wildlife spotting and exploring by airboat, river cruise and 4X4 safari, or simply relax in indulgent luxury.

Ubirr

After a light plane flight to Jabiru, meet your guide and traditional Aboriginal owner of northern Kakadu National Park to visit the world-renowned Ubirr rock art site. Its spectacular array of galleries showcases art from 20,000 years ago up to the 20th century. Take in elevated, expansive views across the Nadab floodplain.

East Alligator River

Enjoy a gourmet picnic in the shade of large paperbarks and rainforest trees as the East Alligator River flows lazily by. Drop in a line and try for the Top End’s famous barramundi.

Guluyambi

Join the fascinating Guluyambi Cultural Cruise along the East Alligator River with a local Aboriginal guide, who’ll point out a wide variety of wildlife and introduce you to the Aboriginal cultural context of the west Arnhemland area.

Bowali

At the Bowali Visitor Centre  you will learn more about the vast lands of Kakadu and how they are jointly managed by Traditional Owners and the Australian Government. Visit the Marrawuddi Gallery with its range of local art work, books and photographs of the region.

Jabiru

From Jabiru airport you’ll board a light plane for the return journey to Darwin.

Schedule Details

DepartsTours operate daily with a maximum of 4 passengers
Start Time7:30 am
Duration3 days
Pick Up / Departure
  • Tour picks up from all Darwin hotels
Drop Off / Return
  • Returns to original departure point about 6.00 pm

Tour and Pricing Options

Adult Price$5996 per person twin share/double min 2
Child Price$2998

Includes all activities, meals and accommodation.

Additional Information

Inclusions

  • Transport by light plane, air-conditioned vehicle, airboat and river cruise boat.
  • Hotel pickup and drop off.
  • Local Aboriginal guides from their own areas.
  • Delicious, gourmet meals
  • Cool water, complimentary water bottles, bags and fact sheets
  • Park entry fees

Exclusions

  • Personal items
  • Alcoholic beverages

Cancellation Policy

  • We endeavour to meet, but cannot guarantee, exact pick-up and drop-off times, and cannot
  • guarantee that Tess Atie will be available to lead any particular tour.
  • We take all due care but accept no responsibility for injury, illness, loss or damage to any person
  • or property sustained while on a tour.
  • We reserve the right to amend tour times and itineraries, without refund, due to road or area
  • closures, emergency incidents, extreme weather events or other circumstances beyond our
  • control, to ensure the safety of our guests.
  • If the Australian Bureau of Meteorology issues a tropical cyclone warning for the tour area
  • (meaning destructive winds are occurring in the area or expected within 24 hours), we will cancel
  • tours scheduled for the warning period and will waive or refund the tour price.
  • We reserve the right to cancel a tour that has only one person booked. If this happens, or if an
  • exceptional and unforeseen circumstance forces us to cancel a tour before departure, we will
  • waive or refund the tour price.
  • If you cancel a confirmed tour more than one week before departure, we will refund 70% of the
  • tour price to you (bearing in mind there will be commissions and administrative costs we must
  • pay). If you cancel a confirmed tour less than one week before departure, we cannot refund any
  • part of the tour price.

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking. Please ring 24 hours before departure to reconfirm. Please bring a hat, comfortable footwear for short walks in hot weather, and a swimming costume and towel.

Location Map

 T-Qual Australian Tourism Quality Assured accreditation
 Accredited Tourism Business Australia
 Eco certified ecotourism
 Respecting our Aboriginal culture
 Tourism Top End membership

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