Northern Territory Holidays

One of the best ways to explore this vast territory is by rail – journey on The Ghan from Alice Springs to Darwin (or vice versa) and admire the many sights of the Outback in style and comfort. You could pair this with a self drive around Australia’s Top End exploring Darwin, Katherine Gorge and Kakadu National Park.

Choose to focus on the Red Centre and take to the skies and soar high over the MacDonnell Ranges and World Heritage Listed Kata Tjuta National Park or admire Australia’s iconic monolith Uluru from the ground with the southern night sky shining bright above you.

Travel Highlights

• World Heritage Sites: Uluru in Australia’s Red Centre and Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park.
• Wildlife: marvel at saltwater crocodiles, buffalo and abundant birdlife, plus kangaroos.
• The Top End: explore Kakadu, Arnhem Land and Litchfield National Park.
• Natural wonders: stare in wonder at the vast night sky or soar high over Kata Tjuta National Park in a hot air balloon.
• Food and wine: enjoy an iconic Sound of Silence dinner as you watch the sun set over the desert or sample street-food Mindil Beach markets.

Darwin and The Top End

Australia’s only tropical capital city, Darwin is a diverse hub where traditional practices blend with modernism. You can discover the contemporary esplanade and lively harbour with its many waterside restaurants or learn about Aboriginal culture and art at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. To really experience the multicultural essence of Darwin, a visit to the Mindil Beach Sunset Market is paramount – a place where people from all nations descend every week (May – Oct) to sell their wares and socialise on the beach.

The Northern Territory’s great national park of Litchfield and Kakadu abound with Aboriginal heritage as well as a wide variety of outdoor pursuits. The 15,000 sq-km Litchfield National Park is home to some of the world’s largest termite mounds and is also known for its large cross-section of bushwalks and cascading waterfalls that plummet into natural plunge pools below. Kakadu is most noted for its thriving billabongs and ancient Aboriginal rock art. Home to a staggering array of flora and fauna, Kakadu is a wildlife enthusiast’s heaven.  Navigate the thriving billabongs on a guided wildlife cruise or visit the world famous Aboriginal rock art sites of Ubirr and Nourlangie, believed to be over 20,000 years old!

Further south towards Australia’s Red Centre is the Katherine region and Nitmiluk National Park – the traditional home of the Jawoyn and Dagoman Aboriginals. The region is most noted for Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge – a series of 13 deep sandstone gorges that visitors can cruise or kayak down. Alternatively scenic walks along the gorge rim offer simply spectacular views of the dramatic escarpment below.

Arnhem Land

A vast, mysterious corner of the Northern Territory, Arnhem Land is an untouched wilderness managed by the traditional landowners, the Yolngu people. Spreading over 91,000 square kilometres the landscape is spectacularly diverse with rugged coastlines, dramatic gorges, and savannah woodlands teaming with wildlife as far as the eye can see. In order to protect the environment, rock art and ceremonial grounds as well as the Yolngu people’s timeless culture, travel into Arnhem Land is strictly limited by way of a permit system. Join a small group Aboriginally-led tour and you will witness a truly unspoilt wilderness in the middle of Australia’s northern coast – a truly awe-inspiring and memorable place.

The Red Centre

Discover the striking landscapes and Aboriginal history of the Red Centre. The area around Australia’s most instantly-recognisable natural landmark, Uluru, offers more to discover by way of Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon and a range of indigenous cultural experiences. The gateway to the Red Centre, the town of Alice Springs is set to a vivid red backdrop where deep gorges and seemingly endless desert abound. The natural starting base for any exploration of the Red Centre, ‘Alice’ as it’s known locally is a bustling town shaped by a vibrant and tenacious Aboriginal culture. Visitors to the region can explore the nearby MacDonnell Ranges which stretch over 400kms across the arid landscape and are home to an extensive array of gorges, Aboriginal rock art and bush-walking tracks. It is however of course the monolith Uluru and domed rocks of Kata Tjuta that draw the majority of visitors to this region. Gaining world heritage status, this area is home to a vast array of adventurous activities from scenic flights to hot air ballooning, guided Aboriginal bushwalks and even, Bruce Munro’s award-winning light installation – The Field of Light.