Kakadu, Arnhem Land & Cobourg Peninsula Outback Adventure 7D6N, Fully Guided

G’day and welcome to the Top End!

Meet your private chauffeur at Darwin Airport and travel to Vibe Darwin Waterfront. You’ll stay in a Deluxe View Room overlooking the city’s waterfront with facilities including a swimming pool and fitness centre.

In the late afternoon, check out the city’s best angles on an iconic sunset cruise of Darwin Harbour. Aboard the Charles Darwin, cruise for two and a half hours and enjoy a sumptuous Territory-inspired buffet with fresh Australian seafood and local produce, served in air-conditioned surrounds. The crew will provide commentary along the way, giving you an insight into the Harbour’s history, cultural significance and biodiversity. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife including crocodiles, dolphins, dugongs and turtles.

With pick up included from your central Darwin accommodation, say “g’day” to your expert guide and fellow travellers and set out on your outback adventure.

First stop: Corroboree Billabong, home to the largest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in the world. Join a scenic cruise and keep an eye out for these colossal reptiles as well as a large variety of birds. The boat design allows you to get up close to the wildlife with plenty of photo opportunities.

Continue on to Kakadu National Park, one of Australia’s best-loved natural hotspots, via the old Jim Jim Road visiting White Lily Billabong before arriving at Maguk (Barramundi Gorge). Enjoy a scenic 1 kilometre (0.62mi) walk along the edge of Barramundi Creek before arriving at the base of the Barramundi Falls, one of the only waterfalls in the park that still continues to flow even when there’s no rain. Here, you have the opportunity to swim or snorkel in the large plunge pool below the falls and discover a huge array of aquatic life including large black bream.

In the late afternoon, depart Maguk for Nawurlandja Lookout. A short climb takes you up the sloping sandstone to spectacular views of the sunset over Anbangbang Billabong, Nourlangie Rock and the Arnhem Land escarpment.

You will stay the night at Anbinik Kakadu Resort in a private Bush Bungalow. Designed for the tropical climate with well-ventilated walls and a ceiling fan, the bungalows feature a double bed and bunk beds (sleeping four), external private bathroom, linen and towels, small refrigerator, tea/coffee making facilities and crockery and cutlery. The resort itself features a shared kitchen, fully equipped guest laundry and a swimming pool open 7am to 10pm daily.

After a hearty breakfast, journey from Jabiru to the northern region of Kakadu National Park. Cross the East Alligator River at Cahill’s Crossing and enter Arnhem Land. From here, a 15-kilometre (93.2mi) scenic drive to Gunbalanya Aboriginal community offers some of the best driving views in the Top End, with floodplains teeming with water lilies and birds running alongside the Arnhem Land escarpment.

Upon arrival at Gunbalanya, visit the Injalak Arts and Crafts Centre, where you will have the opportunity to meet and watch local artists in action. After, set out with an expert Aboriginal guide to explore Injalak Hill, one of the most important rock art sites in the world. Here, you will see an extensive shelter featuring layered paintings created over thousands of years as well as paintings depicting Aboriginal Dreamtime stories.

In the afternoon, travel approximately three to four hours with stops and creek crossings to the Cobourg Peninsula. The traditional landowners believe the Creation Ancestors first entered Australia via nearby Malay Bay before traveling across the rest of the country. Here, you will find the world’s first RAMSAR wetlands (wetlands of international importance), the world’s largest herd of wild banteng as well as the historical remnants of the Victoria Settlement and Macassan traders.

You will stay the night at Cobourg Coastal Camp, a unique safari-style camp located within the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park. Nestled in savannah bushland overlooking Port Essington, the camp caters for a maximum of 16 guests in canvas safari tents with two single beds (all linen included), a bedside table and a light. Shared facilities including hot showers and eco-friendly toilets are dotted throughout the grounds, all within a short walking distance of your tent. A small lounge area and large, undercover, open-air dining area are the perfect places to relax and enjoy an evening meal.

Awake to the sound of birds and enjoy a special “Cobourg-style” cooked breakfast.

Spend the morning exploring the Northern Territory’s largest Marine Park by boat. Here, you will find over 250 species of fish and six of the seven species of turtle as well as crocodiles, dolphins, sharks, stingrays and mud crabs.

Along the way, stop in at the infamous Victoria Settlement ruins. Established prior to Darwin as a military outpost by the British, this site represents the third failed attempt at settlement in Northern Australia. What’s left of the stone buildings will transport you back to the 1800s, illuminating the hardships faced by the early colonists.

In the afternoon, enjoy a slow journey back to camp stopping along the way to fish for the legendary Barramundi and other tropical fish.

Upon your return to Cobourg Coastal Camp, explore the nearby beaches and creek systems at your leisure or simple kick back and relax in a peaceful spot overlooking the ocean.

Embark on a 4WD adventure through the eastern side of the park into the world’s first RAMSAR wetlands. Here, you will find freshwater paperback swamps and billabongs 100 metres (328 feet) from the coastline. This is the only site in Australia where leatherback turtles regularly come ashore to lay their eggs.

Keeping an eye out for turtles, continue on via the northern beaches, covered in a wide range of shells. Low tide provides an opportunity to explore exposed coral reefs and rock pools, which are home to many species of marine life.

After lunch, try your hand hunting for mud crabs using traditional Aboriginal methods. Watch and learn how to use handcrafted spears and other equipment before having a go yourself.

Later in the afternoon, visit the park’s cultural and information centre before returning to Cobourg Coastal Camp for the night.

Rise early and enjoy a scenic drive through Arnhem Land on the way back to Kakadu National Park. Make numerous stops along the way and enjoy one last delicious lunch on the banks of the mighty East Alligator River.

After lunch, visit Ubirr Rock, where you can admire some of Kakadu’s best Aboriginal rock art. A short walk to the top of Ubirr offers magnificent views of the surrounding wetlands and stone country.

Depart Ubirr to Darwin via the Arnhem highway. En route, stop in at the Mamukala wetlands, one of the best birdwatching areas in all of Kakadu (home to one third of Australia’s bird species). Here, you will find large numbers of magpie geese, comb-crested jacanas, kites, cormorants, willie wagtails, purple swamphens, king fishers and more. If you’re lucky, you may even spot an agile wallaby or the occasional crocodile loitering around the edge of the billabong.

Arrive in Darwin approximately 7:00pm and check in for one final night at Vibe Darwin Waterfront.

Take your time waking up and enjoy one last breakfast before commencing your onward journey. A private transfer to Darwin Airport is included for your convenience.

NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.