Best of the Top End & Kakadu
Trip Code: PZKK
Why we love it
Refresh yourself with incredibly scenic swims in the natural pools of Litchfield National Park, with stops at Wangi Falls and Florence Falls., Marvel at ancient First Nations rock art at Ubirr and Burrungkuy (Nourlangie), and learn more about the wildlife and histories of the respective areas., Hop aboard a cruise up the East Alligator River with an Aboriginal guide who’ll provide a unique insight on the cultural significance of the landscape, the local mythology, and the plants and animals that live there., See Litchfield’s Magnetic Termite Mounds – an icon of the Northern Territory scenery standing 2 m tall and close to 100 years old.
Is this trip right for me?
Temperatures in Australia's Top End can be extreme, so you will need to be well-prepared with clothing for the weather. Depending on the time of the year, daytime can be very hot (and the Australian sun is very strong year-round) so always use sun protection and drink plenty of water. In the evenings temperatures can really drop, so bring sufficient warm clothing.
On some days of the trip, you'll spend many hours driving through very remote areas of Australia. Sit back and enjoy landscapes that you would miss in any other form of travel. The days can be long, but we want to fit as much of this amazing place in as we can in 4 short days!
As sunrise and sunset times as well as weather conditions vary throughout the year, we the order of activities may change to ensure you have the best experience possible. On occasion, the First Nations experiences may not be available should our guides have other cultural commitments, in which case we will include alternative activities.
If you are looking for a camping-based trip in the Top End you might like our 4-day Kakadu, Katherine & Litchfield Explorer trip. Search trip code PZRK on our website.
Want to explore Australia's Northern Territory further? Consider adding on our Best of Uluru & Kings Canyon trip. See trip code PZKR on our website for details.
Important information
START & END TIMES
The trip starts in Darwin with a Welcome Meeting at 6pm on Day 1 at our joining point hotel. The trip finishes on the last day on arrival in Darwin at our finish point hotel by 4pm. Accommodation is not included on this day but can be booked on request.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A Single Supplement can be booked if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, subject to availability.
What to bring/pack
Below are some essential items for this trip. Please review the ‘Climate and Seasonal Information’ to ensure you pack appropriately for the weather at the time of year you are travelling.
- Lightweight clothing. You will need to bring a mixture of lightweight clothing and layers. Long shirts and pants are useful to protect against the harsh Australian sun. Clothes should be easy to wash and dry. Maybe bring a change of smart clothes for dinner in larger cities. Australia is pretty casual, shorts or a skirt and a top, with sandals, is our usual warm weather wardrobe.
- Comfortable, closed-in shoes. These will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through bush/grasslands and will act as a protective barrier in the rare case of a bite or sting. A pair of sandals or thongs/flip flops are great for the beach.
- Sun protection. Wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, sunglasses.
VALUABLES
Try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables and use your hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden. We strongly recommend that you photocopy all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a photocopy makes it much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.
MORE!
If you need some further tips for packing, you can always check out our ultimate packing list., https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list
Physical rating
Joining your group
Palms City Resort, 64 The Esplanade, Darwin, AUSTRALIA
Alternate Joining Point
Joining instructions
From Darwin International Airport (airport code DRW), your best option is to take a taxi or Uber from the airport directly to the hotel in approximately 15 minutes (depending on traffic).
Finishing your trip
Palms City Resort, 64 The Esplanade, Darwin, AUSTRALIA
Alternate Finish Point
Meals & dietary information
Breakfasts included: 1
Lunches included: 3
Dinners included: 1
Climate & seasonal information
In case of emergency
While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.
We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.
You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.
For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us
In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:
1300 544 882 or +61 8 6219 5164
Accommodations
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.