Scale up the adventure when you take your Australia vacation to the Northern Territory. From the tropics of capital city, Darwin, to the majesty of Uluru, the Northern Territory is packed with stories and adventures as old as the Outback itself.
Things here also tend to be a bit larger, whether it’s rocks, ‘roos, reptiles, or the adventures.
Uluru: Where Australia’s ancient heart beats.
It’s hard to convey the beauty and significance of Uluru (previously Ayers Rock) in words. This incredible sandstone monolith is more than just an icon of Australia. Inhabited by humans for at least 30,000 years, the area’s traditional custodians are the Anangu, who own the land and assist in operating Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park today. The community, together with the National Park, also offer tours around the monolith’s base, with fascinating insights into its role in Indigenous culture, identity and spirituality.
Visitors are no longer allowed to climb Uluru, due to both Anangu tradition and safety concerns, but taking a tour with a knowledgeable Indigenous guide offers a far more revealing and satisfying view of the rock. You’ll learn about the role certain locations around the monolith play in local traditions and rituals, the stories attached to its creation, and about its more elusive mysteries, such as why at certain times rain falls on Uluru while the surrounding area remains dry.
Geologically, Uluru is the same kind of sandstone that forms Kata Tjuta (previously The Olgas), some 30 km (19 mi) away. Once a monolith even larger than Uluru, Kata Tjuta has been worn down over millennia to form the unmistakable domes that remain today. These are taught through Tjukurpa (creation stories) and said to be the eggs of the Rainbow Serpent, who dreamed the world into being. Wintjiri Wiru, a spectacular drone-driven light show, brings these legends to life after dark. You can also walk through the 50,000-bulb Field of Light art installation or just enjoy the serenity of the desert with a delicious outdoor dinner, incorporating native bush ingredients, under the stars.
The Ghan: The Red Centre’s ultimate train adventure.
Australia’s contribution to the world’s great train journeys, the Ghan connects Darwin with Adelaide on an epic 4-day, 3-night journey across the Outback. The trip operates in both directions, and includes stops in Katherine, Alice Springs and Manguri, with a day excursion to South Australia’s Coober Pedy, a historic opal mining town famed for its underground dwellings. The Coober Pedy day trip also includes the stunning desert hills of the Breakaways Reserve.
Stopping in Alice Springs, passengers are treated to a tour of the ultimate Outback town. Learn about the Alice Springs School of the Air, the world’s largest classroom, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and other services that embody a culture and community spirit unique to this part of the world. A full Ghan ticket also includes a visit to Alice Springs Reptile Park and Alice Springs Desert Park, to meet some of the region’s more exotic inhabitants, and to Standley Chasm, a stunning gorge and significant cultural site in the West MacDonnell Ranges.
As you journey north towards the Top End, Katherine embodies the traditional side of the Northern Territory, with historic rock paintings that line Nitmiluk Gorge and the fascinating Cutta Cutta Caves. Few places in Australia offer a better intersection between its natural beauty and Indigenous history, particularly with an expert guide from the local Jawoyn people sharing stories passed down through generations. While the Ghan glides by some distance from Uluru, passengers can still see and experience the rock on upgrade packages that blend scenic Outback flights with cultural discoveries.
Discover the North’s wild side in Kakadu.
A three-hour drive from capital city, Darwin, Kakadu National Park is almost as big as the state of New Jersey and has become synonymous with Northern Territory wildlife and iconic Aussie adventures. Its very name conjures up images of stoic saltwater crocodiles patrolling the Yellow Water River and the many seasonal billabongs (floodplains) during the tropical summers. It’s also been the home of Indigenous people for at least 65,000 years. More than 5,000 rock art sites dot the park, telling this long and fascinating story.
Burrungkay (Nourlangie), an outcropping that shelters paintings of the Dreaming (creation), is perhaps the most popular art site, rivalled closely by Ubirr, where you can also take in some spectacular views of this beautiful country. By that, we mean it’s beautiful at any distance. Get up close and you’ll discover waterfalls and natural pools ideal for cooling off during the hot Northern Territory days. Don’t worry, they’re well away from the crocs. Just make sure you swim only where it is clearly marked or where a qualified guide has told you it’s safe to do so.
Speaking of crocs, these living dinosaurs might steal the show, but they’re not the only wildlife to see here. Dingoes, bandicoots, wallabies, a variety of snakes, and a dazzling 280-plus bird species all call Kakadu home. Jabirus, brolgas, egrets, and sea eagles are the big hitters, swooping down on the shallows for prey. Keep a look out for smaller birds too, like blue-winged kookaburras, grasswrens, or night-dwellers such as owls and frogmouths.
Unlike many parts of Australia, Kakadu is highly seasonal, with six distinct seasons impacting conditions throughout the year. Learning about them is part of the fun, but they broadly fall into two categories. Kakadu’s tropical summer lasts from the first storms in November, through to the strong nakurl storms that arrive in April. This is a hot, muggy time to be in this part of the Northern Territory, though its lush beauty, thundering waterfalls and record-breaking lightning storms can be worth it, especially for photographers. The dry season is more popular, lasting from May to October. You’ll still have hot days, but the nights are cooler, and the humidity is milder. That said, drier conditions lure crowds and raise prices, so it’s a matter of personal choice. What just about everyone agrees on is that the tropical summer and dry season make Kakadu two very different parks in one.
How to get to the Northern Territory.
With fewer than 140,000 residents, Darwin’s international flights are limited, so most North American visitors will connect via an eastern hub such as Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. Consider spending a few days in your entry city to shake off the jetlag and soak in some urban Aussie culture before heading to enjoy all the Outback adventures the Northern Territory has to offer. These hub cities are well connected with flights to Darwin, Alice Springs and Uluru.
Christian’s first globetrotting adventure saw him get lost exploring the streets of Saigon. Following his nose to Asia’s best coffee, two lifelong addictions were born. A freelance writer and novelist, Christian’s travels have since taken him around his native Australia, Asia, Europe, and much of North America. His favourite trips have been through Japan, Spain, and Brazil, though with a love of off-beat, artsy cities, he’ll seize any opportunity to return to Paris, New York, or Berlin.
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