- Where: Uluru – Kings Canyon – MacDonnell Ranges – Daly Waters – Katherine – Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks – Darwin
- Time needed: 3- 4 weeks
- Distance: Nearly 3000 Kilometers
In our previous itinerary “Exploring The Outback“ we travelled 1600 kilometers from Adelaide to Uluru. You are now officially in the middle of nowhere and not even at the halfway mark of our Outback itinerary!
In this post, we will take on the ultimate Northern Territory road-trip from Uluru to Darwin, at another massive distance of over 2500 kilometers!
Uluru to Darwin – The Ultimate Northern Territory Road-Trip
The same rules apply as the previous itinerary, stocking up on supplies is a MUST. Although it is a bit easier this time.
You will be passing through some towns such as Alice Springs and Katherine where supermarkets, BottleO’s and especially takeaways will be available if you haven’t had your KFC or Domino’s fix in a while!
Just remember you are not the only traveller passing through these remote locations. So certain items may still be not available and will also have an inflated price tag.
Now that’s all the boring stuff over with, on to the fun stuff! On this road trip, you will be hiking incredible scenery, chilling in turquoise hot springs, sighting some of Australia’s most famous wildlife, and having a drink or two in one of the craziest pubs you will ever set foot in.
Kings Canyon
Our first stop is – Kings Canyon. Another beautiful natural landmark of Australia. It is a canyon with two stunning walks, Kings Creek Walk and Kings Canyon Rim Walk.
If you are confused about which walk is which, just remember the longer name is also the longer walk! With a basic level of fitness, you can do both hikes in one day. Let’s start with our favorite one!
Kings Canyon Rim Walk
This is an adventurous walk where you traverse along the 100-meter height cliffs in a 6 kilometers loop walk.
The walk begins with a lovely-sounding motivational name – Heart Attack Hill.
Don’t let the name scare you. It is nearly 500 steps up, but we saw people of all ages and physical conditions make it to the top.
Once at the top, you will embrace stunning views that only get better along the way.
After a couple of hundred meters, you will walk through some moon-like landscape. Sandstone domes of all sizes that look like beehives will dominate the area as far as the eye can see.
This is an area that apparently looks a lot like “The Bungles Bungles”. We were unable to visit the Bungles due to the need for a four-wheel drive to get there. So obviously, we were delighted to get this miniature version in.
The Garden of Eden
At the halfway mark I strongly recommend taking a small detour. We observed lots of people who bypassed this for some unknown reason. Don’t miss out because this is worth it.
Climb down the ladders and enter “The Garden of Eden”.
The landscape springs into life down at this permanent waterhole that is lush with plant life. This is a great stop to take a break and take in the tranquil surroundings. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to swim there.
After your visit to the Garden of Eden, you now come to the Southern Rim Lookout which is the best area to observe the true height of the cliffs you are walking on.
There are no safety barriers in place, so be smart and don’t get too close. Unfortunately, there have been incidents here leading to serious injuries and accidental deaths.
Kings Creek Walk
Kings Creek walk is the shorter hike that will take you through the bottom of the canyon.
This is an easy 2-kilometer walk in total. Follow the track to the end which leads to a platform. Here you will have a different view of the cliffs you just traversed. Maybe you will even ask yourself “WTF was I thinking walking along there!”
Getting to, and Leaving Kings Canyon
There is only one Resort/Campground located in Kings Canyon. Ensure to book in advance if you are planning to visit in peak season. A maximum of two nights is all you need to visit. This can be shortened to a one-night stay if you start your hike of the canyon early in the day.
Kings Canyon is located around 300 kilometers from Uluru. Unfortunately, for half of that road, you are going to have to backtrack since both locations are in the back arse of nowhere.
Your next stop on the itinerary after Kings Canyon is “The MacDonnell Ranges.”
If you type that location into Google MAPS whilst, in Kings Canyon, it will tell you to take the road in a North direction. This is possible, but ONLY if you are driving in a four-wheel drive vehicle.
If you are driving a conventional vehicle that means, you are going to have to backtrack the whole road back to Ghan at the Stuart Highway. This is where you initially took the turn-off to visit Uluru.
From Ghan, you will head north to Alice Springs before taking the turn-off to the MacDonnell Ranges. This can be an advantage though as it allows a chance to restock in Alice Springs.
Macdonnell Ranges AKA Tjoritja
The MacDonnell Ranges stretches over 600 kilometers, with Alice Springs roughly in the middle. For this itinerary, we will be concentrating on the western side of Alice Springs.
There is quite a lot of choice in regard to campgrounds. The majority of these are all relatively cheap with prices starting from 6$ per night per person. Alternatively, there are also some free camping sites.
We stayed in Neil Hargrave Lookout which offers some spectacular views, both during the day and at nighttime where you will have an unbelievable 360-degree view of the Milky Way!
Many people that we spoke to said the views were better here in this free camping spot than the paid campsite they were staying in.
There are many hikes to do in the area and our favourite one of all was the Ormiston Pound Walk.
A 9-kilometer loop walk with stunning natural scenery that will make you think you are in a “Wild West” movie.
At the end of this walk, you MUST wade through water to complete the loop. Even though the weather can be scorching, the water is absolutely freezing!
A second crossing about a ten-minute walk away will then greet you. This one is much deeper, and you will have two options here.
You can walk around a slightly longer way, with a viewpoint to make it worthwhile. Or else, depending on the time of the year, you must swim to the other side.
With the water being skin-piercing cold, we decided to walk the long way!
Northern Territory Critters
In certain areas in Australia, there are massive plagues of rodent infestations.
MacDonnell Ranges is certainly one of those places! On our first night, we were woken with rustling sounds in our van only to be greeted by a mouse snacking away on some food that was left in a bag.
This is where you again MUST ensure that all food is put into plastic containers, and no food is left out. Then you hope and pray that these little critters stay out of your van!
But they are not the only visitors we had. On two separate occasions in a short space of time, some Huntsman Spiders decided that they wanted to hang out with us as well!
Daly Waters
For the next stage of the road trip, you will be visiting a proper insane outback pub. To get there first you will have to drive nearly 900 kilometers from Alice Springs.
I would like to tell you that there will be loads to see and do in between but…………
The Devils Marbles AKA Karlu Karlu
There is one stop-off around the halfway mark that is quite interesting. This stop can also be used as an overnight stay – The Devil’s Marbles. If you are passing through, you may as well stop for a stretch and walk at least.
The Devil’s Marbles are huge stone boulders scattered around a small area. Millions of years of erosion have split some of these giant boulders in half and left others balancing naturally on top of each other. There are several short walks around the area but very little shade.
If you are staying overnight in the nearby campsite then you can book online at the free WIFI area. This is a limited WIFI zone so don’t plan on downloading any movies! The campsite itself only costs 6$ per person per night.
So, after two days of driving, you have now, at last, arrived at Daly Waters Pub. Why is this pub so special you may ask? Well, it is not just a pub in the outback that serves ice-cold beers, there is so much more to this place.
The Daly Waters Pub
Let’s start with the town itself. Picture the Simpsons episode where they visit Australia, these are the type of characters that you will encounter in Daly Waters.
The streets are like a huge walk-through museum with tons of really cool memorabilia everywhere you look.
Some examples are – different types of aircraft, a crocodile called Kevin, and a large shed called “Tim’s Junkyard” which is packed with some really impressive vintage cars and motorbikes (and lots of shite!) that would even impress non-car enthusiasts.
The main attraction itself is the pub of course. This watering hole has tons of crazy stories and history ranging from murder to shootouts in the streets to unhappy customers returning with chainsaws!
Today the only shootouts though are shots of Jägermeister at the bar!
Inside this public house, you will see another massive collection of memorabilia, and once more this one is mental but impressive. There are hundreds of bras hanging up over the bar itself.
Innumerable amounts of flags, jerseys, banknotes, nametags, hilarious signposts, and anything else you can imagine.
Of course, there was one Irishman who gifted his precious hurley as well!
Prices for drinks are actually quite affordable, and there is a happy hour from 5 – 7 PM. Accommodation is also available and starts at 24$ for an unpowered site.
There are two campgrounds that have a festival-like vibe and atmosphere. Rooms are at hand if you are not camping and there is even a small swimming pool to top it all off!
Tim Carter
The owner of the bar and of all the collectors’ items is a man whose name is Tim Carter.
Unsurprisingly he comes from Coober Pedy, you may remember that crazy opal mining town from our last Itinerary – Exploring the Outback.
Every evening he arrives at the pub at 5 pm to tell the story and history of Daly Waters. After the informative talk, the nightly party starts with live music which goes on until the early hours.
You will recognize the owner when he rides in on his mobility scooter with large bullhorns attached and his favorite pet horse “Penny” walking behind him!
Even if you don’t stay for the night, drive into Daly Waters for a stop-off just to witness one of Australia’s craziest but very fun towns!
Katherine
With your night of partying over and a pounding hangover in the morning, it’s time to move on to the next stop which is Katherine.
Depending on how bad your headache is (Thank you Happy Hour…) you can stop at an abandoned WW2 airstrip to recoup that is only an hour up to the road and free to stay.
Bitter Springs
Another way of curing that hangover is by taking a refreshing dip in some turquoise water while surrounded by tropical forest!
Bitter Springs is located about one hour south of Katherine and is a stunning and very fun place to spend your morning. This impressive geological water feature is free of charge!
Start at the main pool where you will be greeted by water that is so crystal clear you can see the bottom. You can leave your towel and “thongs” at this location.
The water can be deep in certain areas so if you are not a confident swimmer I would recommend bringing a pool noodle or other floating device. Swimming goggles are also strongly suggested to appreciate the beauty you are swimming in.
Once in the water, you will have two options. Relax around the main pool where you can swim upstream to explore. Or else sit on your pool noodle and let the current drift you downstream for a couple of hundred meters. Once at the end, you walk back up to the main pool and do it all again!
Why stop in Darwin, check out some of out other epic Australian road trips.
Things to do in Katherine
In case you hadn’t noticed at Bitter Springs, the landscape is no longer dry and desert but green and tropical. Katherine is a perfect place to restock on supplies and do a lot of swimming and hiking! Give yourself at least three days to explore the different swimming localities.
Edith Falls
The furthest one away is only a 50-minute drive north of Katherine. An entire day of swimming and relaxing can be spent at Edith Falls.
Here you will find four different cascades with the furthest one away four kilometers of hike through the bush.
The first two waterfalls are probably the most fun and best looking but that also shows with the amount of people that will be swimming there.
There are hikes that lead to different viewpoints of the falls at the first two cascades with refreshing dips into the water afterward.
If you do walk to the furthest waterfall, you will have a good chance of having the entire place to yourself. But if I’m honest it’s not that exciting up there.
Edith Falls has a paid campground that can be booked out very fast in high season.
Should you miss out on a campsite you will find some free spots in the same area. Try and get in early as these too can get quite busy.
Of course, there will be plenty of choice in Katherine itself if you want to make this visit just a day trip.
Katherine Gorge
Only a half-hour west of Katherine you can go for a hike and swim in Katherine Gorge.
There is a long hike which is 14 kilometers which brings you in a loop and has several swimming areas. There are no crocodiles here, so it is safe to swim.
If you are in a lazy mood that day and don’t fancy a long hike, you can walk the short hike to the viewpoint which is only a kilometer away but a bit of a steep climb.
Boat trips at sunset through the gorge are available, they come with a 3-course dinner at 100$ per person.
Katherine Hot Springs
Let’s stick to the free stuff so! Katherine Hot Springs is in the town itself and we were quite impressed with this place.
We don’t think it is that much of a hot spring as the water was quite normal temperature. Still, this is a beautiful place to hang out for a couple of hours.
Like Bitter Springs the water is crystal clear, and you can float with the current and drift along the much narrower stream.
There are also plenty of pools to laze in. Outside of the water, you will find many grassed areas that facilitate for picnics.
Litchfield & Kakadu National Parks
At this point of the itinerary, we headed west towards the Western Australian border as we had already explored Darwin, Litchfield, and Kakadu National Parks a couple of years previously to our big Australian road trip.
Obviously, you can continue on to these three destinations if you have never been there as there are many interesting places to visit.
The downside with driving in a north direction though is that you must backtrack the same road to continue on to WA. The good news however is that Darwin lies only 300 kilometers north of Katherine so it’s not that much of a backpedal, for Australia that is!
*Prepare if you are heading to the Western Australian Border
If you skip Darwin and the national parks and are heading towards the WA border, then let me remind you about the importance of preparing and stocking up again!! The next town you will encounter is Kununurra which is over 500 kilometers away and in WA.
Before Kununurra, you will be stopping off at Lake Argyle Resort (the start of our next itinerary) for a few days where you can only buy restaurant food and alcohol from the bar as there are no shops around.
So don’t get caught out spending a fortune on items that can be purchased for half the price if you prepare! We had alcohol and a loaf of bread that was worth more than gold to some people who were staying there!
Litchfield National Park
If you do decide to head north, then your next stops will be Litchfield National Park and Kakadu National Park.
Litchfield NP is most famous for its many stunning waterfalls located throughout the park. It was here that we first learned about the importance of the time of year to visit this part of Australia.
We visited in April which is still part of the wet season. That meant hot sticky weather, and a lot of tracks were closed.
Another disadvantage we had is that we did not have a four-wheel drive vehicle. The few tracks that were still open were inaccessible in our hired campervan.
Having said that, there are of course lots that you can see and do. You will have heaps of waterfalls that will be in full flow because of the wet season so it wasn’t a total waste of a trip!
Kakadu National Park
What was a complete waste of time was our visit to Kakadu National Park! Again, due to the season and off-road capability in our van being zero meant that our Kakadu experience was unfortunately one long spin through endless bushland.
We am only telling you about our experience and most definitely not saying – do not visit this national park. I just want to highlight that Australia can be very diverse and depending on what time of the year you visit you may not get what you expected to get.
Kakadu is full of beautiful landscapes and scenery; we just didn’t see any of it!!
Welcome to Darwin!
Our last stop of this massive Uluru to Darwin road trip is the capital and largest city of the Northern Territory – Darwin. Congratulations you made it!
We had a very enjoyable time here as we were on our holidays and there is some great nightlife in the city.
The liveliest place in Darwin is most definitely Mitchell Street, it is packed with bars, clubs, and restaurants! Most establishments also have live music at nighttime.
The strip can be quite energetic with lots of different people from all walks of life, from locals, backpackers, miners, and lots of American soldiers you are almost guaranteed a wild night out.
Going out on the piss is not the only thing to do of course. So, let’s look at some other activities besides drinking.
Instead of Drinking, Let’s do Some Learning!
The largest attack that ever happened on Australian soil was during WW2 when the Japanese attacked Darwin on the 19th of February 1942. Nearly 190 Japanese aircraft attacked the city causing huge losses to the Allied forces based there.
Visit the Darwin Military Museum which informs of what happened that night and the aftermath. This is a very interesting museum in my opinion and tickets only cost 20$ per person.
Darwin Crocodile Tour
The Northern coast of Australia is packed with Saltwater Crocodiles. These prehistoric monsters can grow up to 6 meters long and you should not take the possibility of an attack light-heartedly.
Now you are up to date with the potential dangers of saltwater crocodiles, let’s go on a small trip to see them!
On the Adelaide River, you can witness these giants leaping out of the water while in the safety of a boat. Just remember to keep your hands inside!!
An additional bonus is the eagle feeding which is part of the cruise. Tickets start at a reasonable 65$ per person for a unique experience of one of Australia’s most famous animals
Darwin Crocodile Tour – To do or not to do?
Some people may or may not agree with this kind of tourist attraction. I am not here to tell you what to do, if you are an adult then you can make up your own mind about it and choose to visit if you wish to do so.
Things to Consider!
- Always plan and prepare your road trip by stocking up on enough water, food, and fuel. Know where to resupply.
- Store all your food in plastic containers to avoid any unwanted guests.
- Educate yourself about the potential dangers of saltwater crocodiles.
- The most important one of all – Have fun and enjoy!
Enjoy The Best Northern Territory Road-Trip!
That concludes the ultimate Northern Territory road-trip.
Have you taken on this adventure before or are you planning to?
We would love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to leave us a message below or contact us through our socials.
For the next Itinerary, we will be exploring the largest state – Western Australia.
And guess what, this is the biggest one of them all!! Now that you arrived in the northern part of this colossal and magnificent country, let’s drive back down to the southern side!
On the next road trip, you will explore one of the world’s largest coral reefs, get your shoes wet in WA’s most famous gorge, and walk through some gigantic trees, literally.
Slán go fóil
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