5-Day Kakadu & Katherine Gorge 4WD Safari: Rock Art & Waterfalls

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Duration5d

GroupUp to 21

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

You camp in the bush and cook dinner together after days of walking through monsoon rainforest and swimming in waterfalls.

This 5-day 4WD camping tour departs Darwin and travels through Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) and Litchfield National Park with an accredited outback guide, staying at private safari campsites and visiting Aboriginal rock art sites, waterfalls and wetlands. The tour includes all park entry fees, guided walks up to 3km daily, accommodation in permanent tents or swags, and meals prepared communally at camp. Moderate to advanced fitness is required for walks graded 2–6, and travelers over 70 need a doctor's certificate. Children from age 8 can join if accompanied by an adult.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Darwin to Kakadu National Park

Depart Darwin to Wetlands Region
Spot birdlife and crocodiles
Arrive Kakadu National Park and visit Bowali Visitor Centre
Travel to Cahills Crossing
Visit Ubirr rock for sunset and Aboriginal rock art
Return to private camp and prepare dinner

Day 2 — Waterfalls and Cultural Centre

Travel south into Kakadu National Park
Hike and swim at waterfalls and plunge pools
Visit Warradjan Cultural Centre and gallery
Return to camp for dinner and rest

Day 3 — Kakadu Rock Art and Katherine

Explore Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) rock art and lookouts
Picnic lunch at Barramundi Gorge (Maguk) Waterfall
Travel to private safari campsite in Katherine
Relax under stars and enjoy campfire

Day 4 — Katherine Gorge and Edith Falls

Early start to Nitmiluk National Park
Take 2-hour NitNit Katherine Gorge boat cruise
Optional scenic helicopter flight (guest expense)
Visit Edith Falls for picnic and swim
Return to private campsite for sunset and evening

Day 5 — Litchfield National Park to Darwin

Travel north to Litchfield National Park
View Magnetic Termite Mounds
Swim at Buley Rockholes or Wangi Falls
Visit Florence Falls or Tolmer Falls waterfall
Return to Darwin for rest

The Experience

You depart Darwin heading into the Mary River Wetlands, where the landscape opens into the Top End's signature mix of water, sky and wildlife—crocodiles and birdlife are constant sightings along the way. The 4WD truck carries a small group, and by late afternoon you reach Kakadu National Park and the private Jabiru campsite, where you'll spend your first two nights in a permanent tent or swag. After settling in, the guide takes you northeast to Cahills Crossing on the border of Kakadu and Arnhem Land, then to Ubirr rock art site for sunset. The climb is short (1km loop, grade 2–3), and from the top you look out over the Nadab Floodplain while the guide explains the rock art styles and Dreamtime stories painted across the stone. Back at camp, everyone helps prepare dinner together.

Day two starts early. You head south into the park to spend the day at waterfalls and plunge pools—the guide chooses from Motor Car Falls, Jim Jim Falls, Gunlom Falls or Moline Rockhole depending on the group's fitness level and conditions. The hikes range from 1.5km to 4km and grade up to 5–6, with steep climbs and rocky crossings through monsoon rainforest. You swim in pristine pools beneath cascading water, surrounded by escarpments and cliffs. If time allows, you stop at Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre to see artefacts and hear stories from the traditional owners about how the landscape and culture have changed. On day three, you visit Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) rock art and Kunwarddewardde Lookout in the morning, then drive south on 4WD tracks to Barramundi Gorge (Maguk) Waterfall for a picnic lunch and a 2km walk through the forest. By evening you reach the private Katherine campsite, 420km south.

Day four is the Katherine Gorge boat cruise—a 2-hour trip down Nitmiluk National Park's Katherine Gorge, where 70-meter sheer rock walls rise on both sides and wildlife appears around every bend. The cruise is included; scenic helicopter flights are available at your own expense with pre-booking. After the boat, you drive to Edith Falls for a picnic lunch and more swimming in a large plunge pool beneath the waterfall. The walks here grade 2–4, with the main pool a short, easy walk and upper pools requiring a steeper climb. On the final day, you head north toward Darwin through Litchfield National Park. You see the Magnetic Termite Mounds, swim at Buley Rockholes or Wangi Falls, and visit a thundering waterfall like Florence Falls or Tolmer Falls. The guide delivers you back to Darwin around 6:30pm.

What’s included

Accredited outback driver-guide with local commentary in English.
all Kakadu National Park entry fees.
small-group air-conditioned 4WD off-road truck travel.
guided bush walks up to 3km daily (grades 2–6).
billabong wetlands river cruise.
2-hour Katherine Gorge boat cruise at Nitmiluk National Park.
four nights' accommodation in permanent safari tents or single swags at private campsites.
communal meals prepared at camp each evening.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Autopia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to camp in the bush and move through three national parks on foot and by 4WD, swimming at waterfalls and viewing rock art with a guide who knows the landscape and the stories. The small group and communal camp setup mean you travel with the same people for five days and help prepare meals together—it's built for travelers who want immersion in the outback, not a coach-window experience. Moderate to advanced fitness is essential; the walks are steep and rocky, and the 4WD truck rides are long.