Description
Travel from Cairns to Darwin on this epic adventure through Australia’s untamed landscapes. Explore the lush rainforests of the Atherton Tablelands, swim in crystal-clear waterfalls, and discover the breathtaking natural wonders of Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. Visit remote Outback towns, cruise through wetlands teeming with wildlife, and experience the rich Aboriginal culture of the Top End. This journey blends adventure, nature, and cultural experiences for an unforgettable exploration of Northern Australia.
Departures
- Departs from Cairns
- Ends in Darwin
We depart Cairns at 7.30am and head west into the mountains fora swim the picturesque Josephine Falls, before continuing to Kalkani crater and the unique Undara lava tubes.
We then make our way into the Gulf Country visiting Frys crocodile, the historic mining town of Croydon, Leichhardt Falls, Burke and Wills most northern campsite 119, Lawn Hill gorge, Echo Gorge, Hells Gate and Lorrella Springs. After plenty of exploring and swimming we enter into Limmen National Park, stopping in at the Southern Lost City and Butterfly gorge.
We follow the Roper River up to Mataranka thermal pools or Bitter Springs before spending a few days exploring the world heritage listed Kakadu National Park. We’ll take a look at the detailed Aboriginal rock art of the Ubirr region and visit the natural infinity pool at Gunlom Falls, as well as visit a bird watcher’s paradise – Yellow Waters Billabong.
Our final stop is a wildlife cruise as we approach our final stop, Darwin
Your Travel itinerary
The tour will pick you up from the Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns at 7:30am. Our first stop is a swim in the cool waters of Josephine Falls, before making our way up the mountains and into the tropical rainforest to Millaa Millaa Falls. We’ll then make our way west to Kalkani Crater where you’ll have great views of the surrounding volcanic regions. Tonight, we’ll Camp at Undara.
This morning we’ll explore the Undara Lava Tubes on a 2-hour tour with a local guide. We’ll then make our way to Georgetown and visit one of Australia’s best mineral collections, the Ted Elliott Collection. Our next stop is the Cumberland chimney, a remnant from the gold rush days, where there’s a large waterhole with plenty of birdlife. Our last stop for the day will be at Lake Belmore for a swim before settling at our camp in Croydon.
Today we continue west and make a stop in Normanton to visit Krys Crocodile, a replica of the largest (8.63 metres) crocodile ever captured. Afterwards, we’ll stop at Camp 119, the last camp on the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition. We’ll continue our journey on to Leichhardt Falls, a wide-open set of falls on the Leichhardt River, before arriving at our campsite at Adels Grove. You’ll enjoy peaceful clear swimming holes next to our camp and we’ll spend two nights here.
Today we’ll spend the day in Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, which is one of Queensland’s most significant geological parks, with interesting rocks and landscapes spanning hundreds of millions of years. In the park we’ll visit Lawn Hill Gorge, which is surrounded by red sandstone and a beautiful rainforest. You’ll be able to take a refreshing swim in the spring-fed clear, cool water. We will also visit Upper Gorge and Indarri Falls, as well as complete the Island Stack walk. There will be plenty of opportunities to swim throughout the day.
Today we visit the world heritage listed Riversleigh Fossil Fields where you will find the remains of the largest known Freshwater crocodile, as well as gizzard stones from ancient flightless birds. Afterwards, our journey continues as we cross the Nicholas River and observe the giant causeway beneath us. We take station trails to Hells Gate to explore the sandstone formations before making a stop at the lesser-known Echo Gorge to explore the area. Tonight, we’ll camp near the Northern Territory / Queensland border.
This morning we’ll pass over many pristine rivers and creeks as we continue our journey west. It’s a great opportunity to observe the savannah bushland and see the giant ancient cycads growing around the region. We’ll make a stop in Borroloola, a remote Aboriginal town, to restock before making our way to a true water-lover’s paradise known as Lorella Springs. This remote paradise is a massive cattle station of almost a million acres full of hot springs, waterfalls, billabongs, wild rock formations and Aboriginal paintings. It’s a true hidden gem where we’ll spend the next two nights camping.
Today is all about adventure and exploring. With almost a thousand kilometres of tracks on the property, we spend the daylight hours exploring Lorella Springs; visiting swimming holes, admiring Aboriginal sites and taking in the stunning views from all around the station.
Today, we travel along the Savannah Way crossing many pristine creeks and rivers eventually arriving at the bizarre and fascinating Southern Lost City, where we will take a walk among the giant ancient pillars and their unique rock formations. We’ll then make our way to Butterfly Gorge, a waterfall where you can swim and relax after the morning’s walk. We will make a stop at the Nathan River Ranger Station and Information Centre in Limmen National Park before continuing on to the picturesque Lomarieum Lagoon to spot local birdlife. We’ll spend the night camping in Limmen National Park.
On day 9 we will visit Roper Bar, a river crossing which allows access to southern Arnhem Land. Here, we’ll wander through the ruins of a historic police station from the early pioneering days. Afterwards, we’ll continue our adventure along the Roper River to Mataranka, where we’ll take a dip in the crystal-clear thermal springs (either Mataranka Hot Springs or Bitter Springs). Tonight’s camp will be in Elsey National Park.
This morning we enter the Aboriginal lands of Kakadu and head to Gunlom Falls, a natural infinity pool with both upper and lower pools offering breathtaking views whilst we swim. After our dip, we will make a stop at the Yellow Water Billabong to spot some of the local wildlife before our visit to Ubirr rock to explore the Aboriginal paintings and capture the view across the floodplains. Tonight’s camp will be in Kakadu National Park.
Today we’ll have the opportunity to learn more about Kakadu’s Aboriginal history as we explore sites around the East Alligator River. We may also spot Saltwater crocodiles and bird-life. When we are ready, we’ll continue towards Darwin making a final stop for a worthwhile wildlife cruise en route. We’ll arrive in Darwin at approximately 5pm and you will be dropped off at your chosen accommodation.
Important info before travel
Please take the time to read and understand our terms and conditions set out below before booking a trip with us. We strongly recommend that you also read the trip notes and itinerary on our website prior to booking to make sure you are familiar with the physical and adventurous style of our tour. If you have booked a charter, we will give you your own personal itinerary.
If circumstances arise that are beyond the control of Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours, such as:
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- Threat from terrorist activities
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- Changes in road conditions
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- Natural disasters
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- Political unrest
…or any other external events that the company deems could affect the running of the tour or create unknown risks, then Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours has the right to change, alter, or cancel the tour. In the event of this happening, we will provide you with a refund minus a
Due to factors out of our control, such as road conditions, weather conditions, and the long distances we cover, Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours is unable to guarantee arrival and departure times. Therefore, we do not accept any liability if you miss a transfer or connection with another service provider. When booking any transfers or connections, please be mindful of the fact that, due to the local conditions, travel times might change, so you are reminded to be flexible with any other bookings you decide to make.
By booking our tour, you accept that the itinerary can change or be altered at any time, and you understand that when booking, you are agreeing to any changes that may occur. The itinerary lays out the type of tour you can expect but it is important you understand that when traveling on this style of tour conditions can change, and therefore alter what is possible on the tour. We use guides who are very familiar with the Kimberley and Top End region ( examples: Litchfield, Kimberley, Kakadu, Arnhem Land, the Savannah Gulf). Our guides will always strive to provide you with the best tour under the circumstances.
Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours recommends that you purchase travel insurance at the time of booking to adequately cover yourself against personal accident, death, medical expenses, emergency repatriation, loss or damage of personal items, and personal liability.
While on our tour, you will be walking on uneven ground and traveling in remote areas with very limited and sometimes no facilities; therefore, there is a degree of personal risk. We recommend that you take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking, which will cover any cancellation fees.
Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours does not accept liability for:
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- Tour cancellations
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- Any medical emergency
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- Personal injury
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- Loss or damage to personal items
We are a small operator, and cancellations affect us significantly; therefore, it is essential for us to abide by our policy in all circumstances. If you choose to travel with no insurance, you do so at your own risk, and we highly recommend that you familiarise yourself with our cancellation policy.
If for any reason, you need to cancel your booking, we ask that you confirm this with us in writing, and then we will start to process your request. Please be aware that the following fees will apply:
30+ days prior to departure, your deposit is non-refundable
14 – 29 days prior to departure 50% of the total price of the tour
0 – 14 days prior to departure 100% of the total price of the tour
If you need to cancel, please notify us by email at info@kimberleyoffroadtours.com and write ‘Cancellation {date of tour}’ in the title of the email. If you fail to join the tour, join it after departure, or decide to leave the tour at anytime, Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours will not provide a refund.
Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours reserves the right to cancel or postpone any tour at any time prior to departure. This could be the result of road and/or weather conditions, natural disasters, mechanical defects, cultural considerations, or other external events that mean we are unable to operate the itinerary. In this case, we can offer you a complete refund of the money paid to Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours or transfer the costs to another tour. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may incur as a result of your booking being cancelled or altered by us.
If diesel fuel prices rise, Kimberley Off-Road Adventure Tours reserves the right to charge a diesel fuel levy.