Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park is world famous.
The Unesco World Heritage Kakadu National Park is Australia’s largest national park, stretching more than 100km from the east to the west and more than 200km from the north to the south.
It has a wide range of habitats from savannah grasslands to monsoonal rainforests and the richest wildlife in the Northern Territory. It has also got some of the most famous Aboriginal rock art in Australia.

Easy ways to visit Kakadu while in Darwin

ONE DAY TRIPS

TWO DAY TRIPS

THREE DAY TRIPS












Geology
The biggest geological feature of Kakadu is the Arnhem Land Escarpment – a 200m-high sandstone cliff range that stretches some 500km through the eastern Kakadu and forms the natural border to Arnhem Land in the east. You can reach this eastern part of the park either via Arnhem Hwy from Darwin, or via Kakadu Hwy from Katherine.

Combine Kakadu National Park with Other Famous Places

THREE DAY KAKADU AND KATHERINE

THREE DAY KAKADU AND KATHERINE GORGE

THREE DAY KAKADU AND ARNHEM LAND

FOUR DAY KAKADU, KATHERINE AND LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK


Vegetation
More than 80% of Kakadu National Park is covered by pandanus and savannah woodlands. Other habitats include open grasslands, eucalypt forests, monsoon rainforests, wetlands and billabongs, all containing plenty of wildlife.


Plants. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Wetland Birds
There are more than 280 species of birds in Kakadu National Park – finches, parrots, honeyeaters, and migrant birds during the wet. Ducks and magpie geese can be seen in huge flocks, and large, up to 150cm-tall brolgas and jabirus walk around as they look for food on the grasslands and in the shallow water.


Birdlife. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Animals
Animals include 65 species of mammals such as wallabies and wallaroos, quolls and bandicoots; 120 species of reptiles including lizards, freshwater turtles and goannas; 25 species of frogs; 55 species of freshwater fish; and both of Australia’s two species of crocodiles.


Crocodile. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Ubirr and its Aboriginal Rock Painting
There are three visitor information centres in the park: Bowali on Kakadu Highway, Wadjarran Aboriginal Cultural Centre near Cooinda, and the Northern Land Council Office and Jabiru Travel Centre in Jabiru – the largest settlement in the park, which also has a bank, a post office, a supermarket, a medical centre, a newsagency and a service station. North of Jabiru is Ubirr, known for its Aboriginal art examples and spectacular views from Narab Lookout.


Nourlangerie Rock. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Nourlangie Rock and the Aboriginal Art Examples
South of Ubirr is Nourlangie Rock, a spectacular part of the Arnhem Land Escarpment, the start of which can be seen from the nearby Gunwarddewardde Lookout. There is also a 12km walk, Barrk walk, on top of the Nourlangie Rock, but Nourlangie Rock is most famous for its Aboriginal art in Anbangbang rock shelter that feature aboriginal animal art. This is one of the best and most accessible aboriginal rock painting of Kakadu’s 5000 others, many of which are 50,000 years old.


Aboriginal rock painting. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Yellow Water and Australian Crocodiles
Southwest of the Nourlangie Rock, across the Kakadu Hwy is the famous Yellow Water waterhole next to Cooinda. A Yellow Water Boat Trip is a great way to see the large crocodiles and lots of wetland birds in Kakadu National Park.


Jim Jim. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Jim Jim, Twin and Gunlom Falls
South from Yellow Water are the beautiful Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls. Both are nice for a cooling swim and best seen in the early Dry Season when plenty of water is still running down the falls. Both waterfalls are only reachable during the Dry Season. Swimming in the Twin Falls is only permitted at the top of the escarpment, due to the freshwater crocodiles in the Twin Fall Gorge. Another excellent swimming hole is further south off the Kakadu Hwy at Gunlom Falls, where there is also a campsite.


Gunlom. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Other Camping in Kakadu
Other places where you can camp in the bush are at Koolpin Gorge, Maguk, Giyamungkurr, Jim Jim Billabong (not the same as Jim Jim Falls), Sandy Billabong, Yellow Water, Red Lily Billabong, Alligator Billabong, Burdulba, Malabanjbandju, Meri, Two Mile Hole, Four Mile Hole and West Alligator Head.


Gunlom Falls. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Other Accommodation in Kakadu Australia


Accommodation in the park includes Holiday Inn Crocodile in Ubirr, Kakadu Lodge in Jabiru, and Aurora Kakadu Hotel in South Alligator, and Gagadju Lodge and Kakadu Culture Camp in Cooinda. 


Bushwalking. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Kakadu Tours
There are plenty of tour operators that will take you to and around in Kakadu National Park. There are one, two and three day trips from Darwin, as well as tours that combine Kakadu with Katherine, Katherine Gorge, and Litchfield National Park. Some tours will even take you to the neighbouring Arnhem Land, where you can learn about aboriginal weapons, hunting, religion, mythology, and anything else you can imagine about Australian Aboriginal People.


Tour on Yellow Waters. Poster by AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to buy.

Here's a map of Kakadu National Park, where I have tagged the places that I mentioned on this web page. You can click on the tags to see what places they are, and double-click anywhere on the map to zoom it in and see the places closer. Drag the map to move around, and if you want to see the satellite image with Google Earth, click on "Sat" in the top right hand corner.


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