Three Epic Road Trip Itineraries To Explore In The Northern Territory

Day two and three will see you driving the Mereenie Loop (you’ll need a 4WD for this one!) and spending some time in Kings Canyon. While you’re there, make time to explore the famous Rim walk – 6km of epic outback scenery that will take most walkers around 4 hours to complete. Looking for something unique? Treat yourself to a scenic helicopter tour over Kings Canyon! 

From Kings Canyon, continue your drive along Luritja Road and Lasseter Highway until you reach Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, where you’ll spend days four and five of your trip. Learn about the Dreamtime from the local Aṉangu people and take in the scale of Uluṟu by walking around the track at its base. Feeling extra adventurous? Visit the Kata Tjuṯa and take on the 7.4km Valley of the Winds walk through the area’s distinct domes.  

Immerse yourself in the Aboriginal cultures of the Bininj and Mungguy people of the Kakadu region with this road trip loop beginning and ending in Darwin.  

Day one will see you enjoying the relaxing three-hour drive from Darwin to Jabiru, the perfect base for exploring Kakadu National Park. Don’t leave the park without exploring the Aboriginal rock art galleries of Ubirr. Set aside about an hour and a half to explore the walking track loop and lookout climb – bonus points if you can time your arrival at the top of the lookout for sunset!  

Spend the next two days seeing as much of Kakadu National Park as possible. World Heritage listed and one of Australia’s largest national parks, Kakadu covers almost 20,000 square kilometres, so make sure you know what you want to see before you arrive! Some of our favourite spots include the peaceful swimming holes at Maguk, the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre and a sunset cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong.  

Now it’s time for you to make your way back to Darwin, either by retracing your tracks or adding an extra day to your itinerary and taking a detour through Katherine Gorge.

Buckle up, because this is the big one! One of the most impressive road trips Australia has to offer, the drive from Alice Springs to Darwin promises scenery unlike anywhere else in the world and gives you the chance to experience the Northern Territory from bottom to top (or vice versa).  

Spend the first couple of days getting familiar with Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Don’t leave without taking in the colours of the famous outback scenery at sunrise and sunset.  

The next stops on your epic drive north include Kings Canyon, Alice Springs and the West MacDonnell Ranges. Looking for a new perspective? It doesn’t get better than an early morning hot air balloon ride over Alice Springs and the West MacDonnell Ranges. Trust us, you won’t forget an experience like that in a hurry! 

From there your adventure continues to Tennant Creek and Daly Waters before arriving at Katherine, where the Outback starts to transform into the tropics! A soak in Katherine Hot Springs or canoeing in the nearby Nitmiluk National Park is a great way to clear your head after all that driving, and don’t miss the traditional artworks on display in Katherine’s local galleries.  

Litchfield National Park is one of the last stops on this exciting 12-day road trip through the Northern Territory and from the iconic Magnetic Termite mounds to Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole, there’s plenty on offer. From Litchfield National Park, it’s only a 60-minute drive to Darwin, where your journey ends.