What is the Best Way to Get Around Darwin?

Darwin is home to some of the best wildlife and incredible landscapes and scenery.

Darwin is a tropical city in the top end of Australia. Travellers all over love to visit Darwin for a warm getaway with some of the best national parks in the country.

There is limited public transport in Darwin so one of the best ways to get around is by car. If you don’t have a car you can hire one at one of the many car rental places.

Another fantastic way to get around Darwin is a tour. There are plenty of tours that take you out to the Territory’s best national parks.

Most places in Darwin are a short distance away until you want to go to one of the few national parks. With Darwin only having buses as a form of public transport, having a car to rent allows you to easily get around. You can visit the different beaches and markets, and check out the range of restaurants and cafes.

Litchfield National Park

From Darwin, Litchfield is an hour’s drive or you can book a one day tour! Litchfield can very easily be done within a day. Litchfield has some fantastic waterfalls with swimming holes that you can cool off in during the dry season. Or you can see for yourself these old Magnetic Cathedral Termite mounds that are about two to four metres high!

Along the way to Litchfield, ensure you check out the Jumping Crocodile Cruise at Adelaide River. Here you can watch the giant reptiles launch out of the water to grab the bait.

Kakadu National Park

Kakadu is a longer drive of about three hours. Even with the longer drive, you can visit Kakadu in a day, but we recommend doing it in at least three days if possible.

While you’re stopping by Kakadu, ensure you check out the Aboriginal rock art sites, along with going on a cruise along the Yellow Water Billabong. It is also worth learning more about the local Aboriginal culture at the Bowali and Warradjan visitor centres.

Don’t have a car? No problem you can book this fantastic day tour or a three day tour of Kakadu!

Nitmiluk (Katherine) National Park

Without a doubt, Nitmiluk National Park has some incredible scenery with cascading waterfalls and is known for the 13 gorges called Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge. The best way to see the gorge is on a boat, but you can see it by walking, going in a canoe, and even in a helicopter!

It takes around three and a half hours to reach Nitmiluk, and you can drive it yourself and explore more of the national park or you can book a tour!

If you’re planning on travelling to Darwin to drive around, especially out to the national parks, it’s recommended to visit during the dry season. When it’s the wet season there can be cyclones and some roads can flood, making it difficult to travel around. However, if you still want to visit in the wet season, it’s the best time to see the breathtaking waterfalls at the national parks.