As we come to the end of another beautiful Top End dry season, I thought I’d share some of the adventures I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy—and a few of my favourite spots along the way!
At the start of the year, I made a personal pact to go camping at least five times. Looking back through my camera roll… I think I may have doubled that goal!
Over a mix of long weekends and quick escapes, I managed to visit:
- Kakadu National Park
- Litchfield National Park
- Nitmiluk Gorge
- Lake Argyle
- El Questro Station
Here are some of my personal highlights from the season:
Favourite Waterfall: Jim Jim Falls
This one was magic. Maybe it was the buzz of Gunlom reopening, or just the timing, but we somehow had Jim Jim Falls almost entirely to ourselves—which made it all the more special.
We went soon after it opened, so the falls were still flowing beautifully. The hike to the top was absolutely worth the effort, with crystal-clear swimming holes at the top with stunning views as a reward.
Favourite Hike: El Questro Gorge
El Questro gorge was incredible! The hike in the gorge involved rock hopping, scrambling, and being surrounded by towering gorge walls the whole way through. It felt like a real adventure from start to finish.
Favourite Adventure: Overnight Kayak at Nitmiluk Gorge
This one had been on my wish list for a while, and it absolutely lived up to the hype—possibly my favourite experience in Darwin so far.
Paddling through the peaceful gorge system and camping under the stars, with an entire gorge to ourselves, was nothing short of dream- worthy.
Hot tip: Pick a strong friend for this trip—the kayak portages are no joke! Carrying those kayaks between gorges is a real workout.
All in all, this has been my favourite dry season yet. I’m already making plans for next year and hoping we get another long camping window to squeeze even more adventures in.