Top End Kakadu Supported Cycle

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Join at Darwin, ferry to Mandorah, cycle to the Cox Peninsula and sunset cruise

   Today begins with a short trip across Darwin harbor from Cullen Bay to Mandorah. The passenger ferry arrives at a fairly isolated region, despite being so close to Darwin. On arrival, there will be a briefing before you begin your first day of cycling. You'll head directly south along the Cox’s Peninsular Road stopping for lunch along the way. In the afternoon, you’ll transfer to Kakadu but there’ll be time to stop off for a refreshing dip at Berry Springs before heading out across the flood plains of the Mary River and the South Alligator River.

   With the East Arnhem Escarpments in the distance, you'll head south to the camp for two nights. In the late afternoon take a cruise on Ngurrungurrudjba (Yellow Water) Billabong, home to an astounding variety of wildlife. You may encounter Brumbies, wallabies and goannas drinking from the waterside, salt-water crocodile and thousands of birds including Magpie Geese, Brolga, Cormorants, Pelicans and one of Australia's largest flying birds – the Black-necked stork (Jabiru). The flat-bottomed boat is guided by an expert wildlife guide.

   Spend the evening at a comfortable semi-permanent camp, located at Djarradjin Billabong, in the heart of Kakadu National Park.

   Approx. drive time: 4 hours spread over the day

   • 34.2 - 37.3 miles
   • Semi-permanent camp, Djarradjin Billabong
   • Dinner

   • 

     Semi-Permanent Campsites

     Sleep under a million stars in comfortable safari-style tents

2. Day 2Cycle to Burrungkuy rock art site and continue cycle to join Indigenous cultural cruise

   After breakfast at the camp, cycle to Burrungkuy (Nourlangie). Take a walk around the base of the escarpment and view some amazingly well preserved rock art and hear the stories and significance of this work before taking a short hike to Gunwarrdehwarrde lookout. From this vantage point, looking across what was once an ancient ocean some 140 million years ago with glacial till at your feet the term ‘an ancient landscape’ is truly understood. From here, head back north, stopping at the Bowali Visitors Centre which has some great interpretive displays outlining the cultural, physical and political history of the park.

   After lunch, you are off to the northern boundary of Kakadu crossing the Murella Floodplains. This is classic Kakadu with amazing escarpments on one side and floodplains on the other with a road that reaches out and vanishes to the horizon. After the morning cycle to Burrungkuy it’s time to get back on your bike for an afternoon cycle to the East Alligator River, the border between Kakadu and Arnhem land and our departure point for a leisurely cruise along the river.

   Here Indigenous guides navigate the river and journey to upper reaches explaining their cultural attachment to the area, pointing out a number of features in the landscape and their significance to culture and identity as well as discussing food and plant types viewed along the way. Back on shore, head a short distance to Ubirr where you’ll take a walk around the Indigenous rock art and get a glimpse of an ancient culture expressed though this art. A short hike takes you to Nabib lookout overlooking the East Alligator River flood plain. Some will recognize this view from the film ‘Crocodile Dundee’ or the numerous tourism promotion shoots.

   Approx. drive time: 2 hours spread over the day

   • 31.1 - 37.3 miles
   • Semi-permanent camp
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Semi-Permanent Campsites

     Sleep under a million stars in comfortable safari-style tents

3. Day 3Cycle to Maguk Falls then head to Adelaide River and cycle the rail trail to Batchelor

   After breakfast at the camp, head over to Cooinda stopping at the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre and spend some time looking at a range of interpretive displays detailing the Indigenous connection between culture and country. You'll then head south on the way out of Kakadu but not before a detour out to Maguk Falls and a 20km (12.4mi) cycle. At Maguk, it is time to freshen up with a walk and swim passing through the monsoon forest with birdcalls carrying through the trees. Arriving at the base of the falls, the large waterhole is perfect for a dip.

   In the afternoon, drive 180km (111mi) with a stop enroute at the historic town of Pine Creek, a small town with a big history. Continue the drive to Adelaide River, another historic territory town serving as a crucial military base during World War 2 and today hosting a sombre WW2 War Memorial. The group will stop briefly here before heading off on the second cycling opportunity of the day along the Adelaide River to the Batchelor section of the Darwin Adelaide River Rail Trail. This is part of what was known as the North Australian Railway and was built as far as Pine Creek in 1889 then later extended to Katherine but closed in 1976. It became a crucial element of the war effort during WW2 for transferring injured and maimed soldiers fighting the Japanese in the north, mainly in Papua New Guinea. Overnight Batchelor.

   Approx. drive time: 4 hours spread over the day

   • 34.2 - 37.3 miles
   • Hotel at Batchelor
   • Breakfast and Lunch
4. Day 4Cycle in Litchfield National Park and its Magnetic Termite Mounds

   Today is a huge day in Litchfield National Park. The group will head straight into the NP rising onto the Tablelands Plateau. Commanding about eighty percent of the park, this plateau provides the life blood for the park, surrounding rivers and wetlands. Rainfall captured during the wet season in the swamps and rockpools of the tableland is slowly released and filters through the sandstone to produce a number of truly remarkable waterfalls and crystal-clear swimming holes.

   The first stop is Florence Falls where you’ll know you've arrived somewhere special when you hear the roar of the waterfall from the car park and while walking down to one of the jewels of the NT. Go for a circuit walk here before stopping off for a swim in the forest under the falls. A short distance from here is a string of cascading rockpools known as the Buley Rock Holes where you can take a refreshing dip. Afterwards, head further west with a stop at Tolmer Falls lookout before heading off on a short (12 km/7.4mi) cycle and arrive just in time for lunch at another Litchfield jewel, Wangi Falls.

   Keeping the best cycling of the day for the afternoon, head back to the edge of the Tableland Plateau. Start your cycling from here with a great descent, a stop to marvel at the Magnetic Termite Mounds and then an ice cream stop at the Banyan Tree Café before continuing on to Batchelor (31 km/19.2mi).

   From here, you're back on board for the final leg of the day heading to Lake Bennett and the destination for the night. You can choose to stay on the bus or if you still have legs for cycling, you can cycle the last section (8 km/4.9mi) from the highway to Lake Bennett.

   Approx. drive time: 2.5 hours spread over the day

   • 26.7 - 31.7 miles
   • Hotel
   • Breakfast
5. Day 5Lake Bennet to Berry Springs then cycle the rail trail to Darwin

   Today is the final day of touring so the group will enjoy a fairly leisurely start to the day. The accommodation is on the shores of Lake Bennett and there is opportunity to hire a kayak, canoe or paddle board to explore the lake. After breakfast, head north arriving back in the township of Berry Springs. Head out to Crazy Acres farm for a lunch stop and a great opportunity to sample local produce and perhaps grab some great NT products to take home.

   The afternoon brings the final cycle section of the tour as you head off along another section of the Darwin to Adelaide River Rail Trail. The route from Berry Springs to Darwin is the perfect bookend to this cycle journey where you began on the western side of the Darwin harbor and concluding with a cycle right into the Darwin CBD on the eastern side of the harbor.

   The cycle journey concludes in Darwin but over the past 5 days we've learnt about elements of war and conflict to the north, the ambitions of an early colonial railway, of explorers and navigators, gold prospectors and Afghan camel handlers and significantly, we come back with a better understanding of the timeless history of the Indigenous culture of the region expressed in ancient art and tradition as well as the strength and depth of contemporary and enduring Indigenous identity.

   Approx. drive time: 1.5 hours spread over the day
   

   • 31.1 miles
   • Breakfast