The Top End is is unlike anywhere else. A place where everything is bigger, brighter, and more beautiful than you imagine. Our Editor, Amy should know – she lived there for five years, making the most of all of the places and experiences you can only get where the tropics meet the Outback.

 

We Are Explorers acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Countries on which these adventures take place, who have occupied and cared for these lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Why the Top End Feels Like a Completely Different World

The Top End of Australia is like nowhere else on Earth.

I mean, where else can you eat award-winning laksa for breakfast, watch crocs jumping for their lunch, and be camping by a waterfall under a million-star hotel by dinner?

But it’s also the realest Australia I know.

With the melting pot of Darwin as a starting point, there’s more mesmerising landscapes to witness, freshwater to swim in, affordable campgrounds to pitch up in, and unique characters to meet than you can fit into one lifetime (and certainly one holiday).

Between the region’s three major national parks – Litchfield, Kakadu, and Nitmiluk – and plenty of lesser-known gems, a trip to the Top End means entering a completely different world – without ever leaving the country.

Please note! Most of these adventures can only be done during the dry season (May-October), but these are just the tail of the crocodile when it comes to exploring the Top End.

5 One-of-a-Kind Adventures in the Top End

1. Swim in an Infinity Pool Overlooking One of Australia’s Most Famous National Parks

Gunlom Falls

Location: Kakadu National Park
Distance: 2km one way
Duration: 30 minutes one way
Cost: $40 per adult for a 7-day pass in the dry season

There are few places that offer a swim as scenic as Gunlom Falls.

This impressive 85m tall waterfall reopened in 2025 after five years of closure and has quickly re-established itself as a favourite of both locals and international visitors alike (the falls recently helped put the Top End on the New York Time’s list of top places to travel in 2026!).

 

Gunlom Falls, Kakadu National Park, waterfall, rock face, natural pool, trees, reflection, log, clear sky, Australian landscape, Top End adventure

 

With an expansive base pool (yet to be reopened for swimming), a powerful, plunging waterfall, and a permanent infinity pool overlooking the ranges of Kakadu National Park, Gunlom Falls is nothing short of gobsmacking. And with a campground situated right by the base of the falls, a few days are easily wiled away here.

The climb to the top of the falls is short but steep, but I find it’s just enough to work up a sweat that’s worthy of a cool down. The creek and pools at the top of the falls can get busy in the middle of the day, so my friends and I packed a bag of coffee supplies and climbed to the top for sunrise. The still waters and glowing landscape were exquisite!

 

Gunlom Falls, Kakadu National Park, Top End Australia, by Amy, sunrise coffee, rocky outcrop, two women, camping gear, vast forest landscape, adventure travel

 

Before you head out to Kakadu, check the park access report to ensure the road is open and suitable for your vehicle.

2. Paddle Through a 1.65 Billion Year Old Gorge

Kayaking Nitmiluk Gorge

Location: Nitmiluk National Park
Distance: A few kilometres but depends on duration
Duration: Half day, full day, or overnight
Cost: From $129

Did you know that the sandstone plateau from which Nitmiluk Gorge was carved is so old that there are no fossils in the rock? This landscape has been around since before hard-bodied and shelled creatures evolved. A 1.65 billion year-old gorge that you can spend the afternoon paddling through.

Now that’s something you don’t get every day.

 

Kayaking Nitmiluk Gorge, Nitmiluk National Park, Top End, Australia, ancient sandstone cliffs, calm water, paddler, red paddle, blue sky, gorge kayaking

 

I’ve paddled through Nitmiluk Gorge (30 minutes from Katherine) a few times and it’s always a humbling experience. For a landscape so large and imposing, it’s incredibly peaceful being tucked between the towering walls – probably because everyone’s reflecting on how small they really are once scaled against this sprawling beauty.

There are 13 sections within the 12km gorge system, and a canoe trip lets you explore some of the best ones. There are several options to choose from; half day, full day, or overnight.

 

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If you’re a half day kinda person, I suggest going in the morning before the sun is out in full force.

But if you’re up for a real adventure, spending a night camped in the gorge is something you won’t forget. The brightest and best stars I’ve ever seen were while camping deep in Nitmiluk Gorge.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

3. Float Through a Crystal-Clear Thermal Pool

Bitter Springs

Location: Elsey National Park
Distance: 500m
Duration: 15 minutes
Cost: $30 per adult for a 2-week pass

Thermal pools? In the tropics? You better believe it baby!

Despite the name, Bitter Springs is one of the sweetest spots for a freshwater swim in all of the Territory. It’s a perfect slither of clear, turquoise water, shaded by a palm tree jungle, and a delightful 34ºC year-round.

Read more: Bitter Springs is a Tropical Desert Oasis (NT)

 

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Apart from the entry and exit points, the pool is al naturale and utterly inviting. The best way to experience it is to be accompanied by your choice of pool toy, jump in one end and ride the natural current 500m down river to the exit point. Walk the short path back to the start, rinse and repeat!

Bitter Springs is one of two natural thermal pools in Elsey National Park, (the other is Mataranka Thermal Pools) around an hour south of Katherine, and the extra kilometres are unquestionably worth it. Where else can you float down a natural spring in an oasis like this?

 

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4. Wake Up With Saltwater Crocodiles

Yellow Water Sunrise Cruise

Location: Kakadu National Park
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $130 pp

The Top End is renowned for its blazing sunsets, but I think the sunrises don’t get a good enough wrap. Especially ones that involve crocs, buffalo, and scores of unique bird species.

 

Yellow Water Billabong, Kakadu National Park, Top End, Australia, water lilies, wetland, birds, sunrise, tropical landscape, nature, wildlife cruise

 

The Yellow Water Cruise in Kakadu National Park is the one thing I tell every Top End visitor they can’t miss. And it’s one experience I’m happy to pay for again and again. I recommend getting up early for the sunrise cruise, but I’ve heard the sunset one is also brilliant. Truly, it’s hard to go wrong.

Read more: Ngurrungurrudjba – A Guide to Kakadu’s Most Magnificent Wetlands

Waking up with the wildlife as you quietly float across blushing pink waters is a serene experience – even when there’s a Saltwater crocodile sidling up next to the boat.

This two-hour cruise moves you deep into Ngurrungurrudjba/Yellow Water Billabong, past acres of flowering water lilies and old-man paperbark gums to reach the pinnacle of wildlife activity in Kakadu.

Literally thousands of water birds spend their mornings here – spot tiny Jacanas running across the lilies, regal White-bellied sea eagles ruling the roost, and long-legged Jabirus strutting across the mud flats.

 

Yellow Water Billabong, Kakadu National Park, Top End Australia, water birds, pelican, egrets, stork, wetland, wildlife, natural landscape

 

Then there’s the main act – the Saltwater crocodiles. There’s no better way to see these beautiful beasts in the wild than on this cruise. Whether warming themselves on the river banks or playing hide and seek alongside the boat, the thrill of spotting a Salty up this close is mind-boggling.

Read more: How To Stay Safe in Croc Country

 

Saltwater Crocodile, Yellow Water Billabong, Kakadu National Park, Top End, Australia, sunrise cruise, wildlife, water lilies, calm water

5. Take a Helicopter to a Private Freshwater Swimming Hole

Litchfield Swim & Scenic Heli Tour

Location: Litchfield National Park
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $849 pp

Litchfield National Park, around an hour and a half from Darwin, is THE spot to go for waterfalls and freshwater swims. Waterways run all through this luscious national park, cascading over the edge of the escarpment, creating an abundance of waterfalls, swimming holes, and creeks.

There’s no shortage of water here, even in the dry season, so why not leave the day tripping crowds behind and find a spot all to yourself?

Litchfield Swim & Scenic Heli Tour is a two-in-one experience that lets you see this magical park from the air and from the privacy of your own personal swimming hole.

Read more: Staying Safe Around Swimming Holes and Waterfalls

Featured Event

Stargaze in the Blue Mountains with a Personal Astronomer

  • Start Date: Feb 14, 2026
  • Venue: Maya Sanctuary

Marvel at the wonders of the universe during a private stargazing session in the Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site west of Sydney. You'll relax in zero-gravity chairs and luxe blankets as you observe galaxies, nebulae, and planets with...

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The tour departs from Finiss River Heli Base and soars over the savannah woodlands and tumbling waterfalls before landing on the rock right by your private swimming hole of Sandy Creek – my favourite place in all of Litchfield National Park.

Splash and soak till your heart’s content, dry out like a lizard on the warm rocks, before jumping back in the heli and waving goodbye to paradise!

The Top End isn’t trying to be like anywhere else. Why should it? It’s glorious and captivating and one-of-a-kind just the way it is. And there are endless unique ways to experience it. It’s just waiting for you to turn up.

 

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Keep Exploring the Top End

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