5 Tricks to Unlocking Hot Season Hikes (That I Learnt Hiking in the Top End)

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Marranunggu, Koongurrukun, Werat, and Warray people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

As someone who’s suffered heat exhaustion three times since calling the Northern Territory home, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t question my decision as I drove the hour and a half from Darwin to Florence Falls where we started the Tabletop Track. I kept a brave face on as the aircon in the car blared and I got uncertain looks from my hiking buddies, Ollie, Josh, and Luciana, who I’d convinced it was a good idea to hike the trail just days before it closed in October for safety reasons.

Leaving the comfort of your Top End aircon to go hiking in late September might be labelled crazy by some locals. Personally, I think it’s crazy to lose any more outdoor time to the impending wet season that’ll soon turn parts of this NT trail into a gushing river.

Read more: How to Survive Hiking in Hot Weather

With a few simple steps, you can prepare to tackle this 39km 3-5 day hike (and any hot weather hike) as the mercury creeps into the 30s and the ‘build up’ is well underway. I’d even go as far as recommending it for a more intimate, quiet hiking experience where you can have the waterside and clifftop campsites all to yourself, while immersing yourself in the nature on offer in Litchfield National Park.

Please note! These trails and waterholes close from October to April due to heat, flooding and movement of crocodiles during the wet season. It’s always important to remain crocwise in the Top End.

Read more: How to Stay Safe in Croc Country

So what’s the secret?

Firstly I’m no expert, I just love getting outside, enjoying nature, and documenting it for all to enjoy. That said, I truly believe that by following most basic hiking rules (and bending others), hiking in the heat can be a fun, comfortable experience, with a lot of the heat respite coming from what you pack. Speaking of packing…

1. Don’t worry too much about pack weight – pack for comfort

At 39km over 3-5 days, the Tabletop Track is achievable without needing to worry too much about a heavy pack. This doesn’t mean you should go packing three burner camp stoves and cast-iron pans as you clamber over ancient sandstone outcrops; just bring the essentials, plus some extra items for comfort. Here’s a list of what I brought along:

• Lightweight tent with fly
• Sleeping mat
• Sleeping sheet
• Camp picnic mat
• Hiking stools
• Camera
• mophie powerstation
• Hiking stove
• Gas canisters
• Food for at least four days
• 4L water minimum
• Water purifier
• Hydration tablets
• Snorkel & goggles
• Hammock
• Hat and sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Thermacell
• Headtorch and camp lights
• Pack of cards
• First aid kit
• PLB

Walking 11km to Walker Creek from Florence Falls on day one, we worked up some extra sweat from the heavy packs (and guitar that Josh insisted on bringing).

But settling under a tree and laying down a picnic rug and camp stools to keep us off the hot ground made a world of difference.

After a swim in our private swimming hole and waterfall, we unpacked our portable fans to bring the added breeze that even made us feel a bit chilly at times. With mophie powerstations attached, they lasted the entire night – which we realised was very necessary as it started to drizzle at midnight and we had to pull the flies over our tents, blocking out any airflow.

Read more: Staying Safe Around Swimming Holes and Waterfalls

Extra gas canisters and a Thermacell also helped keep the mozzies at bay, but this doesn’t mean you can leave the bug spray at home. They get extra mean at this time of year, breeding in any residual puddles left from the early sporadic rain.

2. Carry Plenty of Water and Hydration Tablets

Every campsite along the Tabletop Track is on the water, or close to it. I packed two 2L water bladders that I kept filled while at camp and topped up before setting off the next day. Four litres is necessary to allow for long breaks if you don’t make it to your camp before the heat of the day. 

Bring a tube of your favourite flavoured hydration tablets each to share, and you’ll easily keep on top of your hydration needs.

Read more: Comparing Methods of Treating Water on the Trail

3. Walk in the Early Morning and Late afternoon

Honestly, with famous glowing orange sunrises and sunsets in the Top End, there’s no better time to enjoy walking along the clifftops.

Early mornings kept us out of the heat of the day (for the most part), and got us to camp by lunchtime most days, meaning we could hang out in waterholes, nap in hammocks, and play cards in the shade.

There’s a reason all the nature in Litchfield hides through the middle of the day…which takes me to my next point.

4. Use the Night to Search for Wildlife

Litchfield is home to the Wangait people, who have an immersive connection with the area. When we walk on their land, we also get to enjoy the nature that they’ve lived with and cared for, for many thousands of years.

Read more: Litchfield National Park Road Trip

As we hiked we always made sure we had our head torches and cameras charging on our power banks, so as the last light fell over the verdant vegetation, we were ready to go spotlighting.

From Golden Orb spiders to Rainbow Bee-eaters, from Green ants to fruit bats. It doesn’t matter if you’re a herper, birder, photographer, or just want to avoid exploring in the heat of the day, the night is the best time to be searching for wildlife.

Swimming around with snorkels we spent lots of time searching for the resident water monitors. With crystal clear water, it’s likely you’ll find one swimming between hiding spots hunting for food. Don’t worry, they’re not interested in nipping you, unlike the Blue Claw yabbies swimming around the sandy bottom searching for toes to chew.

Read more: A Guide to Wildlife Spotlighting

5. Look at the Stars (and the Views) at Night

It can be too hot to sit on the cliffside and gaze at the view through the heat of the day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t soak up views at night. Through the pandanus palms that line the forest canopy, the Milky Way is visible in the Top End all the way from April until October.

Far from any light pollution, the sandstone cliffs of the Tabletop Track are one of the best places to watch the constellations as they move through the night sky.

@ollie.glixman

And you wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to capture the scene and show off to friends once you’re back in reception. After a full day of snapping pics and running our phones close to flat, the mophie powerstations were whipped out as soon as we got to camp, so we could try our hands at amateur astrophotography all night long.

Read more: How To Become a Stargazing Know It All

Is it worth it?

Sipping coffee on the final morning of the hike, we sat in the water at sunrise and it actually felt cool. We laughed about how little we’d said the most common phrase of the Top End, ‘Fuck it’s hot!’, before wandering the final 12km over 3.5 hours to our final swim at Florence Falls, all before midday.

Without even a threat of the heat exhaustion that I’d been dealt by the Larapinta Trail and Nitmiluk Gorge, I can finally say I’ve almost perfected the hot weather hike.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Rather than pushing through and treating a late-season lap of the Tabletop Track as a regular hike, changing the way we tackled the days on the trail, and packing for the heat, led to three days of nature spotting, card playing, yabby spotting, stargazing, and coffee sipping in waterholes, all without seeing another person on the trail…a far cry from the packed campgrounds of the dry season.

So yep, I’d say it’s worth it.