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    Itinerary

    5 Days: Kakadu & Litchfield from Darwin Itinerary

    This is a tighter, reversed version of our 7 Days Kakadu & Litchfield loop, built for travellers who want both parks but only have five days. It goes to Kakadu first via the direct Arnhem Highway, then returns via Pine Creek with Litchfield as a single day-stop on the way back to Darwin — rather than the 7-day loop's two-night Litchfield base followed by three nights in Kakadu.

    Length
    5 days
    Total distance
    ~600 km loop
    Season
    May–October (dry season) only. The wet season (November–April) floods roads, closes 4WD-only sites and brings oppressive humidity — this itinerary is not written for it.
    Vehicle
    2WD reaches every site on this itinerary — Kakadu's Ubirr, Nourlangie and Yellow Water, and Litchfield's Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole. Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls and Gunlom's upper pools need a 4WD and aren't part of this plan.
    Suits
    Couples, Family, First-Time
    5 Days: Kakadu & Litchfield from Darwin — Northern Territory

    Route map

    Approximate route: Darwin → Cooinda → Litchfield National Park (Wangi Falls). Shown for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route. Always check current road conditions before you travel.

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    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Route stops in order: 1. Darwin, 2. Cooinda, 3. Litchfield National Park (Wangi Falls).

    If Kakadu isn't the priority, or five days feels like a stretch, our 5 Days in Darwin itinerary treats the city as the whole trip and Litchfield as an easy day trip, with Kakadu left as planning context rather than something to fit in.

    Saltwater crocodiles are present in every Top End waterway, tidal or not, including creeks that look too small to hold one. Swim only in signed, managed swimming areas — Kakadu and Litchfield rangers close pools without notice when a crocodile is sighted.

    Day by day

    5 Days: Kakadu & Litchfield from Darwin — stage plan
    DaysRouteDistanceDriveWhat you doSleep
    Day 1Arrive Darwin → Kakadu National Park~250 km3hFly into Darwin and head straight out on the sealed Arnhem Highway rather than staying in the city — this itinerary needs the extra day in the parks more than a first Darwin night. Arrive at Cooinda or Jabiru with the evening free.Cooinda / Jabiru
    Day 2Kakadu — Yellow Waterlocal—A Yellow Water Billabong wildlife cruise — jabiru storks, egrets and saltwater crocodiles among the lotus lilies — is Kakadu's best wildlife encounter and doesn't need a 4WD.Cooinda / Jabiru
    Day 3Kakadu — Ubirr & Nourlangie~90 km1h 30mUbirr's rock art galleries and the Nadab Lookout at sunset, plus Nourlangie's rock shelters. Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls, the Karnamarr Campground and the wider Jim Jim/Twin Falls area are closed for all of 2026 for track and campground works — this itinerary does not route through them for that reason. Works are expected to finish in December 2026, ahead of a planned reopening for the 2027 dry season; confirm current status with Parks Australia before relying on that date.Cooinda / Jabiru
    Day 4Kakadu → Litchfield National Park (via Pine Creek) → Darwin~380 km5h with stopsA long day, but the only one in this plan — leave Kakadu early via Pine Creek and the Batchelor road, then stop at Litchfield for a few hours. Florence Falls (a short, steep walk to a swimming hole) and Buley Rockhole (shallow, easy cascading pools) are both 2WD-accessible and the standard swim stops; check current advice before swimming. Continue on to Darwin for the night.Darwin
    Day 5Depart Darwin——A flexible last morning at the Darwin Waterfront's patrolled lagoons if your flight allows, before departing.—

    Cost and booking notes

    • A Kakadu park pass is required and priced seasonally — buy it before or on arrival, and keep the receipt as proof of entry.
    • Litchfield National Park has no separate entry fee, unlike Kakadu — a useful distinction when budgeting.
    • Accommodation inside Kakadu (Cooinda, Jabiru) is limited and books out in the July school holiday peak — reserve well ahead for a dry-season trip.

    Common questions

    That itinerary bases two nights in Litchfield and three in Kakadu, travelling Litchfield-first via Pine Creek and returning via the Arnhem Highway. This plan reverses the order — Kakadu first via the direct Arnhem Highway, two nights there, then Litchfield as a single day-stop on the way back — to fit both parks into five days rather than seven.

    No. Every site in this plan — Ubirr, Nourlangie, Yellow Water, Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole — is on a sealed, 2WD-accessible road. A 4WD is only needed for Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls and Gunlom's upper pools, none of which are part of this itinerary.

    It's enough to see the essential sites at each without rushing, but it's tighter than our 7-day loop, which gives Litchfield its own two-night base and an extra day in Kakadu. If you have the time, the 7-day version is the more relaxed way to see both parks.

    Only in signed, managed swimming areas, and only when they're open — rangers close pools without notice after a crocodile sighting. Never swim in a waterway that isn't explicitly signed as safe, including ones that look small or freshwater.

    Useful services on this trip

    Related guides

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