The Northern Territory’s Dry Season (running from May through to October) is the best time to pack your hiking boots and head out on an expedition to see the natural beauty of the red dirt and outback scenery. With spectacular hiking trails that can be polished off in a matter of hours, pencilling in an enjoyable day spent bushwalking on your Northern Territory holiday is an A-plus idea. When you can pair hiking adventures with cooling off in refreshing swimming spots below waterfalls, how could you resist?
Image Credit: Florence Falls - Tourism NT/@75vibes_
From Kings Canyon to Katherine, G’day Parks are conveniently located near the best day hiking spots in the Northern Territory, so all you need to do is pick your next trail and lock in your cabin or site on the G’day Parks app or online.
Image Credit: Get about Nitmiluk at Baruwei Lookout - Tourism NT/Shaana McNaught
National Park Passes and Permits
ALICE SPRINGS
Image Credit: Trekking the Larapinta Trail - Tourism NT/Allan Dixon
The Larapinta Trail is one of Australia’s most popular hiking trails, trekking through the West MacDonnell Ranges. The full trail is 221 kilometres long, which you could trek end-to-end over two-to-three weeks, or there are plenty of day walk options to add into your holiday itinerary. With 12 moderate-to-difficult sections over rough ground, several trailheads are 2WD-accessible from Alice Springs. Popular options include Section 1 – beginning at the Old Telegraph Station and hiking past the Euro Ridge, Scorpion Pool, Fairy Springs, and the Railway Line (keep an eye out for the Ghan!) – and Section 10, which is the shortest part of the trail with views of Ormiston Gorge, Mount Sonder, and the Finke River. Section 10 is connected to the popular Ormiston Pound Walk, a three-to-four-hour loop, which can be added as an extra walk leaving from the Ormiston Gorge Trailhead. Either way, don’t miss the waterhole at the gorge (and other crocodile-safe swimming holes along the way).
Stay here: Wintersun Cabin and Caravan Park (2km from Larapinta Trail, enter at Old Telegraph Station; 137km from Ormiston Pound Walk), Discovery Parks - Alice Springs (10km from Larapinta Trail, enter at Old Telegraph Station; 136km from Ormiston Pound Walk)
KINGS CANYON
Image Credit: Kings Canyon Rim Walk - Nick Pincott Photography
In Watarrka National Park, Kings Canyon is the undeniable highlight, with sandstone walls stretching 300m high and desert scenery to take your breath away. The Kings Canyon Rim Walk is a six-kilometre loop circuit which takes visitors up to the top of the canyon overlooking the red sand dunes, as well as down the stairs into the Garden of Eden, a rockhole filled with rare plants. You can expect to complete this trek in about three to four hours and return having seen some of the most beautiful and vast scenery of your life. The initial climb is steep, so come prepared for a difficult but worthwhile journey up to the summit made world famous in the 1994 film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. You’ll feel like royalty when you see the panoramic rim walk views.
Stay here: Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon (10km from Kings Canyon Rim Walk)
KATHERINE
Image Credit: Baruwei Lookout - Tourism NT/Helen Orr
Katherine is home to the famous Jatbula Trail, a 62-kilometre, one-way journey traditionally travelled by the Jawoyn people along the western edge of the Arnhem Land Escarpment. This paid hike (note: permits are needed, as a strictly limited number of walkers are allowed per day) starts in Nitmiluk Gorge and ends at Leliyn (Edith Falls), taking around six days to complete. If you’re after something shorter, but no less impressive, we suggest heading straight to Nitmiluk National Park. Amongst their large network of walks, the 8.6-kilometre, Grade 4 hike to Sweetwater Pool leads to an amazing swimming spot, while the trip to the Baruwei Lookout takes you to a spellbinding scenic spot, especially at sunrise or sunset hour (if you like, you can then extend your trip on the Baruwei Loop Walk).
Stay here: Discovery Parks - Katherine (24km from Nitmiluk National Park, enter at Nitmiluk Gorge), Riverview Tourist Village (32km from Nitmiluk National Park, enter at Nitmiluk Gorge)
LITCHFIELD
Image Credit: Florence Falls, Litchfield - Tourism NT/Joshua Griffen Litchfield National Park
If you’re exploring Litchfield National Park (and especially if you’re a fan of waterfalls, swimming holes, and woodlands), check out the Tabletop Track. This difficult track takes multiple days to traverse the full 39-kilometre circuit, but there are plenty of shorter sections which can be accessed at Florence Falls, Walker Creek, and Wangi Falls (where you'll also find a kiosk for food and drink). This trail is a tough one, so it's recommended for experienced bushwalkers only.
Stay here: Litchfield Tourist Park (3km from Tabletop Track, enter at Florence Falls), Dundee Beach Holiday Park (124km from Tabletop Track, enter at Walker Creek)
ULURU
Image Credit: Walking at the base of Uluru - Tourism NT/The Salty Travellers
There’s no greater symbol of the Northern Territory than Uluru. This historic, sacred site is a sight to behold, and the best way to see it is the Uluru Base Walk in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. This 10-kilometre loop goes right around the rock over easy-to-moderate terrain, taking about three to four hours to complete. As you walk, you’ll also see incredible wildlife, geology, and plants to complement your visit to this iconic natural wonder.
Stay here: Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon (322km from Uluru Base Walk)
DARWIN
Image Credit: Mountain Biking in the Top End - Tourism NT/Travis Deane
Here's one for the mountain bikers as well as the hikers! While not as vast as other parks in the Northern Territory, Charles Darwin National Park makes sure that visitors to the state’s capital don’t miss out on bushwalking or mountain biking opportunities. There's plenty here to catch your eye, as this national park is home to one of the country’s most significant wetlands, historic Indigenous middens, and a World War II Bunker Display. The Mangrove Walk is a moderate, 1.6-kilometre trail or the Service Trail Walk is a 1.6-kilometre loop passing World War II infrastructure and eucalypt woodland.
Stay here: Discovery Parks - Darwin (5km from Charles Darwin National Park)
Image Credit: Trekking the Larapinta Trail - Tourism NT/Allan Dixon
Criss-cross those laces, because it’s time to hit the NT hiking trails with G'day Parks!
Your magical Northern Territory bushwalking experience is only a click away. After long, fulfilling days walking and exploring, when you stay at G'day Parks, you'll be all set with the facilities to rest and relax by evening. Book your stay today via the G’day Parks app or online!
Image Credit: Kings Canyon Rim Walk Stairs
