If you find yourself weary of the city heat and are looking to get some fresh air amongst some truly sublime natural settings then you aren’t short of options when it comes to Darwin, as both the Kakadu and Litchfield national parks are just an hour’s drive from town.

Let’s find out why both national parks are absolutely worth even a day trip from sweltering Darwin town:

Kakadu National Park

There is nowhere in the world like Kakadu National Park, and so it’s easy to see why it consistently ranks amongst the world’s very best of the sort! Kakadu comprises everything you would expect a great national park to have: giant peaks, cascading falls, lush rainforest, abundant wildlife and even some astounding ancient history!

The only problem with a day trip to Kakadu is that it can only ever be a “lite” trip, as the park is so diverse and gargantuan that some of its most fascinating sites are in far-flung regions (think Jarrangbarnmi).

But you can still enjoy an incredible day trip to Kakadu, with the likes of Yellow Water croc-spotting cruises, the miraculous Nourlangie (home to rock art that is just a cheeky 20,000 years old) and the Gunlom plunge pool (in our opinion the world’s most beautiful natural pool), being on the definite list for travellers simply ducking out of Darwin…

Litchfield National Park

Whilst a wee bit smaller than the giant Kakadu, Litchfield packs plenty of adventure for a lesser known neighbour! Not only this, but Litchfield is full of weird and wonderful sights that make it a trip unique from the larger Kakadu!

Litchfield is most famous for its refreshing waterholes and sublime waterfalls, but it’s also home to some of the more eerie and enchanting places you will find in Australia.

The eerie is that of the termite mounds: a strange series of literal mounds that termites produce using any number of elements (the likes of which make the mounds unsuitable for leaning against).

The enchanting, conversely, is the Lost City: a massive expanse of thousands of stone structures dating back aeons. Top it all off with a relaxing swim and you’ve had yourself a pretty awesome day trip to the pristine Litchfield National Park!

Related article: Visit the Kimberley, Western Australia

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