Nine must-do highlights of Kakadu National Park

The scenic helicopter flight

Take to the air to appreciate the vast scale of Kakadu National Park.

Only a bird’s-eye view of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park can capture its grandeur and scale, all 20, 000 square kilometres of it. Slip into the hot seat of a helicopter with Kakadu Air during the wet season and thunder over Jim Jim and Double Falls. Or take to the skies at sunset during the dry season and watch the landscape blush from tangerine to fairy floss pink. Push the adrenalin to a Top Gun level with a “door’s off” experience.
See kakaduair.com.au

The plunge pool

The waterfall and plunge pool at Maguk.

The easiest way to start a pub argument in the Top End is to lay claim to the best swimming hole. Yet, as every local knows, there’s no better place to lug a pool noodle than Kakadu’s Maguk Gorge. From its dazzling waterfall to its stone amphitheatre to its pristine plunge pool, this natural wonder wins the trifecta hands-down. Accessible in the dry season you’ll need a four-wheel-drive to navigate the 12 kilometres of unsealed road, followed by an easy walk through monsoon forest. Perfect for the family – bring goggles so you can see the fish life.
See northernterritory.com

The food festival

Billed as a cultural food festival, tens of thousands of years in the making, this is one table – or masterclass or bush breakfast – you’re going to need a seat at. Running next May, Karrimanjbekkan An-me Kakadu: Taste of Kakadu will offer everything from cruises and canapes on the Yellow Water Billabong to a native botanicals non-alcoholic drink making workshop with Ben Tyler, Bininj man and founder of Kakadu Kitchen. It’s also about getting your hands dirty, from sampling foods cooked in ground ovens to snacking on green ants.
See parksaustralia.gov.au

The rock art site

Out of Kakadu’s 5000 recorded rock art sites, Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) tops any list. From the car park, follow the 1.5-kilometre walk to Gunwarrdehwarrde lookout for stunning views across the Arnhem Land escarpment, before continuing to Anbangbang gallery and shelter. Here you’ll see evidence of how Aboriginal people lived for thousands of years, including “X-ray art” and “first contact” depictions of sailing ships. The best way to appreciate it is with local Bininj guide James Morgan, owner and founder of Yibekka Kakadu tours.
See yibekka.com.au

The art centre

An artist at work at Marrawuddi.

Housed in the refurbished Jabiru bakery (a remnant from the bad old days of the Ranger Uranium Mine) the newly opened Marrawuddi Arts and Culture centre signifies a revitalisation of the mining town and the return of the land to its traditional owners. The vibrant art centre supports artists working across disciplines such as painting, weaving, screen-printing, photography and sculpture. Watch the artists at work, enjoy an exhibition or nab one of the best coffees outside of Darwin.
See marrawuddi.com.au

The place to stay

Owned by the local Indigenous community, Cooinda Lodge Kakadu sets the benchmark for “there’s something for every one”. Looking for a camping site? The Cooinda campground has both powered and unpowered. Need a softer landing? The property offers Outback Retreat glamping tents or motel-style lodge rooms. Next level again are the Yellow Water Villas – five retreats that are the newest and most luxurious accommodation inside the park. Being well-located to many of Kakadu’s wonders, the village-style property is the ultimate base.
See kakadutourism.com

The wetland cruise

Birdlife above the Yellow Waters Billabong.

Okay, so the name Yellow Water cruises doesn’t sound too appealing, but sign-up for a dawn cruise and watch as an egg-yolk sunrise paints the waterways in gold, lemon and honey and you’ll get the picture. Known as Ngurrungurrudjba in the local dialect, Yellow Water Billabong is located at the end of Jim Jim Creek, a tributary of the South Alligator River. The Indigenous-owned Yellow Water cruises, which is adjacent to Cooinda Lodge Kakadu, operates year-round. Enjoy the dance of the brolgas as you glide past water lilies, all the while keeping an eye out for saltwater crocodiles, those 10,000 strong “snappy handbags” the park is famous for. See kakadutourism.com

The birdwatching spot

In Kakadu – home to one-third of Australia’s bird species – birds of a feather really do flock together. Beautiful year-round, the Mamukala Wetlands is at its most dramatic (and noisiest) from late August to September, when the billabong explodes into a marvel of magpie geese. From the bird hide or walking trail, you might see up to 60 different bird species, including everything from comb-crested jacanas to cormorants, kites to kingfishers and willy wagtails to whistling ducks. Kakadu Bird Week takes place in late September and early October after the wet season.
See northernterritory.com

The sunset lookout

If you can’t decide between visiting an Aboriginal rock art gallery or enjoying a sunset, head to Ubirr – a 42-kilometre drive north-east of Jabiru along a sealed road – where you’ll get two for one. A 1-kilometre loop trail leads to a series of galleries where a range of art styles illustrate the abundant food in the area, as well as stories about behaviours and lore. A 30-minute climb brings you to the lookout with 360-degree views over Arnhem Land and the Nadab floodplain. Find your spot and just sit with the landscape as the birds begin their evening serenade. See northernterritory.com

One more thing

A Kakadu National Park pass can be purchased online from Parks Australia or in person at various locations including the Bowali Visitor Centre in Jabiru. Park pass prices – free for Northern Territory residents – vary depending on the season and are valid for seven days. Check the Kakadu Access Report for the latest road, campground and visitor site closures.

The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism NT. See northernterritory.com