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Top End Sealed-Road Journey: Route Guide

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Kakadu Ubirr lookout — The Top End: Darwin, Kakadu & Katherine
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Travel from Darwin through Litchfield and Kakadu to Katherine over seven days, following sealed roads between the parks' open visitor areas. Check current access before each park day. Jim Jim and Twin Falls remain closed in 2026; swimming, cruises and other guided activities need current local advice or separate arrangements.

Top End Sealed-Road Journey is a 750 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as a 7-day trip; the plan below is the 7-day version for July, built from 175 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

7
days
750km
distance
5
Stops
175
curated stops

View ready-made plans 7-day plan · best time to go

The route

Darwin public heritage day→ 130 kmLitchfield sealed-access day→ 300 kmKakadu public culture day→ 70 kmCooinda and Yellow Water public day→ 250 kmKatherine and Nitmiluk public day

What you'll see

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Explore the region's art, history, and culture in a tropical garden.
Darwin public heritage day
Florence Falls
Descend to the bottom or stay at the top for magnificent forest and waterfall views.
Litchfield sealed-access day
Nourlangie Rock
View thousands of years of rock art and spiritual paintings in a natural shelter.
Kakadu public culture day
Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Experience the story of Kakadu through architecture symbolizing a pig-nosed turtle.
Cooinda and Yellow Water public day
Katherine Museum
Step through exhibits on telegraph lines, Chinese history, and local town evolution.
Katherine and Nitmiluk public day
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
Stroll through 42 hectares showcasing local and tropical flora.
Darwin public heritage day
Wangi Falls
Swim in crystal-clear waters and feel the roar of towering waterfalls nearby.
Litchfield sealed-access day
Nanguluwur
Explore an Aboriginal rock art gallery with hand stencils and dynamic figures.
Kakadu public culture day

Choose your length

7-day plan26 stops · 18.8 h transit3.7 stops/day · 2.7 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: May, June, July, August, September

Dry-season sealed-road product. Flooding, fire, crocodile management, roadworks, Traditional Owner decisions and park access remain live checks.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

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View ready-made plans