Australia’s Northern Territory is the home of the real Outback and therefore one of the most beautiful states in Australia.

The Northern Territory is best known for its diverse Aboriginal culture, spectacular wildlife, breathtaking scenery, clear waterholes and, of course, magical starry skies. The Northern Territory offers many adventures and opportunities to get to know the Outback of Australia. You can be sure the Northern Territory will leave you speechless.

In this blog post you will find the best things you need to do when you travel to the Northern Territory of Australia.

Visit Darwin

Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory and is located in the far north of Australia. As Darwin is very close to the equator, it has a humid, tropical climate and is warm all year round. This is why many travelers are drawn to the north of Australia during the winter months.
If you do not have a car, you can make a lot of tours from Darwin to the nearby national parks such as Litchfield National Park or Kakadu National Park. However, Darwin itself has a lot to offer: from a waterfront, some museums, beautiful beaches to an exciting nightlife.

Explore Litchfield National Park

In my opinion, one of the most beautiful national parks in Australia is Litchfield National Park. The national park is located more than 100 kilometers south of Darwin and offers many spectacular waterfalls in addition to numerous hiking trails and breathtaking nature. Wangi Falls and Florence Falls in particular are two of the most beautiful waterfalls in Litchfield National Park. During the day you can swim in the waterfalls or do a walk through the national park and discover the nature and many different animals. At both of these waterfalls there are campsites where it is worthwhile to camp for several days.

Spot Crocodiles

The Northern Territory of Australia is known for the diverse crocodile species that lurk in the water. Therefore, you should not bathe in water unless expressly permitted. Although in Darwin there is the possibility to book different tours or even to swim with crocodiles, while you are locked in a glass cage. But the most exciting thing is still to go in search of a crocodile by yourself in the vicinity of water and watch it in the wild. During my trip through the Northern Territory, I discovered a crocodile right on the river near the Mataranka Hotsprings.

See the Edith Falls

Edith Falls is located about 300 kilometers south of Darwin. There is a parking lot right next to the waterfall, so you don’t have to take a long walk to get to the waterfall. At Edith Falls you can lie on the water and sunbathe or swim in the water. If you want to experience a little more adventure, you can hike to the Edith Fall Upper Pool. This is another waterfall, which is situated a little higher. To get there, you have to hike up a 30 minute walking track. Once you have reached your destination, you can also go for a swim in the water. Personally, I liked the Edith Fall Upper Pool more, because it was a bit smaller.

Have a bath in the Mataranka Hot Springs

Not far from the small town of Katherine are the Mataranka Hotsprings. This is a thermal pool located right in the jungle on the Waterhouse River. The water here has a temperature of over 30 degrees Celsius, is crystal clear and shines turquoise in the sunlight. Therefore, the Matarank Hotsprings are the perfect place to relax. During the day a lot of tourists come to the thermal pool. So those who prefer to have the pool all to themselves should visit it in the early morning or late afternoon.

Relax in the Katherine Hot Springs

In addition to the Mataranka Hot Springs, there are also the Katherine Hot Springs, which are located directly in Katherine. This is also a thermal pool, in which the water has a temperature of over 30 degrees and which is very suitable for relaxing. In themselves, the two hot springs are not different, which is why it is enough to visit only one of the two thermal pools if you do not have enough time.

Go Camping

One of the best places in the world to experience the camping life is Australia. There are many campsites in Australia, but the most beautiful are still the small campsites in the middle of the nature of the Australian Outback. Only a few people come here, so you can experience the tranquility of nature and the Australian wildlife. In the evening you can sit by the campfire, grill marshmellows and watch the starry sky.

Travel to Uluru

Uluru also known as Ayers Rock is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Australia. Uluru is a large sandstone formation in the middle of the Outback the so called „Red Centre“. Australia’s outback is simply magical and you can hardly put into words how special and unique this place is. Even if you don’t like camping you should try out a trip to the magical “Red Centre”, where you can sleep right under the stars without a tent.

If you are traveling to Uluru, you should definitely plan to get up early. Because one of the most beautiful experiences in Australia is watching the sunrise over Uluru. Since it gets very hot in the outback during the day, it is also recommended to do long walks in the early morning hours.

Sleep under the stars

If there’s one perfect place in the world to sleep under the starry sky, it’s definitely the Outback of Australia. The further you drive out of the city, into the outback, the more stars you can see at night. On a road trip through the Australian outback, there is nothing more beautiful than sitting by the campfire on a cloudless evening in pleasant temperatures and watching the starry sky. The sight of the star-covered sky will definitely leave you speechless.

Hike through Kings Canyon

Kings Canyon, located not far from Uluru, is definitely one of the best spots for hiking. The Kings Canyon trail begins with an ascent of 500 steps. But those who start their hike very early in the morning will have mastered the many steps in time for sunrise and can watch a breathtaking sunrise over the canyon.

Explore Kata Tjuta

Not far from Uluru is the Kata Tjuta. This is a group of 36 cliffs. Here you can also do a walk through the canyon and admire the spectacular nature. Directly at Kata Tjuta is also a viewing platform from which you can watch the sunrise over Uluru. After sunrise you can start your hike through the Kata Tjuta Canyon directly from there.

Watch a sunset

You’ll probably see the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the world in Australia. Whether in the city or in the outback. But if you travel through the north of Australia, you should definitely take the time to look for a beautiful place and watch the sunset there. Especially the Red Centre near Uluru or Litchfield National Park are great places to observe the different colours of the sky that the sun leaves behind.