Odyssey Tours & Safaris

7 Day Top End Explorer

Tour Code: AOE2

Departures: 7am Mondays; April 14 - November 24, 2008

Tour Duration: 7 Days
Child Age: 5 - 12 years (0 - 4 Not Accpeted)
Accom Type: Tented (Twin Share)
Pax: Min 4, Max 14
Vehicle Type: 4WD

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Visiting the 3 main national parks of the Top End (Litchfield, Kakadu, Nitmiluk) this “up market” safari explores the remote areas of Litchfield and Kakadu as well as offering a true cultural experience.

Nights 2 & 3 are spent at Manyallaluk Aboriginal community, “the Dreaming Place” where the day is spent learning about Aboriginal lore, bush medicines and tucker.

Camping in Litchfield and Kakadu is in our three permanent camps all equipped with our purpose built “Safari Tents”. They are locally designed for our tropical climate. The walls are of canvas and the windows of insect screen. The floors are of wood and are raised above the ground. You’ll enjoy the comfort of this spacious cool design. Each tent has 2 single beds made up with linen. Each camping area is serviced with hot showers and flushing toilets.
Camping at Manyallaluk is in a mobile camp set-up with dome tents and stretcher beds.

Itinerary

Day 1

We leave Darwin and head south across the Elizabeth and Finniss Rivers to Wangi Falls.
From here we travel to our exclusive camp at “Minjungari” which gets its name from the beautiful blue water lilies on the billabong nearby. After lunch the 4WD vehicles are put to work as we venture further into the remote, less visited areas of this tropical wonderland. These falls cascade into beautiful plunge pools surrounded by tropical rainforests.
Tonight, we camp at Minjungari, our exclusive base camp nestled amongst the eucalypt forest and paperbarks.

Day 2

We break camp early this morning and travel to the town of Adelaide River. After a brief stop we travel to Pine Creek, scene of a major gold rush a century and still a gold mining town today, then continue on to Manyallaluk, “The Dreaming Place”, where we camp for the next two nights.

Day 3

At Manyallaluk we meet some of the traditional owners of this area, who will share their knowledge of bush tucker and bush medicines and demonstrate their skills in craft work, collection of materials, woven baskets, mats and bark painting. There is also a chance to try your hand at spear throwing, didgeridoo playing or traditional fire making.

Day 4

This morning we continue to Nitmiluk National Park where we enjoy a cruise on the majestic Katherine Gorge.
After the cruise we travel northwards into the spectacular stone country of southern Kakadu. The late afternoon is spent exploring the Gunlom Falls area and perhaps climbing to the escarpment top for spectacular views of the surrounding country.
Overnight at Gunlom camp.

Day 5

We continue our journey to the beautiful “Maguk”, also known as Barramundi Gorge, where you have the chance for a refreshing swim after a short trek through the surrounding rainforest.
From Maguk we travel to our base camp at Mardugal, then we visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, an impressive building built in the shape of the local freshwater turtle. Here you will learn about the traditional Aboriginal owners of the park, their culture, beliefs and lifestyles.
Afterwards we enjoy an afternoon cruise on the world-renowned Yellow Water wetlands. Here we have a chance to see the teeming bird life and perhaps, the awesome saltwater crocodile.

Day 6

Today we travel along the 4WD track to Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls, where we can explore the gorge at the base of the tallest cascade in the Territory.
Late in the afternoon we return to our camp at Mardugal.

Day 7

After breaking camp we visit Nourlangie Rock, a large sandstone outlier towering more than 200 metres above the surrounding area, containing 20,000 years of Aboriginal culture depicted in art forms in many galleries.
We turn for home along the Jim Jim road, making a short stop at the Bark Hut Inn, then on to Darwin arriving in the late afternoon.