Your guide to the unmissable Northern Territory road trips

 Prepare for spectacular sunburnt landscapes, cascading waterfalls and a deep connection to Australia’s Indigenous culture.

A Northern Territory road trip is like no other. The ultimate adventure-lover’s state offers up a dizzying array of national parks, waterholes, Aboriginal culture and unforgettable moments. Below, find the best road trips in the Northern Territory to take you on a life-changing journey through it all.

The Kakadu self-drive road trip

Jump on a river cruise and see Kakadu from the water (Image: Tourism NT/Salty Wings)

There are two ways you can do Kakadu: on the bitumen or in the dirt. Most people come from Darwin, as it’s the closest airport, via the Arnhem Highway. The highway is sealed, open all year, and in fairly good condition, although you do need to keep an eye out for wandering cattle, buffalo and kangaroos. Once you’re in the park, a sealed all-weather road runs right through the centre of the wilderness.

All of the must-see attractions, such as Ubirr and Nourlangie with their magnificent rock art galleries, tour hub Cooinda and the wildlife-filled Yellow Water Billabong are easily accessible from this main road, as are the popular accommodation options and most of the parks that cater for caravans. Note that some other parts of Kakadu, like Jim Jim Falls and Mardugal, require a 4WD for access, especially during the wet season.

The jaw-dropping cliff-top plunge pool at the top of Gunlom Falls is on a gravel road, and is a non-negotiable stop for road-trippers.

Alice Springs to the Devils Marbles

The Devils Marbles are huge granite boulders scattered across a wide, shallow valley, 100 kilometres south of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. (Image: Tourism NT/@betsybiglap)

It takes approximately 4.5-5 hours to drive between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek on the Stuart Highway, but there is so much more to the 400 kilometres than the drive. This unforgettable outback journey goes right through our country’s heart taking you through rugged landscapes, ancient rock formations, and cultural landmarks. Start your journey at the Alice Springs Desert Park to learn about outback creatures before heading off and making stops at Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ochre Pits.

Wycliffe Well is one of the most unique stops along this route as it is the nation’s “UFO capital”.

Arriving at the Devils Marbles is a sight to behold. The sacred site known as Karlu Karlu in the language of the Traditional Owners (the Warumungu people) features large granite boulders believed to have formed over millions of years.

If you’re staying on the main paths Stuart Highway from Alice Springs to the Devils Marbles, you don’t need a 4WD.

Darwin to Jabiru

The spectacular Nawurlandja Lookout offers views views across Anbangbang Billabong to Burrungkuy. (Image: Tourism NT/Helen Orr)

Found in the northeast corner of Kakadu, Jabiru is a quirky NT town well worth a visit. Known for mining, Jabiru also has access to the national park – and an absurdly wonderful crocodile-shaped hotel; the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel.

It’s well worth travelling to one of the country’s oldest Aboriginal quarry, cave and art sites nearby at Nourlangie Rock. The Warradjan Aboriginal Culture Centre is also good to visit before heading to Ubirr, which is considered one of the world’s best showcases of ancient X-ray art.

Those who have done the trip before will tell you that the panoramic views of Kakadu from atop Ubirr are once in a lifetime.

Darwin to Litchfield National Park

(Image: Tourism NT/Joshua Griffen)

Described as ‘a world of its own’, Litchfield National Park holds some incredible sightseeing options for tourists, including the Lost City, comprised of ornate blocks of weathered sandstone pillars, and incredible swimming holes at Wangi Falls. Not to mention breathtaking views from the popular Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole. In fact, it’s the ultimate place to set up camp and fall asleep under the stars – and the best part is – it’s only two hours out of Darwin.

Make sure you stop by Darwin’s Crocodylus Park en route, as it is home to over 1000 crocs, as well as big cats, primates, birds and other reptiles. It’s also worth stopping by the quirky Butterfly Farm in Batchelor, the town just before Litchfield National Park, to take a gander at the wildly different colourful species.

Katherine to Keep River National Park

Ancient rock formations meet vibrant landscapes at Keep River National Park. (Image: Tourism NT/Shaana McNaught)

A lesser-known but equally spectacular road trip, The Katherine to Keep River National Park drive will take you through some of the most striking landscapes in the Northern Territory across approximately 300 kilometres. Your first stop should be Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge where you’ll see dramatic sandstone cliffs and emerald-green waters.

Make sure to stop by Timber Creek, a small and charming town about 180 kilometres (around 2.5-3 hours drive) from Katherine. Here, you’ll find the Victoria River Lookout which offers panoramic views of the Victoria River valley and its red escarpments.

Heading on to Keep River National Park you are spoilt with witnessing rugged sandstone escarpments, dramatic rock formations and beehive-shaped hills.

There are campgrounds at both Nitmiluk Gorge and Keep River National Park. Most of the route is along the Victoria Highway, which is sealed but can be remote in parts and conditions can vary so it’s best to take this trip in a 4WD.

Alice Springs to Uluṟu

Admire the spectacular colours of the Rainbow Valley at sunset. (Image: Tourism NT/Steve Strike)

It wouldn’t be a guide to Northern Territory road trips if we didn’t include this classic. Starting and finishing in Alice Springs, the journey on the Red Centre Way covers around 1140 kilometres and runs through the very heart of the Australian outback, linking the MacDonnell Ranges and Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon) with Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa in one big loop.

A classic stop along the way to Uluṟu is Rainbow Valley, just east of the Stuart Highway, not far from Alice. Here, sandstone bluffs and cliffs put on a colourful rainbow-like show in the early mornings and late afternoons when the sun highlights the iron-rich/iron-poor bands of the sandstone.

It’s also worth making a pit stop at Mt Sonder, 40 kilometres northwest of Glen Helen, as it’s a great place to test your physique and admire the uninterrupted view from 1380 metres up.