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Kakadu

Australia🇦🇺 | national parksKakaduUbirr rock art, Yellow Water, Jim Jim Falls, escarpment pools | things to do and best time to go

Explore Grampians National ParkExplore Karijini National Park

Backpacking in Kakadu
UNESCO World Heritage site
🏆 Top picknational park ranked #2
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 15, 2026

The barramundi burger at a roadhouse near Jabiru cost me about A$28, arrived with a fistful of limp chips, and came with a view of a dusty ute reversing into a pile of firewood. Fair price for fish caught up here, though. Kakadu sits in the north of Australia, roughly 150 to 250 kilometers east of Darwin depending on where you aim, and it is enormous: nearly 20,000 square kilometers of wetlands, escarpment and woodland. That size is the first trap. Distances are long, sealed roads are few, and fuel and food in the park cost more than in Darwin, so fill the tank and stock up in town. Saltwater crocodiles live in the billabongs, so swim only in signed, safe plunge pools. Several roads and tracks close in the wet season, so check conditions before driving. Walking is excellent, crowds thin out away from Ubirr and Yellow Water, and the vibe is slow and sun-baked. A sensible first day: buy supplies in Darwin, drive in, and spend the afternoon at Ubirr's rock art and sunset.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #2 national park in AustraliaReasons people choose to explore here

Kakadu suits independent travelers because the best of it is a series of short and medium walks you can string together at your own pace, with no guide required. The park is also Aboriginal-owned land, jointly managed with Parks Australia, and the rock art galleries at Ubirr and Nourlangie (Burrungkuy) carry thousands of years of human presence in painted detail you can study at close range with free signage. Guides add depth, but the paths are easy to follow alone.

The second pull is variety. Within a day or two you can climb a sandstone lookout, sit on a Yellow Water Billabong cruise among jabiru storks and saltwater crocodiles, and then cool off in a waterfall pool. Campgrounds range from basic bush sites to ones with showers, so a tent, a car and a cooler get you far on a modest budget. … read more 👉
Kakadu suits independent travelers because the best of it is a series of short and medium walks you can string together at your own pace, with no guide required. The park is also Aboriginal-owned land, jointly managed with Parks Australia, and the rock art galleries at Ubirr and Nourlangie (Burrungkuy) carry thousands of years of human presence in painted detail you can study at close range with free signage. Guides add depth, but the paths are easy to follow alone.

The second pull is variety. Within a day or two you can climb a sandstone lookout, sit on a Yellow Water Billabong cruise among jabiru storks and saltwater crocodiles, and then cool off in a waterfall pool. Campgrounds range from basic bush sites to ones with showers, so a tent, a car and a cooler get you far on a modest budget. Self-drive gives you the flexibility to chase sunrise on the floodplain or dodge a busy lookout. A 4WD opens Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls, which are reached by rough track in the dry season only. Without a vehicle, tours fill the gap.

💡 HighlightsDon't-miss highlights and experiences

  1. Ubirr Rock Art Site: The park's best-known gallery, with painted fish, wallabies and the Rainbow Serpent beneath overhanging rock. A short climb ends at a lookout over the Nadab floodplain, which glows orange at sunset.
  2. Yellow Water Billabong: Boat cruises glide through lily-choked water thick with crocodiles, whistling ducks, egrets and jabirus. Dawn departures are cooler and the light is softer.
  3. Nourlangie (Burrungkuy) Rock: A loop walk past sheltered galleries with detailed ancestral figures, finishing at the Gunwarddehwarde Lookout.
  4. Jim Jim Falls: A sheer drop over a gorge wall, flowing best early in the dry season. It is reached by a rough 4WD track and a rocky walk, and it dwindles later in the dry.
  5. Twin Falls: Reached by a boat shuttle and a boardwalk, with a sandy beach beneath the cascade.
… read more 👉
  1. Ubirr Rock Art Site: The park's best-known gallery, with painted fish, wallabies and the Rainbow Serpent beneath overhanging rock. A short climb ends at a lookout over the Nadab floodplain, which glows orange at sunset.
  2. Yellow Water Billabong: Boat cruises glide through lily-choked water thick with crocodiles, whistling ducks, egrets and jabirus. Dawn departures are cooler and the light is softer.
  3. Nourlangie (Burrungkuy) Rock: A loop walk past sheltered galleries with detailed ancestral figures, finishing at the Gunwarddehwarde Lookout.
  4. Jim Jim Falls: A sheer drop over a gorge wall, flowing best early in the dry season. It is reached by a rough 4WD track and a rocky walk, and it dwindles later in the dry.
  5. Twin Falls: Reached by a boat shuttle and a boardwalk, with a sandy beach beneath the cascade. Swimming is not allowed at the base because of crocodiles.
  6. Maguk (Barramundi Gorge): A walk through monsoon forest to a deep, clear pool beneath a waterfall, one of the more peaceful swims.
  7. Gunlom Falls: Stepped infinity-style pools perched on the escarpment edge, with views across the southern plains after a steep climb.
  8. Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre: A circular, building-sized exhibit near Yellow Water that explains law, kinship and seasons through Bininj and Mungguy voices.
Skip the Bowali Visitor Centre if time is short, since the Warradjan Cultural Centre tells the story better.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do around Kakadu

3 Day Kakadu & Litchfield 4WD Expedition

3 Day Kakadu & Litchfield 4WD Expedition

4.8(68) 72h
From €626
per personViator
3 Day 4WD Kakadu Adventure

3 Day 4WD Kakadu Adventure

4.9(56) 72h
From €626
per personViator
5 Day Kakadu Katherine Gorge Litchfield 4WD Camping Adventure

5 Day Kakadu Katherine Gorge Litchfield 4WD Camping Adventure

4.9(50) 120h
From €1,173
per personViator
5 Day 4WD Kakadu Koolpin Safari

5 Day 4WD Kakadu Koolpin Safari

5.0(15) 120h
From €1,192
per personViator
Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield Adventure

Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield Adventure

5.0(8) 96h
From €972
per personViator
2 Day Kakadu Highlights Tour

2 Day Kakadu Highlights Tour

0.0(0) 48h
From €532
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Choosing the right time of year

  • Dry Season (May to September): Kakadu is at its most accessible, with days of 30 to 34°C (86 to 93°F), cool nights of 17 to 22°C (63 to 72°F) and about 11.5 hours of daylight. Roads are open, Jim Jim and Twin Falls are reachable by 4WD, and you pay peak prices for tours and rooms.
  • Build-up (October to December): Heat of 34 to 38°C (93 to 100°F) with heavy humidity and building storms. Crowds thin, waterfalls dwindle and the swimming is miserable without air conditioning.
  • Wet Season (January to April): Daily highs of 32 to 35°C (90 to 95°F), monsoon rain and flooded roads that cut off sites such as Ubirr at times. Floodplains turn green, birdlife peaks, waterfalls thunder and prices drop by 20 to 40 percent.
  • Early Dry (April to June): Wetlands are full, traditional burning begins and daylight
… read more 👉
  • Dry Season (May to September): Kakadu is at its most accessible, with days of 30 to 34°C (86 to 93°F), cool nights of 17 to 22°C (63 to 72°F) and about 11.5 hours of daylight. Roads are open, Jim Jim and Twin Falls are reachable by 4WD, and you pay peak prices for tours and rooms.
  • Build-up (October to December): Heat of 34 to 38°C (93 to 100°F) with heavy humidity and building storms. Crowds thin, waterfalls dwindle and the swimming is miserable without air conditioning.
  • Wet Season (January to April): Daily highs of 32 to 35°C (90 to 95°F), monsoon rain and flooded roads that cut off sites such as Ubirr at times. Floodplains turn green, birdlife peaks, waterfalls thunder and prices drop by 20 to 40 percent.
  • Early Dry (April to June): Wetlands are full, traditional burning begins and daylight is long enough to hike comfortably.
Book campsites and tours months ahead for July, and visit in May or early June to get full waterfalls with fewer people.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: below average for travelingFEBFebruary: below average for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: fair for travelingMAYMay: highly recommended for travelingJUNJune: excellent for travelingJULJuly: excellent for travelingAUGAugust: excellent for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: good for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: below average for traveling
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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Inside the park, the best backpacker value is camping, with Cooinda, Merl, Mardugal and Muirella Park among the main sites. Cooinda Lodge Kakadu has a campground with a pool, shop and bistro, plus the departure point for Yellow Water cruises. Merl, near Ubirr, gives you a quieter base for the northern sites, while Mardugal sits near Cooinda.

Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn in Jabiru is the main hotel option, shaped like a crocodile, with a pool and rooms from around A$200 a night in the dry season. Jabiru is the park’s only town, with a supermarket, bakery, fuel and cash machine, so stock up here. … read more 👉
Inside the park, the best backpacker value is camping, with Cooinda, Merl, Mardugal and Muirella Park among the main sites. Cooinda Lodge Kakadu has a campground with a pool, shop and bistro, plus the departure point for Yellow Water cruises. Merl, near Ubirr, gives you a quieter base for the northern sites, while Mardugal sits near Cooinda.

Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn in Jabiru is the main hotel option, shaped like a crocodile, with a pool and rooms from around A$200 a night in the dry season. Jabiru is the park’s only town, with a supermarket, bakery, fuel and cash machine, so stock up here. Bark Hut Inn on the Arnhem Highway offers cheaper camping, and Mary River Roadhouse on the Kakadu Highway makes an alternative stop on the way in from the south.

Outside the park, Darwin is about 150 km west and 2.5 to 3 hours by road, and has the widest choice of hostels. Katherine is roughly 3.5 hours south if you are arriving from that direction. Parks Australia sells many camping spots on a first-come basis, but the busiest sites fill by midday in July and August, so arrive early.
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Best quality hotels in Australia

👛 Costs (as of 15 October 2026)Travel costs and budget guide for Kakadu

Budget about US$98 to 154 a day for Kakadu, with a car share or rental, camping and self-catering. The park pass costs around US$25 to 28 for adults and stays valid for 7 days, so a week of exploring needs only one purchase. Prices are paid in Australian dollars and shown here in US dollars.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Park passUS$3 to 4 a day (US$25 to 28 total)Bought online or at the Bowali Visitor Centre near Jabiru. One pass covers 7 days, so a longer stay costs no extra.
CampingUS$0 to 15Basic bush sites run by Parks Australia cost roughly US$7 to 15 a person, and some remote sites are free. Commercial campgrounds with showers and pools cost US$15 to 30.
Accommodation (high season)US$25 to 60Dry season (May to October) is the peak. A powered site or a cabin bed at Cooinda or Jabiru
… read more 👉
Budget about US$98 to 154 a day for Kakadu, with a car share or rental, camping and self-catering. The park pass costs around US$25 to 28 for adults and stays valid for 7 days, so a week of exploring needs only one purchase. Prices are paid in Australian dollars and shown here in US dollars.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Park passUS$3 to 4 a day (US$25 to 28 total)Bought online or at the Bowali Visitor Centre near Jabiru. One pass covers 7 days, so a longer stay costs no extra.
CampingUS$0 to 15Basic bush sites run by Parks Australia cost roughly US$7 to 15 a person, and some remote sites are free. Commercial campgrounds with showers and pools cost US$15 to 30.
Accommodation (high season)US$25 to 60Dry season (May to October) is the peak. A powered site or a cabin bed at Cooinda or Jabiru sits at the top of this range, and a hotel room costs US$150 and up.
Food and suppliesUS$20 to 35Groceries in Jabiru or Darwin are far cheaper than park roadhouses, where a burger or meal costs US$15 to 25. Stock up before entering since prices inside are high.
TransportUS$30 to 55There is no public transport inside the park. Splitting a rental car or campervan (US$60 to 130 a day) plus fuel, at about US$1.60 to 2.20 a liter, brings the per-person share to this range. Distances are long, with sealed roads and some 4WD tracks.
Tours and activitiesUS$0 to 45Walking trails and swimming at safe spots are free. The Yellow Water cruise costs about US$65 to 90, and rock art sites such as Ubirr and Nourlangie are free once you hold a pass.
Total Daily BudgetUS$98 to 154Per person, per day, in high season.


source: parksaustralia.gov.au
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🥾 TrailsTrail guide for Kakadu national park

Kakadu walking runs from short boardwalks to full-day escarpment climbs, over sandstone, monsoon forest and open woodland. Wildlife is easy to spot at dawn: wallabies, wallaroos, frilled lizards, kites and wetland birds. Saltwater crocodiles are the danger near any water, so stay back from banks.
  • Ubirr Rock Art Walk: About 1 kilometer loop, around 1 hour, easy. Rock art galleries, then a short scramble to the lookout.
  • Nourlangie Rock Walk: About 1.5 kilometers loop, 1 to 2 hours, easy. Galleries, shelters and a sandstone outlook.
  • Mamukala Wetlands Walk: About 3 kilometers, 1 to 2 hours, easy. Bird
… read more 👉
Kakadu walking runs from short boardwalks to full-day escarpment climbs, over sandstone, monsoon forest and open woodland. Wildlife is easy to spot at dawn: wallabies, wallaroos, frilled lizards, kites and wetland birds. Saltwater crocodiles are the danger near any water, so stay back from banks.
  • Ubirr Rock Art Walk: About 1 kilometer loop, around 1 hour, easy. Rock art galleries, then a short scramble to the lookout.
  • Nourlangie Rock Walk: About 1.5 kilometers loop, 1 to 2 hours, easy. Galleries, shelters and a sandstone outlook.
  • Mamukala Wetlands Walk: About 3 kilometers, 1 to 2 hours, easy. Bird hide overlooking a floodplain, best in the late dry season.
  • Maguk: About 2 kilometers each way, 1 to 2 hours return, moderate. Creek crossings and rocky ground leading to a plunge pool.
  • Gunlom Plunge Pool Walk: About 2 kilometers return, 1 to 2 hours, steep and rocky. Rewards you with tiered pools and wide views.
  • Barrk Sandstone Bushwalk: About 12 kilometers loop, 5 to 7 hours, hard. Remote country on the Nourlangie plateau with ancient formations and very little shade.
Public transport into the park is minimal. Most travelers drive or join a tour from Darwin, and a vehicle is far more practical for reaching trailheads. Ubirr and Yellow Water are the busiest, especially at sunset and the dry-season peak, while more distant walks stay quiet. A park pass is required and is bought online or at the visitor centre. Carry plenty of water and check which roads are open.
⚠️ Hiking info can sometimes be outdated or inaccurate. Before you hit the trail, check the latest conditions with locals. If you do spot anything that's off, I'd love to hear from you, so I can update it for fellow travelers.

🛡️ SafetySafety Tips and Common Scams in Kakadu

Kakadu is straightforward if you respect saltwater crocodiles and the heat. Crocs live in rivers, billabongs and floodplains, so never swim or fish from the bank unless a sign says a pool is open. Stay at least 5 meters from the water’s edge, do not camp beside it and never clean fish near the shore. Swimming at Maguk or Gunlom is generally permitted, but obey the signs.

Heat is the real hazard on walks like Barrk Sandstone Bushwalk and Jim Jim Falls. Carry at least 3 liters of water per person, start at sunrise and wear a hat. Surfaces on sandstone ledges can be slippery and steep, so use proper shoes.

In the wet, floodways close without warning, so check road conditions with the Bowali Visitor Centre or the Parks Australia website before setting out. Mobile coverage is patchy outside Jabiru … read more 👉
Kakadu is straightforward if you respect saltwater crocodiles and the heat. Crocs live in rivers, billabongs and floodplains, so never swim or fish from the bank unless a sign says a pool is open. Stay at least 5 meters from the water’s edge, do not camp beside it and never clean fish near the shore. Swimming at Maguk or Gunlom is generally permitted, but obey the signs.

Heat is the real hazard on walks like Barrk Sandstone Bushwalk and Jim Jim Falls. Carry at least 3 liters of water per person, start at sunrise and wear a hat. Surfaces on sandstone ledges can be slippery and steep, so use proper shoes.

In the wet, floodways close without warning, so check road conditions with the Bowali Visitor Centre or the Parks Australia website before setting out. Mobile coverage is patchy outside Jabiru and Cooinda. Mosquitoes and biting midges are active at dusk, so use repellent and long sleeves. Respect cultural-site closures and stick to marked paths.
Check Country Safety

FAQTraveler FAQ

Plan on three to four days. That gives you time for Ubirr and the Nourlangie rock art, a Yellow Water cruise at Cooinda and a swim at Maguk or Gunlom. The park is about 150 km east of Darwin, and driving between sites takes 1 to 2 hours, so a single day is too rushed.
A car is the practical way to see it, since sites are spread across nearly 20,000 square kilometers and there is no public transport inside the park. Without your own vehicle, join a multi-day tour from Darwin, which usually runs 1 to 4 days and costs about A$200 to 1,000 depending on length. Some companies offer day trips with Yellow Water and Ubirr, though the days are long at around 12 hours.
Yes, you need a Kakadu Park Pass, which costs about A$40 to 45 for adults and is valid for 7 days. Buy it online or at Bowali Visitor Centre in Jabiru, and keep it with you for checks. Campsites charge separately, usually A$0 to 15 a person, and some sites and remote walks, such as Jim Jim Falls, may require extra advance booking.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

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We 💚 feedbackParting advice and final tips

Pair Kakadu with Litchfield National Park and the Darwin markets for an easy northern loop, or push on to Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) if you have extra days. I would give Kakadu at least three nights, because the distances between sights eat up the daylight, and I would pack a decent insect repellent.

✈️ When did I visit Australia?
On my trip to New Zealand in 1993, I had a short stop in Australia as well.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Australia, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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👋 Meet the founderWho’s Behind Take Your Backpack?

Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

This site is built on a combination of firsthand travel experience and carefully curated insights from other backpackers. Many guides are based on places I’ve personally visited, while others bring together tips, observations, and practical advice shared by trusted travelers I’ve met along the way.

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