Does camping in the Northern Territory with your very own private waterhole tickle your fancy?  If so then Walker Creek in the Northern Territory's Litchfield National Park is absolutely not to be missed.

As the name suggests, the campsites are walk-in only. However, if thats not your thing don't be put off just yet. The hike is very short, with all 8 of the campsites being scattered along a 2km trail that follows the crystal clear Walker Creek, meaning the furthest site is still less than 2km from your car.

Each camp site has a table, water access and space for a tent or 2. Ours also came with a complimentary water monitor (a type of a swimming lizard). The creek is deemed croc-free in the dry season once it has been cleared, however as usual with all swimming spots in the NT it's best to be alert, but not alarmed.

You can walk along Walker Creek as a short 3.5km return day hike OR you can pop you name down on the blackboard on your way in and secure yourself your very own private campsite (complete with some form of plunge pool and maybe even a waterfall!).

All 8 sites are pretty spectacular! When we arrived there wasn't anyone else in any of the sites so we got to pick which one we liked the most. We chose site 3, which was our favourite due to the huge pool and small waterfall! There was also some shade which was nice during the day. Site 4 was also nice, and sites 7 & 8 were super private (at the very end of the trail).
Site 2 was probably our least favourite and also the least private as the trail walks straight past it (the rest are short side trips off the main trail).

For more ideas of things to do and see in the NT check out our 4 Week Northern Territory Road Trip Itinerary 

Nitmiluk National Park in Australia's Northern Territory is a real treat to outdoor enthusiasts.
With its variety of hiking and mountain biking trails, waterfalls, swimming holes and canoeing options it's pretty darn spectacular.

The park also hosts the famous 62km multi-day Jatbula trail. The trail can be completed over 5 or 6 days and books out months and months in advance. We were meant to do this hike at the end of August this year, however the trail was closed (for the first time ever) due to catastrophic fire danger. I was bummed, but it just means we'll have to head back another time. 

The park is split up into two main visitor areas; Leliyn (Edith) Falls and Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge. Edith Falls is 30km to the north of Katherine, where as the gorge is to the east of town. Both areas are accessible by all vehicles and there are campgrounds at both Leliyn (Edith Falls) and at the Katherine Gorge Visitor Centre, as well as plenty of campground options in Katherine town.

The Nitmiluk Campground at the gorge visitor centre is pretty pricey, at $23 per person for unpowered sites. They do have a pool and all the usual campground trimmings however, and at the time we stayed, free-to-use washing machines. What you're really paying for here is the proximity to the gorge and activities though which is very handy. If this is out of your budget though there are some cheaper options in town.

The campground at Edith Falls is far cheaper at $12 per person (there are only unpowered sites) and is a few 100 metres to the 'plunge pool' aka the giant swimming hole. Saturday nights at Edith Falls are pretty fun with opt-in well priced group meals and live music!

There are a couple of hikes here that you can do from the pool, both of which take you to a new and exciting swimming pool. Remember to start early in the day and take plenty of water as the temperatures here exceed the high 30's very regularly.

Leliyn Trail (Upper Pools) :
2.6km loop
This loop heads up and around the back of the main fall and takes you to the upper falls and pool. It then returns via the Bemang lookout.
The upper pools can be a little quieter and are a nice spot to spend the day.

Sweetwater Pools Hike:
8.6km return
This trail heads along the beginning of the upper pools hike before splitting off and following the Jatbula trail to the Sweetwater Pool.
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Nitmiluk National Park has over 10 stunning gorges. You are able to hike or canoe out to different areas and camp overnight. As well as hiking, there is a new network of mountain biking trails that was opened in July 2020. They are still under construction and when completed, will boast over 10km of trails through the park.

The hiking trails of the Southern Walks (the hikes at the Katherine end of the park) stretch out over lots of kilometres and all link up. The hikes all start at the visitors centre so depending on how big of a day you after you may need to camp out somewhere overnight to get to the furthest gorge (it's over 10km one way on foot if you take the shortest route).

A few popular day hikes are:

• Pat's Lookout
• Jedda's Lookout
• Butterfly Gorge
• Southern Rockhole 

We did a run one morning and visited all these spots in 15km, so it would be a nice day hike if you started out early!

Find a PDF from NT Parks of the Southern hiking trails ​here

Buckle up, this is an overview of our 4 day itinerary in Kakadu National Park and it covers a lot of ground. The park is spread over a huge amount of land, so resultantly there is quite large distance between places and a fair bit of driving time!

We'll cover waterfalls, wildlife and rock art, along with a couple of hiking trails thrown in for good measure.

It's also important that we mention our itinerary is by no means exhaustive. There are loads more campgrounds and things to do that we didn't get to. On our trip around Australia, we had our trusty little VW transporter which was wonderful, but not a 4WD which really limited some things we could visit in Kakadu. Head over to the Parks Australia - Kakadu website or more in-depth information on everything in the park.

First things first you'll need a Park Pass. When we visited (September 2020) entry was free due to COVID-19 and its impact on the tourism industry. The pass usually costs $40 in the dry season and lasts for 7 days by default, this can be extended to 14 days at no extra cost. 

​As always when visiting a national park ensure you check the parks websites for any warnings or closures. Trails can be closed for a variety of reasons including fire danger and extreme temperatures.

We visited Kakadu during our 4 week trip of the Northern Territory in August/September 2020. To see our 4 week road trip itinerary click the button below!