Northern Territory (Dutch: Northern Territory) is located in the middle of, how could it be otherwise, the north of Australia.
Regions
Towns
Other destinations
- Ayers Rock/ Uluru National Park and the Olgas / Kata Tjuta.
Info
Language
Arrive
By plane
The main airports in Northern Territory are Darwin (international airport with connections to Singapore, Bali and Jakarta, among others), Alice Springs and Ayers Rock (domestic flights only).
By train
The Ghan runs several times a week from Adelaide to Darwin and back via Alice Springs.
By bus
Greyhound Australia maintains daily services on the Alice Springs-Darwin lines; Alice Springs-Ayers Rock; Darwin-Perth and Tennant Creek-Townsville.
By car
The Stuart Highway (A87) is the main north-south route from South Australia to Darwin via Alice Springs. At Daly Waters the Stuart Highway changes to the A1. From Western Australia you can drive to Darwin via the Victoria Highway and Savannah Highway via Kununurra (WA). Another option from western Australia is the Buntine Highway which joins the Stuart Highway 15 km south of Daly Waters. Finally, the Barkly Highway connects Mount Isa in Queensland with Tennant Creek (north of Alice Springs on the Stuart Highway. For traveling by Car in the Northern Territory see also the Safety section further down this page.
Travel around
To look at
- Kakadu National Park: - About 250 km from the city of Darwin is Kakadu National Park, a breathtaking park in the Northern Territory. The park is just under 20,000 km² in size. You will find rocks with beautiful waterfalls of up to 200 meters high (such as Jim Jim Falls), but also many animal species, such as crocodiles, water birds, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, reptiles, insects and much more.
- Litchfield National Park: - About 140 km south of Darwin is another national park, Litchfield National Park. The park has an area of approximately 1500 km². There you will also find beautiful nature and the area is equally rich in fauna. An absolute crowd pleaser in the Litchfield National Park are the 2 meter high termite mounds.
- Territory Wildlife Park: - The Territory Wildlife Park is located in Berry Springs, about a 45-minute drive from the center of Darwin. It is an animal park that works in themes such as "Woolybutts and Wallabies" where the visitors are allowed to walk among the wallabies.
- Uluru / Ayers Rock - Australia's most famous landmark. "The Rock", as this monolith is also known, is a sacred place for the Aboriginal people. There has been quite a bit of commotion because a ban on climbing the rock was announced in 2009. This ban was declared invalid by the Australian Supreme Court in January 2010. Advice: if you want to climb Ayers Rock, do this immediately after sunrise (because of the heat during the day) and wear good mountain shoes or at least sturdy shoes with good profile soles. The first part is quite steep, but there is a chain in the middle of the trail that makes the climb a bit easier. If you have an average condition it is possible to make the climb in about 45 minutes. Another option is to walk around Ayers Rock. Also do this in the morning as early as possible because of the high temperatures during the day. In about an hour you can walk the flat, well-marked path around Ayers Rock. If you want to take pictures here, pay attention to the signs in places where photography is prohibited, because of this. the spiritual places of the aborigines.
- Olga's/ Kata Tjuta - Approx. 20 km from Ayers Rock. These rock formations are part of the Uluru National Park. A walking route of several kilometers has been set out here. Make sure you have enough water with you when you go on this walk, because of this. the great drought and heat in this area.
Routes
- Larapinta Road From Alice Springs towards Hermannsburg (route no.6). This road leads largely along the Western McDonald Ranges. Sights along this route include Simpsons Gap (about 10 km from Alice Springs), Standley Chasm (about 25 km from Alice Springs) and Ellery Creek Big Hole, a small lake where you can swim in the wet season (November-March).
To do
Food
Going out
Safety
animals
Beware of dangerous animals:
The ten most venomous snake species in Australia live in the Northern Territory. Saltwater crocodiles ("Salties") can be found in the rivers in the Tropical North. If there are signs saying "No swimming/Crocodiles inhabit these waters" follow this advice and also be careful on the banks of the water. These aggressive animals are not to be trifled with!!
Traveling through NT
Much of the Northern Territory is desert. Here the following applies: make sure you have enough water with you and stay on the roads as much as possible (even if you drive a 4WD car). The greatest danger is that people underestimate the distances and the drought. The Northern Territory is very sparsely populated, most people live in Darwin and Alice Springs. Many roads are unpaved, but especially in the south of the state, due to the drought, a "normal" car can also be driven. However, try to drive as little as possible at night, unless you have a so-called "Roo-Bar" (a steel construction to protect you in case of collisions with animals) in front of your car. Also be aware during the day that Kangaroos or Dromedaries can unexpectedly cross the road!
Weather & Climate
The north of the state is Tropical. The wet season lasts from October to March, the dry season from April to September. However, it is possible that Darwin is only accessible by road for 3 months a year (June, July, August). During the other months, large parts of the Alice Springs - Darwin road can be under water. In the months of December and January there is a chance of tropical cyclones in Darwin and the surrounding area.
The southern part of the Northern Territory has a desert climate with dry hot summers (October to March) and winters in which it can get quite hot during the day, but where it can freeze at night (April to September). Rain usually falls in summer (Wet season in the north).
all around
