Kakadu Itinerary for Caravans: Katherine to Darwin

Kakadu is the headline national park in the Top End, and the one most caravanners get wrong. They arrive for three nights at the big paid campground in Jabiru, do the Yellow Water cruise, drive out and tell anyone who will listen that Kakadu is overrated. The truth is that Kakadu rewards travellers who slow down, sleep in the bush camps and chase the side-tracks that road-spec vans cannot reach. Done properly, this Kakadu caravan trip is a 10-day immersion in escarpment country, plunge pools, rock art and saltwater crocodiles. Done badly, it is a thousand-dollar tick-box exercise.

This is our 10-day Kakadu itinerary from Katherine to Darwin, written from the seat of our 13 ft hybrid caravan and dual-cab ute. It is the exact itinerary we took. Every camp listed is one we have stayed at. Every detail comes from real conditions, real corrugations and real sandstone scrambles.

The route works as a standalone trip from Katherine or as a bolt-on to our Savannah Way Northern Territory itinerary. Travellers tackling the stretch between the Queensland border and Kununurra can swing north before pushing into Western Australia or Queensland.

If you have a compact caravan, hybrid or camper trailer, this Katherine to Darwin road trip is the small-caravan-friendly route (full-sized vans can also comfortably do this route). The big paid park at Jabiru gets the headlines. The bush camps at Kambolgie, Mardukal and Merl get the trip.

Warning: At some rock art locations, photography is not permitted for cultural reasons. Check for signs before taking photos.

Why a Small Van Wins in Kakadu

Kakadu is where the small-rig advantage stops being a slogan and starts being the difference between camping at Kambolgie under the stars and being shunted into a $60-a-night powered site at Cooinda. The bush camps inside the park (Kambolgie, Mardukal, Merl, Maguk) are sized and surfaced for compact rigs. Sites are unmarked, access tracks are tight in places and the better spots back onto bush rather than other caravans. The unsealed approach to Kambolgie favours off-road compact setups over road-spec vans.

You also save real money. Ten nights at the bush camps inside the park costs about $150 a head. Ten nights at the Cooinda Lodge caravan park costs over $600 for the same period. The bush camps have toilets, some have showers, and all of them have something the paid parks do not: silence, separation and a night sky that is genuinely dark.

If you have not weighed the rig recently, our guide on caravan towing weights is worth a read before you commit to the unsealed park tracks. The Gunlom and Maguk access roads are graded but corrugated, and a heavy van on tired shocks will arrive at camp with rattles it did not have at Katherine.

Kakadu Itinerary for Caravans Quick Facts

• Duration: 10 Days
• Distance: 540 km (not including side-trips)
• Start / Finish: Katherine / Darwin (Northern Territory)
• Best Months: May to September (Dry Season; many tracks, access roads, and plunge pools are closed during the wet season)
• Road Conditions: Mixed. Main highways (Stuart, Kakadu, and Arnhem) are sealed bitumen. Access roads to southern falls and bush camps range from graded gravel to 4WD-only tracks.
• Caravan Suitability: Off-road and semi-off-road compact caravans, hybrids, and camper trailers up to 16 ft. Single-axle and high-clearance setups excel in the bush camps. Full-sized, road-spec vans can complete the main highway loop but must bypass unsealed tracks.
• Camping Cost: Low to Moderate. National Park bush camps range from $6 to $15 per adult per night. Transit stop in Darwin around $32–$41/night.
• Fuel Availability: Reliable at Katherine, Pine Creek, Cooinda, Jabiru, and Darwin. Longest stretch without fuel is under 200 km, but side-trips burn extra diesel — carry a 20 L jerry can if tackling 4WD tracks.
• Mobile Reception: Patchy to Non-Existent. Optus and Telstra are available in main hubs (Cooinda, Jabiru, Darwin) and select camps (Mardukal, Merl), but absent at remote sites like Umbrawarra Gorge and Kambolgie.
• Pet Suitability: Not Suitable. Dogs and domestic pets are prohibited in Kakadu National Park to protect native wildlife and prevent crocodile incidents.
• Highlights: Umbrawarra Gorge, Gunlom & Motor Car Falls plunge pools, Yellow Water Billabong Cruise, Anbangbang Rock Shelter, Ubirr Sunset Lookout, and Cahill’s Crossing.
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Easy sealed driving linked with moderate unhitched 4WD tracks and rock-scramble hikes.
• Who This Trip Suits: Off-grid touring enthusiasts, nature lovers, small-rig owners, and slow-travel caravanners who prefer quiet bush camps over commercial caravan parks.
• Last Verified: August 2026

Katherine to Darwin Map

To aid your planning, we have carefully prepared a map of the route, shown below. The map has details of the campgrounds and attractions. Towards the end of this article, we provide a free interactive map (see interactive map now).

Kakadu Itinerary at a Glance

• Day 1: Katherine to Umbrawarra Gorge Campground
• Day 2: Umbrawarra Gorge Rest & Exploration Day
• Day 3: Umbrawarra Gorge to Kambolgie Campground
• Day 4: Kambolgie Base: Gunlom, Boulder Creek & Motor Car Falls
• Day 5: Kambolgie to Mardukal Campground
• Day 6: Mardukal Base: Yellow Water Cruise & Cultural Sites
• Day 7: Mardukal Base: Jim Jim & Twin Falls (or Nourlangie / Kambolgie Alternative)
• Day 8: Mardukal to Merl Campground
• Day 9: Merl Base: Ubirr Rock Art, Sunset & Cahill’s Crossing
• Day 10: Merl Campground to Darwin

Days 1–2: Katherine to Umbrawarra Gorge

Day 1: Katherine to Umbrawarra Gorge

The Drive

Katherine to Umbrawarra Gorge Campground via the Stuart Highway and the Umbrawarra Gorge Road | 111 km | 1.5–2 hours | sealed bitumen on the Stuart Highway, 22 km of unsealed graded gravel into the gorge.

On the Road

The Stuart Highway north of Katherine is straightforward dual-carriageway-quality bitumen. Top up on fuel and supplies before departing Katherine.

The Umbrawarra Gorge Road runs west off the highway 3 km south of Pine Creek, and the unsealed section is graded gravel with the usual corrugated patches and a couple of shallow creek crossings that are dry by mid-season.

During our trip, we maintained highway pressures, but you may want to consider dropping them if conditions dictate. The campground can easily accommodate small and medium-sized caravans.

The Stay

Umbrawarra Gorge Campground: 2 nights, $6 per person, drop toilet, fires permitted in supplied fireplaces; no water or power. Bookings must be made online through NT Parks before arrival, as there is no phone signal at the campground.

The camp has about 10 sites in an open area near the gorge. Sites are on dirt, the area is generally flat but undulating, and some sites are shadier than others. There is no Telstra or Optus coverage, no power and no water, so you commit to self-sufficiency. The campground is a short walk from the gorge and the swimming hole.

The Highlight

The Umbrawarra Gorge swimming hole is the draw: a permanent waterhole at the base of red sandstone cliffs, deep enough for a proper swim, free of saltwater crocs at this elevation and quiet enough most days that you have the place to yourself. The walk in is easy: 700 m one way on a defined track with one rocky scramble at the end. Take swimmers, a small towel and a packed lunch and plan to spend a couple of hours.

We had the gorge to ourselves.

The gorge is not on the tourist circuit. Most travellers blow past the Umbrawarra Gorge Road turnoff on their way to Kakadu without ever knowing it is there. That is exactly why it is worth two nights.

Rob’s Tip: Umbrawarra rewards arriving early. The 2-hour sun window in the gorge proper (roughly 10 am to 2 pm) is when the swimming hole gets full sun and the water warms up enough to swim comfortably. Time your walk for late morning, swim through midday and walk out before the afternoon heat builds.

Day 2: Umbrawarra Gorge Rest Day

This day is optional. If you are short on time or planning a return loop south through Pine Creek on the way back from Darwin, skip the rest day and do Umbrawarra as a one-night stop on the return journey instead. If you are doing the route as a one-way Katherine to Darwin push, take the rest day. The gorge is a better second-look than a quick first-look, and the camp is one of the few places on this itinerary where you can genuinely do nothing for a day without feeling like you missed something.

We had the gorge to ourselves for a couple of hours late in the day, and the impression we got is that this is the norm.

Use the rest day to check tyre pressures, top up water from your reserves and do the upper gorge walk if you have the legs for it. The upper section is a rougher rock-hop than the main swimming hole walk and rewards travellers who keep going past the obvious turnaround point.

Days 3–4: Kambolgie and the Southern Falls

Day 3: Umbrawarra Gorge to Kambolgie Campground

The Drive

Umbrawarra Gorge to Kambolgie Campground via the Kakadu Highway | approximately 110 km | 1.5 hours | unsealed graded gravel out of the gorge, sealed bitumen on the Stuart and Kakadu Highways, 14.5 km of unsealed graded gravel on the Gunlom Road into Kambolgie.

On the Road

You backtrack to the highway, then on to Pine Creek to top up fuel before heading north on the Kakadu Highway. The Kakadu Highway runs north-east and is good-quality sealed bitumen through escarpment country with the southern boundary of the park on your left. Watch for cattle and the occasional kangaroo on the road; we have driven this section several times and never had a clear run without at least one wildlife slow-down.

The Gunlom Road turnoff is signed and well-maintained at the highway end. Kambolgie Campground is 14.5 km along the unsealed access road. The camp is next to a newly sealed section of the road. Gunlom Campground is further along the same route.

The Stay

Kambolgie Campground: 2 nights, $6 per adult paid into an honesty box, drop toilet, fires permitted in supplied fireplaces, no water or power. No bookings: first-in basis. Open all year.

Kambolgie is the quieter, deep-country alternative to Kakadu’s busier campgrounds. The site has about 10 campsites set against the dramatic sandstone backdrop of the Marrawuddi escarpment. The area undulates a bit, but finding a flat spot is not difficult. Telstra coverage is very weak, with Optus absent. The open layout gives you the big-sky feel that makes the southern area worth the detour.

The Highlight

We were lucky with Gunlom. It opened just before we arrived in July 2025, after being closed for six years.

An afternoon swim at Gunlom is the highlight. The plunge pool at the base of Gunlom Falls is a permanent waterhole the size of a small lake. During our visit it was closed due to a crocodile, and we got the impression it was not going to open anytime soon.

The infinity pool at the top of the falls is the photographed one, and it requires a steep 1 km climb on a marked track that punishes hot afternoon walkers.

Rob’s Tip: Drive into Gunlom for the afternoon swim and drive back to Kambolgie for the night. The drive back is short compared to the difference in camp quality. Take a head torch for the return if you stay for sunset at the top pool: the Gunlom Road is unfenced, kangaroos move at dusk and the corrugations look different at night.

Day 4: Kambolgie Base, Boulder Creek and Motor Car Falls

The Drive

Day trips out of Kambolgie | 45 km return | unsealed graded gravel and short 4WD sections.

On the Road

Use Kambolgie as a base and run unhitched for the day. The infinity pool walk at Gunlom is a 2 km return climb on a defined but steep track; take 2 L of water per person and start before 9 am. Boulder Creek Falls is a shorter walk from a separate trailhead off the Gunlom Road, and the swimming hole at the base is one of the better small plunge pools in the southern park.

The Highlight

Motor Car Falls is the small-rig traveller’s reward for being willing to walk further than the day-tripper crowd. A permanent plunge pool at the base of a 50 m sandstone cascade, deep enough for a good swim, surrounded by paperbark and pandanus and quiet enough most days that the only sound is the falls themselves. The 7.5 km walk filters out the casual visitor and leaves you with one of the best swimming holes in the southern park to yourself. The trailhead is 8 km from the campground. We had the place to ourselves for a good length of time.

Take 3 L of water per person, a packed lunch, swimmers and a small towel. Start before 9 am to walk in the cool of the morning, swim through the heat of the day and walk out in the late afternoon. Allow 5–6 hours for the round trip with a long swim in the middle.

Rob’s Tip: The Motor Car Falls track is flat and easy walking, but it is exposed and gets hot by midday. Take more water than you think you need, wear a wide-brimmed hat and do not rely on the falls to cool you down on the way back: the walk out is the hottest part of the day.

Days 5–7: Mardukal and Central Kakadu

Day 5: Kambolgie to Mardukal Campground

The Drive

Kambolgie to Mardukal Campground via the Kakadu Highway | approximately 100 km | 1.5 hours | unsealed graded gravel on the Gunlom Road, sealed bitumen on the Kakadu Highway, sealed bitumen access into Mardukal.

On the Road

An easy driving day. You retrace the Gunlom Road out to the Kakadu Highway in the morning when the corrugations are most visible and the dust settles fastest, then head north on sealed bitumen through the heart of the park. The Mardukal turnoff is well-signed about 5 km south of Cooinda, and the access road is sealed all the way to the campground.

If you have time and the timing works, divert to Maguk Campground for a night instead of pushing through to Mardukal. The Maguk access road is a 9 km unsealed run off the Kakadu Highway, and the camp is a small bush site with one of the best swimming holes in the park at the end of a 2 km walk. Maguk is seasonal: it opens late in the dry and closes early in the build-up, so check the Parks Australia conditions report before you commit (it was closed during our visit). If Maguk is open and you have the time, go there first, then Mardukal.

The Stay

Mardukal Campground: 3 nights, $15 per adult paid to the host on arrival, flushing toilets, warm showers, fires permitted in supplied fireplaces, non-potable water available. Generators are restricted to a designated area. Closed during the wet season.

Mardukal Campground 1 is the section purposefully managed for caravans, with about 20 well-spaced sandy sites and far more manoeuvring room than the smaller Campground 2. Some sites are more shaded than others, and there is enough sun for solar charging. Telstra coverage is available at the site. Mardukal is about 56 km south of Jabiru and is the practical base for the Yellow Water region, just 6 km from the Cooinda hub. The flushing toilets and warm showers are a step up from Kambolgie.

The Highlight

The shift in country is the highlight of the drive north. The southern park is escarpment and plunge pool country; the central park is floodplain, paperbark and saltwater crocodile country. You will see the change in vegetation within an hour of leaving Kambolgie, and the late-afternoon light over the Mardukal floodplain is among the best Kakadu sunsets.

Rob’s Tip: The solar-powered showers at Mardukal run warm rather than hot. Get in early in the afternoon for the warmer end of the range; by sundown, the tank has worked through the hot water. Pay your camp fees to the host on arrival rather than waiting for them to find you in the morning.

Day 6: Mardukal Base, Yellow Water and Cultural Sites

The Drive

Day trips from Mardukal | 20–40 km return | sealed bitumen.

On the Road

Yellow Water is 5 km north of Mardukal at Cooinda. The Yellow Water cruise is the headline tourist attraction of the central park, and it is the only Kakadu boat tour we recommend without reservation. The 1.5-hour cruise runs at sunrise, mid-morning and sunset; the sunrise cruise is the standout for birdlife, and the sunset cruise is the standout for crocodiles. Book direct with Kakadu Tourism at least 48 hours in advance during peak season.

The Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre is a 2 km drive from the Yellow Water car park and is included in your Kakadu Park Pass. It is a small, well-curated centre with a strong focus on the cultural and ecological knowledge of the local Bininj and Mungguy people. Allow an hour. The rock art at Anbangbang Rock Shelter is a 30-minute drive and is the best central-park rock art accessible without a 4WD detour. The main gallery walk is 1.5 km return on a defined track.

Along the way, take the short walk to Mirray Lookout. Mirray Lookout is a 2 km return Grade 4 climb to the top of Mount Cahill, signed off the Kakadu Highway between Jabiru and Cooinda. The walk is short but steep and rocky; the platform is in tree cover at the summit, and the views across the southern park are best taken in on a morning before the heat builds.

The Highlight

The Yellow Water cruise is the genuine drawcard. The South Alligator River wetlands at first or last light are working ecosystem theatre: jabirus, sea eagles, jacanas, the occasional water buffalo and the saltwater crocodiles that own the place. The cruise guides are usually local, and the commentary is usually good.

The Warradjan Centre is the second highlight and the one most travellers skip. It is the best short cultural orientation in the park and is worth doing before you walk the rock art at Nourlangie or Ubirr.

Day 7: Mardukal Base, Jim Jim and Twin Falls

The Drive

Mardukal to Jim Jim Falls car park and Twin Falls car park | 153 km return | sealed bitumen on the Kakadu Highway, 60 km of 4WD-only track to Jim Jim and a further 10 km to Twin Falls.

On the Road

This is a 4WD-only day. Leave the van at Mardukal and run unhitched. The Jim Jim and Twin Falls access track is a 60 km unsealed run with rocky sections, soft sand patches and a couple of creek crossings that range from dry to knee-deep depending on the season. The track is rated 4WD high-clearance only; 2WD utes and AWD soft-roaders are not permitted by Parks Australia and will not make it.

Twin Falls adds a further 7.5 km on a track that includes a permanent creek crossing 600–900 mm deep. A snorkel is sensible, and recovery gear is essential. We carry a snatch strap, rated recovery points, a shovel and a UHF radio for this run, and we do not do it solo.

The Highlight

Jim Jim Falls is the highlight: a 200 m sandstone amphitheatre with a permanent plunge pool at the base, accessible via a 1 km rock-hop from the car park. The walk is genuinely rough: loose boulders, no defined track and a scramble at the end that filters out the casual visitor. The plunge pool is one of the best swimming holes in the park, deep, cold and surrounded on three sides by 200 m cliffs.

Twin Falls is the second highlight, accessed via a short shuttle-boat ride across the gorge ($12.50 per person) and a sandy beach walk to the plunge pool. The boat ride is required because saltwater crocodiles are present in the gorge.

Rob’s Tip: Jim Jim and Twin Falls are the only sections of this itinerary where the small-rig advantage flips into a small-rig limitation. You need a 4WD tow vehicle for this trip.

Days 8–9: Merl and Northern Kakadu

Day 8: Mardukal to Merl Campground

The Drive

Mardukal to Merl Campground via the Kakadu Highway and the Arnhem Highway | 90 km | 1–1.5 hours | sealed bitumen the whole way with sealed bitumen access into Merl.

On the Road

An easy driving day on a sealed road. Head north on the Kakadu Highway through Jabiru (last reliable fuel and supplies in the park; restock here for the trip to Darwin) and turn east on the Arnhem Highway towards Ubirr and Cahill’s Crossing.

The Stay

Merl Campground: 2 nights, $15 per adult, paid into an honesty box; flushing toilets; warm, solar-powered showers; fires permitted in supplied fireplaces; non-potable water available. Specified areas for generator use. Closed during the wet season.

Merl is the standout north-park base and the obvious choice for sunset at Ubirr, just 3 km from the campground. About 20 spacious sandy sites are tucked into monsoon forest, well-spread and shaded enough to break the afternoon heat. Both Telstra and Optus have coverage at the site. The solar showers run warm rather than hot, so get in early if you want the warmer end of the range. The campground is 41 km north-east of Jabiru on sealed roads, and Cahill’s Crossing is a short walk from camp.

The Highlight

The transition from central region to north park is the highlight of the route. The country flattens out, the paperbark forests give way to monsoon forest and floodplain, and the sandstone escarpments of the East Alligator country come into view. Merl feels like a different park to Kambolgie or Mardukal, and the canopy shade after five days of open-woodland camps is welcome.

Day 9: Merl Base, Ubirr and Cahill’s Crossing

The Drive

Day trips out of Merl | 6 km return | sealed bitumen.

On the Road

Ubirr and Cahill’s Crossing are within 10 minutes of Merl. Run unhitched, drive slowly on the access roads (kangaroos and water buffalo both use them) and plan your day around the late afternoon at Ubirr.

We walked to Cahill’s Crossing from the campground: an easy 2 km return.

The Highlight

The Ubirr sunset lookout is the highlight of the entire Kakadu itinerary. A 1 km loop walk takes you through several rock art galleries, including the well-known Rainbow Serpent and Mabuyu galleries, before climbing a short rock scramble to a panoramic lookout over the Nadab floodplain. The lookout faces west, the floodplain stretches to the horizon, and the sunset light over the wetlands is the photograph everyone takes home from Kakadu. Arrive 90 minutes before sunset to walk the galleries first, then settle on the lookout for the show. Take a head torch for the walk back down.

Cahill’s Crossing is the second highlight and an easy walk from Merl. The crossing is a tidal causeway over the East Alligator River that connects Kakadu with Arnhem Land, and it is one of the most reliable saltwater crocodile viewing points in the country. The crossing has a tidal viewing platform 100 m back from the water; never approach the water, never walk on the causeway when the tide is rising and never trust the apparent calm of the river. Crocodiles up to 5 m in length use the crossing as a feeding station on the rising tide. Time your visit for the tide change (the local visitor centre at Bowali has the tide chart) and watch from the platform.

Rob’s Tip: Ubirr is busy at sunset in peak season. The lookout is a flat sandstone platform that takes 50–60 people comfortably; in July and August, you will share it with that many. Arrive earlier than the crowd, claim a spot on the western edge and accept that the silence and solitude of Kambolgie and Motor Car Falls is not on the menu here. Ubirr is worth it anyway.

Day 10: Merl to Darwin

Day 10: The Final Leg

The Drive

Merl Campground to Darwin via the Arnhem Highway | approximately 272 km | 3–4 hours | sealed bitumen the whole way.

On the Road

The Arnhem Highway to Darwin is sealed the whole way, a straightforward 2–3 hour drive.

At Adelaide River, consider the jumping crocodile boat cruise. The jetty is a short detour from the highway and well signposted. Factor in an extra 2 hours if you stop; cruises run several times a day but the bigger operators fill up on weekends, so arrive early or check ahead.

The Stay

Robbie Robbins Reserve: 1+ nights, $32 unpowered or $41 powered, toilets and showers, water at every site, two free washing machines in the amenities block, pets permitted. Self-contained rigs only: tents, swags and campervans are not accepted. Book ahead on 040 741 3314 as the site can get busy.

Robbie Robbins Reserve is an equestrian reserve in Berrimah, about 15 km east of the Darwin CBD, that also serves as a transit camp for caravanners. Sites are allocated, generously sized and arranged on the outside of a loop around an oval. The unpowered sites are on the far side, away from the Stuart Highway and are noticeably quieter than the powered sites closer to the road. After 9 nights of bush camping, the free washing machines pay for the first night on their own. There is no dump point on site, so plan that into your Darwin run.

The Highlight: Adelaide River Jumping Crocodile Cruise (Optional)

After nine days of spotting crocodiles from a safe distance at places like Cahill’s Crossing, this is your chance to see a saltwater crocodile launch itself clean from the water. Guides hold bait on a pole above the boat and the crocodiles, some pushing 5 m, come up fast. It is a genuinely impressive sight and a good way to explain croc behaviour to kids before you cross back into suburban Darwin. Cruises run about 1 hour and cost $55 per adult (book ahead via the suggested link below), depending on operator and time slot. It is a commercial operation and the crocodiles are conditioned to the boats, so do not expect the same quiet, self-sufficient feel as the rest of this trip. Treat it as a fun add-on for the last day rather than a must-do.

Below are experiences in the Darwin area worth considering. We only recommend experiences that genuinely complement a self-drive caravan trip.

Rob’s Tip: If you are using this itinerary as a loop back to Katherine rather than a one-way trip, the obvious return route is via Litchfield National Park and the Stuart Highway. Litchfield is a 2–3 day stop with its own set of plunge pools (Wangi Falls, Florence Falls, Buley Rockhole) and a different feel to Kakadu: smaller, more accessible and busier. We cover the loop options in our Northern Territory Road Trips hub.

Interactive Katherine to Darwin Map

We have carefully prepared a map of this route showing campground locations and points of interest.

The map has layers you can turn on and off for clarity. Click the icon in the top left to view the layers. You can zoom into areas with a high density of points.

For those who jumped to the interactive map, you may return to the static map: click to return.

Special Road Notes for the Kakadu Caravan Itinerary

Park Pass and Camping Bookings

A Kakadu Park Pass is required for entry and is valid for seven consecutive days. The 10-day itinerary requires either a 7-day pass with a top-up or a single annual pass; check current pricing and validity windows on the Parks Australia website. Camp fee arrangements vary by site: Kambolgie operates on a first-in basis with payment into an honesty box, Mardukal collects fees directly from the on-site host on arrival and Merl uses an honesty box. Umbrawarra Gorge requires online booking through the NT Parks system before you arrive, as there is no phone signal at the campground.

Saltwater Crocodile Safety

Saltwater crocodiles are present in every permanent water body in the central and northern park, including waterholes that are not signed as crocodile habitat. Swim only in the designated swimming holes (Gunlom plunge pool, Maguk, Motor Car Falls, Jim Jim plunge pool, Twin Falls plunge pool, Umbrawarra Gorge swimming hole) and only when the most recent Parks Australia conditions report has cleared them. Never swim in the East Alligator River, the South Alligator River, the Mary River or any unsigned waterhole. Crocodiles move during the wet season and the early dry, and a waterhole that was clear last year may not be clear this year.

Fuel Points on the Kakadu Itinerary

• Pine Creek: Full service, the practical pre-park refuel point.
• Mary River Roadhouse: One pump on the Kakadu Highway, expensive but reliable.
• Cooinda: Full service inside the park, captive-market pricing.
• Jabiru: Full service, the best pricing inside the park and the practical mid-itinerary top-up.
• Darwin: Multiple stations, town pricing, the best value at either end of the trip.

Carry a 20 L jerry can if you are running the Jim Jim and Twin Falls 4WD track; the side trip will burn 40 L of diesel that you did not plan for.

Budget Breakdown: 10 Days in Kakadu

Worked at our pace for two adults in a 13 ft hybrid, here is what the Kakadu leg costs in real numbers (2025 pricing):

Camping: 4 nights at $6 per adult (Umbrawarra x 2, Kambolgie x 2) and 5 nights at $15 per adult (Mardukal x 3, Merl x 2) for two adults plus 1 night transit at a Darwin paid park = approximately $250 total.

Park pass: Two adults at current Parks Australia pricing = $80+.

Fuel: Approximately 750 km plus side trips at average $2.30 a litre and 18 L/100 km combined consumption towing = $310. Add $90 for the Jim Jim 4WD side trip if you do it.

Tours and entry: Yellow Water sunrise cruise ($90 each) and optional Twin Falls boat shuttle ($20 each) = $220.

Food and supplies: Roughly $85 a day fed from the van fridge with two pub meals = $850.

Total for the 10-day Kakadu leg: approximately $1,800 for two people. Achievable on a small-rig budget if you commit to the bush camps and self-cater out of Katherine and Jabiru.

Wrapping Up: Kakadu the Slow Way

The Kakadu caravan itinerary is the part of the Top End that most travellers get wrong when they rush. Three nights at the paid Cooinda Park and a Yellow Water cruise are not Kakadu; they are the marketing version. The 10 days from Katherine to Darwin take you through Umbrawarra Gorge, the Gunlom and Motor Car Falls plunge pools of the southern park, the Yellow Water wetlands and the Jim Jim escarpments of the central park and the Ubirr rock art and Cahill’s Crossing of the north, all linked by a route that rewards rigs sized for the bush camps and travellers willing to walk further than the day-trip crowd.

If you are doing this as a bolt-on to the Savannah Way, you arrive at Katherine after the Limmen and Mataranka leg, swing north through Kakadu and arrive in Darwin empty-handed and a fortnight of properly remote camping behind you. From Darwin, the road heads back south via our Litchfield itinerary.

For more Top End routes, including the Litchfield loop and the Darwin coastal options, head to our Northern Territory Road Trips hub. If you are continuing west to the Kimberley, our Gibb River Road for Caravans itinerary picks up at Kununurra.

Pack the rig, weigh it honestly, buy the park pass and head north out of Katherine. The Kakadu itinerary is the Top End trip that the small-rig traveller is built for.

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