UPDATED FEB 2020. It’s Australia week on the blog, and I am kicking it off with a practical guide on how to plan a day trip to Litchfield National Park which is located in the Northern Territory of Australia. If you are planning a visit to Darwin then Litchfield, or Litchy as it is affectionately known, makes for a fun day trip where you can get away from the city and have a gorgeous day in nature amongst outback waterfalls and natural swimming holes.
How To Plan A Day Trip To Litchfield National Park – Darwin, Australia
Disclaimer
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FAQ for visiting Litchfield National Park
Where is Litchfield National Park?
The Outback about 90 minutes drive from Darwin.
Is there a cost?
It’s free to enter.
What should you bring with you?
- Lightweight towel
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Swimsuit
- Waterproof camera (I use a GoPro and this floaty selfie stick)
- Lunch or snacks
)
When to go to Litchfield National Park
The Territory runs on two seasons – the wet and the dry.
If you plan to do outdoor adventures like visiting Litchfield during your visit to Darwin, or any of the touristy activities, it’s very important to visit in the dry season which runs from April/May – September/October.
This is when the Territory comes alive.
It’s the busy season but also the only season you can experience many of the outdoor adventures because many places are closed in the wet season due to flooding – Litchfield is one of those places.
There are school holidays in early July which would be the worst time to go during the dry season because it would be the busiest and most expensive.
How to get there
Renting a car is the best way to get to Litchfield, and also the best way to see a lot of Darwin and the surrounding areas given how spread out everything is.
It is about an hour and a half drive south of Darwin and most of the drive is down the highway.
If you won’t have a rental car, you could take a day tour to Litchfield such as with Litchfield Safaris or Real Aussie Adventures.
Public transport is not an option to get to Litchfield.
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What to do
With multiple waterfalls, camping areas, hikes, and 4WD tracks there is so much to see here at the park.
I am focusing this post on the areas where I visited, from Florence Falls to Buley Rockhole, which is my main go-to when I take visitors for a day trip because it’s the shortest drive.
Please know there is a lot more to see and you could extend your stay there to see more of the park.
I recommend parking at Florence Falls.
From there you can visit the falls, go for a swim, and then walk the path up to Buley Rockhole, stopping at some of the quieter water spots to cool off along the way.
These quieter spots are my favorite places to hang out, but if you prefer not to walk (it’s about 45 minutes with no shade) you could see Florence Falls and then go back to your car and drive to the Buley Rockhole area.
I recommend packing a lunch and bringing snacks but please respect the area and make sure to take your trash with you – unfortunately I have seen lots of groups of backpackers come through and leave trash and smashed beer bottles which is very sad to see.
Florence Falls
Florence Falls is a popular, large, and very spectacular outback waterfall with a large swimming area below the falls.
The path down to the falls is well marked and easy to follow.
There is a lookout at the upper section of the path which gives a stunning vantage point of the waterfall and is a great spot to get a couple of pictures.
Then you will go down a large set of stairs and follow the path to the swimming area.
The water is a fresh and cool oasis.
Make sure you keep an eye out for some fish that will be swimming with you. You can relax here, swim up to the falls, and there are even some spots for cliff jumping.
Be careful if you do any jumping because there are rocks in the water.
The hidden gems near Florence Falls
As you follow the path from Florence Falls to Buley Rockhole, look out for the posts signs which will lead you into these quieter spots.
They have an icon and an arrow.
I love to hang out in each little area and swim in the quiet waterholes, play by the little waterfalls and check out the wildlife.
The Buley Rockhole
Buley Rockhole is the other popular spot in this area and it’s a series of natural rock holes that you can swim in.
A couple of the holes are big enough to jump in, otherwise, it’s mostly just a nice spot to sit and relax in the fresh, cool water.
Things to do nearby
Chances are the day trip to Litchfield will take up most of the day but here are some of the other highlights of the area. More details on these are linked at the end of the post.
Robin Falls is a hidden gem hike about an hour away and the Berry Springs Nature Reserve is another natural swimming hole also about an hour away.
The Territory Wildlife Park is one of my favorite places to take visitors and makes for a great day out where you can see and learn about a wide range of native wildlife.
You can also take one of the iconic Jumping Crocodile Cruises on the Adelaide River.
I recommend stopping for food at one of the places in the area to give you a different experience to what you would get in Darwin city.
The Noonamah Tavern and Berry Springs Tavern are a couple of good options. You could also line your visit up with a Noonamah rodeo to see one of the local rodeo events.
Make sure you stop at the Noonamah service station to get one of the iconic ‘Where the hell’s Noonamah stickers’.
Where to stay in Darwin
It’s best to base yourself in Darwin and when I visit I usually stay at the Mantra on the Esplanade.
Novotel is another one of my favorites.
Other guides to help you plan your visit
A Guide To Visiting The Territory Wildlife Park From Darwin, Australia
How To Take An Adelaide River Jumping Crocodile Cruise From Darwin
Darwin Bucket List – Things To Do That You Don’t Want To Miss
As always, remember to take your trash with you, stick to the trails, and use your best judgment as to the weather conditions and your swimming ability.
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Looks amazing; will be booking a trip up there in the next few years. Cheers for the inspiration!