Australian Geographic Birdwatching Safari of Kakadu & Litchfield National Parks

After an early pick up from your Darwin accommodation we’ll head eastwards into the tropical outback. The road from Darwin to Jabiru is sealed for its entire length and makes for very easy travelling. On the way we’ll stop at a number of beautiful locations including Fogg Dam (part of the Adelaide River floodplain) where we’ll take our first walk into a monsoon forest and view some fantastic birdlife and wildlife of the Northern Territory. Continuing east we cross a number of the huge rivers that drain the tropical wilderness including the Mary River where we might see our first crocodile. We enter Kakadu National Park and stop at Mamukala Wetland and take a walk to get our first taste of the tropical wonders of Kakadu. We’ll end the day in the small town of Jabiru and move into our accommodation. Wildlife: abundant water birds, Radjah Shelduck, Green Pygmy-goose, Wandering Whistlingduck, Brolga, Barking Owl, Rainbow Pitta, Paperbark and Broad-billed Flycatcher, Little Bronze-cuckoo, Lemon-bellied Flyrobin, Buff-sided Robin, Saltwater Crocodile, Agile Wallaby etc. Meals: Lunch and Dinner Accommodation: Anbinik Suites (2 Nights)

Many who visit Ubirr come away as different people. It is possibly the most beautiful place in Kakadu with some of the most compelling wilderness landscapes on earth. It has a presence that takes humans back to their beginnings. Nearby the tidal (saltwater) section of the East Alligator River bounds the vast Aboriginal lands of Arnhem Land – to go any further requires special permission. But on the Kakadu side there is a wide variety of activities to choose from including gentle walks near the river, views of elaborate Aboriginal Rock Art sites or a climb to the top of Ubirr Rock with its stunning views across Kakadu. We’ll also take the Bardedjilidji Sandstone walk which takes us deep into some of Kakadu’s most remarkable geological formations where we learn how the Kakadu Escarpment was formed millions of years ago. Another highlight of the day is taking an Aboriginal guided boat tour out into the wilderness of the East Alligator River. For nearly two hours this remarkable tour follows the river beside brilliantly coloured sandstone escarpments and provides a full commentary by a local Aboriginal guide about the significance of Arnhem Land to Aboriginal People. Before we return to Jabiru, we will stop at the Border Store - Injalak Arts, an institute designed to showcase local Indigenous Artists, where there is the possibility to purchase items if you wish, or just enjoy a walkthrough of this Art Gallery. On our return to Jabiru to hopefully watch huge numbers of corellas return to roost and thousands of flying foxes head off to forage for the night. Wildlife: Sandstone Shrike-thrush, Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon, White-lined and Rufousthroated Honeyeater, Crimson, Long-tailed and Masked Finch, Purple-backed Fairy-wren, Large-billed Heron, Wilkins Rock-wallaby, Little Red Flying-fox, Saltwater Crocodile, etc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Accommodation: Anbinik Suites (Jabiru)

The Nourlangie region is another access point to the magnificent Arnhem Land escarpment and its unique wildlife. It also helps us to understand the enormous importance of Kakadu to the Aboriginal People. Ancient sandstone ranges rise directly out of the Kakadu floodplains in a landscape that epitomises the Dreamtime in Australia. The Nourlangie Rock Art site contains some of the most powerful Aboriginal paintings in Australia including a depiction of Namarrgon, the Lightning Man. You will begin to feel the incredible power of this landscape. Our afternoon is all about getting to Pine Creek to have a look around the Water Treatment Plant, where there are often very unusual sightings, such as Oriental Pratincole, Great Bowerbird and a range of waders. Wildlife: Several finches, Emu, Bush Stone-curlew, Banded and Rose-crowned Fruit-dove, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Great Bowerbird, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Hooded Parrot Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Accommodation: Lazy Lizard, Pine Creek (1 Night)

We head off early this morning bound for one of the best places to see four species of finch found in the Top End, including the sought-after Gouldian Finch. Patience is required here, as they come and go over time from little pools of water in the creek. Leliyn (Edith Falls) is a magnificent area at the southern section of the Arnhem Escarpment and land of the Joewyn people. The permanent water tumbles off the escarpment into several large pools, great for a swim if you are keen, but also a great spot for the wildlife to come and drink. Sandstone Shrike-thrush and several honeyeaters can be seen on a circuit hike that goes up and over the bottom and top pools. If this sounds too difficult, the park around the bottom pools is a perfect spot to relax with your binoculars and wait for the birds to come to you, which more often than not, will happen. If we can draw ourselves away from this oasis, we head back north, past Pine Creek, to Adelaide River for lunch and then on to our accommodation beside Litchfield National Park. End the day with a sunset at the Magnetic and Cathedral Termite mounds. Wildlife: Pacific Baza, Gouldian, Masked and Double-barred Finch, Red Goshawk, Rosecrowned Fruit-dove, Sandstone Shrike-thrush, Brown, Banded, Rufous-throated and Bar-breasted Honeyeater, Freshwater crocodile etc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Accommodation: Pandanus on Litchfield (1 Night)

This morning we investigate areas around Litchfield National Park, visiting the magnetic and cathedral termite mounds, Buley’s Rock Pools, Tjaetaba Falls trail where we have previously seen the Red Goshawk, probably the rarest raptor in Australia, and the oriental honey buzzard, a bird more at home in Asia, with only about a dozen sightings in Australia each year. We may have time to visit Wongi Falls, the most voluminous falls in the region and Tolmer Falls, the highest falls in the region. The afternoon is spent travelling to Darwin for lunch and to drop in to some local areas in search of other species that we haven’t seen yet, such as the chestnut rail, rufous owl, mangrove golden whistler, beach stone curlew and pacific reef heron. Wildlife: Chestnut Rail, Mangrove Golden Whistler, Pacific Reef Heron, Beach Stone Curlew, Black Butcherbird, Collared Sparrowhawk, Spangled Drongo, Northern Brush-tailed Possum, Yellow-spotted Monitor, etc Meals: Breakfast and Lunch