Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory in Australia
Kakadu in the Northern Territory of Australia:
Visit the largest national park in the whole of Australia!
If you wish to explore the wilderness of Australia, then a trip to Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory really has to be on your agenda. This particular national park is the biggest in Australia and a trip here will let you encounter culture and nature in a way that you will have never seen before.
The easiest way to get there is to drive to it from either Darwin or Katherine or get a seat on an official coach tour so you can sit back and check out the scenery that surrounds you as you travel to and from the park. Before getting there, you will need to buy a park pass in order to gain entry, but buy one safe in the knowledge that the money generated from this actually goes back into the park so it can be looked after and maintained the way it should be.
You do have the option of staying close to the national park and there are several hotels and campsites available throughout the year. One of the most interesting is the Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn as it is shaped like a crocodile with this being very apt due to there being a large number of both freshwater and saltwater crocodiles around the park. The accommodation is generally focused around the small town of Jabiru with this being only 5kms from the Bowali Visitor Centre.
The Bowali Visitor Centre is the place you should visit in order to learn all about the national park and it is here where you will be able to pick up all of the information about what is currently happening in the area. After visiting here, you are advised to check out the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre where you can learn more about the aboriginal culture and also check out some of their artwork and traditional crafts. There is then the option of buying some of them from the Marrawuddi Gallery and this is a great place to buy an item that will remind you of your stay.
Due to the sheer size of the park you are advised to consider going on one of the many tours that are on offer at any given time. These tours will look at certain aspects of the park with some focusing on tracking animals, others on the cultural aspect and the importance of the land to the Aborigines, including checking out their rock art, whilst there are also some that deal with the animals including those that live in the water. By going on these official tours you will really start to get a better understanding of the area and everything that goes on in it on a daily basis.
So to explore some traditional Aborigine culture and to see various animals the way nature intends you to see them, then do set aside the time to travel to the Northern Territory and visit Kakadu National Park. Visit the rock art galleries at both Ubirr Rock and Nourlangie Rock along with the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre and the Bowali Visitor Centre to learn everything you can about this spectacular part of the country and remember your camera so you can check out those photographs for years to come.