BEST DARWIN WATERFALLS

If you enjoy "chasing waterfalls", Darwin, in Australia’s NT is the ideal location. Darwin's proximity to spectacular national parks and waterfalls is one of the city's outstanding features!

Waterfalls are among the nicest places to spend a day during the dry season because you can swim in most of them. Check out our helicopter tours to see which ones will take you to a secluded Darwin waterfall for swimming for an unforgettable NT experience!

Litchfield Falls

Litchfield National Park is a 90-minute drive or a 30-40minute helicopter flight south of Darwin and maybe the Northern Territory's best-kept secret.

The park is home to a number of beautiful waterfalls and waterholes, many of which are bordered by monsoonal vine forests and provide cool relief on hot summer days.

A trip through Litchfield is full of contrasts, including some of the Top End's largest termite mounds. The park gates are only a short drive away from cabins, camping, and caravan sites.

Florence Falls

Florence Falls is two waterfalls joined at the bottom by a bathing area and a river.

You must take a magnificent nature walk to reach the falls, where you will have the opportunity to see some wildlife. Don't worry if you don't encounter any animals on the hike; you'll almost certainly be swimming with the fish while swimming at Florence Falls!

The only way to get to Florence Falls is to climb multiple flights of steps, so be prepared!

Out of all the waterfalls surrounding Darwin to camp at throughout the summer, Florence Falls is the favourite of many! Florence Falls is less crowded than Wangi and has excellent camping facilities, including small fire pits and hot plates for cooking at each site. 

The distance from Darwin

144km (1 hour and 45 minutes driving or 30-40 minutes via helicopter)

Is camping available?

Yes, it is near the car park, up the stairs from Florence Falls, operated by Litchfield National Park.

Is swimming allowed?

Yes, all year round (except for odd times during the wet season where there is severe flooding.)

Wangi Falls

Wangi Falls is located in Litchfield National Park, one of Australia's most well-known tourist destinations. It is Litchfield National Park's largest waterfall, featuring a large swimming area at the foot.

During the wet season, Wangi Falls is closed to swimming, but it is still open for viewing especially via helicopter, and there is a trek to the top with some spectacular views.

Distance from Darwin?

132 km (approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes driving or 30-40 minutes via helicopter)

Is camping available?

Yes, only across the road from the car park is there a full-facility campground run by Litchfield National Park.

Swimming Allowed?

Only when signed is it closed for swimming during the wet season.

Tjaynera Falls

Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek) is located 90 kilometers south of Darwin as the helicopter flies in the spectacular Litchfield National Park.

Relax in the clean waters of the plunge pool at the base of the falls after walking 1.4 kilometers through an open valley bordered with paperbarks. Take in the breathtaking views of the open valley, have a picnic lunch, and unwind by the waterhole.

These falls, which are only accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicle or via helicopter, attract less traffic than the park's other waterholes and, with campsite facilities, offer a beautiful weekend getaway.

Tolmer Falls

Tolmer Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls in Litchfield National Park.

It flows into a deep plunge pool after cascading down two towering escarpments. The falls are located near the park's western edge, 85 kilometers south of Darwin as the helicopter flies, and are accessible by sealed road.

Two viewing platforms at the top of the gorge, opposite the park's most beautiful waterfalls, are reached after a short walk. Return to the parking area by the 1.6-kilometer Tolmer Falls loop hike, which takes around 45 minutes and is easy (albeit rocky in places). Follow the walkthrough of classic Top End sandstone country, past spectacular rock pools, and along Tolmer Creek and a tributary. Swimming is not allowed so seeing it from a helicopter is the best way to enjoy the full experience.

Kakadu Falls

The majesty of this world-heritage-listed national park is reflected in the waterfalls of Kakadu, which are a key draw for visitors.

They highlight not just Kakadu's spectacular seasonal change, from the towering Jim Jim and Twin Falls to isolated waterfalls amid monsoon forests, but also its incredible variety.

In the dry season, they are quite calm, and bushwalking and helicopter tours are both excellent ways to see them. However, many of them turn into raging torrents during the rainy season, revealing the epic power and spectacular helicopter flight views.

Jim Jim Falls

It doesn't get much better than Jim Jim Falls when it comes to massive waterfalls. This incredible tall waterfall hangs in a circular cave-like setting that a lengthy and difficult hike can only reach.

Before you can see this magnificent waterfall, you must travel along a trail, over stones and rocks, and then wade through a pool (depending on water levels). So seeing it from a helicopter is the best way to enjoy the full experience.

Heavy rains fall across Kakadu during the low season, drowning wide swaths of land and fueling these gigantic cascades. During this period, the only way to see Jim Jim is by air.

As Kakadu enters the dry season and Jim Jim dries up, it's possible to trek to the base of the falls through monsoon forest and across stones.

Distance from Darwin?

348 km (4 hours driving or 75 minutes via helicopter) in Kakadu National Park. Helicopters are the ideal form of transport!

Camping allowed?

The closest campground is called Garnamarr Campground, and it is located on the Jim Jim Falls access road.

Swimming allowed?

Only in the main plunge pool, don't venture elsewhere in the area and go for a swim, or you may become a crocodile’s lunch.

Gunlom Plunge Pool

Gunlom Plunge Pool is a stunning combination of seasonal waterfall and tranquil plunge pool, with picnic sites covered by towering trees, located on Waterfall Creek in World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park.

From the summit of Gunlom, you'll have broad views of three habitats found in the park's southern hills and ridges: stone country, woodland, and riparian (riverine) zones. Take a soothing and well-deserved plunge in the crystal blue waters at the summit. Take the flat, easy stroll to Murrill Billabong for some wonderful birdwatching. Alternatively, continue the short walking route to the main pool below the seasonal waterfall if you prefer something more sedate.

Maguk Falls

Maguk is a stunning natural waterfall and plunge pool at the base of sheer gorge walls and is one of Kakadu's lesser-known attractions.

Look for spangled drongos and rainbow pitas in the rainforest, swim with black bream in the plunge pool and admire the towering endemic Anbinik trees that line the rocky hillsides.

Maguk is a one-hour drive south of Cooinda and may be reached through a 14-kilometer four-wheel-drive trail off the Kakadu Highway, followed by a one-kilometer walk through monsoon woods and a crossing of Barramundi Creek. 

We take you swimming in Darwin

With Remote Adventures NT, you'll have the best Darwin waterfalls tours to ensure you never miss a piece of the action! 

Our helicopter tours are the best way to see Darwin waterfalls! Think private waterfall swims, fishing at Barramundi adventures, airboat rides and enjoying food and drinks at outback pubs and taverns.

Experience the spectacular views of Litchfield National Park and Kakadu waterfalls that cannot be seen from the ground, and turn heads with a jaw dropping landing at Outback pubs.

So if you want to go chasing Darwin waterfalls, contact us today.