Northern Territory
About the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory somehow feels like the REAL Australia, vast red deserts, stunning ancient mountain ranges and deep gorges. The most prolific collection of Aboriginal Art, both rock art paintings and petroglyphs. Wildlife in abundance, including crazy big saltwater (estuarine) crocodiles. And the vibrant city of Darwin.
The NT (or simply “the Territory” as it’s known to locals) is an adventure travellers playground. With amazing hiking, exciting 4×4 tracks, and epic road trips you’ll be spoilt for choice as you explore the NT.
We have visited the Territory three times in the last three years! We simply can’t get enough of the place.
Northern Territory Travel Guides
Central Australia
- An Epic Alice Springs to Darwin Road Trip Itinerary
- The Best Things to do in Alice Springs 2023
- The Complete Travel Guide to Palm Valley NT 2023
- The Best Things to do in Uluru in 2023
- The Complete guide to Kings Canyon NT 2023
- The Ultimate West MacDonnell Ranges Itinerary 2023
- Complete Guide to the East MacDonnell Ranges
- The Ultimate Central Australia Road Trip – The Red Centre Way
The Top End
- Darwin to Broome Road Trip – an epic 2wd journey
- The Complete Darwin City Travel Guide 2023
- The Ultimate Travel Guide to Katherine Gorge – Nitmiluk National Park
- The best hikes in Kakadu National Park 2023
- The truth about visiting Kakadu National Park 2023
- The Ultimate Top End Road Trip – the best of the NT
- An Epic Alice Springs to Darwin Road Trip Itinerary
- The best hike in Litchfield National Park
- Litchfield National Park – the best Travel Guide 2023
Getting to the Northern Territory
By Air
There are three main airports, Darwin, Alice Springs and Yulara (the closest to Uluru)
By Road
While the Northern Territory is a large state (territory!), there are only THREE sealed roads going in. You can enter from Queensland on the Barkly Highway via Mt Isa, from Western Australia on the Victoria Highway via Kunnanurra, or South Australia on the Stuart Highway.
If you’re planning on driving in via one of the unsealed roads, make sure you check the road conditions before you leave. These roads may be closed, especially during the summer (wet) season. The Northern Territory is remote, there is little to no mobile phone reception or internet along the way, and you’ll need to plan your stops for fuel and water.
Getting around the NT
While the distances are vast, the scenery is spectacular. With so few other vehicles on the road, the Northern Territory is perfect for a Road Trip. We road-tripped the NT in our camper van in 2022 including the journey from Alice Springs to Darwin. In 2023 we did a Central Australia Road Trip and a Top End Road Trip, in a hire car and staying in beautiful accommodation along the way.
Best time to visit the Northern Territory
Central Australia
Central Australia (the “Red Centre”) has a desert climate, so the summer months are hot day and night, with daytime temperatures averaging in the mid to high 30s and usually staying above 20 overnight.
The winter months still have warm days, low to mid 20s, but the nights can be very cold, temperatures even going below zero! When we visited the Red Centre in June 2022, Central Australia had its coldest winter in over 50 years. There were 12 days straight with sub-zero night-time temperatures. And, our van heater wasn’t working.
The Top End
The northern part of the Northern Territory is known as the Top End – this is where you’ll find the capital Darwin, along with three of the most visited National Parks – Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge).
The winter months are definitely the most popular times for tourists, as it’s a lot safer (and more pleasant) on the walks in the cooler weather.