Off Road Adventures
Wetlands & Wildlife Cruise
Ancient Landscapes
Active Days & Relaxing Nights
Hiking & Swimming
Cruise Katherine Gorge Complex
Aboriginal Rock Art & Culture
Air Conditioned Accommodation
This tour is perfect for groups wanting to experience our glorious tropical landscapes and cultural sites when they are looking their best and without the crowds. Explore Kakadu and Katherine Gorge National Parks over our lush tropical summer in one continuous tour. Our green season runs from November until April, and is characterised by tropical weather variations that sometimes culminates in dramatic summer storms. The rains that arrive this time of year play a vital role in our seasonal needs. While water can sometimes intermittently restrict access to some areas, the wet season is a stunning time of year to see the Top End in all its splendour! Waterfalls tumble, skies host incredible light shows, and the landscapes are incredibly lush.
This tour is ideal for
Active groups who are wanting to explore the Top End in or immediately after our green season, when the country is lush and fresh and visitor numbers are low. After spending the days exploring the stunning natural and cultural landscapes, you will be relaxing in your comfortable a/c accommodation at night. If you are wanting to tick of bucket list items such as Jim Jim & Twin Falls, then this is a great time of year to fly over them and gain an amazing aerial perspective of these incredible iconic Kakadu features.
Please scroll down to view our full tour itinerary.
January – April
From AU1800pp (Based on 6pax)
For booking please head to our contact page
Our Green Season Tours combine Kakadu and Katherine Gorge, two of our most popular National Parks in one program. With highly experienced Kakadu accredited guides, modern a/c 4WDs and outstanding personalised service, you will be sure to have an educational, fun & safe journey! Experience the splendour of our Green Season with comfortable accommodation of your choice. We lead you through Kakadu’s stunning cultural and natural landscapes, followed by a leisurely boat cruise through the striking Katherine Gorge complex. Our Green Season Tours include swimming, hiking & exploring, as well as Aboriginal rock art and cultural learning.
We highly recommend adding a scenic flight that significantly enhances your overall tour.
Kakadu Scenic Flight option
We pick you up from your Darwin accommodation around 7.30am, then head directly towards Kakadu this morning along the Arnhem Highway. Our first stop in Kakadu is the main visitor entry point, the Bowali Centre. We spend some time here having a brief look around as your first real introduction to Kakadu National Park. After the Bowali centre we travel to one of Kakadu’s most renowned Aboriginal cultural heritage sites, either Nourlangie or Ubirr Rock (Depending on seasonal access). While at the cultural sites we lead you on an intriguing cultural expedition through ancient occupational shelters while viewing rock art that documents our Aboriginal culture and lifestyles spanning tens of thousands of years. After our cultural journey, we climb to a stunning lookout to witness a typically inspiring Kakadu panorama over the expansive Arnhem Land Plateau. Soon afterwards we head to the Cooinda area where you board your Yellow Water cruise. This is an iconic Kakadu experience that introduces you to the beautiful Kakadu wetlands and all the wildlife and birds that call this home. After your cruise we transfer you to your overnight accommodation close by for some relaxation before dinner.
We provide fresh healthy lunches, however while staying in hotel style accommodation you are required to purchase your own dinners and breakfasts. (Unless otherwise stated)
After an early breakfast we travel to a lesser known area of Kakadu and venture into the remote and rugged Arnhem Land stone country. A short 4WD adventure, followed by an invigorating hike, leads us to some of Kakadu’s famously diverse habitats. Woodlands and monsoon forests that spring to life after our wet season rains, displaying seasonal waterfalls and lush vegetation. While in this lesser visited and more remote area of Kakadu, we take time for a more secluded, refreshing swim. After our swim we return hike for a well-earned picnic lunch before heading to tonight’s accommodation Closer to Katherine Gorge.
This morning, immediately after breakfast, we head directly into Katherine Gorge. Upon arrival at the gorge we board our boat for a cruise through this complex gorge system. Katherine Gorge comprises of thirteen gorges in total, our time here allows us to cruise the first two gorges. The gorges, with an average height of around 180 meters, make for a spectacular cruise upstream. Both gorges are different in shape and atmosphere and an overall exhilarating and tranquil experience. There are clean sandy beaches, crystal clear water with an abundance of bird life, fish and freshwater crocodiles. After returning from our gorge cruise we have some much appreciated lunch then travel north along the Stuart Highway back to Darwin. We have you back to your accommodation in Darwin around 5.30pm, with time to reflect on your Charter North “Top End” experience.
At Charter North 4WD Safaris, we know how important a healthy, balanced diet is for your well-being, and just because our tours are remote that does not mean that you will have to compromise your diet for the duration of your trip. Many of our tour guests still attribute camping to sausages and bread, but thankfully these days are over. At Charter North, we provide freshly prepared meals incorporating all food groups at breakfast, lunch & dinner. In between meals, there will be plenty of healthy snacks to top up energy levels during our activity packed tour days. Ample cool storage space in our tour trailers allows us to carry lots of fresh vegetables & fruits along with all other ingredients for our wholesome meals. All of our guides are great camp fire cooks and you will be surprised at the variety of meals they prepare for you. We cater for a range of diets (vegetarian, gluten free etc.). Read more about our meals here.
Please note: On our accommodated tours, if staying in hotel style accommodation, we may not be able to prepare breakfasts and dinners for you which will be available on site. If this is the case, we will let you know through the booking process.
What our tour guests say about our food:
“The day was always started with a fresh cup of percolated coffee and a spread of cereals, breads, fresh fruit and when time permitted damper, eggs and bacon, often with an open fire. We were all surprised at the quality and variety of food prepared; Fresh, organic, delicious and plenty thereof, always thinking of the environment in our use of the camping area, roads and bush.”
“We fully expected 3 nights of BBQ sausage in rolls so it was fantastic to get a really delicious home-cooked meal every evening, from stir fries to homemade pasta sauces. Plenty of snacks and a hearty breakfast (and espresso coffee… no international roast here!) set us up for the day.”
“I was expecting 8 nights of BBQ’ed sausages, but we ended up with everything from stir fries to tacos to pasta, all cooked on an open fire. So the dinners were great, and it would be remiss of me not to mention Alina’s muesli and GT’s coffee, which got the mornings off to a great start.”
“The food was great & all meals other than lunch were cooked over the fire. We enjoyed freshly brewed coffee and cooked breakfasts (eggs and bacon; jaffles); bread cooked in the camp oven (including damper; multigrain and a banana bread); Bbqs, curries, pasta and stir fries for dinner and plenty of chocolate and marshmallows for toasting over the fire while star gazing.”
(Quotes from Charter North’s 2017/18 TripAdvisor reviews)
At Charter North 4WD Safaris, our guests’ safety, comfort and well-being always comes first. Through a number of mechanisms, we ensure that you are well looked after, well informed and getting the most out of your valuable holiday at all times. After all, a holiday should be relaxing and enjoyable, and you are in the right hands with Charter North.
Our Tour Guides
All of our tour guides have many years of experience and comprehensive knowledge of our tour destinations. They are personable, responsible and approachable and will ensure that you truly experience and learn about your chosen destination, not just see it. Our guides are accredited, trained in remote first aid and most importantly passionate about their work, people and the environment.
Our tour vehicles & trailers
Charter North’s tour vehicles and trailers are purpose prepared for the sometimes rough and often challenging conditions characteristic of our tour destinations. They are equipped with the latest safety features and emergency communications to ensure a safe and comfortable journey. Our modern luxury 4wds are the most comfortable available on the market, and fitted with upgraded suspension to “smoothen out the ride” even further. They are fitted with air-conditioning and curtain airbags throughout, and designed for quiet acoustics allowing us to converse freely as we travel. All vehicles and trailers are serviced and maintained to the highest standards and beyond recommended service intervals to minimise any risk of mechanical issues on tour.
Our camping equipment
Charter North’s camping equipment is chosen with care to provide the most suitable and comfortable options available. We test and approve any equipment we use, with an emphasis on products that are easy to manage, fast to set up, light weight and of course comfortable. On our camping programs, we use dome tents that are easy to set up and cool through warmer nights. Our swags are fitted with high density foam mattresses, sheets and pillows.
For further tour information, please visit our FAQs.