Australia's great untamed frontier — ancient rock, vast sky, 65,000 years of living culture, and the most extraordinary landscapes on Earth. This is where the continent reveals its oldest, wildest, most astonishing self.
The Northern Territory is Australia's outback heartland — home to the planet's most iconic landscapes and the world's oldest continuous living culture. From the monumental red sandstone of Uluru to the tropical wetlands of Kakadu, from the rugged gorges of Nitmiluk to the pristine coast of the Tiwi Islands, the NT offers adventures that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
This is a land of vast scale — 1.4 million square kilometres with just 250,000 inhabitants. In Kakadu, you can drive for hours and see more wildlife than people. At Uluru, you sit in silence watching the sun set over a landscape unchanged for millions of years. The Territory's low population density means you can still experience true wilderness, while sophisticated tourism infrastructure ensures comfort after the adventure.
The Northern Territory divides naturally into two profoundly different regions: the tropical Top End around Darwin and Kakadu, and the arid Red Centre around Uluru and Alice Springs. Both deserve time, and both reward the visitor who approaches them with genuine curiosity and respect for the Aboriginal cultures that have shaped them for millennia. This guide covers everything you need to explore both.
Cooee Tours has been guiding expert small-group NT tours since 1974 — over 50 years of knowledge, relationships with Aboriginal communities, and a genuine passion for sharing Australia's most extraordinary territory with visitors from around the world.
Six distinct regions — each with its own landscape, culture, and wildlife. Explore individually or combine them into one extraordinary journey across the Territory.
Red Centre
Sacred Site
The spiritual heart of Australia. Sunrise at the sacred monolith, Kata Tjuta's Valley of the Winds, Kings Canyon rim walk, Anangu cultural experiences, and the world's greatest night sky.
Top End
UNESCO
Australia's largest national park — 20,000km² of World Heritage wetlands, ancient rock art, and extraordinary wildlife. Yellow Water Billabong, Ubirr, Jim Jim Falls, and 280 bird species.
Darwin
Gateway
Australia's tropical frontier capital — gateway to Litchfield's swimming holes, the cultural richness of the Tiwi Islands, and the spectacular Mindil Beach Sunset Markets every Thursday and Sunday evening.
Katherine
Gorges
Thirteen dramatic gorges carved through 1,800-million-year-old sandstone by the Katherine River. Boat cruises, kayaking, Jawoyn cultural interpretation, and Edith Falls swimming hole.
Tiwi Islands
Culture
80km north of Darwin — a unique Aboriginal culture distinct from the mainland. Day tours by ferry featuring traditional art, basket weaving, community visits, and the extraordinary Tiwi cultural heritage.
Kimberley WA
Expedition
Our spectacular 11-day expedition into Western Australia's Kimberley. Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock art, Bungle Bungle Range, Mitchell Falls, Bell Gorge, El Questro, and Lake Argyle.
The NT divides into two profoundly different regions. Understanding what each offers helps you plan the right itinerary — or ideally, both.
The ultimate NT route — spanning both regions from the tropical Top End to the sacred Red Centre. Customisable to 10, 14, or 21 days. Contact us to extend to the Kimberley.
Arrive in Darwin — Australia's tropical frontier capital. Explore the Darwin Waterfront Precinct, sample multicultural street food, and if it's Thursday or Sunday during dry season, head to the legendary Mindil Beach Sunset Markets. Optional evening at Crocosaurus Cove or the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT. Read our Darwin Tours guide →
Journey south from Darwin with a stop at the Adelaide River for a jumping crocodile cruise. Explore Ubirr's magnificent rock art galleries and climb to the lookout for a panoramic view of the Nadab floodplain at sunset. Overnight in Jabiru or Cooinda. Full Kakadu guide →
Rise before dawn for the Yellow Water Billabong wildlife cruise — saltwater crocodiles, jabiru storks, sea eagles and thousands of waterbirds in extraordinary early light. Visit Nourlangie Rock's gallery including the famous Namarrgon (Lightning Man). Optional afternoon swim at Gunlom Falls. Kakadu tours from $395 →
Travel south through Katherine, stopping at Edith Falls for swimming. Afternoon boat cruise through Nitmiluk Gorge's towering sandstone walls — sunset light on the red cliffs is extraordinary. Options for kayaking, helicopter flight, or Jawoyn cultural walk. Nitmiluk tours →
Fly to Alice Springs (or epic 1,500km Stuart Highway drive). Explore the Desert Park — bilbies, mala, and native wildlife. Visit Aboriginal art galleries and the Royal Flying Doctor Service museum. Sunset from Anzac Hill over the town and MacDonnell Ranges. Alice Springs tours →
Sunrise at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku as Uluru transforms from pale grey to blazing copper. Anangu-guided Mala Walk along the base with cultural interpretation. Afternoon Valley of the Winds walk through Kata Tjuta. Sunset viewing, then guided outback stargazing in Bortle Scale 1 darkness. Uluru travel guide →
Pre-dawn departure for Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. The 6km rim walk passes 270m sandstone walls, the Lost City of eroded domes, and the Garden of Eden hidden oasis. Afternoon return to Ayers Rock Airport or Alice Springs for departure flights. Book the full package →
Want to extend this to 10, 14, or 21 days?
Add Litchfield National Park and Tiwi Islands from Darwin · Add the Kimberley expedition from Katherine · Add MacDonnell Ranges from Alice Springs.
Contact Our NT Specialists to Design Your Journey →The NT's biodiversity spans two completely different ecosystems — the tropical wetlands of the Top End, and the desert of the Red Centre. Each holds extraordinary species found nowhere else.
The apex predator of Kakadu's wetlands. Yellow Water Billabong hosts dozens of salties, some exceeding 5 metres — the largest reptiles on Earth. Our guides know individual crocodiles by their markings and behaviour.
Kakadu's 280 bird species include the iconic Jabiru stork, white-bellied sea eagles, and massive flocks of magpie geese. The dry season concentrates birds around permanent waterholes — extraordinary viewing.
Red kangaroos in the Red Centre, agile wallabies in the Top End. The antilopine wallaroo — Australia's second-largest macropod — inhabits Kakadu's stone country. Dawn and dusk offer the best sightings.
Thorny devils, perentie (Australia's largest goanna), and bearded dragons are regularly seen at Uluru. The Red Centre's arid landscapes support over 117 reptile species — extraordinary for a desert environment.
Large herds of feral water buffalo roam Kakadu's floodplains — introduced in the 1800s, now a dramatic feature of the wetland landscape. Their impact on native ecosystems is significant and actively managed.
Dingoes patrol the Red Centre's plains — do not feed them. Bilbies and mala (rufous hare-wallabies) — critically endangered — can be seen at Alice Springs Desert Park's nocturnal house. A genuine wildlife highlight.
Australia's most prized sport fish inhabits Darwin's estuaries and rivers in world-class numbers. Darwin is the undisputed barramundi fishing capital of Australia — guided charters operate year-round.
Red and green king parrots, major Mitchell's cockatoos, red-tailed black cockatoos, and dozens of rainbow lorikeets create vivid flashes of colour across both the Top End and Red Centre landscapes.
The Territory's two seasons are dramatically different. Both have their devotees. Here is everything you need to choose the right time for your visit.
Clear skies, low humidity, comfortable temperatures of 15–32°C. All roads open, all national parks fully accessible, exceptional wildlife viewing, and the full range of tour options. Peak season — book 3–6 months ahead for July–August.
Dramatic daily thunderstorms, lush tropical vegetation, and waterfalls at full spectacular flow. Higher humidity and some road closures, but fewer crowds, significantly lower prices, and the raw energy of the monsoon for adventurous travellers.
The Aboriginal peoples of the NT are the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture. The Anangu, Bininj/Mungguy, Jawoyn, and Tiwi peoples maintain deep connections to Country through ongoing cultural practice, ceremony, and law.
From Anangu dot painting at Uluru to Tiwi pukumani poles on the islands, Wandjina rock art in the Kimberley to the x-ray style galleries of Kakadu — the NT holds the world's greatest concentration of living Indigenous art traditions.
Cooee Tours operates in genuine partnership with Aboriginal communities — ensuring tourism benefits flow directly to Traditional Owners, cultural protocols are respected, and sacred sites are protected for generations to come.
Instant confirmation · Small groups · Expert NT guides · All logistics handled