Kakadu Day Tour – Public Group Tour (including Cultural Cruise)

This single day group tour will immerse you in the highlights of the World Heritage Kakadu National Park, including a cultural cruise.

Kakadu Day Tour – Public Group Tour (including Cultural Cruise)

adults from $340 per person

Available Season – March through to the end of October. Experience the magnificence of Kakadu National Park, with a small group in a comfortable vehicle with regular comfort stops, iced water, snacks along with a buffet style, picnic lunch.

Please note (important requirement):
Due to price changes – your Park Entry Ticket is no longer included in the price – please purchase online in advance of your Tour – or from a selling agent – payable directly to Parks Australia. The ticketing link here will also be emailed to you. We will make a stop on the morning of the Tour, to purchase your Park Entry Tickets, for those who have no access to the internet before the Tour.

Highlights - Wet Season Itinerary - March - April

  • Kakadu National park
  • Nourlangie Rock
  • Ancient Rock Art
  • Yellow Water Billabong Cruise

Highlights - Dry Season Itinerary - May - October

  • Kakadu National park
  • Ubirr Rock
  • Ancient Rock Art
  • East Alligator River Cruise
  • Step into Arnhem Land

Public single day tour details

  • Darwin accommodation pick up
  • Chilled water
  • Snacks
  • Lunch

On the morning of your Kakadu day tour, we will pick you up at your Darwin accommodation for an approximate 05:30 departure.  We will send you a more accurate pick up time when we receive notification of your hotel details.  If you are staying in a private residence or outside Darwin CBD, please email bookings@offroaddreaming.com.au and we will discuss where we can meet you. 

 

Approximate Pick Up Times:

Northern Suburbs 5.15am

CBD 5.30am

Waterfront 5.45am

Caravan Parks 6am

 

Your vehicle is typically a 20-seater Toyota Coaster bus, which is fully air-conditioned and has tinted windows to reflect the Territory heat. 

 

If you need to reserve a special seat please advise us in advance and we can do this for you.  If you need to change your seat throughout the day please notify your Driver/ Guide and they will assist you with this.  In the Northern Territory child safety seats are not required by law for commercial vehicles of this size. 

 

If you would like us to organise you a child safety seat for an additional cost or are bringing your own, please let us know in advance.  There will be multiple comfort stops throughout each journey however if you require an additional stop, please let your Driver/ Guide know and they will try to accommodate this.

At Offroad Dreaming we understand that there are food sensitivities and allergies, that restrict choices from standard menus, which is why we have created our public day tour lunches as a buffet style, including fresh, wholefood choices, where you can select from all the options available and make up a meal to cater for your dietary requirements.

Offroad Dreaming hold a License to serve food and our menus will be stored, prepared and served, on location, by your food handling trained guide, under approved health and safety requirements.


Menu

Our menus are dependent on what is fresh and available on the day.

Typically we include a selection of the following:

  • Morning breakfast fruit, nut and cereal bars
  • Seasonal fresh fruit selections
  • Crumbled fresh feta cheese
  • Freshly prepared green salads
  • A mixture of delicatessen salads and cold-cooked roast chicken
  • Served with condiments, that are made from minimal ingredients and include dairy-free and gluten-free options, in a variety of delicious flavours
  • An afternoon sweet treat.


buffet style picnic lunch 


Other Dietary Requirements

If your special requirements are not already covered by the above selections, you will be able to add replacement foods onto your booking, through the options below:

  • Gluten Free (Coeliac) $15
  • Vegetarian $15
  • Vegan $15
  • Pescetarian $15

If you are unsure that suitable options will be available for you, please call +61(0)889312021 during Darwin office hours.”

  • Chilled filtered drinking water is available on the bus, throughout the day.  Please bring a refillable water bottle with you. 
  • You will also need to bring good walking shoes and a sunhat.  Most of the morning is spent in the open outdoors, so you will need a hat and sunscreen. 
  • Walking shoes are required to make it up the multi-level rock art shelters.  And while walking on the bush tracks, you are walking over sticks and stones, which can be dusty and slippy.
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • Sunhat

Late afternoon, early evening, we will arrive back in the Tropical city of Darwin. We will drop you back at your accommodation or agreed location.  If you would like dropped off somewhere else in the CBD, you can discuss this with your Guide throughout the day.  Please remember to take all your belongings with you, as our depot is not in Darwin but a drive South from there. We hope you enjoy your evening in this tropical oasis of a city, with multiple night venues and walks available.

Due to price changes – your Park Entry Ticket is no longer included in the price – please purchase online in advance of your Tour – or from a selling agent – payable directly to Parks Australia. The ticketing link here will also be emailed to you. We will make a stop on the morning of the Tour, to purchase your Park Entry Tickets, for those who have no access to the internet before the Tour.

 

Wet Season Itinerary


At certain times of the year, due to weather conditions, we may need to revert to our Wet Season itinerary for the Kakadu Day Tour. This will include visiting the Rock Art Galleries at Nourlangie Rock, instead of Ubirr and we will take the Yellow Waters Billabong Cruise instead of the Guluyambi Cruise. Wet Season is typically October to March. This will not affect the price of your Tour.

You will arrive back at your Darwin accommodation after your Tour. **If you would like to arrange a Private Residence pick up, please call so we can arrange a time and meeting location.

14 Hours
Kakadu
Single Day Public Tour

Our gallery

1
1 Day Group Tour of Kakadu National Park including Cultural Cruise
Experience the magnificence of Kakadu National Park, in a comfortable vehicle with regular stops, iced water, snacks and picnic style, buffet lunch provided with Offroad Dreaming. Please note the difference in itinerary and cost for wet and dry seasons. Dry Season (May-October) On the morning of your Kakadu day tour, we will pick you up at your Darwin accommodation for an approximate 05:30 departure.  We will send you a more accurate pick up time when we receive notification of your hotel details.  If you are staying in a private residence or outside Darwin CBD, please email bookings@offroaddreaming.com.au and we will discuss where we can meet you.     Chilled filtered drinking water is available on the bus, throughout the day.  Please bring a refillable water bottle with you.  You will also need to bring good walking shoes and a sunhat.  Most of the morning is spent in the open outdoors, so you will need a hat and sunscreen.  Walking shoes are required to make it up the multi level rock art shelters.  And while walking on the bush tracks, you are walking over sticks and stones, which can be dusty and slippy.   Your vehicle is typically a 20 seater Toyota Coaster bus, which is fully air conditioned and has tinted windows to reflect the Territory heat.  If you need to reserve a special seat please advise us in advance and we can do this for you.  If you need to change your seat throughout the day please notify your Driver/ Guide and they will assist you with this.  In the Northern Territory child safety seats are not required by law for commercial vehicles of this size.  If you would like us to organise you a child safety seat for an additional cost, or are bringing your own, please let us know in advance.  There will be multiple comfort stops throughout each journey however if you require an additional stop, please let your Driver/ Guide know and they will try to accommodate this.   Kakadu National Park is a nature reserve made up of Wetlands and sandstone escarpment.  There are a number of lookouts scattered through these varying and vast landscapes which offer panoramic views across the terrains.  Aboriginal Culture is rich in this part of the country and 60000 years of Cultural evolution is communicated through the art on the walls and roofs of the countless rock formations and art galleries.  The waterways travelling through Kakadu host a large number of endemic species of wildlife and the biodiversity of the vegetation is abundant.   Around 7am we will make a comfort stop at one of the Territory’s typical Outback style taverns.  Your Offroad Dreaming Driver/ Guide will have breakfast snacks available for you and you have time to top up your water bottles.  Also fresh hot coffee and Bain Marie breakfast options are available to purchase from the pub.   Other comfort stops are available to you, before we arrive at Ubirr, in Kakadu about 10:00.  Here your Guide will take you on an interpretive, guided tour of the multi level art shelters of Ubirr rock.  You will hear the creation stories of these ancient artworks and see the stunning expansive views as we travel through the sites.  Each art gallery tells a story, of the Cultural guardians and dangers, travels and interactions generations have encountered through the history of the region.  We can stop and rest, as we spend time investigating each of the works.    After a one and a half to two hour walk, we will sit and enjoy a freshly prepared buffet style picnic lunch, prepared by your Offroad Dreaming Guide.  Again there is the opportunity to top up your water bottle and hydrate after this time in the sun.  A short drive takes us over to the East Alligator river, for your afternoon cruise.   The East Alligator river is a natural divide between Kakadu and Arnhem Land.  Your local Bininj Guide will share with you first hand, stories of how they have worked with these waterways and elements, through the decades and in most cases still do.  The boat will travel along the river until you reach Cahills Crossing.  Generally abundant with crocodiles, the boat will turn here and you will make your way over to the Arnhem Land riverbanks.  Your Bininj Guide will invite you onto the shore, and there is the chance to step across the land here, to the open area, where you will be shown a cultural demonstration.  After this demonstration, you will return to the boat, as you are guided back to the Kakadu boat ramp.   A refreshing snack is waiting for you as you disembark and return to the vehicle.  Mid afternoon we will start to make tracks back up the road towards Darwin.  Half way back there is another comfort stop where snacks are served and you get a chance to stretch your legs.  More comfort stops are available, so be sure to mention to your Guide if they are required.     Late afternoon, early evening, we will arrive back in the Tropical city of Darwin. We will drop you back at your hotel.  If you would like dropped off somewhere else in the CBD, you can discuss this with your Guide throughout the day.  Please remember to take all your belongings with you, as our depot is not in Darwin but a drive South from there. We hope you enjoy your evening in this tropical oasis of a city, with multiple night venues and walks available. Wet Season (March-April) On the days where Ubirr and the East Alligator River are not accessible due to water levels, we travel into the heart of Kakadu’s Nourlangie region. We start with a gentle walk to the ancient rock art galleries at Burrungkuy (Nourlangie Rock). Your guide will tell you about the culture and art that has existed here for tens of thousands of years. After lunch, we will take you on a cruise through the beautiful Yellow Waters Billabong, which is teeming with wildlife. Your guide will take you across the water, sharing with you their vast knowledge about wildlife, geography and cultural aspects of the region. After this full, yet relaxed day, your Offroad Dreaming guide will drop you back to your Darwin accommodation.

Guidelines for your travel with us here in Australia’s Top End:

Offroad Dreaming will host your visit through the Northern Territory.  Our Guides will use their knowledge, training and experience, along with exceptional customer service standards, to share some of the quality experiences and activities the Top End offers.  Offroad Dreaming Guides are fully licensed and accredited, and first-aid qualified. They hold knowledge certification and Ochre cards where required.  All our Guides are hand selected, with appropriate experience and references.

You will not need to bring any food with you.

We provide fresh snacks and meals based on whole food ingredients, which can be amended to cater for special dietaries when required. Chilled, filtered drinking water is provided. Please bring a refillable water bottle. Please feel free to bring your own food if required.

Footwear

Please be aware of the walking distance of each trek and take a full water bottle with you each time. You will walk on bush tracks with loose dirt, sticks and stones. Suitable supportive footwear is recommended.

Travel Distances

Distances between locations in the Northern Territory can be vast. Itineraries are designed to minimise driving times as much as possible. Your drive will be broken up with regular comfort stops, and you are welcome to discuss additional stops with the Guide at any time.

The Vehicle

All Offroad Dreaming vehicles are fully accredited, licensed, and insured to carry passengers and fitted with specific tour vehicle plates and are maintained to a high standard. Our vehicles are not wheelchair accessible.  Small walking aids can be stored in the back of the vehicle or trailer, depending on group size or vehicle. Please note there are no toilets on board the vehicle but we do ensure to stop regularly at toilet facilities.

Wildlife

Wildlife, such as wallabies, birds, snakes, frogs and lizards, can be spotted and observed throughout the region, which is made up of Savannah Woodlands, Monsoon Forest and sandstone formations.  We do not approach wildlife but will have the opportunity to observe them in their natural habitat.  Most of our wildlife is not naturally aggressive and generally does not approach humans unless provoked. Many species of snakes inhabit the Top End of Australia. Not all are venomous. Your Guide is fully trained to manage any health and safety requirements. Spider bites can cause mild sickness. Their bites are not fatal. Estuarine crocodiles do inhabit our waterways. Regular water surveys are carried out in designated swimming spots. Please observe swim safety signs at all times. Your Guide will also be available with safety updates.

Subject to change

Your itinerary may be subject to change due to cultural, seasonal and/ or environmental conditions. We aim to replace unavailable activities and locations with suitable alternatives.

Seasonality

Our Dry Season runs from May to October, and the weather is typically dry with light winds. Daytime temperatures average in the mid-30s, with low humidity and mild nights ranging from 15-25°C. November to April is the Wet Season in the Top End, tropical storms bring long-awaited rain, and the bush comes alive. Days can be sunny and dry and not adversely affected; however, it is monsoon season, and the rains can cause localised flooding, resulting in temporary road closures.  We are given advance notice of upcoming weather events and will make appropriate amendments to your itinerary.  In extreme cases, we may have to cancel.  Temperatures can range from 20-30°C overnight and up to the high 30s and 40s during the day.  Humidity levels often reach 80% or more, causing the temperature to feel hotter than it is.

Reviews

Lola, 2023
Kakadu is worth the drive. It shows you indigenous paintings their backgrounds and a great lookout, and scenery overall. the crocodile tour was special, gliding through the lake of waterlilies and spotting the crocodiles in the water (no feeding) felt like a water safari.
Will R, 2023
Guide was fantastic! It is a full day our guide, was knowledgeable about the whole area. The drive was in aircon comfortable bus and was able to sleep in the morning after early pickup. Wildlife, art, culture, and panoramic views are theme of this tour!
Dushy T, 2023
I took the tour with my three teenaged kids and we loved it. Our tour guide and bus driver from Offroad Dreaming had an excellent knowledge of the land and its people, geography and culture, vegetation and native animal species in the national park. As a result, we came away with a deep appreciation of aboriginal life and history.