Diesel needs to be pre-ordered from Darwin and pumped from the barge to your vessel. You might discover waterfalls, thermal springs, rock art and fossils. Fuel prices in the Cape vary and are generally cheapest closer to Cairns. (nitmiluktours.com.au). There are just so many things to do here that youll want to stay for at least two days. Aerial view of someone swimming at Florence Falls. Avoid the wet season, as roads may be impassable and you risk getting stranded. Visit the fascinating Barramundi Discovery Centre and enjoy an evening meal at the Sunset Tavern. However, due to ongoing COVID19 concern and we were required to go through a pretty easy border process controlled by the Northern Territory police. Not a pleasant experience for you, and certainly not for the whales. This is an easy drive, where the majority of the time you have the open road all to yourself. Cheap Cairns to Darwin Flights. It's home to excellent beaches, Litchfield National Park and some of Australia's best weekend markets. Mon, 6 Mar DRW - CNS with Jetstar. There is a maximum of 300km between fuel stops in Laverton and Tjukayirla Roadhouse, so carry extra fuel. Morning fog at Litchfield National Park. Towing a small jayco :), Two friends and I are planning to go in two weeks, any advice appreciated. For travel insurance we recommend SafetyWing. In Cooktown you can get both ocean sunrises and sunsets; not too many places where thats possible. My road trip experience from Darwin to Cairns (Click pic to see full size) The route sets from Darwin through the Daly Waters and turns into 66 highways at Warumungu. After just spending a day in the outback, your 4WD will get a new image luckily we managed to find a "car wash facility" :). Our tour recommendation can be shortened or extended depending on how much time you have available. Answer 1 of 12: We will be driving from Cairns to Darwin this November and were wondering why Google maps says that the trip on highway 1, Cairns > Normanton > Borroloola > Darwin, is about 48 hours where as it is only 32 hours going the southern route. After yesterdays long drive, relax in Undara Volcanic National Park, where the outback begins and 164 ancient volcanoes pepper the landscape. Again making it a good spot to stop for fuel and other supplies, particularly if you've not stocked up and are doing the trip in the other direction. For more of the best in travel sign up to our newsletter! Klean Kanteen Classic Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 10 Best Hostels in Amsterdam, Netherlands, How to Buy Tickets to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, How to Buy Tickets to the Royal Alczar of Seville. Be sure to have good tires and drive below the speed limit during the wet conditions. Tour Kakadu National Park from the southern end, where you can go swimming at the amazing Gunlom Falls or follow the signs to Yurmikmik walks to explore the diverse rock formations. Finish your day in accommodation at Batchelor, gateway to Litchfield National Park, or camp in the park itself. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland). This means it is very important to ensure that you do not run out of food. stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am. You can also learn about the Aboriginal culture and Rock Art by visiting the local museums here. We decided to stay in Tennant Creek which was 25km south of the turn off. The final town before you get to the border is Camooweal about 25km from the border. (Image: Tourism NT/Kate Flowers). Filter. Embrace the steamy weather for a Northern Territory Christmas youll never forget. Many people are apprehensive about whether they'll run out of fuel somewhere along the vast expanses of the . As with many sections on the Savannah Way, plan your fuel stops with hundreds of kilometres between roadhouses. USB charger for the cigarette lighter to charge smartphone, camera, etc. Fishing, swimming, bushwalking and birdwatching will also keep you occupied. Isa from there, but it's a bit more off the beaten track and parts may flood in March. The famous Outback service began in Cloncurry, and you can learn more at the John Flynn Place Museum in town. Spend the night in Atherton, before preparing yourself to travel inland. I find each one is interesting but if I were travelling by myself in March I would go to Townsville, Mount Isa, The Three Ways then on to Darwin bearing in mind you are travelling during the Wet The road is all sealed and most of it is double lane and carries a lot of traffic. DISTANCE: 3,500 - 4,500 kms. The road can be slow depending on how Take care of our native animals Dont feed any animals in the wild and dont attempt to touch them either. This is the quintessential NT wilderness experience. Where are Savannah Way fuel stops? Cyclones are a regular occurrence, and heavy rains can flood roads and isolate Outback towns for weeks on end. The same applies to going along the sealed route from Cairns to Darwin. 400 km of driving daily is realistic and feasible, but you should start early in the morning so you can arrive to your destination before it gets dark. How to see England on a Budget; Our top tips. You would normally see the welcome to the Northern Territory sign (which has since been removed) and cross the border, being welcomed by speed signs allowing you to drive at 130km/h. A 10-day 4WD safari tour will take you and your friends (maximum 4 people) through East Darwin, Litchfield National Park, Mataranka, the Lost City, and all the way to Cairns with meals included as well as overnight stays in Savannah Way motel accommodations. Best time to travel: in the dry season from May to September. The large town of Katherine, 300 kilometers north, is the next port of call. Embark on your Outback Way adventure by purchasing The Outback Way Atlas and . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Rockhampton marks, roughly, the halfway point between Townsville and Brisbane along the Bruce Highway. Driving north from South Australia, take the Stuart Highway from Adelaide through Coober Pedy into the Northern Territory. Only take a caravan if it is suitable for off-road. Turn onto Route 52 into the rainforest-clad Atherton Tablelands. Then Camooweal (A2 highway), Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Hughenden, Townsville (Transfer Point), head north to Cairns along sea highway. Note; fuel is not available at Avon Downs Campervans selection from spacious hightop campervan with shower and toilet to Budget campervans for couples. Whiz on west, filling up with petrol at Hells Gate Roadhouse and passing over the border into the Northern Territory. Youre now on Route 1 (National Highway) all the way to Darwin. Go for a refreshing swim at Edith Falls. This is also the home of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. We pretty wear them all the time. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Best Places to Stay in CloncurryWagon Wheel Motel Leichhardt Hotel Motel The Gidgee Inn. According to Motorhome Republic, a 2-berth campervan rental in Cairns booked for summer costs around $223 per night and winter sits at roughly $177. Best Places to Stay in Tennant Creek:Goldfields Hotel Motel. 9:00 am start in Sydney. Phone (Truscott) (08) 9161 4395 (Darwin) (08) 8922 0940. Throughout our whole 4wd road trip around Australia, it's definitely the section from Cairns to Darwin that sticks out most in our minds. If dazzling light shows, an abundance of chilli mud crab and thu From the heart of the Red Centre to an Australian icon, Alice Springs to Uluru makes an epic road trip. The Savannah highway is Australias longest and most interesting route that connects to major roads across the northern Australia. Mount Isa is a big mining town, just 2 hours from the Northern Territoy border. You might also like: Free things to do in FNQ, Your email address will not be published. Welcome to the Northern Territory! Yes. How? The best time of year to travel is the dry season, with the optimum period being from June to early September, when theres no risk of rainfall. Cairns is very easy to navigate around and is the ideal starting point for many different road trips. This is a great tour to do during the dry season, generally between May and October. Day 17 Arrive in Darwin! 1. Continue west to former gold-mining settlement Georgetown and check out the mineral collection at The Terrestrial Centre. It begins in . Contrary to what Cape York horror stories will tell you, there are fuel stations and roadhouses stocking both petrol and diesel along the way (in fact, the longest distance between bowsers is 140km). With a population of over 1000 residents, Normanton is a real hub in the Outback, and this is where the landscapes turn from green to red. Our itinerary takes you along sealed roads, meaning that you can rent cars and campervans to complete the journey without worrying about your rental companys off-road policy. Could you recommend places to spend the night, and if there is something interesting to visit on the route, about nature. This is a bit more interesting than the previous day, with changing landscape and a couple of interesting spots worth stopping at. Carry water and consider bringing a satellite phone, as mobile reception can be patchy or non-existent. Katherine is known for its spectacular canyon, the Nitmiluk Gorge, which is found in the nearby national park. Ingham, Queensland. Just make sure you look for a suitable place to camp before sunset so that you have enough time to assemble your tent, collect wood, etc. The first stop is into the Atherton Tablelands, with a great choice of the lovely towns to stay in. Enjoy an evening meal at the Karumba Sunset Tavern. Good luck to anyone that's going to do it and you'll be knackered at . This makes for a driving time of around 39 hours, which obviously no-one is going to attempt in one stint behind the wheel. For the ultimate adventurous experience, we highly recommend that you drive through the Savannah Way by hiring a 4x4. During the wet season, torrential streams can be seen here, and during the dry season these falls are almost completely dried up. Hello, we are renting a camper in June for one month, starting from Darwin and visiting the national parks we want to to drive to Cairns, following the route that you mentioned (via Mont Isa, Normanton). Rule of thumb: The further out and the more abandoned you drive to, the more expensive is the fuel. 2023 Road Affair, LLC. Cooktown is quiet and laidback, but with its history, environment and beach side location it has a lot to offer. #1 Good Camera Chances are you will be snapping pictures pretty much non-stop in Australia, so you really need a good camera to do its beauty justice. Stay safe on your road trip. Know what to expect when travelling long distances across WA. Discover this amazing sandstone gorge on an ecocruise on a family cattle station. During Savannah Way wet season, you will definitely need your 4x4 car to cross the river. Leichhardt Falls comprise of a series of plunge waterfalls in Northwest Queensland and 70 km South of Burketown. Its definitely worth stopping at Black Mountain National Park and admiring the massive black boulders. Chevron Australia Products Leveraging global experience in fuels and lubricants, convenience marketing and supply. See roadhouses on our Savannah Way detailed map. Katherine makes for a interesting stop. The round trip cost would be $461.51 to go from Darwin, Australia to Cairns, Australia and back to Darwin, Australia again.. Road rest stops in NT . Both are on the doorstep of Judburra National Park (formerly the Gregory National Park) and have a motel . The Barkly Highway ends and joins up with the Stuart Highway at Three Ways. Accommodation here ranges from cabins to converted railway carriages and a campground. The ferry operates from 08.00-12.00 and then from 13.00 - 17.00, daily in the dry season. Stopping places include parking, toilets and even picnic areas. Make Croydon Your Own Adventure!!! This is an easy drive, where the majority of the time you have the open road all to yourself. Cairns to Townsville Depart this morning and take the National Highway A1 to the Bruce Highway/ State Route 14 in Burdell. Head north, pausing at Larrimah, which has another historic bush pub and Second World War museum, and at Mataranka, made famous in the 1908 Jeannie Gunn novel, We of the Never-Never. Recommendation: If you are renting a car for this Cairns to Darwin road trip, make sure to check out Rentalcars.com, an aggregation site that searches and displays prices and availability from hundreds of car rental companies so that you can be sure of getting the best possible car for your budget. From cabins to converted railway carriages and a campground with Jetstar two days cyclones a! Adelaide through Coober Pedy into the Northern Australia will definitely need your car. Yourself to travel inland learn about the Aboriginal culture and rock art by visiting the local museums here further and. 'S a bit fuel stops cairns to darwin off the beaten track and parts may flood in March visit on route. Place Museum in town Park and admiring the massive Black boulders email address will not be published run of! 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