7 Days Top End Encounter 2020

itinerary

DAY 1 – ARRIVE DARWIN, MINDIL BEACH SUNSET MARKETS

Our tropical Top End tour begins today flying into Darwin Airport where we are met by our local coach captain for the start of our Darwin and Kakadu adventure. Tonight we take a short stroll along the beach to visit the famous Mindil Beach Markets and settle in to our reserved VIP area overlooking 500 metres of golden sand. The beach looks west out onto the waters of the Beagle Gulf, perfectly situated for us to sit back and watch the sun set over the waves. Choose from over 1200 exotic dishes and watch the famous Top End sunset whilst soaking up the tropical night air. The walk to Mindil Beach Markets is approximately 500m along the beach front. Dinner is at own expense at markets. 4 Night Stay: Mindil Beach Casino and Resort, Darwin. **Bonus!! Free upgrade to Ocean View Rooms for the first 15 bookings.

DAY 2 – BATHRUST ISLAND (B,MT,L,D)

An early start taking a two-hour ferry to Bathurst Island. Upon arrival at the Aboriginal community of Nguiu we meet our local guide who will take us on a journey through the progressive, modern day Aboriginal community of Nguiu. First, we visit displays of traditional art and depictions of the Tiwi ‘dreamtime’ stories. We then mix with the locals, watching the Tiwi ladies work on their weaving and painting as well as watching their totem dances and smoking ceremony, where they bless us, their visitors. See the Early Mission Precinct with its unique Tiwi style Catholic Church and discover the history of the early mission days and learn how the Tiwi people have blended their culture with Christianity. Our afternoon takes us to a burial site, hearing about some of the rituals associated with the Pukamani Poles (burial poles). We board our ferry departing Bathurst Island for Darwin at 3pm. GGP

DAY 3 – DARWIN TOURING (B,L,D)

Today we enjoy some local touring, a relaxing day taking our time to discover the history and culture of Darwin. Taking a harbour cruise, we see where WWII bombs fell on Darwin on 19 February Japanese planes targeted Allied ships in Darwin’s waters, causing mass destruction. Our open-sided boat cruises by these and other landmarks as you hear stories of the fateful day and Darwin’s wartime history. See remnants of the raids and underwater shipwreck sites, and sail by historical wharfs, pearling luggers, other maritime locations. From here we visit the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery to see exhibits depicting the destruction of Cyclone Tracy. Tonight, we dine out feasting on the freshest of seafood whilst overlooking a harbour sunset at Cullen Bay. GGP

DAY 4 – LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK (B,L,D)

Today we discover Litchfield National Park, taking in the inspiring views of Tabletop Range, a sandstone plateau adorned with a curtain of cascading
waterfalls. Marvel at the termite mounds and learn how these astonishing structures are built by armies of tiny insects. We then make our way to Florence Falls lookout before moving on to Litchfield Café for lunch. Our afternoon takes us to nearby Wangi Falls, where year-round currents pour into a large swimming hole. Enjoy a refreshing dip before we make our way back to Darwin. GGP

DAY 5 – KAKADU NATIONAL PARK (B,L,D)

We start off our day at Fannie Bay Gaol. Taking a self-guided tour we encounter tails of some of the Top End’s most notorious criminals who were housed at Her Majesty’s Gaol for a century until 1979. The rest of our day takes us into World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. This landscape of contrasts spans over 19,000 sq km and will tantalise the senses with its abundance of flora, fauna, dreamtime connections and stunning vistas. We traverse the Magela floodplains and pass spectacular escarpments to the Aboriginal rock art site of Ubirr where our guide takes us through the natural stone galleries, giving an insight into the culture associated with these intriguing works of art. Discover paintings of spirit characters and the famous x-ray art depicting the internal structure of some of the animals of this country. 2 Night Stay: Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, Jabiru

DAY 6 – KAKADU NATIONAL PARK (B,L,D)

Discover the dramatic landscapes of Kakadu National Park from the air during a 30-minute scenic flight over ancient escarpments, winding rivers, spectacular 1.8 billion years of continuous erosion, billabong and flood plains. View the Archway, Arnhem Land escarpment’s, East Alligator Valley, Mikinj Valley Billabongs and Magela Floodplains. Afterwards, in Jabiru, we visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre before embarking on a Yellow Water wetlands cruise, taking in part of the South Alligator River floodplain. Birdlife is prolific with brolgas, jabirus and masses of magpie geese just to name a few.

DAY 7 – DEPART DARWIN (B,MT)

We depart Kakadu, make a comfort stop en-route, and then arrive at Darwin airport for our flights home.

B = Full Breakfast; MT = M/Tea; L = Lunch; AT = A/Tea; D = Two Course Dinner

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