Tips on planning your Kakadu Holiday
Frequently asked questions
Kakadu FAQ & Tips will assist you in planning your Kakadu holiday.
Can you do Kakadu in a day?
You can do Kakadu in a day by joining a day tour from Darwin. If you do only have a day it is best to join a tour as you will not be insured for night driving in a 2wd rental car. Note day tours from Darwin will not visit any off road water hole areas in Kakadu and this is due to time and distance. See Tours
When is the best time to visit Kakadu?
May to October is what we call “The Dry Season” usually the first or second week of may the temperature drops significantly and the humidity and rain has ended. The park starts to dry out and areas will start to open. Certain areas take a little longer to open so it will depend on what you wish to see here in Kakadu. It is best to contact us for advice. The Wet Season is very different to dry season but there are less areas open and it is humid but it is a great time to fly over the falls as they are gushing. We usually get our decent rain February to April.
How many days to you need to explore Kakadu?
This will depend on when you are coming to Kakadu and what areas you wish to see when you are here and that is often determined by how active you wish to be as some sites such do require a higher level of fitness. Some people come for 2 to 3 days and some people like to spend a bit more time and do some of the longer walks or day tours.
Booking overnight / extended tours
One of the biggest mistakes people make if they are wanting to join an extended accommodated tour or camping tour departing Darwin to Kakadu & surrounding areas such as Litchfield National Park, Nitmiluk (Katherine) National Park and Arnhem Land is to book flights before checking if there are suitable tours available. Some tours require a higher level of fitness than others, some people do not wish to join a camping tour and prefer air conditioned rooms and different tours depart different days of the week.
Self Driving & Car Hire
If you decide to drive yourself to Kakadu & you are hiring a vehicle from Darwin please keep in mind that 2 wheel drive rental cars will not be insured for night driving. Often this is not clear until you pick up your vehicle. So if you are set on a self drive holiday and need insurance for night driving you will need to look at hiring a 4 wheel drive and ensure the hire car company insures for night driving as I have been advised recently that some 4wd hire companies are not offering insurance now for night driving. Being insured for night driving will be helpful if you wish to drive from Jabiru to Ubirr Art Site & Lookout (46klms sealed road) for sunset. If not you can join the Ubirr Sunset Tour
It is also beneficial if you are staying in Jabiru and wish to do the Sunrise or Sunset Yellow Water Cruise at Cooinda. It is a 55 kilometre drive on sealed road and there are no transfers from Jabiru to the cruise. If you do decide to spend the extra money it will cost you to hire a 4wd please note that you will still need to be wary about driving early morning, late afternoon into the night as we do get animals on our roads here. Many wallabies and the odd Buffalo, Wild Pig or Brumby.
Do I need to purchase a park pass?
Yes, all interstate and international visitors to Kakadu need a Kakadu National Park Pass
Is my Park Pass included in my tour cost?
If you are booking a day tour or extended / overnight tour from Darwin usually your park pass is included in the tour cost. There are 1 or two tours that do not include the park pass in the advertised rate but will stipulate that it is a separate payment either on board or online prior to the tour. They do not charge anymore for the tours it is just paid separately to the tour. Certain school/educational groups can apply for exemption HERE
When you book a cruise, scenic flight or any other day tour departing from within the park then your park pass is not included in those rates. The reason for that is that you may book multiple tours here in Kakadu and so the park pass is paid for by you either online or on arrival at the Bowali Visitor Centre here in Kakadu and you are to keep it with you when you are out and about in Kakadu or on any other the tours.
Can I drink / purchase alcohol in Kakadu?
Takeaway alcohol can be purchased at the Jabiru Golf Club but you will have to pay a $10 joining fee as it is a club. That is a membership for a week and then you are only permitted to purchase either 1 carton, 2 bottles wine, a 6 pack and a bottle of wine or 1 bottle of spirits. It is best to be organised and bring some with you from Darwin. When you are in house at either Mercure Crocodile Hotel, Aurora Kakadu Lodge or Cooinda Lodge you can purchase drinks over the bars/bistros. Please note Anbinik is not licensed and is BYO (bring your own). There are certain areas where alcohol is prohibited in Kakadu but is allowed in the commercial caravan parks and resorts.
Where can I eat/dine out in Kakadu?
Kakadu Supermarket has fresh rolls, freshly made cold meat and salad rolls, pies, sausage rolls and hot chickens. They do sell out often so it is best to get in early. The Supermarket is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturdays 9am to 3pm and Sundays (in dry season, usually June to Sep) 9am until 1pm. In the quieter months it is closed Sundays.
Marrawuddi Arts & Culture offers freshly brewed coffee and is open 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on weekends and public holidays.
Mercure Crocodile Hotel is based in Jabiru and is open for lunch from 12 pm-2pm & is fully licensed.
Aurora Kakadu Lodge in Jabiru offers evening meals only and is outdoor poolside dinning at their bar & bistro hours 6pm-8.30pm. Some mornings in the peak season home made fresh bagels are on offer at reception. You can find Kakadu Kneads on Facebook.
Jabiru Golf Club: The Jabiru Golf Club offers evening meals Thursday and Friday nights only from 6pm-8.30pm – please have photo identification to sign in and no singlets please. Check out their facebook page for updates as they have just advertised a Palmy night on Wednesdays.
Cooinda Lodge is located 55 kilometers from Jabiru and is open for Breakfast 7am – 10am, lunch 11.30am – 2pm and Dinner 5.30pm – 8pm.
Please note Kakadu Tours & Travel do our best to keep the above Kakadu FAQ & Tips information as current as possible we take no responsibility for changes made that we are unaware of.
Kakadu FAQ & Tips last updated 27 AUG 2024
