Meeting and Pickup

What To Expect

Reviews

• The itinerary is very...

  jgeagea1,

  Sep 6, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Very well thought out itinerary and the places we visited were amazing. Our guide Rick communicated the plan for each day very clearly. Accommodation was also better than expected, with actual beds. Highly recommend and do the optional scenic flight if you can - this was probably my favourite thing over the 5 days.

• best tour guide and experience ever

  davidhY2889RH,

  Jul 28, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  had the most amazing experience you could imagine with this tour group. our Guide was Rick, I can't explain how knowledgeable and experienced this man is in life and skills, prob one of the best drivers I've ever seen. this guy is also as wise as he is skilled. this tour exceeded my expectations. from what I saw and learned from Rick on this tour was exactly what I needed to experience the top end of Australia. legendary bloke. what an adventure it was. the man can cook too and make you laugh at the same time. Def a must tour with this guy. stay awesome Davee H.

  

• Crazy AMAZING tour, loved every minute

  D9237ZBsimoneg,

  Jul 22, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Our tour guide Rick was knowledgeable, fair and ran an organized tour. We could not fault anything other than our own need to bring slightly warmer clothing for night time which were chilly so warm clothes are a must but during the day was perfect. Loved every minute of our tour and wouldn’t change a thing. Thx heaps Rick

• Top notch way to see the Top End

  grantmO4751CV,

  Jun 7, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Really enjoyed my 5-day tour to the Top End national parks (booked through ATA Tours website). Our guide Rick was an absolute legend, taking excellent care of everyone on board and navigating the park's challenges with ease. I went in late May (beginning of the dry season) so some attractions were still closed -- I knew this going in. Rick made sure we saw the best places that were open, including a wonderful off-the-beaten-path swimming spot. One advantage of this particular tour's itinerary was a visit to Arnhem Land. We had bad luck and couldn't cross the river on the first day, but successfully crossed on the second day! Great example of the value of a multiday tour with a seasoned guide. Unforgettable experience. I'm a wildlife lover and enjoyed seeing crocs and jabirus during our billabong cruise in Mary River. I highly recommend the Kakadu scenic flight, costs extra but worth every penny. Katherine/Nitmiluk and Litchfield were also excellent, but Kakadu is a tough act to follow. The group was a great mix of families, couples, and solo travelers. We had so much fun together!

  

  

  

  

  

• Top End & Arnhem Land Tour, & Tiwi Island Retreat add-on was outstanding!

  keithf984,

  Jul 1, 2023

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Loved the Rock art sites (very spiritual feel) and the swimming holes! Tour Driver and Guide (Ben) was very good! Beware the Adventure Tours advertising though. Not all featured locations are available at all times, but they cover themselves in the fine print. The received Itinerary doesn't get updated till you begin the tour. We missed several locations. The Indigenous Elders hadn't opened Arnhem Land before our tour, and Jim Jim Falls road was closed, but we heard later that the Falls weren't flowing. Crocs can limit swimming/canoeing, but that tends to be accepted. The Parks people try hard to trap any that get in, but it's the luck of the draw whether you will be able to swim. Ben modified our tour "On the Fly", for our small group (13) and alternate locations were amazing and beautiful. On-site tents weren't fancy, but acceptable, and on-site facilities were good. A good introduction to Outback Oz! Recommend a few days in Darwin between arrival and departure or if connecting to another tour or add-on. Allow for connection screw-ups and you won't be inconvenienced (like one couple , booked on a cancelled flight home to Melbourne directly after the tour!) Darwin was worth a look drinks, and We added a short stay at Tiwi Island Retreat at the end of the tour, Superb food and surprisingly luxurious for an Off-the Grid location on Bathurst Island in the Tiwi Group north of Darwin! Fantastic sunsets and dawns, fishing, crabbing and relaxation!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Top End Adventure but no Arnhem Land.

  Andre R,

  Jun 4, 2023

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Picked up an hour late but soon forgotten when we finally hit the road with our new friends. Travelled for 5 days in a good group of 13. Ben was our tour guide and he was great. He put in the effort to make it a memorable experience for all of us. Accommodation and facilities were basic but good and above expectations. Arnhem Land was closed which was disappointing.

  

• Awesome time had in the top end come asap you won’t be disappointed!!

  Barbara M,

  Apr 23, 2023

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Rick our guide was amazing, very knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating, thanks matey!! The areas we were able to see, such a big area to explore, were absolutely amazing and had mind blowing beauty. We swam and relaxed in crystal clear water and under waterfalls of a multitude of gorgeous gorges. We were surrounded by plants and trees that were around in prehistoric times which was phenomenal. The trip is for the determined, versatile, hearty fit and fun loving type. This is a life changing trip to destress!!

• Top End and Arnhem Land 5 D/4 N Tour with Rick was Top Notch!

  trev18,

  Sep 30, 2022

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We have recently returned from our NT tour and just felt compelled to rave about how sensational it was! Rick was such an experienced, fun and knowledgeable guide and as one of our fellow companions said on the trip, Rick was a highlight himself, which is so true!…alongside all the beautiful places we visited, he made everything go so smoothly! With over 20 years experience, Rick is incredible and his 4x4 driving skills are awe inspiring. We were lucky enough to have such a super group too, and as you contribute to prepare meals together, this creates the ability to bond and we hope to continue the friendship with our new found amazing friends! We took a boat on the wetlands tour with Danni and she was a hoot with loads of information on all he incredible wildlife we saw, including crocs, the jabiru and brolga. Make sure you take the option to fly over Kakadu. We chose the 30 min flight and the colours of the wetlands, the rivers and stone lands were a thrill to see from birdseye and gives you a glimpse of the vastness of the area. Rick took us through Arnhem Land viewing the rock art of First Nation people and we learnt about the Mimih spirits. The unique escarpment and rock formations of the land was incredible. I never knew how many beautiful waterfalls NT had!! Rick made sure we had plenty of time for all of them. We visited Barramundi Gorge, Edith Falls, Buley Rock pools, Florence Falls and Wangi Falls. Jim Jim Falls was a favourite and the 4x4 drive and hike to get to it is so worth it. We did a boat cruise through Katherine Gorge and had time for a hike to the lookouts in Nitmuluk National Park. It was 40degrees so I fully recommend to put hydrolyte in your water to keep hydrated. The Katherine hot springs were a real delight! The clarity of the water and the temperature was very therapeutic after the hike. There were fruit bats above the last pool but they don’t hurt you. Make sure you stop at the two waterfalls between Buleys Rockpools and Florence Falls…they are secluded and a lovely spot. Rick took us to see the Cathedral and Magnetic Termite Mounds. He explained how the termites work together and that the Magnetic variety are only found in NT. It wasn’t part of our itinerary but because Rick is amazing, he included a stop at Adelaide River for us to see the well kept war memorial of the Darwin bombings. They actually hit as far south as Katherine and around 250 people and soldiers died. Very solemn and an important part of our history to see. Accomodation is a great tent with beds and comfy mattresses, and bedding. Very clean and you have a lamp and fan! The Accomodation owners at Carneys Creek really make you feel welcome and they have a fabulous deck a short walk away to view an incredible sunset! As Rick always said, “You’ll never go hungry”! And you don’t! Breakfast is cereals, toast and fruit and there’s snacks of fruit and biscuits, dips and crackers. Lunch was cold meats and salad with bread and wraps. Dinners were BBQ, chicken and veggie stir fry with rice, spaghetti bolognaise and tacos! Always catering for coeliac and vegetarian requirements too. There’s opportunities to buy alcohol along the way and at Katherine too. We cannot speak highly enough of Ricks tour. It was such a life changing experience, jam packed with so much fun and incredible experiences. Memories to last a lifetime! Thankyou Rick! Thankyou Kakadu Tour group! Thankyou NT! 💖🙏🏼🤗🥾💦🏞🚌⛺️🤠🚶‍♂️🏊‍♀️🌅

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Amazing and unforgettable

  helenka99,

  Sep 17, 2022

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We departed Darwin on 13 September 2022. Our driver and guide Rick was fantastic. Our group of 15 people had a large age range, which was fantastic to see, and Rick brought everyone together with his good humour, laid back yet responsible approach, sharing important and interesting cultural information and his unending patience with the group. The places we visited on the tour, the activities and the scenery was so beautiful and unforgettable, including Jim Jim Falls, the optional flight over Kakadu at sunset, the optional two hour cruise in Nitmiluk / Katherine Gorge, Litchfield Park, the many wonderful opportunities to swim in serene and pristine billabongs and swimming holes. There was an opportunity for a short break to get some personal supplies in Katherine. Rick broke up the driving with interesting stops along the way. Anyone who complains about the driving time needs to look at a map and realise the sheer size of Australia and the necessary time it takes to travel between places. The trip is broken up perfectly. Each campsite had basic and clean facilities. The whole trip was extremely well organised. Rick gave us our times and deadlines for activities, whether it be breakfast, packing up camp, or time for swimming. Rick did a wonderful job cooking all the meals at night, and the pre dinner preparation and post dinner clean ups are a way to assist Rick and for the group to bond, so it is important for every group member to pitch in a bit. The wildlife and plant life at Corroboree Billabong was superb, and a highlight for me. No complaints. I totally recommend this tour. And I recommend the company and driver/guide Rick. Helen

• The NT with Rik the legend

  fionasN6374BD,

  Apr 8, 2022

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  As the first group (11 of us) of the season after Covid we had the most fantastic time. Our driver, an absolute Legend named Rik, toured us around the most beautiful places with replacements for those closed (due to water still being high at the end of the wet). The travel between places was easy. Good driver. Water always fill and cold. Efficient helping us get camp organised, ran us in the kitchen and clean up like a favourite uncle. The camp sites were easy and clean. As well as the organised parts of the tours like the boat trips our very knowledgeable guide pointed out lots of sights, birds and animals on the way and was happy to do a quick stop for a wild dingo shot, an unexpected feral donkey or brumbies. It was a very relaxed trip with stops to stock up on snacks and plenty of time to enjoy hikes and swimming. We were worried about a guided tour in case we felt herded around but we were delighted to find it was more like a tour that a mate was giving round his home territory. I highly recommend this tour. We have zero complaints.