27 Days Darwin to Darwin

by Claire
(France)

Dear Birgit, I bought your guide and the itinerary suggestions. So I would like to submit my itinerary to receive comments.
We will arrive in Darwin on April 30th, and in our plans, we will start Gibb River Road on May 13th. I hope roads will be open by then!
Thank you very much for this very helpful website.
Regards,
Claire

Day 1 Arrive at Darwin airport (at 4.00 am)
         Wait until 10am to get the 4WD camper.
         Grocery shopping
         Night in Katherine
Day 2 Drive to Gregory NP
         Walks and camp
Day 3 Gregory NP
         Drive to Keep River NP
Day 4 Keep River NP: walks
         Drive to Kununurra for the night
         Grocery shopping
Day 5 Flight over Bungle Bungles and Lake Argyle
         Drive to Warmun Road House for the night
         (or new camp at turn off)
Day 6 Drive to Purnululu
         Lunch at Piccaninny Creek carpark picnic area.
         Cathedral Gorge walk and Domes walk
         Walanginjdji lookout or site close to Walardi campground
         (sunset)
         Camp in Kurrajong (northern campground)
Day 7 Mini Palms walk
         Lunch at Echidna Chasm carpark.
         Afternoon: Enjoy Echidna Chasm (for the midday sun).
         Drive to Halls Creek
         Night in Halls Creek
Day 8 China Wall + Old Halls Creek
         Drive to Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater
         Drive back to Halls Creek for the night
Day 9 Drive to Fitzroy Crossing
         Geikie Gorge: cruise and/or walks
         Night in Fitzroy Crossing
Day 10 Drive to Derby
         Quick visit of Derby
         Drive to Broome for the night
         Grocery shopping in Derby or Broome
Day 11 Dampier peninsula
         Drive to Cape Leveque
         Walks/Visit
Day 12 Dampier peninsula : Walks/Visit
Day 13 Dampier peninsula : Walks/Visit
         Drive to Broome
         Drive to Derby for the night
Day 14 Drive to Windjana Gorge
         Walk
         Drive to Tunnel Creek
         Visit
         Drive back to Windjana Gorge for the night
Day 15 Drive to King Leopold Ranges
         Lennard Gorge
         Bell Gorge
         Camp at Silent Grove
Day 16 Mornington
Day 17 Mornington
Day 18 Adcock Gorge
         Galvans Gorge
         Night at Mount Barnett Roadhouse or at Manning Gorge
Day 19 Barnett River Gorge
         Ellenbrae Station
         Drive to El Questro for the night
Day 20 El Questro / Home Valley
Day 21 El Questro Gorge
         Emma Gorge
         Zeebedee Springs
         Chamberlain Gorge Cruise
         Night in El Questro?
Day 22 Drive to Wyndham
         Visit
         Drive to Kununurra for the night
Day 23 Lake Argyle
         Mirima National Park
Day 24 Drive half-way to Darwin (Willeroo?)
Day 25 Drive to Darwin
Day 26 Return 4WD camper
         Night in hostel
         Visit Darwin
Day 27 Visit Darwin
         Flight at 6.00pm

Comments for 27 Days Darwin to Darwin

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27 Days Darwin To Darwin
by: Birgit

Hi Claire,

The first thing that stands out to me is day 1. Your email address is French. Are you flying from within Australia? From Europe? Direct? Or do you have a longer stopover in Asia?

If you are flying directly from Europe, have you done this before? Does whoever will be driving this camper to Katherine on day 1 know without a doubt that they can sleep like a baby on airplanes and that the seven hours time difference will not affect them?

Because if you are flying from Europe and you have not done this before, then you will be in for a nasty surprise. That long haul flight is no fun and you will be totally exhausted when you finally arrive. I would suggest at least one night in Darwin to recover. If you come in from elsewhere, then this isn't much of an issue.

On day 10 I would drive to directly to Broome. I don't see the point in making a several hundred kilometer detour for a quick visit to Derby, when you'll be visiting it again a few days later anyway.

On day 13 I would drive directly to Derby on the Bedunburra Road if possible. (Find out about current conditions by asking around while on the peninsula, it may still be too wet at the time.)

You could theoretically combine day 24 and day 25 if you do decide to take an extra day at the beginning.

Kununurra to Darwin is a very long drive, but in my opinion still easier than doing all shopping and driving from Darwin to Katherine on day 1 after flying in from Europe.
Thank you
by: Claire

Thank you for your comments, Birgit.

In fact, we will fly from Europe but we will have a complete day of stop over in Singapore and we already booked a room at transit hotel to have a good sleep. If we still are too tired we will only drive few km outside Darwin.

You are right about day 10. We don't need to go to Derby. We will rather go on day 13. But I don't think we can take the Bedunburra road with a rented camper. But I will ask anyway.

Regards
Bedunburra Rd.
by: Birgit

Oops, you are right! Of course, it's a private road. Well, you could take it, but if something goes wrong you'd have no insurance cover. I shouldn't have recommended it.

Cool, with the day stopover you should be fine.

Looks like it's gonna be a great trip!

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