8 days Broome to Darwin. Are we mad?

by Dave and Lis
(UK)

Love your site! Thank you for the terrific information. My husband and I have quite limited time, so we will be travelling via the Great Northern Highway. Does the following sound at all reasonable?

Day 1: Broome to Fitzroy Crossing/Geikie Gorge. Camp overnight.

Day 2: Fitzroy Crossing to Bungle Bungles. Camp overnight.

(After reading about the time it takes to actually drive into the national park itself, I am worried about the logistics of this day, and we are now considering the alternative of doing a huge drive the first day, i.e. skipping Geikie Gorge entirely, and driving straight to Halls Creek, to enable a longer day at the Bungle Bungles)

Day 3: Bungle Bungles to Timber Creek. Camp overnight.

Day 4: Timber Creek to Kakadu.

Day 5: Kakadu

Day 6: Kakadu to Humpty Doo, staying at Fogg Dam.

Day 7: Fogg Dam

Day 8: Darwin.

Any advice would be gratefully received! Thank you, Dave and Lis

Comments for 8 days Broome to Darwin. Are we mad?

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Broome to Darwin
by: Birgit

Hi Lis,

It's doable, but as you realised yourself, gives you next to no time in the Bungles.

The alternative is doable, too. And 8 days is very little. You know that as well.

So I don't have much to add. You offer little information about what you want to see and do exactly or the motivation for the places you chose to stop at.

Take Fogg Dam. Do you need so much time there? After all, dusk and dawn are the most interesting times, so wouldn't one night be enough? That would solve the Bungles problem.
Yes
by: Cuppa

I'm afraid you are mad! Trying to fit so much in in such a short space of time will drain your energy & enthusiasm to see anything & you will leave wondering why you bothered. You will have time to put up your camp, eat, sleep & break camp each day.

Very little time to see the places you are stopping at. Eg. Bungles needs a minimum of 2 days once there (& even that is rushed). You are going to see virtually nothing except for white lines on the road. At most places there is a fair degree of walking involved, not just rocking up & looking & leaving.

I truly think you should reconsider. From Broome you could have a wonderful 8 days just camping up on the Dampier Peninsula.

I am a little surprised that Birgit hasn't told you that you are biting off more than you can chew.

Cuppa
Thank you for replying!
by: Lis

Thanks very much for your prompt replies!

OK, so I have cancelled one night at Fogg Dam to allow for two nights/one full day at the Bungle Bungles. While I know this will not be enough time to fully experience this place, it made me feel a lot better to know we at least have a full day there now. Any tips for a one day itinerary?

We have two days in Kakadu (again, I know this is very short). I would like to do the Yellow Water Cruise from Cooinda (There is only one tour at 6.45am in the dry season.) Apart from that, I am just scouring Trip Adviser for must sees. The top falls at Maguk sounded wonderful too.

We would like to see a (small) handful of beautiful things in a short period of time, over a long distance! We both love 'road trips' (which is just as well, given the amount of driving we're doing, although we have worked it out as at most 4.5 hours of highway driving per day, which I don't think is too bad.)

The only reason we're staying at Timber Creek (next stop after the Bungle Bungles) is because it seemed like a reasonable place to stop en route to Kakadu the following day. We are very open to any alternative suggestions.

Thank you again for your help.

Lis and Dave



8 day trip from Broome
by: Ann - Central Coast

Hello again - from the over 60s group. Well good luck but a short time is better than no time. 2 days in Kakadu is ok if you dont do long trips into waterfalls and stick to seeing all that is close. Fog Dam is a great area also but can be seen on your way out. Do not delete Geike Gorge as it is well worth seeing(and as you are not going up the Gibb River Road you will not be seeing the wonderful gorges there) If possible and your budget allows, then do a flight over the Bungles, it gives you a very different aspect of the area. Also of course do the Cathedral and other doable walks allowable in your time frame...
Kununurra is a great little town rather than timber creek (lots to see there including the mini bungles national park) Katherine Gorge is close to Katherine, the Caravan Park is great. You may be able to squeeze in Litchfield N.P. on your way into Darwin. Good luck and if you are young ( or young at heart) the rushing about will not worry you, just stop and smell the roses even if it is only a little wiff......
Traveling on the roads of Australia
by: Anonymous

Thanks for sharing your experience, I must say it would be on great to follow 8 days trip to highlights of Australia.

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