Darwin to Katherine scenic flight: Explore Nitmiluk National Park & Kakadu's Yellow Waters Cruise

Embark on a thrilling scenic flight from Darwin to Katherine, exploring the stunning Nitmiluk National Park and Kakadu’s Yellow Waters Cruise. Witness breathtaking landscapes and discover hidden areas untouched by mankind.

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge - Arrive at Katherine and depart on a half hour, once in a lifetime helicopter ride through the twisting gorges.
  • Kakadu National park - Fly from Katherine to Kakadu National Park, over breathtaking rivers, ravines and ancient landscapes
  • Mimi’s Restaurant & Barra Bar - On the ground at Kakadu, take a moment to discover the spiritual marvel of the land with a boat cruise through the famous Yellow Water.
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Scenic Flight
  • Bottled water
  • Window Seat
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST) included
  • Fixed-wing Aircraft
  • 13 Gorges Helicopter Flight
  • Complimentary Parking
  • Yellow Waters Boat Cruise
What's Not Included
  • Food and Drink
Additional Information

Embark on a journey from Darwin to Katherine across harsh terrains in one of our static wing planes. You will witness the stunning landscapes of Nitmiluk National Park via an exciting helicopter piece. Get a close-up view of regions otherwise inaccessible by any other transport.

Post the tour of the gorges, the flight to Kakadu National Park is scheduled. Prepare to be awestruck by the ancient and breathtaking landscapes that lend Kakadu its renown. The vastness and spiritual grandeur of the land will leave you in awe.

Upon landing in Kakadu National Park, take a brief respite and enjoy your lunch before joining the Yellow Waters Boat Cruise in the afternoon. This magnificent trip on water opens up undiscovered corners of Kakadu, untouched by human influence. The area is teeming with wildlife, and showcases the natural aesthetics and cultural importance of the region. The return flight to Darwin covers the magnificent Mary and Adelaide Rivers, before you eventually land back in Darwin, safely.

  • Minimum of two adults for the tour to proceed.
  • Infants (0-2 years inclusive) are free, however seating cannot be guaranteed and infants may have to sit on the parents lap if seating is not available.
Location
Kookaburra Air Darwin
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(39 Ratings)
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Samantha
Aug 13, 2024
Amazing day - Absolutely amazing experience! Recommend for anyone visiting NT, and Jordan from @kookaburra air was such an awesome guide / pilot for the day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Damienw935
Jul 23, 2024
A great way to see a large spanse of the Northern Territory. Worth every dollar! Spectacular day out. Highly recommend. - Amazing views from the air across a great expanse of the Northern Territory all seen in a day! Spectacular scenery and great commentary along the way from Austin my very knowledgeable Kookaburra Air pilot. Views of Darwin and surrounds from the moment you take off, fly over the Stuart Highway and see the old telegraph carriage lines alongside, see many avocado and mango plantations as you head south, the abandoned gold mines full of water that surround Pine Creek, the changes in the landscape as you see Nitmiluk National Park prior to descent in to Katherine. A short ride from the airport to the Helicopter and a very memorable flight over Nitmiluk National Park heading to Katherine Gorge. From the air you get a perspective of the size and scale of the area. A view of the Gorge from the water as well would have been perfect but was not part of the tour. Back to the plane for a flight over Nitmiluk National Park and Kakadu National Park en route to Cooinda and the Kakadu Yellow Waters Cruise. Great views of Jim Jim Creek and South Alligator River on the descent in to Cooinda. Being the dry season in July, there were plenty of crocodiles and lots of bird life to see on the cruise. Simply spectacular scenery is all I can say. Following the cruise, I decided to grab a bite to eat at Cooinda Lodge prior to the return flight to Darwin. Austin recommended the Beef Burger and it didn't disappoint. The flight back to Darwin provided vistas over the Mary and Adelaide Rivers and stunning afternoon views of Darwin. Thanks to Austin and Kookaburra Air for a sensational tour! I would do it again in a heartbeat to see the scenery in the wet season. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bether613
Sep 12, 2023
Don’t miss this! - I had a fantastic day with this company. I’ve never been in a small plane like that and I was a little nervous and the pilot made me feel very safe and comfortable. I also enjoyed the river cruise more than I thought. Great commentary and lots of wildlife! This trip made me want to return to Darwin.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fearless32270469002
Aug 28, 2023
Australian gems - This was a week’s worth of travel all done in one day. The views were amazing and the schedule was impressive. Matthew was pleasant and informative and extremely safety conscious. We loved the day and highly recommend anyone visiting Darwin should do it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Johnbk2200yv
Aug 27, 2023
Trip of a lifetime - The trip was awesome and the Pilot Matthew was just the perfect Pilot with his knowledge and experience politeness. Experience of a life time for my husband and myself. Well done Matthew.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julie_m
Aug 23, 2023
A Unique experience. - Wow, what an experience. In the air over Darwin to see the sun rise. A very knowledgable pilot and guide explaining what we were seeing from on high. Amazing views over this vast landscape. A helicopter ride over Katherine gorges, just incredible, then flown to Kakadu for a beautiful cruise on Yellow Waters, to discover incredible wildlife, with an expert guide. A very unique way to see this beautiful land.
Review provided by Viator
Adamv232
Aug 13, 2023
Great day away - Great pilots/hosts. Well worth the price. A great way to see some great attractions in a short time, but without feeling rushed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N3566vialanh
Jul 18, 2023
Experience of a lifetime! A MUST DO!! - The experience was absolutely amazing. Ryan our tour guide was one of the most friendly people we have encountered and definitely knew his facts about the area. We cannot compare this experience with anything else we have done whilst travelling. We have traveled to 6 different countries over the span of our 4 month holiday getaway and this was our highlight experience and was well worth the money! Being able to see so much in a short time was fantastic. Well done.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Naturalthomas
Jul 18, 2023
Excellent Experience x 2 - My original booking included a flight to Kakadu and a Yellow Waters cruise in that National Park. There was a bit of a mix up with that booking, but JFC Charters/Kookaburra Air did an excellent job of offering me alternative arraignments, so I confirmed this experience which included the flight to Katherine, and then I added to my original booking to include the helicopter tour over Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park as well. Though it involved a change in dates of my plans, and I upgraded to include the helicopter experience, I consider it a win-win remedy for both myself and the tour operator. My only advice here is to always contact the tour operators when booking through this site or others, just to confirm that everyone is on the same page. This is a tour operator that I would trust again based on how they handled that issue, and for the overall experience. Our pilots (Mx2) were professional, informative, and fun. We had an "extra" pilot for the bush plane because one of the M's was observing for doing the trip on future excursions, while the other bit our great M&M's was flying. I was traveling solo (from California) and there was a nice couple from Sydney along with us. (Who did freak me out a bit when they mentioned being in a plane crash in Kenya, due to some wildebeests on the runway when they landed. Our pilots Mx2 assured us that would not happen on this trip!) From take off just before sunrise in Darwin, seeing the sun come up over the NT while in flight, to each take off, landing, and each experience on the ground (and off the ground and back during the most excellent helicopter part of the tour experience) was great. Mx2 looked after us the entire way, and the entire experience was exciting, informative and fun. Not only a highlight of all my travels during my month Down Under, but a life travel highlight as well. Just do it! So cool. Such an amazing experience, with top-notch professionals along for the journey.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samantha_g
Jun 19, 2023
Plane, Hellicopter, Bus, Taxi and boat loved it - Amazing... a must do for everyome ....I've told all my friends if they ever go to Darwin they have to do the Kakadu Yellow Waters & Katherine Hellicopter tsosee this from the sky AWESOME the guides were full of information ...This was just breath taking.... Just do it !!!
Review provided by Viator
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