Route 07 · Waterfalls and barra water

Savannah Way: Top End Leg

Darwin to Mataranka through Litchfield’s falls and Nitmiluk’s gorge country — croc-smart swimming, hot springs and the best barra fishing of the dry.

4 Days on the road

500 Touring km

12 Marked stops

Easy tourer Grade

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Day by day

The itinerary

4 days · 500 km

Day 1:Litchfield’s falls

Darwin Litchfield 115 km

Florence, Buley, Wangi — swim them all. The magnetic termite mounds on the way in look like a cemetery for compasses.

Magnetic termite moundsFlorence FallsBuley RockholeWangi Falls
Day 2:Down the track

Litchfield Katherine 280 km

South on the Stuart with a barra stop at the Adelaide River. Pine Creek’s gold-rush bones are worth the detour.

Adelaide RiverPine CreekEdith Falls
Day 3:Nitmiluk gorge day

Katherine · out and back 60 km

Canoe the first two gorges before the tour boats wake up. Baruwei lookout at sunset over the whole system.

Nitmiluk gorge canoeBaruwei lookout
Day 4:Hot springs finish

Katherine Mataranka 105 km

Mataranka and Bitter Springs — 34° spring water under the palms. Wash a week of red dust out of everything you own.

Cutta Cutta cavesBitter SpringsMataranka thermal pool

Plan it right

Good to know

The route

The line is a straight join between waypoints, not the driving track. Navigate with official maps and road signs on the ground.

1 Darwin
2 Litchfield
3 Katherine
4 Mataranka

Best season

May–Sep (the dry)

Grade: Easy tourer

Sealed or well-kept roads. Any vehicle, any experience level.

Leave no trace: pack it in, pack it out, fill your holes. And tell someone your plan before you lose bars.

Before you go

Safety & preparation

This route is editorial guidance, not a substitute for current, official information. Conditions in the outback change fast. Always check the official sources below before you travel, and be ready to change or abandon the plan if the weather, roads or your gear turn against you.

Review date not recorded Treat these notes as indicative and verify everything against official sources.

Official sources to check

NT Road Report: road conditions & closures
NT Parks & Reserves: park alerts & closures
Bureau of Meteorology warnings: weather, flood & fire
AMSA beacon registration: register a PLB/EPIRB before remote travel

These point at government landing pages and can move. Confirm you're on the current official site before you rely on any of them.

Plan & pack for it

Permits & access. Some sections cross Aboriginal land, pastoral stations or parks that need a permit or pass. Check requirements and carry them.
Seasonal closures. May–Sep (the dry) is the usual window; roads, gorges and campgrounds close outside it and after rain. Never drive past a road-closed sign.
Water, fuel & food. Carry more than you think you need and plan every fuel stop. Remote services are far apart and can be shut without notice.
Comms. Mobile coverage is patchy to none out here. Carry a satellite messenger, sat phone or registered PLB, and leave your route and return time with someone reliable.
Vehicle & recovery. Easy tourer grade. Sealed or well-kept roads. Any vehicle, any experience level. Carry recovery gear and know how to use it.
Water crossings. Assess depth and flow on foot only where it's safe to, watch another vehicle cross first, and turn back if you're unsure. Northern waterways can hold crocodiles. Stay well clear of the water's edge.
Emergency. Call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency; where there's no signal, try 112 from a mobile or activate your PLB / satellite messenger.

Your location & privacy. Saving this route only pins it to your Adventure Passport. It doesn't track or share your location. Earning a region stamp or checking in at a field day is optional and records only that you attended, never your live position. The map above plots the published route only; it never uses your device location.