Australia’s Northern Territory is steeped in aboriginal culture and history. The Aboriginals inhabited it continuously for thousands of years and made Uluru (Ayers Rock) as centre to their culture. It consists mainly of the Simpson Desert.  Darwin is the capital with Alice Springs being the next largest town in the Northern Territory.

It borders Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.  The territory has an abundance of animals from rock rats to 100 species of lizards, snake’s and crocodiles. There are many islands around the North coast and this is where you will find the amazing Kakadu National Park, which features breathtaking wetlands and native wildlife, a definite must. 

Combine the unsurpassed splendour of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) on a unforgettable scenic helicopter flight.

The Northern Territory has a monsoon climate with two seasons, a wet summer (November to April) and a dry winter (May to October). The Northern part is more of a tropical climate. It has two climates dry season and wet season. The dry season is between May and September. The wet season is associated with tropical cyclones and monsoons. The majority of rainfall occurs between December and March.

The central region is the desert centre of the country, which includes Alice Springs and Ayers Rock. Most of the desert lie in the central and Northwestern part of the country and occupies 44% of the continent.

Plane
Flying throughout the Northern Territory is extremely easy. Darwin, Alice Springs, Uluru and many more tourists’ destinations have regular flights. The two major airlines in the Northern Territory are Qantas Airways and Airnorth and both offer scheduled flights to many destinations within the Northern Territory.

Rail
You can catch the legendary Ghan operates from Darwin to Adelaide via Alice Springs. Jump off at Katherine for a few hours or explore the town for a day or two. The Ghan offering excellent service and food will take you through the heart of Australia.

Check out The Great Southern Railway site for travelling North to South or visa versa.

Car
There are many car rentals offices in Darwin, Ayers Rock and Alice Springs, also offering campervans and 4WD’s. It is a great way to be able to explore this territory but at your own pace. However be warned that the roads do not have any fences so therefore don’t be surprised if you see livestock roaming onto the roads.  It would be advised to avoid driving at dawn, dusk or at night. There are five recognised drives in the Northern Territory and they are the Explorer’s Way, Savannah Way, Red Centre Way, Binns Track and Nature’s Way.

Bus
There are a number of bus operators from Darwin to Alice Springs and many other destinations. Tours offer visitors the experience of the outback and are a cost effective way of getting around.  McCafferty and Greyhound offer scheduled services along the Stuart Highway between Darwin and Alice Springs.