Northern Territory travel guide

Kakadu National Park

This stunning park, covering almost 12,500 square miles (32,375 sq km) was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage areas in 1984 and is regarded as one of the natural marvels of Australia. The land itself is believed to be more than two billion years old, and is a jigsaw of wetlands, gorges, waterfalls, floodplains, rainforest pockets and escarpments. It offers the visitor an impressive variety of superb landscapes teeming with wildlife, and features some of Australia's most magnificent examples of Aboriginal rock art. About 5,000 Aboriginal sites have been identified in the park area, making it arguably the best destination in Australia for those wanting to experience the oldest living culture on earth. The park can be visited on a day-trip from Darwin and contains more than 1,600 species of plants and 500 different kinds of birds and animals.

Tennant Creek

Now a popular holiday resort, the old mining town of Tennant Creek, about 300 miles (500km) north of Alice Springs, was allegedly born when a beer wagon en route to an Overland Telegraph Station broke down in 1934 and the driver, Joe Kilgariff, decided to set up a store and pub at the breakdown site. Such legends abound in the Tennant Creek area, which was the site of Australia's last gold rush.

At the Battery Hill Mining Centre visitors on holiday can take a mine tour and hear the miners' stories, before enjoying a nature walk and a picnic. The small holiday town is situated at the junction of the Stuart Highway, which runs between Darwin and Alice Springs, and the Barclay Highway that travels east to Mt Isa.

Tennant Creek is an excellent point from which to make an excursion to the fascinating signature landforms of the area, the granite boulders known as the Devil's Marbles. Thousands of huge, red boulders, some nestling together and others poised on top of each other, are a compelling spectacle in this shallow valley 60 miles (100km) south of Tennant Creek. The local Aboriginal people regard the Devil's Marbles site as a sacred place, believing that the boulders are the eggs of the Rainbow Serpent.

Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park

Formerly known as Ayres Rock, Uluru rises from the surrounding plains, protected within the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park, and belongs to the Anangu Aboriginal people, for whom it holds a special spiritual significance. In an isolated spot 280 miles (450km) from Alice Springs, the power of the rock draws hundreds of visitors taken on tours by Aboriginal guides who explain the monolith's importance in Aboriginal culture. A visit to this monolithic rock, the world's greatest, is an awesome experience. It is composed of a type of sandstone that has been exposed through folding, faulting, the erosion of rock and infill. At the base are caves, inlets and overhangs formed by chemical degradation and erosion.

Some opt for the 1,142ft (348m) climb to the top, which takes about 45 minutes and is not for the faint-hearted; however, it should be noted that for spiritual reasons the Anangu people request that visitors not climb the rock. Visitors should try to view Uluru at different times of the day - part of the magic of the rock is its constant colour changes in different lights, particularly at sunrise and sunset. Visitors can take a camel tour of the Outback at Uluru, or enjoy an unforgettable flight in a light aircraft or helicopter for a bird's eye view of the monolith.

About 19 miles (30km) from Uluru is another fascinating geological formation on the desert landscape. Known as Kata Tjuta (formerly known as the Olgas), these comprise 36 domes of red-brown earth, the tallest of which, Mount Olga, is 656ft (200m) taller than Uluru. There is a range of accommodation at Uluru, from luxury resorts to campsites. There is also an Aboriginal cultural centre and an arts and craft centre, along with restaurants, swimming pools, galleries, a supermarket, a medical centre and a post office.

Crocodylus Park and Zoo

Housing over three decades of research on Australian crocodiles and a comprehensive crocodile museum, not to mention more than a thousand resident crocodiles, the Crocodylus Park and Zoo is designed to educate people about this lesser known predator. While the focus at the park is on crocodiles, there are plenty of other animals to keep visitors interested. At this, the largest attraction in Darwin, visitors can learn about these reptiles as well as view a collection of other animals such as big cats, monkeys, birds, snakes and turtles, to name a few. Regular daily tours, including crocodile feeding sessions, will captivate visitors. There are well-trained guides who are willing to answer any questions about the dinosaur-like creatures, both the species in general and the particular crocodiles housed at the park. Visitors are allowed to get as close as is safe to get the best pictures possible.

Deckchair Cinema

Operated by the Darwin Film Society and completely independent, the Deckchair Cinema is unique in more than one way. Screening mainly films that would otherwise be unavailable to local audiences, the Deckchair Cinema is set outdoors on the edge of Darwin Harbour and is the perfect location for a sunset picnic followed by a movie. The cinema usually operates seven nights a week during the dry season (April to November) and screens a range of movies from family friendlies to foreign films. With 250 deckchairs and about 100 straight-backed seats, the cloudless skies above the Deckchair Cinema and harbour lights make a breath-taking backdrop for the screen. An evening at the Deckchair Cinema makes for a unique way to experience Darwin and its beautiful outdoors.

Outback Ballooning

Surely the most iconic image of Australia is the blood-red dust of its sere and sparse Outback - and what better way to experience it than from a hot air balloon, in the dawn hours, with the sky full of a million colours? Alice Springs' Outback Ballooning company has been offering this once-in-a-lifetime experience to eager visitors since 1986, and has built a solid reputation for itself as a high-quality, and dependable tour operator (with an impeccable safety record). You'll be accompanied on your hot air balloon ride - which also includes refreshments and a light breakfast - by an informative guide, to ensure you appreciate the full impact of the unique landscape spread out beneath you. Visitors of all ages, sizes, shapes and fitness levels are welcome, and are all bound to leave with a memory they'll cherish for the rest of their lives. Don't forget to pack your camera.