Kakadu, Nourlangie and Yellow Waters Tour from Darwin

2 Day tour

Our driver/ guide was very informative and a safe driver. Please be aware that it is quite a long drive between sites. We saw some amazing places but did not find the rock art to interesting. Love the wilderness sights and the yellow water cruise. The walk up to the top of Ubirr rock is well worth the journey as the view is to die for. Staying at the Mercure Crocodile hotel in Jabiru was lovely and clean. The buffet meal in the evening is well worth paying for. The only negative for us, was that I feel this tour is more for the older people, as there were quite a few people with mobility issues, which is great for them don't get me wrong but I think WE should have done a more adventurous tour. All in all we enjoyed it. Our guide Sandy was Amazing.

A taste of Kakadu

It is a long day, but well worth the effort. Kakadu has a lot to offer and our tour guide was lovely and very informative.

Kakadu Trip

The whole day was a wonderfull experience. We were looked after all day. The tour guide at Kakadu was fantastic & informative we enjoyed the day

Yellow Waters cruise and flight were highlights

Thanks, Roman for a nice day out in Kakadu. We really enjoyed the Yellow Waters cruise spotting crocodiles, bird life, and brumbies - had the feeling of being more “real” than the jumping crocs. We also did the plane ride and would recommend it - amazing views from above of the billabongs and stone country. It was a big group to travel around in on a long day, but people were considerate of others and were on time. Roman was also flexible when a number of us were waiting in line, to ensure we weren’t left behind. All in all, a great day.

A bit average!

Some tour guides have the right demeanour, and others just don't. This was proven on the day tour we went on to Kakadu. Roman was absolutely fantastic, even while driving the bus he was able to provide interesting facts and entertain us (in addition to the fabulous guided tour throughout the day). However, when we switched drivers at the end of the day, there was an abrupt change in the atmosphere with the alternate guide. She was rude and unapproachable with people on the tour. Perhaps she was having a bad day. The tour itself we found to be not very good value. It's the small thoughtful things on a tour that make it enjoyable. For example, a small snack for morning tea or frozen towels in the afternoon etc., that we've experienced on other tours really do make a huge difference. We found the food at the place this tour stops at for morning/afternoon tea and toilet stop (that you must purchase) was really terrible. Don't waste your money on a stale toasted sandwich or a roast meal with uncooked vegetables! Perhaps AAT could partner with a better location for these stops or have a word with the manager to ensure they improve the quality. Overall, I think AAT Kings could make some improvements to this tour.

Great tour

We went on a tour with AATKings with our tour guide being Prem. We never have had a guide like him. Very informative right from when we were picked up until we got dropped off. We seen places we never would of seen if we had driven ourselves out there.

Land before time and still worth exploring

Yellow waters cruise is a must do. Absolutely stunning and loads of Crocs and other wildlife. Michael our bus coach and guide was brilliant. Full of cheer and amazing facts about Darwin and Kakadu. A wonderful trip.

Kakadu, Nourlangie, Yellow Waters tour. You will not be disappointed.

What an amazing day. Great bush sceneries along with an abundance of wild life. The cultural center giving an insight to the indigenous way of life and how they view each season. The staff and guides we met along the way were more than generous with their time and knowledge.

Kaka. Do!

Great guides. Amazing variety of experiences. Killer scenery. Well worth the money. Yellow River was a particular highlight.

Kakadu - a must see

AAT Kings organised a 3 day tour from Darwin but staying at Jabiru and Katherine overnight and including 3 different river excursions. The jumping crocs, a wetland cruise and Katherine Gorge. All very different but equally spectacular. Cam(eron) our tour guide and driver was superb both in commentary and information but also keeping us moving on a tight schedule over long days. There is a lot packed in and a reasonable level of fitness is required. Where we were a small group (17) and the fitness levels not too dissimilar this worked well, but even with one or two that were less able, some of the timing at locations was compromised. I feel this could be more of an issue in a larger group. The small group also helped with bonding where you are in close proximity for 3 days. The cave/wall art is special and very much the better for having a knowledgeable guide to both locate and explain it. Many of the places would be hard to find and plan other than with a professional tour company. The views both over the wetlands and in the gorges were extremely varied and all spectacular. The variety of flora and fauna was just amazing and again so helpful to have a guide to both spot it and explain it. We used AAT Kings both here and at Uluru and would highly recommend them

A long day, but a good day.

I took this AAT/Kings tour as part of a package. It is an early start at 6am, and a very long day. We did not get back to ouyr hotel until 8.45pm. The day mostly revolves around a walk to view the Aboriginal rock art in the Kakadu National Park, and then a very good cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong, where we saw a lot of the local wildlife, birds etc. Very spectacular and interesting. Lunch was provided on this trip, which was a buffet affair, and very good. My only complaint is that the driver/guide brought up the possibility of booking a scenic flight over Kakadu. About 8 people signed up for it. But this meant that about 35 other passengers had to cool their heels around the mining town of Jabiru and the Crocodile Hotel until the flyers were returned. This was about as interesting as watching paint dry. The Crocodile Hotel wasn't expecting us, so the bar wasn't open, and we all hung around bored to death. In my opinion, the Scenic Flight should not be a part of this package. We should have left for the long drive back to Darwin immediately after the cruise. Then, maybe we would hav got back to town at a reasonable time, instead of very late. Overall, it is a good tour, and the driver/guiden Cam, was very well informed and a very jovial character.

Refreshingly impressive

Pleasant & informative staff. Safety was a priority. Interactive nature experience. The lillies were spectacular.

Good tour

Got to see a park I was unaware of. Driver and assistant were both very good. The day was too long but necessary to see from Darwin.

An excellent day

Annie our tour guide and driver was so knowledgeable and interesting. She understood the local Kakadu culture, and stories associated with the Nourlangie Rock Art we saw. Her attention to detail, kindness looking after everyone with reminders of the cold water on board, the extra snacks she supplied for us and the delicious picnic lunch of freshly carved roast chicken and crisp salad. The knowledgeable skipper on the Yellow Water Billabong Cruise told us of the bird life, and found three camouflaged crocodiles for us as we slowly glided amongst the thousands of white water lilies. We highly recommend anyone wanting to take a day trip to the Kakadu National Park to take this one. Marilyn and Margaret

Very good but...

Very good but it's an incredibly long day, it's uncomfortably hot and humid on the boat at yellow waters and there were no crocs (end of March). Saw 3 different species of birds and only once or twice so very expensive tour. The Kakadu flight is $260 extra which made it over $1800.00 all up for 3 of us. Lunch was plentiful and very enjoyable. The Kakadu component is however, well worth it. Quite amazing.

Wonderful

The cruise on the Yellow Waters was stunning especially the Billabongs, so peaceful. Great to finally see these parts of Australia.

Beautiful tour but room for improvement

Kakadu is beautiful! I was disappointed to find out at the end part of the tour that 'nourlangie' which is what it had been referred to for the entire tour was not the correct place name as per the local Aboriginal people. It is actually Burrunggui and Anbangbang (even with a sign asking us to please use the correct names). Additionally, a buffet lunch was promised and as a pescetarian (which I specified on booking) I got leafy side salad only which left me quite hungry on the trip back. Would still recommend this tour however if possible to go for two days I would look into Indigenous owned businesses for a more respectful experience. We were rushed through the cultural centre and rushed through the rock art - other tourists were taking photos of the art which had signs stating not to photograph and our tour guide did not police this. Overall it was a great experience but there is probably some room for improvement.

Well organised

All very well organised. Good stories told by the experienced driver. Very pleasant boat tour. Experienced ranger

Long, but exciting day

This is a wonderful tour to Kakadu National Park, but a long day. We had a very early start at 6:15 a.m. I saw an albino buffalo at our morning tea stop at Corroboree Park Tavern. Our first stop in Kakadu was Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) to see the aboriginal rock art. After visiting the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre we had lunch, followed by a cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong (Ngurrungurrud jba). It is home to many saltwater crocodiles. We saw lots of birds along the billabong, including a White-bellied Sea Eagle couple. As we left the National Park, we made a comfort stop at the park entrance.

Great views

Optional flight worth every cent. Great commentary. Nice and careful driver. Excellent lunch. Comfortable coach.

It is 14 hours long not 13 hours and a passenger bus from Kakadu to Darwin

The tour is 14 hours, it stated 13 hours when I did the trip. They offered a flight over Kakadu and if you choose to do the flight, the bus goes to pick up whoever did the flight at another location, they also pick up on the trip staff or people who want to travel from the Kakadu to Darwin. I believe these are the reasons that the bus trip was an hour longer. I scored low for these reasons. Tours need to be transparent on what is happening during the day and how long the tour will be to avoid disappointment.

Incorrect itinerary lead to arriving home 1.5 hours late.

The tour itinerary was totally different from the one that was sent via email. The tour guide repeated herself multiple times throughout the day about the process. But did not mention once how it was different from the one sent via email. 1 bus picked us up from our hotel and dropped us at another hotel. Then we had to get on another bus. This wasn’t mentioned and added 30 minutes into the trip. Instead of heading home after all the things were finished on the itinerary the bus driver went out to Jimbaru to pick up staff to bring them back and then pick up people from a plane ride. This wasn’t in the emailed itinerary and added an hour to the trip. I raised this with the bus driver in the afternoon and she was incredibly rude. She said I’m just a bus driver raise it with AAT kings. I said I will thanks for letting me know. Then she kept talking for 5 minutes trying to justify us being home 1.5 hours late. I ordered a bus tour, not a public bus that picks up everyone at AAT Kings choosing. We left at 6am and did not get back to 8pm. So I was stuck in the bus for an extra 1.5 hours. Please don’t waste peoples time. Who wants to get back at 8:30pm when in the email it said 7pm.

Kakadu trip from Darwin.

A great trip. Very long drive but coach was very comfortable and cool. Croc cruise was awesome. Libby was our driver 5 star. Fab day.

National Treasure

Tour guide Libby was an excellent guide, host and driver ensuring all her passengers were comfortable throughout the journey. We were reminded at every stop to top up water bottles to keep hydrated. Hat, bush repellent and good walking shoes is essential. It is a long day for this adventure however very worthwhile. All should visit Kakadu to appreciate this amazing country and understand what we need to do better to preserve this National Treasure. Peter

Great but very full day out

Great day out though it is very long. There are a few ways to book this trip and the finer details vary depending on who you choose to book through. Viator indicates that you need to pay for a Parks Entry Pass and also pay for your own lunch - neither of these are correct - both are included. If you get the opportunity and can afford it then take the scenic flight over Kakadu from Cooinda to Jabiru. Have fun and enjoy!

Amazing Kakadu

Long bus trip but worth it. Our driver/guide Mark made the travelling enjoyable by providing information/facts, chatting, telling jokes and providing a movie, Australia, on the return trip. The day ran to time, the rock art beautiful and easily accessible. Lunch excellent in comfortable surroundings. The cruise was great and our guide, Greg, very knowledgeable.

Lived up to expectations.

Yellow Waters boat ride,rock carving and lunch.8.Both tour guides were informative and excellent friendly.

Bucket list must do

This was a fantastic tour if you have a limited amount of time. It will give you a taste of Kakadu and leave you wanting more - wishing you had booked the 2 day trip. Michael our guide was amazing. We had a small group which made for a much more intimate experience. Definitely a bucket list item.

Fantastic Kakadu Experience!

Cam was a fantastic tour guide! Very knowledgable and professional! Looked after everyone on the tour! Highly recommend! Long day trip in comfort.

Kakadu experience

A brilliant bus driver to take us there. With plenty of interesting information. The yellow waters tour guide -Dennis kept us all entertained mixed with knowledge of the area.

A part of Australia that needs to be treasured

Amazing place, amazing people and very peaceful and knowledgeable driver, loved it 😍 and will recommend it to anyone, my favourite was the flight as I experienced the landscape and the beauty of this place

Great Days Drive to Kakadu

Was a great trip without having to drive ourselves to Kakadu for the day. Everything was great except the Yellow Waters Boat Trip. I have cruised Yellow Waters before in my own boat and remembered it as beautiful and spectacular wildlife and flora. This was my husbands first time on Yellow Waters. Our cruise master spent too much time concentrating on the few crocodile on the banks - roughly 15 minutes each whilst too much talking about his childhood and how great his people are. Hence we missed the varied great views of Yellow Waters the other cruise boat did at the same time. My husband does not 'get' Yellow Waters beauty and never will.

Heritage and culture packed

A great tour that takes you to Kakadu, Nourlangie and many other places. Steeped in culture and heritage. Rock art is amazing. A long day but worth it. Tour guide very knowledgeable.

You’ve Gotta Do Kakadu

The first thing I would say is be prepared for a long day (and a long review) . My wife and I were picked up from our hotel @ 6:00am and got back @ 7:30pm. First comfort stop is about an hour from Darwin at the Corroboree Park Tavern where you can purchase your own tea ,coffee ,snacks , hot food etc. They have two resident water buffalos there as well as a 4.5mtr crocodile named Brutus that you can go and say hello to while enjoying your coffee. It’s then back to the bus for a two hour drive to see the aboriginal cave paintings where you’ll spend about an hour listening to the stories behind them. At approximately 12pm you’ll enjoy your 1 hour lunch stop of roast chicken , cold cut meats & salad at the Cooinda Lodge. After lunch we experienced the absolute highlight of the tour which was the Yellow Waters Billabong 2hour cruise where we saw countless numbers of crocodile , so many varieties of bird life and even a water buffalo that casually walked within 20Mtrs of a 4.5mtr crocodile totally oblivious to the fact that the croc was even there. The boat is very large and safe if you are a little apprehensive about boats or a crocodile attacking it. Once we finished the cruise , part of our tour headed off for their scenic flight (extra $280pp) over Kakadu while the rest of us headed to the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre. (The people that did the flight did not get to see the cultural Centre). The Cultural Centre is where you can read about the many stories and look at how life was and still is being experienced in Kakadu today. We then headed to Jabiru airport to pick up our flyers and the started the long 3 hour trip back to Darwin with a very quick 20minute stop at the Corroboree Tavern again. Michael our driver & guide was a true professional and I always had the feeling we were in safe hands however I cannot believe in today’s litigious , OH&S obsessed society AAT Kings would let one person do all this driving and guiding by himself. The workload and responsibility on him would be enormous as he would have had to start at least an hour before our pick up (5am) and finish at least an hour after our drop off (8:30pm) so for him it would be a 15.5 hour day. Not too smart I would say AAT Kings . I hope you are paying him and all your drivers accordingly cos they deserve every cent.

Kakadu and Yellow Waters tour

The Nourlangi, Aboriginal paintings and cultural centre were interesting. Yellow Waters cruise was great, our commentator was excellent and very informative and able to handle the boat with ease. Our bus driver, Michael had a sense of humour and great knowledge of everything.

Great Tour

Our driver/ guide Cam was outstanding - knowledgeable , friendly and extremely helpful. The coach was very comfortable, the meals and hotel accommodation very good. The itinerary was a bit crowded but varied and interesting, special were the indigenous guide on the boat trip and the visit to the cultural centre run by an elder and his family.

Fun day

Rox was a great driver/guide, knowledgeable and a lot of fun! The optional flight over Kakadu escarpment and the stone country is well worth the money! Great fun!

Excellent full day tour

Excellent full day tour that I took from Darwin. I stayed at the Hilton and they had hotel pick up (early start. 6.20am in the morning). WE had a large tour group this day and there was plenty of comfort stops on the way. Excellent driver/tour guide (1 person) who managed everything on the day. I did the optional flight over Kakadu (about 8 of us paid for this extra) and the rest of the tour bus went onto the Cultural centre (if you do the flight, you will miss out on the Culture centre). The flight was excellent, small plane with about 8 passengers and if you are tall, just a warning not alot of leg room. Great experience flying over and the waterfalls. The yellow waters and looking for crocs on the water was great, there was a great guide on the boat who was very knowledgeable and shared alot of First Nation knowledge/history. We did see a few crocodiles. There was a buffet lunch on offer that is included on the tour price. Well round tour. Ensure to take a bottle of water of you on the bus, they also have cold water stored under the bus so you can refill it during the day. It was a long day but a very enjoyable day. We also saw some rock art during the tour. It can get hot in the day, so ensure to have your sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat I recommend.

A great tour by AAT Kings

Again First class Buses, Coach Driver, Amenties,Destinations and Lunch. Cam the Coach Captain was an exceptionally knowledgeable Driver and Guide. If i could i would sore a 5 plus

Great day. Kakadu is amazing.

Flying over Kakadu was amazing. The landscape after the wet season was amazing. Mel & Rox were extremely knowledgeable and entertaining bringing Kakadu to life. Great day.

Kakadu

The driver/guide was excellent - Michael made a long day short - entertaining and informative - lovely day out

Fantastic Kakadu Day Trip Experience with Scenic Flight and Yellow Water Cruise

On 31 March 2023, my partner and I joined the Kakadu National Park guided coach tour (D4) combined with the add-on Kakadu Scenic Flight (50 mins SKF50). The company’s information on bringing water, hat, sunscreen camera and comfortable walking shoes, we found was quite pertinent. Temperature was 33-35 degrees with very high humidity. We were picked up from Argus Apartments by Cameron, our Tour Guide and Driver. The coach was impeccable in appearance both inside and outside, with excellent internal facilities. Cam proved wonderfully competent with his driving skills, his commentary whilst driving which included knowledge of the local history, indigenous acknowledgements, and geographical and wildlife highlights – all of which were conveyed with great enthusiasm, a love of his coach driving which at times would have been arduous facing the sun both ways and never faltering, his humour, friendliness, and being adept at reading his passengers requirements throughout, whilst keeping to scheduled times to maintain a comfortable pace. This proved to be an excellent introduction to all the passengers of the Tour for what was to come throughout our day’s journey with AAT Kings. We set off promptly through Darwin then along the Arnhem Highway, into the Kakadu National Park. After a morning tea stop, and a short drive, the passengers were split between those who had chosen the Scenic flight, and those who carried on to visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre. We had chosen the flight. Cam dropped us off to a waiting small coaster which took us directly to the plane. The helicopter option was not available and we and two others were escorted to a light aircraft with window seats for all. I chose the Co-Pilot seat. The vastness of Kakadu was visually amazing and seemed to go on forever. The two main water falls were a highlight. The pilot was very informative and demonstrated his flying expertise during the 50 minute flight. Landing on the small dirt tarmac was loads of fun and very smooth. The same small coach then met with Cam and passengers who were waiting for us, and we then drove to meet the guide on the Yellow Water Billabong water cruise. Timing as they say is everything. March is not quite ripe for the season’s wild life and birdlife. But we did actually spot 3 crocodiles much to everyone’s delight. The male tour guide was a “hoot”. Hilarious and entertaining. A true local Aussie at heart with never ending stories, and local description of the environment. The water was calm, the landscape was pretty with all the foliage both in the trees and on the water’s surface. Very relaxing and beautiful. A gorgeous river cruise. Next stop was lunch after a brief drive. Buffet included salads, cold meats, hot chicken breast, diced fruit and some desserts. All part of the tour package and more than adequate given the time constraints. Wine, beer and drinks were additional costs. The pub venue was very comfortable, air conditioned, with outdoor seating as well. Service was quick and friendly. A nice lunch choice. Off again to Nourlangie to view the rock art galleries. The day being somewhat humid, proved to be at times a little strenuous for some of the passengers who had to rest frequently but without delaying the group, all credit to Cam. The rock art was a tribute to the indigenous artistry, finesse and ability to express their history, culture and portray their creativity. Cam was totally fluent with their interpretation and brought to life their spiritual essence. After another brief comfort stop, and again refilling of the cool water into our containers from the complimentary two large water containers in the coach, we then set off back to Darwin. The mood in the coach was easy and relaxed after a very enjoyable experience. Passenger drop offs at various Darwin points were processed quickly and efficiently, with many expressing their gratitude to Cam, who undoubtedly was a major factor in making such a memorable Tour. With thanks to you Cam, from Chris and Roger. We are returning to Darwin again in June next year, making advance bookings for the Katherine Day Tour from Darwin including the Katherine Gorge Cruise. We have no hesitation in highly recommending AAT Kings to visit the “top end” for a great experience.

The worst day of my 6 weeks in Australia

10 hours on a bus through uninspiring landscape to go on a pleasant 90 minute boat ride and have a canteen lunch. You decide!

Wet Season Tour

Relaxed atmosphere. High light yellow water. Tour guide Prem, friendly helpful manner and very informative.

Worth the day's trip.

The coach was very comfortable. Driver Libby was very knowledgeable and professional ,. Saw lots of wildlife, wallabys, birds and on the river cruise we saw a croc. The Cultural Center was informative and very well displayed.

Disappointing

I had booked this trip for my mum who visited Darwin for a week in December coming from WA. We were told Kakadu is fantastic in the wet season, with waterfalls and crocodiles. However this tour seemed to have been a very long day trip to see some aboriginal art. My mum told me she didn't see any waterfalls or crocodiles at all. The walk to the native art caves was long and exhausting, and the Yellow River cruise pretty boring. I was very disappointed for her and would not recommend this tour.

Beautiful Kakadu

My Mum,brother and I this trip with AAT Kings as an overnight as part of our 6 day NT now tour.So glad we did it this way as a day trip would have been exhausting.So much to see,Kakadu is huge.Loved the yellow waters tour and climbing Nourlangie,stunning views and some very interesting aboriginal rock art.We did another boat cruise called the Guluyambi Cuteral cruise which was run by young aboriginal man and was so educational.We stopped off briefly at Ahnern land and he even demonstrated some spear throwing for us.Highlight for me was probably the lookout from Ubirr.The wide open landscape that seemed to go on forever was just breathtaking.Everywhere was lush and green which just added to the beauty.We were pleasantly surprized by our overnight accomadation at the Mercure Crocodile Hotel.Our rooms were very comfortable and had lovely big swimming pool just outside our door which we made good use of.The resturant had very nice meals.The bus was very comfortable and we really appreciated being able to top up our water bottles with lovely cold water from the eskys on the bus.Anthony,our guide and driver was very kind and patient as well as knowing some many interesting facts about this stunning part of Oz.Thank you very much AAT kings for a jam packed,but wonderful 2 day tour of Kakadu.We loved it.

Too much driving and not enough personal touch by the Aboriginals

This seems like a good way to see a lot, however, you spend 6 hours in the coach (3 hours each direction). The aboriginal paintings are interesting, but after riding for 3 hours and spending $230 US, it would have been nice to have an interpretor or someone who would go through the area to explain things from the Aboriginal perspective. We did stop at a cultural center for an hour later, but again, there was nobody to explain things. There were pictures and printed explanations, but it was very impersonal.

Great- but not for young families

Gary was fabulous, he dropped off our water bottle after a 14 hr day! We really appreciated that! Thanks Garry, you had kind friendly personality hard keeping 30+people on time! The tour itself for us as a young family probably wasn’t the best choice. We spent majority time on the bus. We should have chosen a more interactive tour, maybe meeting with elders, Community and real life experiences. For sightseeing in the comforts of a bus it checks all the box’s. The river boat add on, was great our tour guide on the boat was very knowledgeable and a great personality. I wish caught his name! Next time we will try the flight tour. I wish I knew about that before, looked fabulous!

Amazing

Well organised, great tour. We did the 4 day Kakadu and Arnhem Land. Amazing- a must do. We saw so much and learned a lot. Beautiful scenery, comfortable transport and accommodation and the local indigenous tour companies offered really good quality tours on the country.