Vast and diverse, the Northern Territory is 1,352,176 square kilometres of extraordinary: breathtaking landscapes, ancient culture, wondrous wildlife and colourful characters.
Landscape and locals
From the coast to the red centre, the Northern Territory's landscape is like no other. In semi-arid Central Australia, marvel at stunning rock formations and Australia's iconic monolith, Uluru. Further north, the sweeping savannahs of the Barkly tablelands lead to the tropical Top End and the wetlands and waterfalls of the famous Kakadu and Litchfield national parks. Watch for exotic species of birds, reptiles and marine life. Meet the locals and embrace the stories: local history stems back to ancient times and the land is home to the world's oldest living culture. The Territory's population of just 230,000 is famously warm and welcoming, and just as diverse as its landscape.
Activities
The Territory allows for any kind of experience: fishing in a tinny or exploring coastline on a cruise, hiking in tropical wilderness or hot-air-ballooning across desert, and viewing Indigenous art in galleries indoors and out. Time your visit around a local event and take your pick from a calendar packed with arts events (Darwin Festival, Merrepen Arts Festival), sport events (Camel Cup, Tiwi Islands footy) and seriously silly fun (the Henley on Todd).
Transport
Easy to get to, the capital city Darwin is just a short flight from interstate capitals and nearby cities in Asia, and is a popular cruise-ship destination. Regular domestic flights link Darwin with Alice Springs and Uluru in Central Australia, and other regional destinations. The Territory's largely flat terrain makes it ideal for a road trip, but if you'd rather let someone else do the driving, there's an excellent bus network, tours for every taste, and of course the Ghan, one of world's great train journeys.
