Your guide to Litchfield National Park - Part Two

The beautiful Litchfield National Park is quickly becoming a crowd favourite, especially in the more recent years where it’s competing directly with its neighbour: Kakadu National Park. (Kakadu or Kaka-don’t for your next holiday?!) Many tourists are choosing to instead head to Litchfield due to its vast array of family friendly activities, easy to access swimming holes and beautiful sightseeing opportunities. In part one of your guide to Litchfield National Park, I shared the swimming holes and waterfalls that are a must-experience when you’re here.

However, there’s so much more to this national park with its 4WD opportunities, campsites, historical homestead and gorgeous lookouts. Here’s what else you can do in Litchfield National Park in addition to swimming.

When is the best time of year to visit Litchfield National Park?

There are two distinct seasons up here in the Top End of the Northern Territory: the dry season and the wet season. They are as presumed by their names: from May to October you’ve got the dry season where very little rain falls and the weather is a bearable temperature. The wet season is when the NT receives most of its rainfall which of course has its advantages and disadvantages. The landscape is flourishing, the waterfalls are flowing and heavy and the natural wildlife is abundant, but the 4WD tracks are closed for safety reasons and not all water holes are safe for swimming.

Although there’s always a chance for freshwater crocodiles to be found in the waterholes, they rarely attack humans unless they are provoked. The issue with the wet season is the waterways become connected during wet season flooding which allows the crocodiles to move around to different areas.

Once the wet season ends, the areas in the Park are surveyed to check for any saltwater crocodiles before the areas are again opened to the public. So although you should always be croc-wise when you’re swimming in the NT as salties can slip through the cracks on occasion, it is much safer to visit and swim in the water holes during the dry season.

The heavy rains in the wet season cause a lot of the hot spots in Litchfield National Park to be closed as roads become inaccessible, there’s a risk of flash flooding and a greater risk of Saltwater Crocodiles entering. So I’d advise you to head here during the NT’s dry season.

Where can I 4WD at Litchfield National Park?

If you’re keen for a day on the tracks, you’ll want to check out Reynolds 4WD Track, a 44 kilometre long track that’s located between Wangi Falls and Tolmer. Full of various terrains, bumps, termite mounds, holes, river crossings, bushland, mud, sand and opportunities to pull off to a bush walk or a swimming hole, this 4WD track can provide hours of fun and variety for all dirt road loving visitors.

Keep in mind that some of these water crossings can get quite deep, so it’s recommended you come prepared with a snorkel fitted to your 4WD. There are also signs throughout the track that encourage you to stick to the road that’s been created for you, as they do not accept or encourage off-roading throughout the National Park. So make sure you act as a responsible 4WDer and keep the 4WD tracks open and enjoyable for everyone.

termite mounds litchfield national park

If you’re up for the challenge, I suggest you head onto the track with your fourbie early in the morning so you can really take your time exploring. Stop and check out the historic Blyth Homestead, established by Harry Sargent and his family in 1928 who also built and operated a tin mine nearby. The homestead was abandoned in the early 1960s and has now been restored, allowing tourists to step back in time and imagine how life in Australia was for those in the early pioneer days. There’s a book within the homestead that explains a little about the family members and a visitor book where you can leave your name and a comment about the site.

Cool off during the adventure

The two swimming opportunities on this track are Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek) and Surprise Creek. Tjaynera Falls requires a little more effort, you’ll need to commit to a moderate 1.7km track that will lead you to the falls, whereas Surprise Creek is only a short walk from the carpark.

Both of these spots offer camping if you’d prefer to spend more time on the Reynolds 4WD track or explore over a period of days.

Where else can I camp at Litchfield National Park?

If you don’t want to camp on the Reynolds 4WD Track, your other options are Central Valley, Florence Falls, Walker Creek and Wangi Falls. If you want my personal opinion, I would suggest following in my footsteps and basing yourself at Wangi Falls. Reason being, it’s only a short fall from the Wangi Falls waterhole where you can easily access a swim at any time of the day before wandering back to your campsite. If you were to camp at Florence Falls, you’d need to undertake the 1 kilometre walk or 160 steps down to the falls each time you wanted a dip.

Wangi Falls can get quite busy, so camping right next to the falls also allows you ample opportunity to visit at various times of the day and experience the swimming spot when it is far less crowded.

josh at wangi falls camping litchfield national park

If you’re a caravanner looking for a powered site so you can run your air conditioner (great idea) then Litchfield Safari Camp would also be a great option to base yourself at. Only a convenient 5 kilometres out of Wangi Falls, Litchfield Safari Camp also having glamping and cabin options for those who may want a break from the camping life and to enjoy a little luxury whilst in the national park. It also features a resort style pool so you can swim completely crocodile-threat free in the comfort of the safari park.

What lookouts are there at Litchfield National Park?

Cascading over a deep plunge pool, Tolmer Falls is a lookout you don’t want to leave Litchfield National Park without checking out (and of course, snapping a few photos of). Accessibly by a sealed road, you have the option of two viewing platforms that are located at the top of the gorge.

Unfortunately this one is just a walk and a lookout as swimming is not permitted in Tolmer Falls. Luckily there are so many other amazing swimming options within the national park that you hardly feel ripped off that you can’t jump into this one!

tolmer falls litchfield national park

Permits and fees at Litchfield National Park

As with all national parks, there are park entry fees that are not included in your campsite fees. These apply to visitors to the Northern Territory as NT residents are exempt. A day pass will set you back $10 per adult and $5 per child, a 2 week pass is $30 per adult and $15 per child and an open pass that is valid for 12 months is $60 per adult and $30 per child.

Make sure you cross your t’s and dot your i’s with these passes as you don’t want to be caught without one when the ranger heads on by.

Litchfield National Park seemingly has it all: 4WD adventure, lookouts, hikes, plunge pools, waterfalls and amazing camps. If you’ve got a week or two that you want to spend outdoors, I would highly recommend you consider Litchfield National Park for your next Northern Territory getaway.