5 Best Things To Do In Litchfield National Park: Complete Guide

Litchfield National Park is an epic cluster of waterfalls, swimming holes, and all-around adventures. The best part about the park is that it is less than 2-hours drive from Darwin making it perfect for a weekend getaway. The other awesome aspect of Litchfield National Park is that all of the attractions are close to each other so it is more action and less driving as you explore. I spent the weekend exploring with my mate and these were my favorite things to do in Litchfield National Park.

BOOK A LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK TOUR

One of the best ways to experience all of the things to do in Litchfield National Park is to take a guided day tour from Darwin. Luckily, Litchfield National Park isn’t far from Darwin compared to Kakadu National Park, which takes several hours to reach. Litchfield is just a 1.5-hour drive from Darwin making it perfect for a day trip tour. 

The ‘Litchfield National Park + Jumping Croc Tour‘, is by far the most popular tour in the region. Not only do you tour all the best spots and things to do in Litchfield National Park but the tour includes a boat ride to see the ‘jumping crocodiles’.

THINGS TO DO IN LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK

WANGI FALLS HIKE

Wangi Falls is arguably the favorite waterfall of most tourists when they visit Litchfield National Park. The huge plunge pool is one of the top swimming spots within the park when it is open and it really is a spectacular backdrop of two waterfalls crashing down on the red rock. There is a 3-kilometer loop trail that takes you up and over the top of the waterfall, giving you a spectacular view.

We decided to go for the loop trek that takes you up and over the waterfalls. It led us underneath the canopy of trees and it was a beautiful walk with lots of birds, spiders, and butterflies to be found along the way. The path was in quite good condition and all of the steeper inclines were aided by stairs or rails. The difficulty of the trail was low but there were uneven parts that could cause some older adventurers a little hassle although most should be fine.

At the top of the falls, we managed to find a view of awesome vantage points and watched as the sun slowly came down over Litchfield National Park. Hanging out here is one of my favorite things to do in Litchfield National Park.

View the full blog post: WANGI FALLS HIKE

BULEY ROCKHOLE

The Buley Rockhole was our go-to swimming spot and hanging out here was one of the most relaxing things to do in Litchfield National Park. A series of cascading pools flow down the stream, creating small swimming pools for small groups of friends to hang out in. It’s almost as if each group of mates gets their own private pool.

The water here was crystal clear and we found a few spots to jump in where it was deep enough. However, the best thing to do at Buley Rockhole is to find a natural armchair, half submerged in the refreshing water, and let the stream flow as you enter full chill mode.

FLORENCE FALLS

Florence Falls is my favorite swimming spot in the beautiful Litchfield National Park. Two waterfalls pour down over the edge and into the plunge pool, flowing in from a series of smaller rock pools in the stream above. Fish and underwater rock formations make Florence Falls an awesome spot for an afternoon of swimming.

Once we arrived at the falls there were about 30-40 people already set up and enjoying the plunge pool. It’s quite a small space so it was pretty crowded but most people were just hanging out around the edges, not actually swimming out to the falls. We threw down our gear and went to explore underwater and under the waterfalls, which was one of my favorite things to do in Litchfield National Park.

From above this spot looked really epic. Lots of rockpools slowly cascade down the stream before pouring over the edge, which made for a really cool top-down aerial shot.

View full blog post: FLORENCE FALLS SWIMMING HOLE

MAGNETIC TERMITE MOUNDS

It isn’t a swimming hole or an epic waterfall but the magnetic termite mounds in Litchfield National Park are beyond fascinating. The minuscule termites somehow manage to build mounds meters into the air. Some of them were double my height and it really gets you thinking about the power of numbers and how organized the termites really are.

A huge field of termite mounds makes a pretty interesting scene. It almost appears to be a cemetery with tombstones.

TOLMER FALLS

Tolmer Falls was my favorite waterfall in Litchfield National Park. It was quietly magnificent, hidden away in a narrow gorge, viewable only from a small platform above the cliffs. I think it was the subtle nature of its raw power that drew me in. I visited Tolmer Falls twice and enjoyed shooting the scenes surrounding the gorge at sunset as well as during the day.

I highly recommend Tolmer Falls for sunset. The sun lights the rocks up a magnificent earthy orange that fades to a soft red. Then, looking away from the waterfall, the rolling mountains make for some stunning landscapes and silhouettes during the final moments of the sunset. The best time to shoot this waterfall is in the late afternoon or during sunset.

View full blog post: TOLMER FALLS VIEWPOINT

LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK: WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at the Litchfield Motel, which is one of the last accommodations before you enter Litchfield National Park. Equipped with a swimming pool and a continental breakfast, it made for the perfect base for day trips into Litchfield National Park.

The drive from the Litchfield Motel into Litchfield National Park took about 15-20 minutes. The beauty of staying at the motel is that you have all of the comforts in the town of Batchelor rather than camping in the park. Each night we went down to the local tavern and had a good old pub meal and a beer and mixed it with the locals.

LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK CAMPING

If you do prefer to camp in the park there are campgrounds at Wangi and Florence Falls that are quite popular. Four-wheel drive camping is at Tjaynera Falls, Surprise Creek Falls, and Florence Falls. Camping fees do apply and you can check the fees and more information on the official site here.

This adventure was part of a trip with the Northern Territory Tourism Board.