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.
HOW TO GET TO WANGI FALLS
Litchfield National Park is 85km south of Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. From the Litchfield Motel/Batchelor the drive takes just under an hour. You will pass by almost all of the attractions in Litchfield National Park before you arrive at Wangi. To get to Wangi Falls from Darwin is a 2-hour drive, which for the most part is on a nice highway.
Wangi Falls is in the north-western region of Litchfield National Park and towards the end of the road that winds through the National Park if you are coming from the Batchelor end. It takes about 45-mins to an hour to get to Wangi Falls from Batchelor.
Wangi Falls is often closed after heavy rainfall due to the danger of crocodiles. The pool is signed off until the rangers are confident the pool is safe for swimming. That is a warning you don’t want to ignore!
WANGI FALLS VISITORS GUIDE
We arrived at Wangi in the early afternoon but the lighting was very harsh so we decided to go and visit a few other attractions in Litchfield National Park before returning around dusk to catch the sun bringing out the reds in the rocky side of the mountain.
The pool was closed when we visited in May and it largely depends on the rainfall it isn’t relative just to the time of year. There is one nice viewing platform but the angles for photography are a little limited from here although you do get a good view of both waterfalls.
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. We sent the drones up to capture Wangi Falls in full force and really do this plunge-pool justice from the air. The conditions at sunset were perfect and despite some curious eagles, the flight went well. It is important to note that you do need a permit to fly a drone 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’.
This adventure was part of a trip with the Northern Territory Tourism Board.