Kakadu National Park

We stayed at Kakadu Lodge in Jabiru. You don’t need to book, just arrive and pick a site. We had a terrific spot, shady and near the swimming pool which was a welcome relief from the heat. The repeated mantra in Kakadu is “Only swim in hotel swimming pools!”

We hiked to the top of Ubirr Rock and along the way saw ancient rock art sites. The view from the top looks out on the expansive Nadap Floodplains. It is a sacred place and is breathtakingly beautiful.

I watched a man catch a decent size Barra whilst standing precariously on the rocks in the the middle of Cahill’s Crossing. I was scanning the water for crocs however he didn’t seem to be too bothered, so I figured he must be a local.

The following morning we set out at 5.15 am for Yellow Waters. It was dark and we had a fifty minute drive ahead of us. We were on high alert scanning the road and driving carefully as we were conscious of possible roadkill; water buffalo, wallabies and wild pigs are common in this area.

The early morning Yellow Waters tour was sensational. It was a cacophony of sounds from the depths of the bush to the tallest trees.  The hustle and bustle on the water was incredible; predator and prey lying alongside one another. The crocs had obviously had their fill as they were totally disinterested in the wooded ducks surrounding them. Birds were nesting, egrets cautiously dipping their toes in the water, a pair of kingfisher perched on a branch and crocs gliding through the water or sunning themselves on the banks. My favourite were the waterlilies ( Lotus Flower) awakening to greet the new day. Absolutely stunning!