Northern Territory - time to travel

Submitted: Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 09:04
ThreadID: 87752 Views:2157 Replies:5 FollowUps:3
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We are currently in Cairns and leaving for Cape York around the first week in August. We had originally planned then to travel across the Savannah Way towards Darwin and visiting Kakadu and Lichfield before heading further west. This should be the months of September and October. The alternative is that we proceed to Mt ISA and head south via Alice Springs before heading west and then north. We are on a full trip around Australia and if we take the second alternative we would be arriving in the Northern Territory around March/April. Can we please have opinions on which would be the better alternative? Many thanks.
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Reply By: blue one - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 09:28

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 09:28
The Savannah Way is a great trip. Make sure you stop off at Lawn Hill and KFC on the way through. There is a lot to see and do on this route. The local pub is always a good source of information.

Cheers
AnswerID: 460769

Reply By: Member - Rick P (NT) - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 16:34

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 16:34
kiwibound you are probably better off doing the top end of NT in September/October, although it is starting to get pretty hot and humid by that time if you leave it till March/April it could be still too wet to see most of the attractions you want to see. As was the case this year with Darwin getting over 3m of rain.
Safe travels
Rick P
AnswerID: 460794

Reply By: myaussieadventure - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:00

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:00
Hi,
We are doIng the same thing. We have just got back from the cape (absolutely loved it) and we are on our way across the savanah way. We also thought about going down the middle but pretty sure we are going to go through WA first and do the full loop- we will prob do Alice springs next year once we leave WA.
Mind you we don't have any plans in concrete yet :)

Happy traveling!
AnswerID: 460827

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwibound eventually - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 22:04

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 22:04
Thank you each for your advice - we do appreciate this. We haven't yet made our decision on whether to go to the Northern Territory first or down through the centre and work our way back up the coast of Western Australia and to the Northern Territory that way. First need to complete our trip to Cape York. Thanks heaps everyone.
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Reply By: Sandman - Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 at 20:48

Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 at 20:48
March is still a very hot time in Alice Springs, April/May would be much better. Right now the days in Alice are around 25 (from a low of 1 overnight and even minus). We're heading up the Tanami to Broome in mid Sept, from everything I hear from the locals it will already be warming up and i think we will get back just in time (1st week in Oct) before it gets uber toasty :-)

2 years ago Carol and I took the swag up to Kakadu and Litchfield from Alice in January...boy do we now know what its like during the wet season in a swag :-) What an experience :-)

Pete in Alice
AnswerID: 461105

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwibound eventually - Friday, Jul 29, 2011 at 17:10

Friday, Jul 29, 2011 at 17:10
Thanks Pete for your advice. It doesn't seem that either Sept/Oct and March/April is really the right time for either area. It is hard to get it right! We may have to review our timing completely.
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FollowupID: 734943

Reply By: The Landy - Friday, Jul 29, 2011 at 17:38

Friday, Jul 29, 2011 at 17:38
Whilst there is the issue of travel during the 'wet' some say it is the best time as you see the country at its best!

Good luck and enjoy either way...
AnswerID: 461274

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwibound eventually - Saturday, Jul 30, 2011 at 12:47

Saturday, Jul 30, 2011 at 12:47
Thanks Landy, your advice is great. We want to experience what this great country has to offer and will put up with a few disadvantages like humidity and heat. This is better than freezing! We do appreciate your feedback. Thanks.
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