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Best time to go to the Northern Territory
Even during peak tourism months of June and July, it isn’t hard to get off the beaten path in NT. It should be called MT, really – because it’s always empty.
NT covers two climate zones; the Top End is tropical and humid and the Red Centre pretty much every colour on the orange, red and pink spectrum all year round. The northern tropics have summer rains from Nov or Dec to Apr, which bring luscious, tropical landscapes bursting into life, plus huge relief from the intense humidity. The best time to go to the Northern Territory is in the dry season, from May-Oct, when the Red Centre is at its coolest, although it’s all relative; NT’s capital, Darwin, has an average temperature of 32°C all year round.
Our Northern Territory Holidays
Kakadu and Arnhem Land tours, Australia
Explore Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land on this camping safari
From
£890
7 days
ex flights
Uluru and the Olgas tour in Australia
Experience Australia's rugged land of Dreamtime legends
From
£400
3 days
ex flights
Australia holidays, tailor made
Explore 3 very different states of Australia
From
£15250
22 days
inc UK flights
Northern Territory holiday, Australia
Wild, spiritual and remote – welcome to East Arnhem Land
From
£3435
7 days
ex flights
Northern Territory wildlife tour, Australia
tropical wildlife, Aboriginal History, magical landscapes
From
AU $3300
6 days
ex flights
Australia adventure holiday, tailor made
Experience the outback and coastal life in comfort & style.
From
£2834
13 days
ex flights
Adelaide to Alice Springs tour, Australia
Go where the others only dream of going
From
AU $2495
10 days
ex flights
Northern Territory wilderness accommodation
Luxury bush camp in Australia's Top End
From
AU $1040
2 days
per person per night
Australia Northern Territory holiday
Small group nature and cultural safari Northern Territory
From
AU $3290
5 days
ex flights
Darwin Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
25
32
428
FEB
25
31
333
MAR
25
32
311
APR
24
33
97
MAY
22
32
20
JUN
20
31
1
JUL
19
31
1
AUG
21
31
3
SEP
23
33
15
OCT
25
33
74
NOV
25
33
135
DEC
26
33
240
Northern Territory, MONTH BY MONTH
THINGS TO DO IN NORTHERN TERRITORY
Things to do in Northern Territory…
Things not to do in Northern Territory
Our top Northern Territory Holiday
Uluru & Kings Canyon holiday
Get off the beaten track
From
£610 to £685
4 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2018: 25 Oct, 1 Nov, 5 Nov, 15 Nov, 22 Nov, 26 Nov, 29 Nov, 3 Dec, 6 Dec, 10 Dec, 13 Dec, 17 Dec, 20 Dec, 24 Dec, 27 Dec, 31 Dec
2019: 3 Jan, 7 Jan, 10 Jan, 14 Jan, 17 Jan, 21 Jan, 24 Jan, 28 Jan, 31 Jan, 4 Feb, 7 Feb, 11 Feb, 14 Feb, 18 Feb, 21 Feb, 25 Feb, 28 Feb, 4 Mar, 7 Mar, 11 Mar, 14 Mar, 18 Mar, 21 Mar, 25 Mar, 28 Mar, 1 Apr, 4 Apr, 8 Apr, 11 Apr, 15 Apr, 18 Apr, 22 Apr, 25 Apr, 29 Apr, 2 May, 6 May, 9 May, 13 May ...
2018: 25 Oct, 1 Nov, 5 Nov, 15 Nov, 22 Nov, 26 Nov, 29 Nov, 3 Dec, 6 Dec, 10 Dec, 13 Dec, 17 Dec, 20 Dec, 24 Dec, 27 Dec, 31 Dec
2019: 3 Jan, 7 Jan, 10 Jan, 14 Jan, 17 Jan, 21 Jan, 24 Jan, 28 Jan, 31 Jan, 4 Feb, 7 Feb, 11 Feb, 14 Feb, 18 Feb, 21 Feb, 25 Feb, 28 Feb, 4 Mar, 7 Mar, 11 Mar, 14 Mar, 18 Mar, 21 Mar, 25 Mar, 28 Mar, 1 Apr, 4 Apr, 8 Apr, 11 Apr, 15 Apr, 18 Apr, 22 Apr, 25 Apr, 29 Apr, 2 May, 6 May, 9 May, 13 May ...
Helpdesk
Hello. If you'd like to chat about Northern Territory or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.
NORTHERN TERRITORY TRAVEL ADVICE
Where to go
Where to go in NT
David (Thommo) Thomson, Northern Territory expert with our supplier, Intrepid Travel:
“Uluru is a really special place for me – I’ve guided 250 trips to Uluru and even now I still get the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. The size of Uluru pales into comparison to the depth of the local (Anangu) culture and knowledge. In Kakadu National Park, Gunlom Waterhole is a magic spot. It’s like sitting in an infinity pool, but you’re on top of the Kakadu escarpment overlooking a vast, natural landscape.”
Best time to go
Best time to go tips
David (Thommo) Thomson, Northern Territory expert with our supplier, Intrepid Travel:
“I love to visit the Northern Territory in the shoulder seasons. In the Red Centre, April and October are my favourite months. The summer months can have temperature up to 40°C and winter months can have nights below zero – it’s a semi arid desert region, after all. The ‘in between’ months are not too hot, not too cold and not too busy. My favourite time to visit the Top End is April to May. The whole ecosystem is pumping with wildlife and waterfalls, and the swimming waterholes are crystal clear, following the heavy rains of the wet season. For the most part the skies are clear, and landscape is lush and green after the wet. What amazes me is that there are not many people about, so you’re often experiencing waterholes in a world heritage listed park by yourself.”
Tjungu festival
Tjungu festival
Aimy Hasson, from our supplier Lekker Boutique travel:
“Tjungu Festival coincides with ANZAC Day to provide an Aboriginal alternative to traditional remembrance ceremonies. Aṉangu people are considered to be the Aboriginal owners of Uluru, and in Aṉangu language ‘Tjungu’ means ‘meeting together’ with Inma dancing, bush food stalls, artists, performers, musicians and sporting events all held at the Ayers Rock Resort over a long weekend in April.”
Packing tips
Packing tips
David (Thommo) Thomson, Northern Territory expert with our supplier, Intrepid Travel:
“In a semi arid desert most people forget that it gets really cold at night. If you are visiting Uluru between June and August you need to take a warm jumper, and even a beanie. Bring a decent camera. This is still a big mistake that I make – I don’t know how many times I’ve spotted something amazing and taken a photo to realise that my dodgy phone isn’t going to do the moment justice. Don’t overpack. Maybe it’s an insecurity thing, but it’s amazing how much ‘stuff’ some travellers carry on their trips. I’ve got a camera, clothes, and a towel which weigh a total of 5kg. On our Red Centre trips the limit is 15kg. In the Top End it’s 10kg. The weather in the Top End is always warm so you don’t need to carry much.”
Aboriginal culture
Aboriginal culture
David (Thommo) Thomson, Northern Territory expert with our supplier, Intrepid Travel:
“The cornerstone of our business is supporting the local people. We include four different First Peoples experiences in our itineraries in the Northern Territory. Please make sure you ask local people for permission before taking photos.”
Aimy Hasson, from our supplier Lekker Boutique Travel:
“Aboriginal cultural centres are the best places to learn more about Aboriginal culture and traditions. We recommend Tangentyere, Warradjan and Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.”
NORTHERN TERRITORY TIPS FROM OUR TRAVELLERS
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Northern Territory travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.
Ensure you book well in advance to get the best fare deals. Take out additional insurance if you book a car as an accident could cost you over AUD 3000. Use cash where possible as the surcharge on credit cards is high.
– Jan Baker
"Arnhem Land. This is one of the most special places I have ever visited. It's Aboriginal Land, and only about 6 small tour operators are licensed to take visitors in. As a result we felt less like tourists and more like we'd been given the key to a semi-secret land. It's enormous, and looks and feels wilder than Kakadu. Perhaps the highlight was the visit to the Art Centre and the cave paintings at Gunbalanya."
– Justin Francis
"Probably more important for Europeans than Canadians or Americans (who live in big-scale countries): realise emotionally, not just intellectually, that once you leave the eastern coast, Australia has a whole lot of geography with relatively few communities, people or manmade attractions/distractions. You're going to spend many hours travelling through countryside before you hit on another community or ‘Thing To Do’. If you think that countryside is empty, rather than rich in and of itself, pick a different holiday. Canadians get this fact automatically, because that's our own reality. For Europeans (including Brits), it can be dismaying.” – Penny Williams
"Uluru. Camping was a bit basic but a wonderful experience – cooking over an open fire under a clear unpolluted night sky was simply ethereal. My most memorable bit was the tour of Kata Tjuta - Ben the guide's knowledge and experience was simply wonderful. I've never met someone who could talk with such knowledge about geology, wildlife, country lore." – Farida Parkyn
– Justin Francis
"Probably more important for Europeans than Canadians or Americans (who live in big-scale countries): realise emotionally, not just intellectually, that once you leave the eastern coast, Australia has a whole lot of geography with relatively few communities, people or manmade attractions/distractions. You're going to spend many hours travelling through countryside before you hit on another community or ‘Thing To Do’. If you think that countryside is empty, rather than rich in and of itself, pick a different holiday. Canadians get this fact automatically, because that's our own reality. For Europeans (including Brits), it can be dismaying.” – Penny Williams
"Uluru. Camping was a bit basic but a wonderful experience – cooking over an open fire under a clear unpolluted night sky was simply ethereal. My most memorable bit was the tour of Kata Tjuta - Ben the guide's knowledge and experience was simply wonderful. I've never met someone who could talk with such knowledge about geology, wildlife, country lore." – Farida Parkyn
Perhaps the highlight was the visit to the Art Centre and the cave paintings at Gunbalanya.
– Justin Francis
More about Northern Territory
Sometimes mistakenly called the Northern Territories, this vast region of north and central Australia is singular rather than plural, despite boasting a wide array of landscapes…
More relevant guides
Why book with Responsible Travel
Photo credits: [Page banner: Jon Connell] [Kata Tjuta: Maarten Danial]
[Coast: Ian Cochrane]
[Uluru: Holger Link]
[Red landcape - sunset: Alberto...]
[Barunga festival: Roderick Eime]
[Walking boots: Fidel Fernando]
[Local guide: Edwin Farrel - Intrepid]
[Aboriginal people: Aussie~mobs]
[Small group trip - camp beds : Edwin Farrel - Intrepid]
[Vehicle - Uluru: Karl JK Hedin]
[Cave painting - Arnhem Land: Jon Connell]
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