Top End Safari Lodge Experience

Welcome to the Top End! Your adventure begins in Darwin, or Gulumoerrgin in the language of the local Larrakia people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Darwin is now located. You’ll be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the Bark Hut Inn. Enjoy a cold drink and meet your Bamurru Plains hosts before the drive to your accommodation, set in a sprawling private nature reserve that borders Kakadu National Park, overlooking the Mary River floodplains. When you arrive, settle into your eco bungalow, then get your first look at the wildlife that calls the reserve home during an open-top vehicle safari. Led by expert guides, you’ll venture out in a 4WD to spot wallabies, saltwater crocodiles and buffalo. At sunset, stop for drinks and canapes as you watch the sky change colour over the plains. Then, return to the lodge for a three-course dinner featuring locally sourced native produce. Grab a drink from the bar, serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and debrief about the day’s adventures with your group.

After breakfast, go on an airboat safari (season dependent) across the wetlands to see magpie geese, plumed whistling ducks, egrets, ibises and more. Your guides will take you through a hands-on demonstration of the many uses of the local flora as you float among the forest of melaleuca trees. Keep an eye out for crocodiles floating among the grass, too! Next, you’ll spend time at the bird hide, perched 6 m above the ground in the canopy. With your expert guide, observe the local birdlife in their natural habitat – the reserve is home to more than 230 bird species. This afternoon, hop aboard a guided river cruise down the Sampan Creek to look for crocodiles and more birdlife. The Mary River system is home to one of the highest densities of crocodiles in the world. Sip sundowners and snack on canapes as you cruise along, then tuck into another three-course dinner back at the lodge.

Today is a free day for you to choose from the optional activities on offer at the reserve. You might like to go out in search of more birdlife – the reserve’s variety of habitats, including black soil floodplains, paperbark swamps, savanna woodlands, mangroves and beaches, each harbour different species. Or you might like to enjoy the comfort of the lodge – you could go for a dip in the infinity pool, taking in the view of the open landscape or simply relax at your bungalow, where you can watch wildlife wandering past your doorstep. There’s also the option to go on a day trip to Kakadu National Park, where you can go for a cruise on the World Heritage-listed Yellow Water billabong, see ancient rock art, explore the landscapes and visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre for some excellent First Nations art. Tonight, regroup at the lodge for dinner, swapping stories from the day with your fellow travellers.

Start today with a safari, headed to Fisher Billabong – a secluded part of the reserve with scenic bushland, floodplains and plenty of birdlife. Have brunch back at the lodge, then begin your journey back to Darwin, where your adventure comes to an end.