Darwin to Kununurra road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
A Darwin to Kununurra road trip covers a distance of 828km in a driving time of around 8h37m. Great stops along the drive include Litchfield National Park, Katherine Gorge and Timber Creek.
A Darwin to Kununurra road trip takes you from the Northern Territory capital to the first town over the Western Australian border. In practice, this drive is likely to be one you undertake as part of a longer road trip across the Top End and Kimberley regions of northern Australia. But there’s plenty to see and do on the way.
Darwin, meanwhile, brings schooner cruises, airboat tours and cage-swimming with massive crocodiles. To search for the best Darwin accommodation deals, head here. To check out the full range of tours and experiences available, go here.
Book in advance for the best deals on Kununurra accommodation.
Darwin to Kununurra distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Darwin to Kununurra is 828km. That makes for a driving time of around eight hours and 37 minutes.
Six amazing day trips from Darwin that will improve your visit
- Litchfield National Park day tour – including jumping crocodile cruise. (💲 Great value 💲)
- Tiwi Islands Indigenous cultural experience including ferry.
- One day or four day Kakadu National Park tour.
- Kakadu scenic flight – with gorges, waterfalls and epic floodplains. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Full day Katherine day tour – including Katherine Gorge cruise.
- Arnhem Land full day tour – with ancient rock art.
If planning a Darwin to Kununurra road trip itinerary, it is best to divide it into two sections – Darwin to Katherine, then Katherine to Kununurra.
The best places to stay in Darwin
You can check out deals on a wide range of Darwin accommodation options. But these are some of the best choices.
- For luxury on a special occasion: The superior suites with direct lagoon pool access at the Mindil Beach Casino Resort.
- For the buzziest location at the Waterfront: Adina Apartment Hotel Darwin Waterfront.
- The one with the best guest ratings: Hudson Parap.
- For affordable city centre apartments with a pool: City Gardens Apartments.
- For the magic combo of quality, price and location: Travelodge Resort Darwin.
Darwin to Kununurra road trip stops: Litchfield and Nitmiluk National Parks
The Darwin to Katherine drive is 317km long, and the main attraction along the way is Litchfield National Park. Highlights here include numerous waterfalls, the giant termite mounds and the Buley Rockhole swimming holes.
Road trip essentials that many travellers forget
Search on the web, and you’ll find ludicrously long lists of equipment to take on a road trip. Australia Travel Questions isn’t going to do that to you. But it is worth buying the following road trip items before setting off. Click through for a good range of options.
- Charging cables – yes, you’ll probably need a spare at some point.
- Car charger adaptor – in case your rental car has the old-fashioned cigarette lighter rather than a USB.
- Multi USB charger – for those hotel rooms that don’t have enough power sockets.
- Fold-up chairs – to make anywhere a picnic spot.
- A really good water bottle – go for a bigger one than usual to last the longer drives.
- Packing cubes – save space but, more importantly, avoid unpacking everything every night.
Katherine is the gateway to Nitmiluk National Park, home of one of the Northern Territory’s undisputed highlights – Katherine Gorge. Cruises and canoeing tours make their way through looming, craggy gorge walls.
Click through to the next section: Katherine and Katherine Gorge.