Easter at Kakadu

by Fanny
(Sydney)

We want to go to Kakadu/Litchfield NP around Easter 2009 (mid April) for 9 days. We are living in Sydney since 7 months now and it will be our first real outback trip and you can't imagine how exited we are!

My question is quite easy... as we both work and do not have children, I wanted to know if this time of year is a high peak for tourism in this region or if we still will have uncrowded areas?

Our first idea was to go there at the end of March... but it will still be the wet season. I feel less risky with the weather in going there in April, do you think that I am realist or you would prefer to avoid the easter holiday and taking the weather risk?

Cheers
Fanny

Comments for Easter at Kakadu

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Kakadu for Easter
by: Birgit

Hi Fanny,

Actually, I can imagine how excited you are :-). And I'm happy for you.

Regarding your question, in a nutshell:

April is a great time to go as long as you don't mind the heat and humidity, the occasional downpour and the insects. But be aware that you will not be able to access everything.

I would certainly choose April over March, for exactly the reasons you mention. Less risk to have the weather totally ruin your plans.

There will be a little surge in visitor numbers for the Easter holidays, but I doubt you would notice it. April in general is off season and still very wet.

I am not sure what pages on my website you read.

If you read through the existing Kakadu questions, there is one already about about Kakadu in the middle of April.

The page about the wet season in Kakadu explains a bit more about how the wet season works. (Have a look at the bottom photo. That was taken in March if I remember right. That amount of water does not appear over night! More on that below.)

And here is the page about the best time to visit Kakadu. As you can read on that page, May to mid June is considered early in the season, and places may still be closed then.

In April many roads in Kakadu are still closed, so are some bush campgrounds, the creeks still run high and it may very well still rain.

Which roads and attractions open when can't be predicted. It all depends what the wet season brings. For example last year the track into Jim Jim Falls or the southern access road to Litchfield only opened in early and late June, respectively.

The risk of rain is much lower than in March, that is correct, but do not expect the water of a whole wet season to disappear over night. It takes months for that to happen.

And that's why April is certainly not peak tourist season. Peak season starts in June and goes through to August.

So if you are worried about crowds, relax.

Just don't expect to find a dry and accessible Litchfield and Kakadu.

Hope this helps!

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