Day 1. Nourlangie Rock Art, Warradjan Cultural Centre, Yellow Water Billabong Cruise.
Travel through Humpty Doo to Kakadu National Park, Australia's largest national park covering some 20 000 square kilometres. The Kakadu National Park wetlands and ancient escarpment are home to a profusion of birdlife and other fauna, and have outstanding natural as well as cultural significance. The park is unique in that it encompasses an entire river catchment and, within it, all the major Top End habitat types exist. Call in at the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre near Cooinda to gain further understanding of the long and intriguing history of Australia's best known national park. After lunch in Cooinda, join a guided cruise on Kakadu's most famous wetland area, Yellow Water billabong, keeping a lookout for crocodiles and birdlife. Back on dry land visit one of the most significant Aboriginal rock art sites in the park, Nourlangie Rock, to see Aboriginal paintings that date back thousands of years. These well preserved artworks give you an insight into this ancient culture.
Stay: World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, choice of hotel. (L)

Day 2. 4-wheel Drive Into Arnhem Land, Mikinj Valley, Window on the Wetlands Centre.
Today we journey across the East Alligator River into Arnhem Land. Aboriginal owned, Arnhem Land is one of Australia's most remote and least traversed regions. Travel to the rarely visited Mikinj Valley, with its sandstone outcrops, escarpments, floodplains and billabongs. With special permission from the Manilakarr people, this unique tour takes you to places inaccessible to most. Hear of traditional land ownership, learn bush skills of hunting and gathering, and learn how to prepare bush tucker. View ancient Aboriginal rock art. Most tours are led or accompanied by an Aboriginal guide. On the return journey to Darwin stop in at the Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre and enjoy a glass of wine on the viewing deck overlooking the floodplains. (L)