Darwin is the capital city of Northern Territory and the Australian gateway to Asia. Rebuilt after the devastation of Cyclone Tracy in 1974, it overlooks a wide harbour.

There are plenty of adventure tours to do in Darwin such as 4WD, bush walking, camping and fishing including scuba diving on WW II and cyclone wrecks.

Choosing the right time of year to travel to Darwin is important. There are two distinctive seasons: the dry, cool season from April to September and the hot, wet season from December to March. The months of October and November are called the 'build-up' and are the hottest and driest times of the year. It is usually more comfortable to visit during the dry season. Visit Darwin in August and for 18 days and nights in Darwin is abuzz with people attending the Darwin Festival with outdoor concerts, workshops, theatre, dance, music, comedy and cabaret, film and visual arts events.

Things to do and see:

• Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory - exhibits highlight the region's art, history, culture and natural history (free, except for some special exhibitions).
• World War 2 Oil Storage Tunnels - a short walk from the city centre, take a tour of the tunnels, including a photographic display of Darwin during WWII.
• Fish Feeding at Doctor's Gully - at high tide, hundreds of fish arrive at Doctor's Gully at the northern end of the city centre, ready to be hand-fed by the public.

Suggested Drives and Adventures:

• Rent a Campervan in Darwin or Motorhome and explore both Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks.
• Kakadu National Park is unique with its deep gorges, pockets of ancient rainforest, aboriginal rock art, monster salt water crocodiles, rare butterflies and myriad flora species. It is also revered for it rugged escarpments, flood plains and abundant wildlife and Aboriginal artwork. There are stunning waterfalls, gorges, bushwalking tracks, billabongs, birds, native wildlife, ancient landforms and plant life to see.
• About 2 hours to Darwin's south is Litchfield National Park with 15,000 square kilometres of weathered and ancient landscapes, magnetic termite mounds, warm year-round swimming in plunge pools, pleasant delightful bush walks, wildlife and 4WD tracks.
• Scenic waterfalls with deep, crystal-clear plunge pools at their base are present year-round, for pleasant swimming and camping. Most popular of these is Wangi Falls. Be aware that that there can be freshwater crocodiles, who are fortunately more bashful than their estuarine cousins. Forests around the falls are scored with short and longer bushwalking trails.
• On a recent trip to Darwin on route to Litchfield National Park we discovered a lovely spot called Buley Rockhole which is a series of cascading plunge pools. Highly recommend a short stop for a swim and picnic. There is a 3.2 km round trip hike when you follow the trail from Buley Rockhole along Florence Creek and up to the escarpment and finally onto Florence Falls, a magnificent crystal clear waterfall with a lookout offering excellent photo opportunities. This area is accessible with a 2WD vehicle – a must for those visiting the Park. Head south to visit Katherine Gorge and Mataranka. From Darwin you can also journey into the heartland of Australia and visit Alice Springs or head west into the Kimberley's and onto Broome.

Alice Springs in the Red Centre is the second biggest town in the Northern Territory. It is the gateway to some of Australia's most fascinating attractions - Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Each year tens of thousands of tourists bus or fly east to Australia's best-known icon, Uluru.

Known for many years by millions of tourists as Ayers Rock until Aborigines reclaimed The Rock and the timeless name, Uluru is the world's largest monolith and stands 546 metres above the plain in the heart of the largest island continent. The road ringing Uluru gives a magnificent, three-dimensional view of the Rock and an appreciation of its awesome size. Alice's desert climate supports horticulture and grape industries worth $50 million a year.

The park contains rugged ranges, gorges and rock-holes and is a refuge for many plants and animals. The most spectacular of these formations is Kings Canyon, a rich and fertile garden that is pocketed between towering sheer rock walls. The surrounding area is otherwise inhospitable desert. The canyon takes its name from the Kings Creek that flows through it.

The King's Canyon Walk - a 6 km loop that climbs to the top of the canyon and traces the rim of the towers before descending to the carpark. Delightful waterholes, cycads, riverine vegetation and the "Garden of Eden' are to be seen on this track. You'll also see the "Lost City" rock formations and a rock shape curiously called the "Camel's Head". Allow 3-4 hours as there are some steep sections, stairs and boardwalks.

Uluru is one of the most magnificent sights in Australia - Remote, awesome and splendid in colours that vary as the day unfolds from soft blue hues to glorious orange-reds. Part of the experience of travelling here is becoming acquainted with Aboriginal customs and beliefs, and the sense of Aboriginal spirituality that envelopes the rock. Aboriginal guides lead tours around the base of the rock and explain the significance of features to their culture. For those exploring on their own, interpretative signs assist in gaining an understanding.

Things to do and see:

• Mereenie Loop - linking Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, Uluru, Kata Juta along the West MacDonnell ranges and Glen Helen (permit required for some parts of this track that pass through Aboriginal land.)
• Anzac Hill - for the best views over the town, particularly good at sunrise and sunset
• Old Timers' Museum - with exhibits from the 1890s and the Ghan Railway Museum at MacDonnell Siding
• Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve - where a meteorite hit the earth thousands of years before

Suggested drives and adventures:

• Hire a campervan Alice Springs or four-wheel-drive and travel through the West MacDonnell Ranges to Glen Helen. There are many natural attractions to stop at along the way such as Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge.
• Continue the drive by four-wheel-drive from Mereenie Loop to Kings Canyon, where 300-metre sheer cliff faces and a palm-fringed swimming hole are special highlights. Make a scheduled stop at Redbank Gorge and Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) Conservation Reserve - a huge crater formed by a comet over 130 million years ago.
• Next morning take the Kings Canyon Walk for breathtaking views over the red landscape. Spend some time at Uluru (Ayers Rock) and learn about the Aboriginal custodians of this land at the cultural centre. Also do not forget to try dining under a million stars with the monolith in the distance.
• Continue the experience and enjoy the sun rise over Uluru (Ayers Rock) from atop a camel then really take in its sheer size with a 9-kms walk around the base. Alternatively take a scenic flight over Uluru or you can also book a ride around Uluru on a Harley.
• Returning to Alice Springs, you can leave the Red Centre Way and go via the Lasseter and Stuart Highways. You must stop at Rainbow Valley, a massive sandstone formation of coloured bands just an hour out from Alice Springs.
• Visit local galleries in Alice Springs or one can venture into the colourful desert landscape and journey to a community art centre.