Kakadu National Park, 220km (136 miles) east of Darwin (tel: (08) 8938 1100/20; website: www.deh.gov.au/parks/kakadu), features ancient Aboriginal rock art, waterfalls, lakes, mangroves and forests. It's listed as an UNESCO World-Heritage site and is home to around 280 species of birds, 115 species of reptiles (including giant saltwater crocodiles), and 25 species of frogs.

Litchfield National Park, 140km (87 miles) south of Darwin (tel: (08) 8976 0282; website: www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/litchfield.html), is famous for its waterfalls, rainforests, intriguing magnetic termite mounds, weathered sandstone pillars, and cooling lilly-clad ponds.