The best camping near Kakadu National Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Kakadu National Park adventure.

Discover the wetlands, waterfalls, and UNESCO-listed wonders of Australia’s largest national park.  

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Top-rated campgrounds near Kakadu National Park

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Kakadu Billabong Safari Camp

8 sites · RVs, Tents50 acres · Jabiru, NT
Kakadu Billabong Safari Camp is a 100% owned and operated Aboriginal business. Visitors are welcome to book either the Safari style tents, or a campsite to pitch a tent or park an RV. We also host different festivals and cultural immersion programs throughout the year. Kakadu Billabong is a series of billabongs along the Jim Jim river system that become a series of permanent bodies of water on Murumburr Clan country. Murumburr Traditional Owners of the land provide a beautiful spot where visitors and their families can just get away and be off the grid so to speak and enjoy some healing time on country and catch up with Life. Billabongs is what we call a permanent body of water that transforms to a bare minimum at the end of the dry season still enough water to provide a yearly supply to animals far and wide or at least up to 50 kilometres away. We have many billabong locations to choose from including small wetlands where visitors can just soak up the beautiful peace and surrounds and the beautiful settings in and around the rivers and billabongs as they recede over the dry season to dry creek beds.
Potable water
Campfires
Trash
from 
AU$65
 / night
* Before taxes and fees

The best camping near Kakadu National Park guide

Overview

About

With more than 1.7 million hectares of UNESCO-listed wilderness to explore, Kakadu National Park is a tropical wonderland for campers and adventurers. Cruise through lush wetlands and crocodile-filled billabongs, hike to waterfalls and hidden waterholes to cool off with a swim, or venture off-road in a 4WD. Enjoy a scenic flight over Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls, then take an aboriginal heritage tour to see ancient rock art sites and sample bush tucker in the rainforest. Camping is an adventure, too, whether you snag a spot at one of the managed campgrounds or escape the crowds at a free bush camp.

Notable campgrounds

  • Best for families: Kakadu Lodge campground has plenty of space for caravans and motorhomes, plus amenities such as a restaurant, shop, and swimming pool.
  • Best for outdoor activities: Ngurrungurrudjba (Yellow Water) Campground has powered and unpowered sites with amenity blocks, plus easy access to Kakadu’s most-visited spots.
  • Best for budget campers: Two Mile has free bush camping sites with no toilets or fresh water, near the northern entrance. Access in dry season only.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. All national park campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Camping fees are collected by the on-site campground manager.
  2. Managed campsites can fill up fast during peak season (June-August), so arrive early to avoid disappointment.
  3. For the park’s commercial campsites, it’s recommended to book at least three months in advance—or six months for holiday weekends.

When to go

Kakadu National Park is open year-round and has two distinct seasons. Most visitors come during the dry season (April through September), when the cooler temperatures and lower humidity provide the best conditions for bushwalking and wildlife spotting. Wet season visitors (October to March) will get to see the park’s rivers and waterfalls at their most dramatic, but heavy rainfall renders parts of the park inaccessible, and a 4WD is essential. Some tours and campgrounds are also only available in dry season.

Know before you go

  • Access to Kakadu National Park is via the Stuart Highway from Darwin or Katherine. The park’s main town is Jabiru, where you’ll find the Bowali National Park Visitor Centre, a gas station, and shops and restaurants. Shops and services are also available at Cooinda, and you’ll find restrooms and picnic areas throughout the park. Make sure you have everything you need before you leave the main hubs, including food, sunscreen, bug spray, and plenty of drinking water.
  • Park passes are required for the park and are valid for seven days. Prices vary depending on the season.
  • There is no mobile phone coverage or wifi throughout most of the park, but you’ll find some coverage, along with charging stations, payphones, and wifi at Bowali Visitor Centre. 
  • There are accessible restrooms, campsites, and lookout points at Kakadu National Park.

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