May 2013: I had long dreamed of visiting the Northern Territory outback of Australia, the landscape that inspired Crocodile Dundee. Even though I lived in Australia for a few months when I was 20, I never made it out this way. Since I was already in the neighborhood, visiting Timor-Leste-A Few Days in One of the World’s Newest Countries, Timorleste | Venture The Planet and Komodo Island-Hiring a Skiff to See the Giant Dragons of Komodo Island and Walking Through a Snake Cave in Waist High Bat Excrement in Search of Reticulated Pythons | Venture The Planet, I decided to fly to Darwin, rent a car, and spend four days exploring Kakadu National Park. To keep costs down, I camped every night in my tent.
The Northern Territory did not disappoint. I had worried that Kakadu might be overcrowded due to its fame, but it was surprisingly quiet. Most hiking trails, I had entirely to myself. As a huge reptile fan, I was especially excited to see crocodiles in their natural habitat, and this trip did not let me down. The Adelaide River has some of the biggest crocodiles in the world, with a population of around 100,000—the largest anywhere.
Kakadu National Park
Aborigines
The Aboriginal Australians are the continent’s only native people and are credited with having the world’s oldest continuous living culture. They have a deep spiritual and physical connection to the land, which has sustained them for tens of thousands of years. Traditionally, many Aboriginal people practiced “walkabouts”—long journeys on foot through the wilderness to forage, hunt, and strengthen their connection to nature.
Like many Indigenous peoples around the world, Aboriginal Australians have faced profound hardships due to colonization, including the loss of their land and way of life. These struggles have contributed to widespread social challenges, including depression and substance abuse. During my time in Australia, I often encountered intoxicated Aboriginal individuals in cities, appearing lost in a state of despair. When I arrived in Darwin, Northern Territory, where many Aboriginal Australians live, I witnessed a similar scene—barefoot individuals in ragged clothing, some visibly intoxicated, wandering inside the airport.
In Kakadu National Park, I learned that alcohol was banned in Aboriginal communities, though tourists were exempt. Additionally, petrol stations in these areas sold modified fuel designed to prevent gasoline sniffing, a devastating addiction that has harmed many Aboriginal youth. Seeing the effects of these struggles firsthand was heartbreaking, especially knowing how rich and resilient their culture is.
Despite these difficulties, I caught a glimpse of traditional Aboriginal life while driving through a remote area of Kakadu. I noticed a lone Aboriginal man walking along the edge of the forest, far from any settlement. When I asked an Australian what he was doing, he simply replied, “He’s on a walkabout.” It was a powerful moment—a reminder that, despite the challenges, some traditions endure.
One place I wish I had time to visit is Arnhem Land, a vast Aboriginal reserve just across from Kakadu. It remains one of the last strongholds of traditional Aboriginal culture, where communities still live off the land much as their ancestors did. For a price, visitors can stay in a village, hunt, and explore the land alongside the locals. Experiencing this firsthand is something I hope to do one day.
Big Crocs of Adelaide River
On the way to Kakadu, I took a boat trip up the Adelaide River, famous for its giant saltwater crocodiles—some of the largest I’ve ever seen in the wild. The Adelaide River is a wild, muddy waterway where crocodiles have never been hunted, allowing them to grow to enormous sizes.
Boat operators attract these massive reptiles by dangling chickens over the water, and the crocs—seemingly accustomed to the boats—appear out of nowhere as soon as we reach certain parts of the river. Watching these prehistoric predators launch themselves from the water was both thrilling and surreal. The entire experience felt like something straight out of Jurassic Park.
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Kakadu National Park
The highway to Kakadu was long and lonely, cutting through vast stretches of monsoonal forest wilderness with barely a town in sight. My only company on the road was the road trains—massive trucks hauling up to three huge trailers each, rumbling past like giants of the outback.
Once in Kakadu, I spent my first night camping at a remote wilderness site, where the air buzzed with mosquitoes and warning signs reminded campers to beware of wandering crocodiles at night. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep too soundly. For the remaining nights, I opted for a more comfortable campsite with better amenities, including a pool and a bar—the perfect place to unwind after long hikes through the humid forests.
During my time in Kakadu, I explored incredible hiking trails, rich with wildlife and ancient Aboriginal rock art. I swam beneath Jim Jim Falls, possibly the most breathtaking waterfall I’ve ever seen, and even took another crocodile boat tour—because one encounter with these prehistoric giants wasn’t enough.
Typical rock formation in kakadu
Kakadu Forest
Wildlife, such as the pademelon, was common and easy to spot but difficult to photograph—except for this little guy, who seemed eager to pose for me.
Small paddymelon, kakadu
This well-preserved Aboriginal rock art, remarkably untouched by vandalism—unlike so many other ancient sites around the world—was located on a remote cliffside at the end of a hike. The atmosphere was eerie and mysterious.
Like many ancient rock art sites, there was a depiction of a figure with an alien-like appearance, fueling the idea that Aboriginal Australians may have had encounters with extraterrestrials.
Aborigine Rock Art
My sister had a cockatiel, and it was very vocal and emotional. So when I saw hundreds of them fluttering about in the wild in Kakadu, I had to take a photo to show my sister.
cockatiels
Kangeroo mouse who hopped
I really hoped I could see a lot of snakes in Kakadu, but I only ended up seeing this one black-headed boa on the road. He was massive, and when I saw him, I flung open the door of the car to catch a fleeting glimpse of him before he slithered off into the bush.
When I spotted the massive 12-foot black-headed boa on the side of the road, I hurried over to get a closer look while keeping my distance until I could confirm he wasn’t a brown snake, which is a highly venomous species.
Kakadu is known for its vast wetlands, and there are many hikes that take you to the top of forest-covered cliffs with great views across the sweeping, crocodile-infested billabongs.
Vast wetlands of Kakadu
Swimming in a pool of a waterfall that I was told only had the freshwater alligators that were not mean like crocodiles.
Me swimming in Jim Jim Falls
Jim Jim Falls