With a mere 500 million years of history to uncover, it’s fair to say you may need more than one trip to appreciate the majesty of the Northern Territory. Think otherworldly ancient landscapes, Indigenous art and a burgeoning dining scene, serving everything from native bush tucker to chef-hatted city cuisine.
Equally abundant is its must-visit accommodation: from cattle-ranch glamping to the only rooms in Australia with both Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa views, the NT left its rustic reputation behind long ago. Here’s how to experience luxury in the Northern Territory, as well as some must-do experiences.
Go Glamping At An Outback Cattle Station
Image credit: Kings Creek Station | Luxury Escapes
For a true outback experience, you can’t beat a stay at a real working cattle station. Kings Creek Station may still be as authentically rustic as it was 45 years ago, but its modern glamping is anything but. Hop on a buggy for a tour of the expansive working camel and cattle station, take a walk with the Luritja and Pertame (Southern Arrernte) people and explore the sunburnt country’s iconic landmarks. This experience brings the Wild West to the Red Centre – proving you needn’t cross the pond for an authentic cowboy experience.
Where to stay: Kings Creek Station, 36km from Kings Canyon (Watarrka). Make the experience what you want it to be: keep it simple with a camping tent and bush tucker, or opt for luxury glamping with add-on helicopter rides.
See The Field Of Light At Uluru
Image credit: Longitude 131° | Luxury Escapes
As if the Uluru monolith wasn’t awe-inspiring enough, Bruce Munro’s Field of Light upped the ante with its dreamy, star-like blanket of lights in the surrounding desert darkness. Originally a temporary installation, it now has an indefinite home among the bushland of Uluru, meaning it’s never too late to experience the magic. The interactive display is made up of 50,000 glowing spindles of light across seven football-fields-worth of backcountry, making it the artist’s largest work.
Where to stay: Longitude 131°, a safari-style desert oasis with the only room offering uninterrupted views of both Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa. There’s also an onsite spa informed by Indigenous healing practices, all-inclusive fine-dining with French champagne and 16 custom-designed pavilions with furnished terraces – perfect for counting the stars.
Browse Darwin’s Mindil Beach Sunset Markets
Image credit: Mindil Beach Casino Resort | Luxury Escapes
There’s no better place to see the diverse produce of the Top End than at Darwin’s sunset markets. More than 200 stalls line the Mindil Beach foreshore every Thursday and Sunday, offering everything from tropical fruit juices and local delicacies (think crocodile and kangaroo) to a globetrotting buffet of international cuisine from Mexico to Italy and beyond, plus artisan goods, Aboriginal art and musical performances.
Where to stay: A 10-minute stroll along the foreshore at Mindil Beach Casino Resort, with its eight restaurants and bars, spa and beach-club-style pool area.
Take An Indigenous Art Tour Of The Tiwi Islands
Image credit: Luxury Escapes Tiwi Island Retreat | Website
If the culture-rich Tiwi Islands aren’t on your radar, they should be. A hop across the water from Darwin, the residents of the two main islands celebrate Aboriginal heritage through art and textiles. Don’t miss Jilamara Arts and Crafts, an institution with more than 60 artists producing work based on ceremonial body painting. Shop at The Munupi Arts Centre—displaying pottery, canvas, and woven works – and learn ancient creation stories of the traditional owners of the Arafura coast.
Where to stay: The off-grid Tiwi Island Retreat on the western coast of Bathurst Island. It's entirely offline, but the all-inclusive ocean-to-plate dining, beachfront bar, and community-centred approach will leave you feeling more in touch than ever.
Cruise Past Rock Art At Katherine Gorge
Image credit: Cicada Lodge | Luxury Escapes
Want to take in some gorge-ous scenery? The dramatic sandstone cliffs and 13 gorges of Nitmiluk National Park deliver in abundance. On a tour to Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, cruise winding waterways through billion-year-old sandstone cliffs, swim under waterfalls and see interpretations of Indigenous Jawoyn rock art dating back 40,000 years.
Where to stay: The spectacularly located Cicada Lodge, where you can tuck into native Nitmiluk flavours and listen to gossiping kookaburras from the balcony of your bushland bungalow.
Walk Through The Domes Of Kata Tjuta
Image credit: Longitude 131° | Luxury Escapes
The ochre domes of Kata Tjuta (meaning ‘Many Heads’ in Pitjantjatjara, the language of the local Anangu people), may be the lesser-publicised neighbours of Uluṟu, but are well worth the 40-minute drive. The Valley of the Winds walk unveils the Martian-like landscape on a three-hour circuit, with two lookouts promising jaw-dropping views. In local culture, it’s believed the rock formations hold knowledge that should only be learned in person, so custodians ask that you feast your eyes, not your camera lens.
Where to stay: With unobstructed Uluṟu views from every tented pavilion and signature experiences like scenic flights, Longitude 131° offers unmatched outback luxury.
You might also like:
- The Best Things To Do In The Northern Territory
- The Best Things To Do In Darwin
- The Best Things To Do In Alice Springs
Header image credit: Luxury Escapes | Website
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