The Most Fascinating Railway Adventures Across Australia: Katherine to Darwin

The newest stretch of the Ghan rail heads across Australia's arid heartland, continuing from Alice Springs to Australia's northern city, Darwin. The train stops in the town of Katherine, a region famous for its stunning gorges, before tracking though the lush tropical scenery of the Top End to its final destination.

Katherine Gorge
We boarded the train at Alice Springs, continuing on our way north. We planned to stop in Katherine to explore one of the area's most spectacular wonders - the Katherine Gorge. Situated in the vast wilderness of the Nitmiluk National Park, Katherine Gorge is a system of 13 magnificent gorges. The scenery here is spellbinding, and beyond the natural beauty, the flora and fauna, the insights into Aboriginal history and culture and the 7000 year old rock art make this one of the most spectacular regions in Australia.

The typical Outback landscape features red rocks and escarpments; dry bushland with pockets of rainforest and along streams, the area teems with wildlife - lizards, insects, birds and even freshwater crocodiles. Over 100 km. of marked walking trails take you on short walks and hikes of several days to scenic outlooks, secluded swimming spots or simply beautiful places. Beyond the hikes, the Katherine River flows through the gorge, affording spectacular nature cruises. Guided nature hikes in the park and helicopter over flights for Birdseye views are also popular.

We chose to explore the gorge in the best way - by canoe. This is the only way to see all 13 gorges, as well as the most spectacular scenery and the best wildlife. An overnight camping trip gave us ample time to see the gorge in its entirety before re-boarding the train to Darwin.

Darwin and Its Environs
Darwin, some 320 km. north of Katherine, is the Northern Territory's capital and a fascinating mixture of cosmopolitan city and Australian Outback. Set on a peninsula, this laid-back city is a place of sunshine, beaches, nightlife and a splendid harbor. It is also the gateway to two national parks - the famous Kakadu National Park and its more intimate cousin, Litchfield National Park.

Kakadu National Park, known to many through "Crocodile Dundee" is a living cultural landscape of exceptional beauty, great biodiversity and a wide variety of habitats, forests and wildlife. It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, among them 68 kinds of mammals and 120 types of reptiles. In fact, all its creeks and rivers are crocodile infested!

Litchfield National Park is stunningly beautiful featuring 4 major waterfalls and many smaller ones, breathtaking monsoon and palm tree forests, plunge pools and creeks. One of the highlights is the termite mounds built to resemble tombstones.

It is these wilderness areas that make Darwin like nothing else in the world - the wildlife, landscapes and history are unique to the area.

When time is of no consequence, there's no better way to discover the natural beauty of Australia's Outback than to experience it on the Ghan. As the train weaves its way through the tapestry of rich colors of the land, the stark Australian Outback takes on a life of its own.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6287691

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