Kakadu Advice
 

We will be in the North End early dry season (end of May) staying at Wildman Wilderness Lodge (Mary River National Park). We would like to take a day trip to Kakadu, and I am trying to decide if we should go to the rock art site walk at Ubirr or at Nourlangie. Anyone who has been to both, if you only have time for one, which would you choose and why? I considered trying to do both, but it just looks to be too long a day. My initial thought was Ubirr for the view, but my Fodors guide (really) seems to say Nourlangie is better for the art.

Any advice?

Thanks for any input.

We did both on the same day by rented hire car based from Jabiru (not sure where that is in conjunction with where you are staying) It was a long day that ended with sunset at Ubirr which was stunnng. IMO slightly better than the view at Nourlanie but the rock art at Nourlangie has the edge. Both are worthy sites that I would try to fit in if at all possible.

According to Rome2Rio, it'll take 2 hours 20 minutes to drive from Wildman Wilderness Lodge (Mary River National Park) to Jabiru. According to this web page that list distances around Kakadu, it'll be a 57 minute drive from Jabiru to Ubirr Rock Art walk (though only 46 km?), and it'll take you 28 minutes to drive from Jabiru to Nourlangie. Then, according the Attachment 354 you should, "Allow at least 45 minutes for the 1 km circuit walk to view the art, and an extra 30 minutes to enjoy the lookout." The Attachment 355 notes its "short circuit walk" is 1.5 km. Hope this info helps.
After you've done the math, you'll be able to figure out if this is too much driving.

Like Crellston, my husband and I did both walks in one day but started off from Jabiru. We also did the Yellow Water Cruise, visited an Aboriginal cultural center, and took a scenic flight over Jim Jim and Twin Falls and an uranium mine. All of this in one day (also in May), but we took a tour. We didn't feel rushed and also had time to look at wildlife around billabongs, termite mounds, and admire at the astounding landscape. It was our first destination on our first trip to Australia 21 years ago. Earlier on that same trip, we also visited Myammar and Singapore. It was such a memorable vacation and we've returned to Australia at least a dozen times since then, including another trip to the Top End to visit Litchfield Park and Melville Island (one of the Tiwi Islands off Darwin).

Thanks for your replies. I agree it is feasible to do all in a very long day, just think it would be so exhausting as to be unenjoyable. And I've found all kinds of different estimates on driving times. Agree the Jabiru to Ubirr estimate sounds off.

It sounds like I was correct that the rock art is more interesting at Nourlangie. Since we won't be at Ubirr at sunset, maybe Nourlangie is the better bet? The view from Ubirr did intrigue me. We can always go to Nourlangie first and see how the day goes, I suppose. Just want to be back to Wildman well in advance of sundown, which is between before 6:30 p.m. I believe. Thanks again.

The roads are sealed but are not highways per se - the speed limit would probably be 60 kph so that time for distance sounds right .