Litchfield Park
Most people tour the top end in a 4WD but me, I'm going for something a little more racy.
What a way to see the sights of the Northern Territory. On board a souped-up, spangly-blue trike. Not something you do everyday…
Buzz Trike Tours offers a whole range of three-wheel thrills.
You can explore Darwin itself, or hit the open road.And after startling the local Darwinites, we chew up the bitumen, heading south.
These trikes can fit two people on the back, and it's really quite a comfy ride.
After about an hour we reach our destination. And one thing's for sure, the Northern Territory is full of surprises….
Litchfield National Park is just 129 kms from Darwin, and it's 143 sq kms of sandstone escarpments, monsoon rainforests and crystal clear waterholes..
Before being declared National Park in 1986, this area was mined for tin and copper. It's a place of awesome beauty, attracting a quarter-of-a-million visitors each year.
Check this out. Looks like a giant's graveyard. These termite mounds are over two metres tall.
They're actually known as 'magnetic' mounds, because they're all aligned facing north-south. Apparently, even the termites want to keep their cool in the harsh top end heat…
But then, don't we all….
Time to swap trike for togs. There are several waterfalls and spring-fed waterholes in Litchfield. Wangi Falls, on the park's western edge, are the biggest.And the picturesque plunge pool is calling me…
This is just amazing. The cascading falls are spectacular, the water's refreshingly cool, and the locals…well, you couldn't accuse them of being camera-shy….
There's no doubt about it, Litchfield National Park really is an oasis…
I had a great day riding through Litchfield National Park with Wayne from Buzz Trike Tours.
A full day tour for two people is $350 and includes your lunch.
Buzz Trike Tours also offer day tours to Darwin.
For info on any National Parks in the Northern Territory, check out the department of Parks & Wildlife website.
We stayed at the Novotel Atrium Darwin where rooms start from $145 per night.
The Novotel
has all sorts of accommodation options including two bedroom
apartments, deluxe and superior rooms and special packages.
