Birdwatching in Darwin and the Top End is always superb, so it depends on what you want to see and places you want to access. Darwin and Australia’s ‘Top End’ undergoes dramatic seasonal changes throughout it’s annual tropical wet/dry monsoon cycle.
April - May
Private photography cruise in Kakadu Yellow Water Billabong
Private photography cruise in Kakadu Yellow Water Billabong
June – August
Escarpment Walk at Victoria River region
Bush birding is very rewarding in northern Australia’s dry warm ‘winter months’
September
October - November
We rise early to beat the heat and you’ll be rewarded with great views of birds coming in for their morning activity. A small inland water hole or creek is a perfect place to sit and wait for thirsty parrots, doves and finches to come in for a drink. Masses of water birds can be seen noisily congregating around shrinking water bodies. Monsoon forests and rock shelters provide cooler relief for Rainbow Pitta, fruit doves, shrike-thrush, owls and rock wallabies.
Scanning for shorebirds on Darwin city beaches, Northern Territory
December – March
Yes of course. We welcome LGBTQ+ guests and our tours are LGBTQ-inclusive.
All guests are treated equally and we aim to be as inclusive as possible when creating our unforgettable wildlife experiences.
Guests can choose between group and private tours to suit their needs.
NT Bird Specialists respects the natural and cultural assets found in the environment we are lucky enough to operate in.
We aim to minimise food packaging, rubbish and waste and have palm-oil free menus.
We support local and indigenous-owned businesses.
Our tours follow minimal impact principles, including ethical bird watching guidelines and ethical bird and wildlife photography guidelines.
Our vehicles are modern and fuel efficient.
Our Team flies carbon neutral.
Our Sri Lanka tours practise low impact sustainable tourism principles.
We employ local guides and eat at local restaurants with local meals.
We do not feed wildlife on our tours or engage in activities that can be harmful to wildlife.
Please get in touch to learn more about our environmental and cultural sustainability policies and actions.
Our accommodated option is a comfortable standard ensuite room with air-conditioning. Hotel rooms and service standards differ between locations and may not be quite as high in remote locations as cities. In some regions we have access to high end and luxury lodges, which you may request for private tours and custom itineraries.
Camping may be required in some extremely remote sites on specialised itineraries only. Our camping option includes a single elevated stretcher tent, pillow, pillowcase & sheets. You may want to bring a lightweight sleeping bag for Dry Season nights and a self-inflating mattress to fit within a 200cm x 80cm space. Camping options (*selected itineraries & on request only) offer a comfortable elevated stretcher tent with bedding and the same standard of excellence in guiding services.
Some nights of certain itineraries can only be in accommodation. A single supplement charge may apply.
Every effort will be made to provide access to power when camping for charging phones/batteries etc. We often use a surge-protected powerboard or inverters over night. and in vehicles. USB chargers are mounted on each seat in the 4WD bus. Portable battery chargers with Australian plug and USB sockets are available in the vehicle.
All ensuite rooms have power.
There are a couple of locations where laundry facilities are available on longer tours. WiFi is growing in coverage but limited or absent in some remote regions. Most townships have ‘Telstra’ sim card signal. Victoria River has a public phone which accepts Telstra phone cards.
We recommend handwashing small amounts of clothing or washing a larger load of clothes on arrival at a two night stay.
Darwin has a wide range of short and day touring options, along with many local attractions and seasonal events. We’re happy to provide suggestions and refer professional services where appropriate for pre and post touring activities. We can package other experiences on request.
Please visit Tourism Top End Visitor Information Centre’s website for details on car hire, tours and travel.
To deliver personalised tours, advertised group sizes remain small, usually 2-4, 5-10 passengers in a comfortable air-conditioned 4WD (7 seater), modern mini-van (12 seater).
Our 18-seater 4WD bus has up to 14 guests on private tours. If larger groups wish to book, please contact us to discuss options.
Unless it’s a private tour, everybody has the same access to all seats. Seat rotation is most welcome and encouraged on group tours.
We join larger public groups when travelling on some boat cruises.
Private boat cruises are booked on request and subject to availability.
Our tours require a minimum 2, 3 or 4-guest payment to depart (depending on itinerary).
Scheduled group photography tours: 4-8 guests, bird watching tours: 3/5 – 10.
Sri Lanka Itineraries have 6-11 guests plus an NT Bird Specialists tour leader.
Single travellers can choose to join a group tour (single supplement and minimum guest payments apply) or book a private or custom tour.
It really depends on your budget and what is available at your preferred time of travel.
Please let us know if you are a single traveller willing to share a twin room with other guests (no single supplement applies), and we will let you know if anyone is interested to share with you.
Sri Lanka tours have a triple share option.
Family rooms may also be available on request and subject to availability.
We recommend you book at least one night’s accommodation in the destination where your tour ends, and fly out the following day to allow for any unforeseen circumstances. Flights are not included in the tour price. Shuttle buses and taxi are available around Darwin to Darwin International Airport. If you do need to fly out the night of the return tour, you may want to fly after 11pm to allow buffer time after tour. International flights should be booked for the day after tour. Tours finish around 4-5:30pm.
Yes, we have a car fridge to keep them cool. We travel in remote areas with limited medical facilities so please come prepared and make our team aware of anything essential we should know to keep you well. Our team is trained with Senior and remote first aid.
Yes. NT Bird Specialists are an accredited Accessible Tourism Business.
We aim to offer accessible birdwatching tours and photography experiences to all people, regardless of their physical abilities or age.
Private tours can be tailored to suit many accessibility requirements.
Our Accessible Birding Set Up:
- Vehicles: Although our main vehicles are not wheelchair-accessible, they do have space for a folding wheelchair/frame and/or walking aids. We can also hire tour vehicles that are wheelchair-accessible (1 wheelchair per vehicle) with 6 additional passenger seats for family and friends.
- Cruises: We can organise some boat cruises with ramp access.
- Locations/terrain: Due to the rugged remote location of some areas we visit, not all locations/itineraries will suit all guests.
- Accommodation: Accessibility standards vary in remote areas, however we always book the ‘most-accessible room/bathroom options’ where possible.
- Meals/Dietary Requirements: Please see our Dietary FAQ for more information
- General Fitness & accessibility: All group tours require a moderate level of fitness for walking over uneven surfaces for up 1-6 kilometres in warm conditions while carrying your own gear and water.
- Walks rating: Walks vary from easy to moderate (relatively flat with the occasional walks up to lookouts or rocky steps). We recommend a private charter for those who would find this difficult or have reduced mobility so we can tailor it accordingly.
You may also like to book a private tour for a more strenuous/fast-paced itinerary with difficult grading tours.
You can download our Accessibility & Dietary PDF at the top of our FAQ page. Please get in touch if you have further questions.
We cater to vegetarian, vegan, coeliac, lactose-intolerant needs or other allergies if we are notified at least 14 days prior to tour departure
*We will do or best to assist if notification is within this timeframe.
Our Australian menus are mostly palm-oil free, fresh and healthy meals, continental breakfasts, hot buffet breakfast and picnic lunches.
Guests are welcome to bring personal food with them that we can keep cool/dry.
Breakfasts and lunches are mainly eaten outdoors on location whilst we watch out for birds. Dinners will be eaten in restaurants close to the nightly accommodation (very occasionally we cook).
On Sri Lankan tours, we eat hearty buffet-style (mix of Western and Sri Lankan cuisines) and home-cooked lodge meals. We occasionally eat at clean roadside stops in small towns. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.
Please note:
- Access to a wide range of dietary needs may not always be available in remote restaurants/shops
- We cannot specifically cater for ‘fad diets’
You can download our Accessibility & Dietary PDF at the top of our FAQ page.
What to bring:
- It’s advisable to travel with a soft overnight bag or small suitcase on group tours. Most hotels offer luggage storage for those retuning to the same destination.
- Binoculars (we have a few pairs to share)
- Spotting Scope (shared use available)
- Camera, tripod, spare batteries, accessories
- Australian/Sri Lankan charger/adaptors
- Sunscreen SPF 50+ and polaroid sunglasses
- Insect repellent, fly net (for hat)
- Long-sleeved, light-weight clothing
- Swim wear
- Favourite snacks or coffee if you think you’ll need them
- Personal medications (including paracetamol/Ibuprofen, rehydration salts as needed)
- Face mask/s
- Wide-brimmed hat
- Sturdy walking shoes and slip on sandals
- Torch/headtorch
- 1 litre water bottle (you should drink 3 litres of water per day in the tropics).
- Drink bottles can be refilled regularly form our vehicles
- Light jacket
- Waterproof jacket
- Personal medications
- *Passport and international bank cards for Sri Lanka tours
We highly recommend you take out a comprehensive travel insurance cover prior to departure of our tour, which covers you for the duration of our tour.
Travel Insurance is not included in your tour price. NT Bird Specialists recommend that you purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes (without limitation) coverage for: accidental death, medical expenses, loss/damage to personal belongings and luggage, water and land-based activities, and airfare/travel disruption due to reasons beyond yours or our control, such as Force Majeure and pandemic related impacts.
Comprehensive Travel insurance is required on our Sri Lanka Tours. Please provide your travel insurance details at the time of booking.
If your travel plans are interrupted due to COVID-19, you may like to follow up with your travel insurance policy to see what you are covered for. See our COVID-19 Terms and Conditions updates for information on NT Bird Specialists tours.
* Our 1 day tours commence pick up between 6:15 – 7am.
* Our multi-day birdwatching tours commence at 6:30 – 7 am.
* Our photography tour pick up time is announced closer to the touring date.
Our tours depart early so we can make the most of prime bird and wildlife watching opportunities in the early morning.
All tours aim to get back in by 5:00 pm on the final day of tour.
Airport transfers:
You may request airport transfers from the team at NT Bird Specialists subject to availability or build it into your tour. Airport drop off can also be arranged in advance.
You can also take a short taxi (phone 131 008), Uber ride or shuttle bus to Darwin from Darwin International Airport. Kununurra and Broome airport transfers are a short ride from hotels.
Vehicle hire, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
You can now book your 4WD Car and Camper Vehicle Hire through NT Bird Specialists and the local family-owned company, Adventure Rentals NT.
‘Million Dollar Road Trip Northern Territory Competition’
Take part during Kakadu Bird Week 2024. Click the link for details on How to Win!
Airport Parking:
If your journey requires airport parking, you may like to visit FlyParks.com.au to compare prices and book easily online.