Tour Highlights
- Gouldian Finch
- Star Finch
- Pictorella Mannikin
- Crested Shrike-tit
- Purple-crowned Fairy-wren
- Partridge Pigeon
- Budgerigar
- Chestnut Rail
- Banded Fruit-Dove (local endemic)
- 2 x Sunrise boat cruises (Mary River & Yellow Water)
- Kakadu National Park
- Category
Start
Darwin
End
Darwin
- Birdwatching focus
- high
- Wildlife focus
- moderate
- Photography focus
- moderate
- Culture focus
- low
- Walks rating
- moderate
- Number of boat cruises
- Public1Private0
- Sleeping options
- ensuite
Tour Summary
**In 2025, this tour links to our remote yet super comfortable 9 Day Darwin to Mount Isa Birding Expedition giving you the option of an incredible 7-day or 20-night extended birding holiday (including pre & post-tour hotels) throughout the Northern Territory’s best birding sites and habitats (Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, Timber Creek, Tennant Creek and Barkly regions), finishing in outback Queensland.
Or you can book each leg individually.
Join NT Bird Specialists on a ’Finch Frenzy’ of the best birding sites for Gouldian Finch and up to 200 bird species spanning the Top End.
Start and conclude in Darwin to scour the countryside for over 10 species of finches, including the fantastic and colourful Gouldian, Long-tailed, Masked and Star finches, as well as Yellow-rumped and Pictorella Mannikins.
Seek locally endemic bush birds, parrots, sandstone specialists and a plethora of geese, ducks and other waterbirds that call this part of the country home.
If this tour is full, please join our Waitlists or register for the following year.
*Enquire for pre and post-tour optional extras *we also book guests’ hotels, tours, airport transfers, photography equipment hire*
Check out this epic Finch Frenzy video made by our guest Denis from the August 2022 Finch Frenzy tour.
Regions Visited
- Darwin
- Mary River
- Kakadu
- Pine Creek
- Katherine
- Timber Creek
Tour Route
Tour Gallery
Day by Day Itinerary
Contact Us For Full itineraryTour Video
Check out this epic Finch Frenzy video made by our guest Denis from the August 2022 Finch Frenzy tour.
Day 1
We start the day by taking advantage of the early morning and scope out some of the best birding sites in Darwin. We look for species such as Rainbow Pitta, Rufous Owl, Torresian Kingfisher, Mangrove Robin and various shorebirds. After a hearty lunch we travel to Fogg Dam, a renowned wetland on the edge of the Adelaide River Floodplain home to Crimson Finch and a myriad of waterfowl. We end by making our way to our accommodation in the Mary River Region.
Day 2
The morning starts with an early birding session around the Mary River region before continuing our journey to the World Heritage Kakadu National Park, scanning the woodlands and floodplains for Silver-backed Butcherbird, Black-breasted Buzzard, Brolga and Radjah Shelduck. After lunch we make our way to ‘stone country’, home to impressive ancient Aboriginal rock art along with Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon, Wilkin’s Rock Wallaby and Sandstone Shrike-thrush. Our accommodation for the night is in the township of Jabiru.
Day 3
Today we rise before the sun to join the famous Yellow Water sunrise cruise. Yellow Water has Great-billed Heron, 6 species of kingfisher, Arafura Fantail, Buff-sided Robin, Black-necked Stork and Saltwater Crocodile. We’ll explore around the Burrungkuy region to take in some of the more spectacular scenery of World Heritage Kakadu National Park. Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) region is home to endemic and sandstone specialists such as Banded Fruit-Dove and Helmeted Friarbird, White-lined Honeyeater and elusive Black Wallaroo amongst the rock art. We’ll travel south to our accommodation in Pine Creek, home to the endemic and illustrious Hooded Parrot.
Day 4
Another big day beckons as we pack our bags and head for Leliyn/Edith Falls in the iconic Nitmiluk National Park. The region is a hot spot for finch species including the much sought after Gouldian, Masked, Long-tailed, Crimson and Double-barred. We also keep an eye out for Northern Rosella. Continuing south on the Stuart Highway we travel to Katherine then onwards to our destination for the next two nights at the Timber Creek Hotel. Getting closer we are welcomed with stunning views of various ranges before retiring to our accommodation and enjoying a well-deserved meal.
Day 5
Part of our exploration sees us take a rocky walk heading up the escarpment, looking for sandstone specialties including White-quilled Rock Pigeon, Sandstone Shrike-thrush and Short-eared Rock Wallaby. Admiring the amazing morning view from this 3km return moderate walk is well worth the effort. This outback town is great for finches such as Gouldian, Star and Zebra, as well as finding wild Budgerigar. Boab trees and secluded water holes top it off.
Day 6
Following an early morning bird watch around Timber Creek we depart this outback gem and travel back through the spectacular ranges and through the cattle stations, stopping along the way at watering holes where it is prime finch and parrot territory, keeping an eye out for Cockatiel, Yellow-rumped Mannikin (Munia), Budgerigar, Diamond Dove and Star Finch. Skirting around Katherine, we make our way to our destination for the night, Pine Creek.
Day 7
We wake in this Heritage Gold Mining town with a morning birding session followed by breakfast in a nearby parkland. Afterwards we travel north along the Stuart Highway, across the Adelaide River floodplain then back to the big smoke of Darwin for any last sightings and a final bird list before bidding farewell.
Tour Inclusions & Exclusions
From the moment we pick you up from your hotel in Darwin, until we drop you off again, this birdwatching expedition includes:
• 7 full days touring with multi award-winning tour operator team and specialist bird guide Luke Paterson (owner of NT Bird Specialists – 24 years experience in northern Australia)
• 7 full days private air-conditioned & spacious 4WD commercial tourist vehicle with driver (11 or 18-seater) and purpose-built lockable 4WD trailer
• 6 nights en suite air-conditioned accommodation (boutique aboriginal-owned, 4 star & best available)
• 2-hour boat cruise assisted by your private birding guide Luke
• All meals on tour (7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners) (please notify us of allergies at time of booking) *fresh, healthy, homemade meals
• Unlimited cool water refills, tea and coffee with breakfast, cordials with lunch
• Excellence in guiding skill and local natural history knowledge
• Exclusive itineraries built by local specialists
• All transport, tours and cruises as stated in itinerary
• Hotel pick up and drop off
• Daily hotel transfers
• Up to date printed & digital Australian bird field guides to share
• Communal use of spotting scope
• Access to hire professional photographic and optical equipment *enquire for optional extras*
• Printed bird list
• Airport transfers *with optional extras
• Pre and post-tour booking services *enquire*
• All National Park permits, licenses, accreditations and entry fees
• Emergency communications, COVID-19 hygiene kit, 2 first-aid kit, satellite phone
• Assurance of touring with an award-winning Australian Accredited Tourism Business and Licensed Commercial Tour Operator
• COVID-19 safe accredited operators with flexible booking terms
• Genuine ecotourism, low impact tours that support the environment and local communities
• Excellent interpretation and customer service
• Birds! Birds! Birds! Birds!
And more…
Read our 5 star reviews
*Enquire for pre and post-tour optional extras *we also book guests’ hotels, tours, airport transfers, photography equipment hire*
Very little…
Items before and after your tour:
- Airfares, Passport & Visas fees, Airport taxes
- Airport transfers not specified in itinerary
- Excess baggage
- Other tours, meals and activities
During your tour:
- Food/drinks not stated on the itinerary *Excludes evening meal drinks & Alcoholic beverages
- Laundry
- Personal shopping
- Internet charges & Phone calls
- Gratuities
- anything not specified in your itinerary are excluded from the price of the tour.
*Enquire for pre and post-tour optional extras *we also book guests’ hotels, tours, airport transfers, photography equipment hire*
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