Darwin: Top End Safari Camp Overnight Airboat, Croc & Heli

4.97

(254 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t really know what to expect when we left Darwin for this Top End Safari Camp overnight tour. There’s something about heading out into that big open country — the sky felt way bigger than it does in town. Our guide, Mick, had this dry humor and kept pointing out things I’d never have noticed: a jabiru wading in the reeds, the way the light hit the floodplains just before sunset. The airboat ride was loud and kind of wild — wind in my face, water spray everywhere, and then suddenly everything would go quiet as we drifted near a patch of lilies. We spotted a croc’s eyes just above the surface. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.

The real surprise for me was meeting one of Matt Wright’s monster rescue crocodiles up close. I mean, you see them on TV but standing there during feeding time… it’s another thing entirely. The sound their jaws make is like nothing else — sort of a deep snap that echoes off the water. I tried to ask our host Li how old she thought that big male was (I probably butchered her name), but she just laughed and said “older than you’ll ever be.” Dinner around camp was hearty — grilled barramundi, smoky from the fire, with everyone swapping stories as night came on fast.

Sleeping in those canvas tents was actually more comfortable than I’d guessed (and yeah, I did check for spiders). Woke up early to this soft pink light over the billabong and birds making a racket — magpie geese mostly. There was coffee brewing already and someone frying bacon; honestly, that smell alone made me want to stay another night. After breakfast we had a quick helicopter flight over the floodplains — short but you really see how wild and endless it all is from up there. Then it was back towards Darwin with red dust still on my shoes.