Renowned for its spectacular scenery, monsoonal rainforests, spring-fed streams and waterfalls, Litchfield National Park is perhaps best known for its magnetic termite mounds, immense sculptural cairns built by termites and aligned perfectly from north to south. They make quite the landscape feature - like miniature alien skyscrapers.
But it's the waterfalls, cascading from a sandstone plateau called the Tabletop Range, which draw the crowds. Some of the most popular are Wangi Falls, a deliciously deep swimming spot fringed with rainforest; Florence Falls, surrounded by monsoonal forest; and Buley Rockhole, where you can lounge in rock pools as if in a cool jacuzzi. You can't swim in Tolmer Falls, but they're well worth a look.
It's worth devoting at least a few days to Litchfield. Come here to camp, take a few hikes up to get views of the valley, go on a ranger-guided walk to find out about the magnetic termite mounds and spend your afternoons lolling in the waterholes.
Litchfield National Park is 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Darwin. You can generally reach it via Batchelor year-round, and from Cox Peninsula Road (which is unsealed) in the dry season. You can visit Litchfield in the wet season - in fact, this is when the waterfalls are at their most spectacular - but be aware that this some swimming opportunities will be limited. Wangi Falls, for instance, is closed for swimming when the water levels get too high.
