Northern Territory
NT camping — national parks across the Northern Territory
Kakadu, Litchfield, Watarrka, Tjoritja/West MacDonnell, plus the Larapinta Trail.
103 campgrounds in our NT catalogue
The Northern Territory is two camping worlds stitched together by the Stuart Highway. The Top End — Kakadu, Litchfield, Nitmiluk, Mary River — is monsoonal, hot, wet half the year and dry the other. The Red Centre — West MacDonnells (Tjoritja), Watarrka (Kings Canyon), the Larapinta Trail, Uluru-Kata Tjuta — is desert country, scorching in summer and very cold at night in winter. Time the trip right and both halves are extraordinary.
Bookings are split between Parks Australia (Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta, the two Commonwealth parks) and NT Parks (everything else). The Larapinta Trail has its own permit system through NT Parks for the trail-side campsites. Demand is sharpest during the dry season — June, July and August are the busiest months, particularly for Kakadu's Gunlom and Mardugal, the West MacDonnells campgrounds (Ormiston, Ellery Creek, Redbank), and the Watarrka/Kings Canyon area.
Cancellations happen as travellers' plans shift around the long drives involved. CampWatch monitors NT campgrounds — including the Larapinta Trail sectional permits and the short-walk system — and texts you when matching dates reopen. The Larapinta picker on the homepage lets you specify a flexible start window if you can move a day or two.
Region by region: the Top End (Kakadu, Litchfield, Nitmiluk, Mary River, Kakadu's Yellow Water area) is camping country between May and October only. Outside the dry season, monsoonal rain and flooding close most access. The Red Centre (Tjoritja/West MacDonnell, Watarrka, Trephina Gorge, Uluru-Kata Tjuta) has a much longer usable season — April to September is the sweet spot, with cool nights and 25°C days.
Filter below by region, facilities and trip type. Larapinta Trail walkers will want the short-walk and Larapinta-specific filters on the home page rather than the general campground finder — those have their own date logic for the trail-side campsites.
Hardest to book in NT
The marquee NT sites
Search NT
Every NT campground we monitor
Nitmiluk National Park
Nitmiluk National Park
Nitmiluk National Park
Nitmiluk National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Finke Gorge National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Limmen National Park
Limmen National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Territory Wildlife Park
Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park
Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve
Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve
Channel Point Coastal Reserve
Mary River National Park
Douglas River / Daly River Esplanade Conservation Area
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Limmen National Park
Limmen National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Nitmiluk National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Finke Gorge National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park
Watarrka National Park
Keep River National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Elsey National Park
Elsey National Park
Elsey National Park
Keep River National Park
Trephina Gorge Nature Park
Karlu Karlu / Devil's Marbles Conservation Reserve
Karlu Karlu / Devil's Marbles Conservation Reserve
Owen Springs Reserve
Nitmiluk National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Limmen National Park
Giwining / Flora River Nature Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Limmen National Park
Limmen National Park
Limmen National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Barranyi (North Island) National Park
Limmen National Park
N'Dhala Gorge Nature Park
Oolloo Crossing Conservation Area
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Finke Gorge National Park
Finke Gorge National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Barranyi (North Island) National Park
Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve
Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Owen Springs Reserve
Ruby Gap Nature Park
Litchfield National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Mary River National Park
Nitmiluk National Park
Limmen National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Stray Creek Conservation Area
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Litchfield National Park
Nitmiluk National Park
Litchfield National Park
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park
Douglas River / Daly River Esplanade Conservation Area
Tjuwaliyn (Douglas) Hot Springs Nature Park
Tjuwaliyn (Douglas) Hot Springs Nature Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Limmen National Park
Limmen National Park
Trephina Gorge Nature Park
Trephina Gorge Nature Park
Trephina Gorge Nature Park
Umbrawarra Gorge Nature Park
Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park
Judbarra / Gregory National Park
Limmen National Park
Limmen National Park
FAQ
Camping in Northern Territory — common questions
When can I camp in Kakadu?
The dry season — roughly May through October — is the main camping window. The wet season (November-April) closes many roads, makes others impassable for towing, and turns the heat-and-humidity dial up uncomfortably high. The campgrounds we monitor are the dry-season sites that get heavy demand June-August.
Do I need a permit for the Larapinta Trail?
Yes — every trail-side campsite on the Larapinta requires a sectional permit through NT Parks. CampWatch lets you watch specific sections or specific date ranges, including a flexible-start window of up to 30 days if your trip plans aren't locked.
Which NT campgrounds are hardest to book?
Gunlom and Mardugal (Kakadu), Ormiston Gorge and Ellery Creek (West MacDonnells), Watarrka/Kings Canyon, and the Larapinta Trail's most-walked sectional campsites. July school holidays and the peak dry-season weeks (June-August) are the tightest.
Are there fees for NT national park camping?
Yes — both Parks Australia (Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta) and NT Parks charge per-night camping fees, with separate park-entry passes for Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta. Fees are modest by world standards (typically AUD 7-15 per person per night). Park-entry passes are an additional one-off cost.
Looking for a sold-out NT campground?
If a Northern Territory campground you want is sold out, let CampWatch keep an eye on it and text you the moment a spot reopens.
No app. No account. Just your phone number.