Darwin to Litchfield Drive
Litchfield National Park is about 120 km south-west of Darwin and is accessed from Cox Peninsula Road or through Batchelor. Wangi Falls is reached on sealed roads from Darwin, while Reynolds River is a rough 4WD track.
Updated
Key facts
- Park distance
- About 120 km south-west of Darwin
- Access
- Cox Peninsula Road or through Batchelor
- Reynolds River
- Rough 4WD track with water crossings
- Main falls
- Florence Falls and Wangi Falls are in Litchfield
- Visitor pass
- NT Parks Visitor Pass required for visitors to the NT
- Wangi access
- Sealed road access from Darwin
Darwin to Litchfield National Park
about 120 km
Batchelor
One of two access routes; the other is Cox Peninsula Road.
Florence Falls
One of the principal stops; check site access before driving.
Wangi Falls
Reachable via sealed roads from Darwin.
- Litchfield National Park
How do you drive from Darwin to Litchfield?
The park is about 120 km south-west of Darwin. You reach it from Cox Peninsula Road or through Batchelor. Check which access road is open on your travel date before choosing a loop.
Can a 2WD hire car reach Wangi Falls?
Wangi Falls is reached on sealed roads from Darwin. Reynolds River is a rough 4WD track, so do not treat every Litchfield turnoff as part of the same 2WD journey.
Which stops fit a day trip?
Choose Florence Falls and Wangi Falls as the main park stops, leaving time to return to Darwin in daylight. Swimming at Wangi Falls is prohibited from October to March, and access at other sites can change, so check the park status for each site before leaving.
What should you check on the hire agreement?
A Darwin Airport pickup makes a single-day loop practical. Confirm that the vehicle may use every planned road, particularly if your map sends you onto Reynolds River track or unsealed sections. Visitors also need an NT Parks Visitor Pass.
What is a workable order for a Litchfield day trip?
From Darwin, enter via Batchelor, then choose Florence Falls before continuing to Wangi Falls. Treat a return by Cox Peninsula Road as an option only after checking that route’s current access. The park is about 120 km from Darwin, so time at each swimming area matters more than fitting every turnoff into one day.
Keep the falls visit conditional on the park status page: road access and swimming access are shown separately. A closure at one pool need not cancel a visit to every other open stop, but a rough 4WD side track is not a 2WD alternative.
Where does the 2WD plan end?
Wangi Falls is on sealed roads from Darwin. Reynolds River is a rough 4WD track, and Tjaynera Falls and Surprise Creek Falls are reached via Reynolds Track using a 4WD. A vehicle marketed as an SUV is not permission to use those tracks. Keep the rental on the sealed itinerary unless your rental agreement expressly allows the proposed road.
Compare cars at Darwin Airport
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Check the pickup point and what the agreement allows on the roads in this guide before you book.
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Questions people ask
How far is Litchfield National Park from Darwin?
The park is about 120 km south-west of Darwin.
Do you need a 4WD for Litchfield?
Not for Wangi Falls, which is reached on sealed roads from Darwin, but the Reynolds River track is rough 4WD terrain.
Can you do Litchfield as a day trip from Darwin?
It is possible with selected main stops and a return to Darwin in daylight.
Is an NT park pass needed at Litchfield?
Visitors to the NT need an NT Parks Visitor Pass.
Can I swim at Florence or Wangi Falls?
Swimming at Wangi Falls is prohibited from October to March because of strong currents and the potential presence of saltwater crocodiles. Check the Litchfield park status for the individual site before setting off.
Is Reynolds River Track part of a normal 2WD loop?
No. It is a rough 4WD track.