4WD vehicle kicking up a cloud of dust on a red dirt track through the savannah

Savannah Way

The route between Cairns and Darwin is one of the least travelled in Australia and is still a real adventure today. The often unsealed roads lead you to lava caves, steep gorges and fascinating national parks. This itinerary is also suitable for those new to driving a 4WD.

Dates and prices

Daily (approx. late April to late September)

Dates

Price from, in CHF p.p.

01.04.2025 - 31.03.2027

CHF p.p. 1,527

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Staircase and walkway leading into an overgrown lava tube, Undara Volcanic National Park

4x4 tour

Self-drive tour

Itinerary
Savannah Way

Print ITINERARY

Days 1–2 Cairns – Chillagoe (approx. 230 km) After collecting your hire car, you take the Gillies Range Highway. Stop at Curtain Fig National Park to admire the imposing strangler figs. You then reach the Atherton Tablelands, a region dotted with pretty villages. From here the landscape becomes increasingly arid. In Chillagoe, don't miss the guided tour of the limestone caves and be sure to photograph the Balancing Rock.

Days 3–4 Chillagoe – Undara (approx. 370 km) From Chillagoe you return to the Atherton Tablelands before heading west to Undara. The following day you join an excursion that takes you inside the gigantic lava caves. These tube-like caves are sometimes up to twenty metres in diameter.

Days 5–6 Undara – Cobbold Gorge (approx. 250 km) Today's stage takes you through the village of Mount Surprise, where copper was mined in the early 19th century, before you head towards Georgetown and turn off to Cobbold Gorge. On a tour of around 3 hours through the gorge you discover fascinating rock formations and wildlife while travelling by electric boat through the narrow gorge system.

Day 7 Cobbold Gorge – Normanton (approx. 390 km) You leave the Cobbold Gorge area and soon reach Croydon. From there the journey continues to Normanton, one of the main towns of the 19th century, when gold prospectors discovered this region. The railway line between Croydon and Normanton, built for the workers, still runs once a week today.

Days 8–9 Normanton – Burketown (Lawn Hill National Park) (approx. 230 km) Today's stage takes you west from Normanton. Expect an adventurous stretch with river crossings. Your destination for the day, Burketown, lies on the Albert River, whose level depends on the tides.

Day 10 Burketown (Lawn Hill National Park) – Borroloola (approx. 230 km) Set off early for this long stage, mainly on unsealed roads, which takes you to the Northern Territory border. In Borroloola you can visit the old police station, now a museum.

Day 11 Borroloola – Mataranka (approx. 550 km) Take a break on the road lined with termite mounds towards Mataranka and stop at the Daly Waters Pub, the most famous pub in the Australian Outback. This evening, unwind in the palm-fringed natural hot springs of Mataranka.

Day 12 Mataranka – Darwin (approx. 420 km) You can explore Kakadu and/or Litchfield National Parks. Once in Darwin, you return your hire car in the late afternoon.

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Route map: Savannah Way

Services

Departure dates

Daily (approx. late April to late September)

Included in the price

Accommodation in Standard category hotels
5 breakfasts, 2 dinners
Undara Explorer Tour excursion
Cobbold Gorge Tour excursion

Not included in the price

4WD hire car
Hire car supplement, see conditions
Meals not mentioned
Activities and excursions not mentioned
National park entrance fees

Important

One-way rental fee payable locally (approx. AUD 1100)
Conditions on the Savannah Way (off-road section) must be confirmed with the rental station in Normanton or Borroloola before setting off
Itinerary and prices subject to change depending on accommodation availability
The distance driven may vary depending on your personal itinerary

Prices in CHF per person