Jumping Crocodile Cruise in Darwin, Australia

Attention, adventure lovers! If you are looking for the trip of a lifetime, you need to get to the Australian bush. While the cities down under are incredible, there is nothing like getting out of town and seeing the natural beauty and wonder of Australia.

I spent two months in the Australian Outback and completely fell in love with the country. From diving the Great Barrier Reef to hiking the Outback to soaking in the sun on the Gold Coast, I had so many unforgettable experiences here. In fact, Sydney is the official birthplace of “The Blonde Abroad.” Looking out over the Sydney Harbour, I realized just how deep my wanderlust ran.

Are you ready for a trip that will turn you on your head? Here’s what you need to know about exploring the Northern Territory and my experience on a Jumping Crocodile Cruise in Darwin, Australia!

Visiting the Northern Territory

While it is a bit out of the way, the Northern Territory is well worth the trip. I highly recommend exploring Alice Springs and hopping on the old school Ghan Train. I adore train travel and that is one trip I recommend for anybody’s bucket list.

Of course, you have got to get to the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, Darwin. This tropical city has a lot to offer and it’s a perfect stopover if you are traveling on to Asia.

You can easily spend a few days exploring but my all time fave experience in Darwin was the crazy Jumping Crocodile Cruise.

The Jumping Crocodile Cruise

Going on a Jumping Crocodile Cruise is an essential experience for any visitor in the Northern Territory. You hop on board at a spot that is just over an hour drive from Darwin and the cruise goes down the Adelaide River.

There are usually four cruises per day during the dry season, which runs from May to October in the Northern Territory.

The Jumping Crocodile Cruise is a terrifying but awesome (but terrifying!) experience. Exactly as advertised, these crocs will jump up all around the boat.

In fact, I couldn’t believe how close they got to us!

We saw massive crocodiles everywhere we went and they all had names. The cruise crew had massive hunks of meat that were very popular amongst the crocs. They jump up to grab a snack, which creates a perfect photo op. Since the boat is small and the crocs aren’t shy, you can easily snap some close-ups.

There was an endless stream of crocs and impressive birds all over as we floated down the Adelaide River. Unfortunately for our four-legged friends, there were always hawks ready to steal the meat away from the crocodiles!

Some of the crocs had unforgettable personalities (like the 80-year-old who had lost one of his legs in a fight with a shark!) which made the trip even more fun.