After all the planning and preparation the time has come to start your journey. We fly to Darwin and will be picked up at the airport and head straight to Pudakul on Wulna Country. The drive will take just over 1 hour. We meet with Aboriginal elders for a traditional Welcome to Country (Cul Cul) and settle in and set up camp. We will then join the local indigenous team for a full trip and safety briefing. Depending on our arrival time we will start our cultural immersion program this afternoon. Our hands on program will include engaging with a local Aboriginal family on Aboriginal land, connection to Country and how the local peoples consider themselves custodians of the land and have lived in harmony with their environment for thousands of years. Tonight we will have a BBQ with our hosts and learn about storytelling and sacred dreamtime stories around the campfire. Accommodation: Camping at Pudakul.

Meals:  D

We spend the day fully immersed on Wulna Country, learning through hands-on experience. Moving across Pudakul land, we forage for bush materials used to create clapsticks and spears, collect ochre for natural dyes and strip fibres to make rope. Back at camp, we use these materials in practical activities including art, hunting techniques and identifying local flora and fauna. We learn the meaning behind Pudakul and try spear throwing ourselves. Throughout the day, knowledge is shared through doing, building a deeper understanding of how culture, land and daily life are connected. Accommodation: Camping at Pudakul.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we step into a community service program, working alongside locals on projects that respond to real community needs. Activities may include creating bush tucker gardens, supporting local school programs, conservation work such as track maintenance or tree planting, or assisting with harvesting and preparing bush foods. Each project is shaped in consultation with the community, giving us a genuine opportunity to contribute while learning about sustainability, land care and local priorities. It’s a practical, purposeful day that highlights the importance of collaboration, respect and giving back. Accommodation: Camping at Pudakul.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we enjoy breakfast with our hosts before continuing our Indigenous cultural immersion on Pudakul land, deepening our understanding of life on Country through shared knowledge and experience. After lunch, we travel into Kakadu National Park and explore its vast wetland systems. In the afternoon, we cruise Yellow Water Billabong on a flat-bottomed boat with an expert local guide, spotting crocodiles, wallabies, goannas and abundant birdlife including magpie geese, brolgas and jabirus. The cruise offers a unique perspective on Kakadu’s ecology and history. We then travel to our semi-permanent camp at Djarradjin Billabong, where students work together to set up camp and settle into life in the National Park. Accommodation: Camping at Djarradjin Billabong.

Meals:  B,L,D

We wake to the dawn chorus of birds echoing across Kakadu’s savannah and wetlands before helping with breakfast, food preparation and a safety briefing for the day ahead. Today is a full day of exploration in the World Heritage-listed heart of Kakadu National Park. We travel to Ubirr, home to some of Australia’s most significant Aboriginal rock art, where short walks lead past ancient galleries that tell powerful stories of Country and culture. We cross Cahills Crossing before tackling the Bardeljildiji sandstone walk, threading through towering rock formations and hidden pockets of monsoon rainforest. As the day draws to a close, we soak in sweeping sunset views over the floodplains and wetlands before returning to our semi-permanent camp near Djarradjin Billabong. Accommodation: Camping at Djarradjin Billabong.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast and pack-down, we prepare lunch and drive a short distance to the Nourlangie Massif, stepping into the rugged heart of Kakadu National Park. Today’s trek follows the Barrk and Nourlangie Circuit, climbing to spectacular lookouts overlooking escarpments, wetlands and savannah. Along the trail, guides share insights into ranger-led conservation programs and how cultural knowledge guides land management in this World Heritage landscape. After lunch, we continue on the Angbangbang Billabong walk, reaching a tranquil wetland alive with birdlife and framed by sandstone cliffs. By mid-afternoon we return to our camp at Djarradjin Billabong, with time to relax, reflect and enjoy an evening by the campfire after a rewarding day on the trail. Accommodation: Camping at Djarradjin Billabong.

Meals:  B,L,D

Heading south, we explore Kakadu’s remote gorges and waterfalls on foot, beginning with a scenic walk through monsoon forest to reach Maguk (Barramundi) Falls. The track opens onto a stunning plunge pool framed by pale quartzite cliffs, creating a true Top End oasis. Along the way, we keep watch for colourful birdlife such as rainbow pittas, emerald doves and spangled drongos, as well as the impressive Anbinik tree, the largest tree species in stone country. Continuing deeper into the park, we arrive at Gunlom, renowned for its dramatic waterfall, sandy beaches and pandanus-lined pools. This is where we settle in to our new camp before relaxing and reflecting on another special day in this unique part of the country. Accommodation: Camping at Gunlom.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today is the most physically demanding on our program. Over the day we will undertake our expedition by foot, deep in to Southern Kakadu Buladjang Country. We visit Motor Car Creek Falls for an 11km walk. It presents a good challenge but we allow most of the day for this so we can take our time. The highlight is arriving at an unspoilt, stunning crystal clear waterhole and some outstanding views of the surrounding hills and woodland. We have the freedom to set the pace of the walk depending on the ability of the group and weather of the day. Our walk takes us through open woodland past some remarkable Salmon Gums, glowing pink in the morning sun, before entering an area of pristine monsoon rainforest. Tonight we can take in our last Kakadu sunset while preparing and cooking dinner. Accommodation: Camping at Gunlom.

Meals:  B,L,D

On our final morning, we enjoy a relaxed start with time for a short walk or swim at a nearby waterhole before beginning the journey back to Darwin. Travelling north, we take in the last views of Kakadu’s landscapes before arriving at the airport for our flight home. After days of cultural immersion, trekking and shared challenges, we leave with a deeper understanding of Country, stronger connections as a group, and experiences that extend well beyond the classroom.

Meals:  B,L