Matt Wright's Top End Safari Tour & Glamping

Top End Safari Camp tours from Darwin fit the Northern Territory's floodplain country into a single day or a single night, with a scenic helicopter flight, an airboat ride, a crocodile feeding and a barbecue. Matt Wright's camp sits on Fog Bay Road at Bynoe, about a 1.5-hour drive from Darwin. This page explains how a safari camp trip works, and it sits under our Darwin tours and day trips.

What a Top End Safari Camp trip involves

A safari camp trip is built around a few signature moments. A scenic helicopter flight lifts you over the floodplains, where passengers look for crocodiles, wild boar, buffalo and birdlife from above. An airboat ride then runs through the rainforest and out onto the water for a closer look, and a billabong cruise slows things down.

On the ground, the camp offers a crocodile encounter and feeding, and the day finishes around a gourmet barbecue. The camp is on Fog Bay Road at Bynoe, about a 1.5-hour drive from Darwin plus 7 km of unsealed road, so most guests ride in on a transfer from the city.

Day trip or overnight safari

The formats cover the same floodplains and the same hands-on wildlife. The difference is how long you stay and what you do after dark.

A day trip from Darwin

The Litchfield helicopter, airboat and wildlife day tour starts at 8.30am, with hotel pick-ups between 6.20am and 7.20am and drop-offs from 3.30pm to 4pm. It includes the helicopter flight over the floodplains, the airboat cruise, a billabong cruise, a crocodile encounter and feeding, and a BBQ meal, with return transfers from Darwin pick-up zones.

An overnight glamping safari

The overnight glamping safari from Darwin is a 2-day, 1-night trip. Pick-ups start at 11.00am from Mindil Beach Casino Resort, with another at 11.10am from the Wild Territory Reservations Office on Mitchell Street. The itinerary adds a 45-minute airboat cruise, a cheese platter and a gourmet BBQ dinner on an open star deck to the helicopter flight and crocodile feeding.

Guests sleep in deluxe lotus belle tents with a double bed, an outdoor shower, a wooden deck and solar power, then wake to a fully cooked breakfast on day two. The camp is a private location off the Finniss River, and the overnight stay is seasonal, so check the dates before you plan around it.

Glamping at a Top End safari camp

Glamping here means a deluxe tent with a real bed. Tickets are set up for different groups, with a single ticket for one adult with sole use of a tent, a ticket for two adults sharing a tent, a child ticket for ages 4 to 14, and a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children.

Dinner is served on the open star deck, so the evening is spent outdoors, among the floodplains and cathedral termite mounds of the Litchfield region.

Pairing a safari camp with other Top End trips

The camp sits in the Litchfield region, so it pairs with Litchfield tours from Darwin if you want waterfalls and swimming holes on another day. Kakadu tours from Darwin cover rock art and the Yellow Water wetlands, and Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge tours reach the gorges to the south. Our wider guide to things to do in Darwin covers cruises, crocodile attractions and the harbour.

What to bring and when to go

Bring sun protection including a hat, a camera, and bathers and a towel for the day trip. For the overnight stay, a spare t-shirt is a good idea, because the mudflat fun can get muddy. The dry season, May to October, is Darwin's warmest and driest stretch, and the wet season from November to April is hot, humid and stormy, so the weather decides how the floodplains look.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Top End Safari Camp?

Top End Safari Camp is on Fog Bay Road at Bynoe in the Northern Territory, about a 1.5-hour drive from Darwin plus 7 km of unsealed road. Day trips and overnight safaris include transfers from Darwin.

How long is the Top End Safari Camp day tour from Darwin?

The Top End Safari Camp day tour starts at 8.30am, with hotel pick-ups from 6.20am to 7.20am and drop-offs between 3.30pm and 4pm.

What is the difference between the day tour and the overnight safari?

The day tour is a single day with a helicopter flight, an airboat ride, a crocodile feeding and a BBQ meal. The overnight glamping safari adds a night in a deluxe tent, a BBQ dinner on the star deck and a cooked breakfast the next morning.

Is the helicopter flight included on Top End Safari Camp tours?

Yes. The Top End Safari Camp day tour and the overnight glamping safari each include a scenic helicopter flight over the floodplains.

Are there weight limits on Top End Safari Camp tours?

Yes. The company can't take passengers over 130 kilograms. Check the tour page for the current policy before booking.

Can children join a Top End Safari Camp tour?

Yes. Child tickets are available for ages 4 to 14, and children under 3 need prior approval from the company. The overnight safari also has a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children.

Can you drive yourself to Top End Safari Camp?

Yes, the overnight glamping safari has a self-drive option. The camp is about a 1.5-hour drive from Darwin plus 7 km of unsealed road.

A safari camp trip suits anyone who wants the helicopter, the airboat and the crocodiles in one go, so decide whether you want a single day or a night under canvas, and book it before you plan the rest of your week. Our full range of tours from Darwin sits one page up.