Australia North to South: Darwin to Melbourne (Self-Launched)
16 days · Australia
G Adventures charges £2,450
No-markup version: ~£1,490 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of the classic Top End-to-Red-Centre-to-Great-Ocean-Road run, rebuilt for solo travellers on a budget. You'll do the Northern Territory's greatest hits (Litchfield, Kakadu, Katherine Gorge, Devils Marbles), the Red Centre (Kings Canyon, Uluru, Coober Pedy), and finish along the Great Ocean Road into Melbourne. The commercial trip relies on a private coach — the swap here is a mix of cheap domestic flights, a fixed-price hop-on/hop-off backpacker bus pass (Greyhound or a tour operator's camping pass) for the Outback legs where public transport is thin, swag camping under the stars, and self-booked activities. Note: Australia is expensive — this is a budget version, not a cheap one. Costs are approximate 2025 backpacker rates in GBP and assume dorm beds, shared swag camping, and self-catering where possible.
Day-by-day
Arrive Darwin — rooftop beers and backpacker nightlife
Darwin
Fly into Darwin (from Asia/Southeast Asia cheap, from Europe usually via Singapore/Bali). Take the Darwin Airport Shuttle into the city centre (~AUD 18, ~£9) rather than a taxi (~AUD 35). Dorm bed in a Mitchell Street hostel (e.g. Youth Shack or Chilli's) and hit the rooftop bar to meet people. Wander to a backpackers' bar night in the CBD — Darwin's dry-season nights are warm and lively. Buy a cheap Esky/cooler bag and groceries if you plan to camp later.
🚌Airport shuttle ~£9
🛏Hostel dorm, Darwin CBD (~£22)
- →Airport shuttle to CBD
- →Rooftop hostel bar
- →Mitchell Street backpacker nightlife
Litchfield National Park day trip
Litchfield National Park
Book a self-guided or small-group Litchfield day tour via GetYourGuide/Viator (~£75-95 including park entry and lunch) — operators collect from CBD hostels. Hit Florence Falls, Buley Rockhole, the giant termite mounds, and a wetland river cruise to spot saltwater crocs. If you have your own wheels or a hire car shared with hostel mates (a group car split 4 ways is often cheaper than tours), drive yourself — park entry is free and fuel is ~£25 return. Overnight back in Darwin or at a Litchfield campground (swag rental ~£10).
🚌Tour pickup or shared hire car ~£20
🛏Darwin hostel dorm or Litchfield campground (~£22)
- →Florence Falls
- →Buley Rockhole swim
- →Termite mounds
- →Wetland croc cruise
Kakadu National Park — waterfalls and rock art
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu has no public transport — the practical budget option is a 2-3 day Kakadu small-group camping tour from Darwin (~£250-320 for 2 days incl. food, park pass and swag camping) booked direct with an operator like Adventure Tours Australia or Autopia. Day 1: Ubirr rock art and sunset lookout, Cahills Crossing, Mary River wetlands. A Kakadu park pass is ~AUD 40 (£20) — often included in tour prices.
🚌Tour 4WD/minibus from Darwin
🛏Kakadu swag camping (included in tour)
- →Ubirr rock art site
- →Cahills Crossing
- →Mary River wetlands
Kakadu morning then on to Katherine Gorge
Katherine
Morning in Kakadu — Jim Jim or Gunlom Falls if open (seasonal, closed in wet season), plus a cultural centre visit. Then head south to Katherine (~3.5 hrs). If you're touring, this is often the tour's final leg with a drop-off in Katherine; if self-driving, stop at Edith Falls (Leliyn) for a swim en route — free entry. Check into a Katherine hostel or campground.
🚌Tour transfer or self-drive ~£15
🛏Katherine hostel dorm or campground (~£20)
- →Gunlom Falls (seasonal)
- →Edith Falls swim
- →Kakadu cultural centre
Katherine Gorge by kayak or boat, then Daly Waters pub
Katherine / Daly Waters
Morning free — walk to the gorge lookout (free) or hire a self-guided kayak up Nitmiluk Gorge (~AUD 75-85, ~£40) or take the flat-bottomed boat cruise (~AUD 99, ~£52). Skip the helicopter if you're on a budget. Then drive/travel ~3 hrs south to Daly Waters — a tiny Outback town with a legendary pub covered in travellers' memorabilia. Camp or dorm at the Daly Waters pub campground (~£15). Mataranka hot springs are a free, excellent detour if you're driving.
🚌Self-drive or Outback bus ~£15
🛏Daly Waters pub campground/dorm (~£15)
- →Nitmiluk Gorge kayak
- →Mataranka hot springs
- →Daly Waters Historic Pub
Daly Waters to Alice Springs via the Devils Marbles
Alice Springs
Long Outback day south (~8-9 hrs drive) on the Stuart Highway. Stop at the Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu) — giant granite boulders sacred to local Indigenous groups, free entry, best at sunrise/sunset. Greyhound Australia runs Darwin-Alice Springs but only a few times a week (~AUD 150-190, ~£80-100) — a fixed-price Outback camping bus pass (e.g. Adventure Tours Australia's Darwin-Alice leg) often works out similar and includes stops. Arrive Alice Springs, dorm bed and a beer at one of the Todd Street pubs.
🚌Greyhound or Outback bus ~£90
🛏Alice Springs hostel dorm (~£22)
- →Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu)
- →Stuart Highway road trip
- →Alice Springs pub night
Free day in Alice Springs
Alice Springs
Sleep in, then explore. Options: Royal Flying Doctor Service museum (~AUD 18, £9), Alice Springs Desert Park (~AUD 40, £21), the free Telegraph Station and Anzac Hill lookout. Hot air ballooning is ~AUD 300+ (£160) if you want a splurge. Book your Red Centre tour (Uluru/Kings Canyon 3-day camping tour, ~£300-380 with an operator like Emu Run, Autopia or Adventure Tours) for tomorrow — or self-drive the ~4.5 hrs to Uluru with a shared hire car.
🚌Local bus/walk ~£3
🛏Alice Springs hostel dorm (~£22)
- →Royal Flying Doctor Service museum
- →Anzac Hill sunset
- →Book Red Centre tour
Kings Canyon hike and on to Uluru
Kings Canyon / Uluru
Early start for the ~3 hr drive to Watarrka/Kings Canyon. The Rim Walk (6 km, 3-4 hrs) is spectacular but closed when forecast temps exceed 36°C — go at dawn in summer. Then continue to Yulara/Uluru (~3.5 hrs). Camp at the Ayers Rock Resort campground (unpowered site ~AUD 45, swag under the stars is the classic move) or a Yulara hostel dorm (~£35 — pricey out here). Stock up on food in Alice Springs before you leave; Yulara IGA is expensive.
🚌Red Centre tour or shared hire car ~£30
🛏Yulara campground or hostel dorm (~£30)
- →Kings Canyon Rim Walk
- →Outback sunset
Uluru — culture centre, Mala Walk and sunset
Uluru / Kata Tjuta
Uluru-Kata Tjuta park pass is AUD 38 (£19), valid 3 days. Morning: the free Mala Walk with a ranger (or self-guided interpretive signs) and the cultural centre — buy art directly from the Indigenous-owned Maruku Arts cooperative. Afternoon: Kata Tjuta's Valley of the Winds walk (free, 7.4 km) if it's not too hot. Sunset at the Uluru viewing area with a bottle from the Yulara bottle-o (~£8) — no need to pay for a tour. Optional: Uluru base walk, Field of Light or an astronomy tour (~AUD 65, £34).
🚌Shuttle/hire car within park ~£10
🛏Yulara campground or hostel dorm (~£30)
- →Uluru Mala Walk
- →Uluru cultural centre
- →Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds
- →Uluru sunset
Coober Pedy — opal mines and underground sleeping
Coober Pedy
Long transfer day (~7 hrs on the Stuart Highway). This is the toughest leg without a car — the practical option is the 2-day Uluru-to-Adelaide camping tour section or a Greyhound/Outback bus connection. In Coober Pedy: take an underground mine tour (~AUD 40-50, £22-27) at one of the family-run mines (Old Timers Mine or Umoona Opal Mine), see the underground churches, and sleep underground at the Desert Cave Hotel's budget rooms or a dugout campground/dorm (~£30). It's genuinely cooler below ground.
🚌Bus/tour transfer ~£80
🛏Underground hostel/dugout (~£30)
- →Old Timers Mine tour
- →Underground churches
- →Opal noodling (fossicking)
Coober Pedy to the Flinders Ranges
Ikara-Flinders Ranges / Wilpena Pound
Head south to the Flinders Ranges (~5 hrs). If you're on a camping tour this is included; if self-driving, camp at Wilpena Pound campground (~AUD 30, £16). Walk a short trail at dusk — Wilpena Pound is one of the most underrated landscapes in Australia and almost free to enjoy. Fuel up at Port Augusta; Outback fuel is expensive.
🚌Tour or self-drive ~£25
🛏Wilpena Pound campground (~£16)
- →Wilpena Pound walk
- →Flinders Ranges sunset
Flinders Ranges to Adelaide via the Clare Valley
Adelaide
Morning hike in the Flinders (Arkaroo Rock or Wangara Lookout, free). Then drive/bus to Adelaide (~5 hrs), with a stop in the Clare Valley wine region for a cellar-door tasting (~AUD 10-15, £5-8 — many wineries waive it on purchase). Arrive Adelaide, check into a CBD hostel dorm (~£25) and explore the Central Market for cheap, excellent food.
🚌Tour/bus ~£35
🛏Adelaide hostel dorm (~£25)
- →Clare Valley cellar door
- →Adelaide Central Market
Adelaide to the Grampians
Grampians National Park
Cheap domestic flight is the time-saver here: Adelaide-Melbourne ~£45-70 on Jetstar/Virgin (book weeks ahead), then a hire car from Melbourne or a small-group Grampians day/overnight tour (~£110). Alternatively, spend a day in Adelaide (free Botanic Gardens, Glenelg beach tram) and fly the next morning. If driving the whole way, it's ~7 hrs Adelaide-Grampians. Walk to the Pinnacle Lookout or MacKenzie Falls (free) and camp or grab a Halls Gap hostel bed (~£25).
🚌Flight + shared car ~£60
🛏Halls Gap hostel/campground (~£25)
- →Grampians Pinnacle walk
- →MacKenzie Falls
- →Halls Gap
Great Ocean Road — the 12 Apostles and Otways
Great Ocean Road / Port Campbell
Drive the Great Ocean Road west from the Grampians or from Melbourne (~3 hrs via Warrnambool). Hit the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge (free), do the free rainforest walk at Great Otway National Park (Mait's Rest, glow worms at dusk), and spot koalas at Kennett River. Camp at Port Campbell or Apollo Bay (~£18) — or book a Great Ocean Road day tour from Melbourne (~£75-95) if you don't want to drive. Fuel ~£25.
🚌Shared hire car ~£30
🛏Port Campbell / Apollo Bay campground (~£18)
- →12 Apostles
- →Loch Ard Gorge
- →Great Otway rainforest walk
- →Kennett River koalas
Great Ocean Road to Melbourne
Melbourne
Finish the coast road — stop at Bells Beach, Torquay and Split Point Lighthouse. Arrive Melbourne, drop the hire car, and check into a hostel in Fitzroy or the CBD (~£30 dorm). Explore the laneways, get a cheap feed at Queen Victoria Market or a dumpling spot in Chinatown (£10), and enjoy Melbourne's free tram zone. Optional: penguin parade on Phillip Island is a separate trip (~£30 + transport) — skip if time is tight.
🚌Coastal drive / V-Line train from Geelong ~£8
🛏Melbourne hostel dorm (~£30)
- →Bells Beach
- →Split Point Lighthouse
- →Queen Victoria Market
- →Melbourne laneways
Melbourne — last day and departure
Melbourne
Final morning: free Royal Botanic Gardens, Hosier Lane street art, or the free NGV gallery. Grab a coffee and a brunch in Fitzroy. SkyBus to Melbourne Airport is ~AUD 22 (£12) — cheaper than a taxi (~AUD 60). Depart, or extend a few days and take the cheap V/Line train to the Great Ocean Road's Geelong end or a day trip to the Yarra Valley.
🚌SkyBus to airport ~£12
🛏Departure (no overnight)
- →Royal Botanic Gardens
- →NGV gallery
- →Fitzroy brunch
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,490 | £2,450 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £960 per person (39%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,490
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Australia North to South: Darwin to Melbourne (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,490 per person for 16 days in Australia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,490 — a saving of roughly £960 (39%) per person.
How long is the Australia trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 day-by-day stops through Australia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, road-trip, hiking trip through Australia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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