Drives Northern Territory, Australia The Northern Territory
Arnhem Highway
Arnhem Highway · Humpty Doo → Jabiru
The drive
The Arnhem Highway is the Top End's main road into Kakadu. It leaves the Stuart Highway at Humpty Doo, south-east of Darwin, and runs 215 km (133 mi) east across the Adelaide River and Mary River floodplains to Jabiru. The road is flat and mostly straight, and the interest is in what it crosses: wide wetlands, the Adelaide River, the Mary River and the South Alligator River.
Window on the Wetlands, a visitor centre on Beatrice Hill (Ludawei) with a 270 degree view over the Adelaide River floodplain, sits beside the road, and Corroboree Park Tavern is roughly halfway between Darwin and Kakadu. The highway enters Kakadu National Park about halfway along, and from there a park pass is required. It ends at Jabiru, where the Kakadu Highway runs south toward Pine Creek.
Along the way
- Humpty Doo
- Jabiru
Good to know
- A Kakadu park pass is needed inside the park. You can buy it online, or in person at the Humpty Doo Post Office, Corroboree Park Tavern or the Bowali Visitor Centre in Jabiru; NT residents get a pass free.
- In the tropical summer, rain and flooding can close parts of the road and the park, and the Adelaide River floodplain section near Window on the Wetlands has flooded for days at a time.
- Never drive through floodwater or past a road closed sign.
Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check NT Road Report.
Questions about this drive
How long does the Arnhem Highway take to drive?
From Humpty Doo to Jabiru, the Arnhem Highway is 215 km (133 mi) and takes about 2 hr 25 min without stops.
Do you need a pass to drive the Arnhem Highway?
The Arnhem Highway is open to all, but you need a Kakadu National Park pass once you are inside the park. Passes are valid for 7 days and can be bought online or at several places including Humpty Doo Post Office.
Does the Arnhem Highway flood?
Yes. In the wet season the Arnhem Highway across the Adelaide River floodplain can be closed by water for days. Check the NT Road Report and the Kakadu Access Report before you set out.
Is the Arnhem Highway twisty?
No. The Arnhem Highway is a flat, mostly straight sealed road. People drive it for the floodplains and as the way into Kakadu, not for the curves.
What you get in the app
Free on iPhone and Android. CarPlay and Android Auto come with Apex.
More drives near here
Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.