Among the Aboriginal wonders of Kakadu National Park

What makes a trip to Kakadu National Park so fascinating and interesting, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and situated at the northernmost tip of Australia, is the deeply rooted and ancestral presence of the Bininj and Mungguy peoples, who have inhabited these lands for over 65,000 years. They live in the settlements of Kakadu or in the more remote areas of the country’s largest national park, a mosaic of rainforests, rugged cliffs, roaring waterfalls and nesting sites for migratory birds unrivalled on the continent.

It is precisely Aboriginal culture that has also contributed to the creation of the rock art sites that have survived to the present day. Hearing the Aboriginal people speak Kundjeihmi (also known as Mayali), Kunwinjku and Jawoyn – truly ancient languages – inspires wonder at the sound and, above all, at the words that express the native peoples’ deep attachment to an extreme and primordial land. That is why this adventure in Australia’s Top End should always begin with a visit to the Warradjan Cultural Centre, at the heart of which stands a building with a rounded silhouette; here, as well as gaining an appreciation of the value of oral storytelling, visitors can admire traditional artefacts and witness the creation of unique handcrafted items woven from grasses. Furthermore, here you can learn the skill of foraging for edible plants in the bush of the Top End.

And perhaps you might even take part in an Animal Tracks Tour accompanied by Bininj guides, who teach you how to track animals with unerring accuracy and recognise which curious creatures – from the many different species of marsupials to colourful lizards with prehistoric-looking markings – the tracks belong to. Finally, as you set sail aboard the Yellow Water Cruise, you’ll also learn about the aquatic wildlife at sunset. Crocodiles, in fact, suddenly pop their heads out of the marshy billabong, followed by the rest of their bodies, in a rush of uncontrollable adrenaline. You can even choose to stay at the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, which proudly displays its design modelled on the most photographed – and at the same time most feared – of all reptiles.