The Jumping Crocodile Cruise is an experience you’ll never forget. Just an hour from Darwin, this cruise takes you along the Adelaide River, which is home to some of the biggest saltwater crocs in Australia. As the boat makes its way down the river, the crew entice the crocs to leap out of the water for a feed, and seeing them up close is both thrilling and a little terrifying in the best way. The sound of their chomp as they go for the food and the speed at which they launch out of the water is crazy.

The guides are what make the tour so memorable. They are incredibly passionate about the wildlife, sharing fascinating facts about crocodiles and the local ecosystem. The whole experience feels wild, with plenty of photo opportunities as these massive reptiles launch themselves out of the water. I actually could not help but laugh when I saw how small their little hands were compared to the rest of their bodies.

Tours run several times a day, and there are two main operators in the area, Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise and The Original Jumping Crocodile Cruises. We went with Spectacular, but both are great operators. One runs tours on the north side of the river and the other on the south, but the experience is the same. If you are after a thrilling wildlife encounter, this is definitely one to add to the bucket list. The tour lasts around one hour and costs $55 per person.