Australia's Ghan Rail Expedition

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Amazing Experience

Overview

  • Discover Darwin’s rich heritage and Aboriginal art before unwinding at the lively Waterfront precinct.
  • Journey aboard The Ghan through the heart of Australia, from tropical Darwin to the Red Centre.
  • Cruise Nitmiluk Gorge and dine under the desert stars during your stay in Alice Springs.
  • Explore Coober Pedy’s underground wonders and the surreal outback landscapes of South Australia.
  • Arrive in Adelaide to savor Barossa Valley wines and stroll through the city’s vibrant East End.

 

Trip Includes

  • Private arrival and departure transfers in Darwin and Adelaide
  • 2 nights first-class accommodation in Darwin
  • 2 nights first-class accommodation in Adelaide
  • 3 nights Gold Service on the Ghan, including a private cabin, meals, wine, and other beverages
  • Half-day Highlights of Darwin Tour
  • Off train excursions in Katherine, Alice Springs, and Coober Pedy
  • Small group Best of Barossa tour (max 5 guests)
  • 3 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners

 

Trip Excludes

  • Travel insurance
  • International, domestic airfare & airfare taxes
  • Meals and beverages not explicitly listed as included
  • Gratuities
  • Optional excursions
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Passport & Visa fees, if applicable

 

Summary

Terms and Conditions

Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travellers are available on request - please inquire.

 

Darwin Airport to Darwin - City Centre

 

Your Accommodation

Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront

If you want to be in the middle of the action and close to the Darwin CBD, Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront is the place for you. Choose to stay in one of the hotel's 121 well-appointed guest rooms.

Perfectly positioned amongst the entertainment and dining hub of Darwin’s seafront promenade, Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront is surrounded by great shopping, a range of Territorian pubs, as well as some of the most amazing restaurants and cafés in the NT. Whether you're tasting craft beers at The Precinct Tavern, enjoying hand crafted menus at Il Lido or Wharf One, or trying NT favourites at the Oyster Bar or Hot Tamale, you'll feel right at home at this picturesque location.

Duration

2 Night Stay

 

Meal Plan

Room Only

Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront

Embark on a captivating tour of Darwin, immersing yourself in the city's rich history, cultural heritage, and natural wonders. Your tour includes the Darwin Aviation Museum, where you'll delve into the fascinating world of aviation history. Admire the impressive collection of 19 aircraft on display, including the iconic B-52 Bomber on loan from the United States Air Force. Next, continue to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), a treasure trove of artistic and scientific excellence. Explore its internationally renowned collections and research programs, with a highlight being the largest permanent display of Aboriginal Art in Australia. Afterward, venture to the tranquil Darwin Botanic Gardens, where you'll discover a diverse array of plant life amidst serene surroundings.

Your journey aboard the legendary Ghan begins in Darwin, where you'll take the small but momentous step from platform to carriage. Friendly staff will lead you through corridors to your comfortable private cabin where you can take your time settling in and exploring the amenities as the view outside your window begins its smooth and spectacular transformation. Lunch in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant is bound to satisfy and delight with culinary wonders prepared onboard by the talented chefs.

All food is included in your fare, from a hearty full cooked breakfast to a delectable 3 course dinner. And as you sit back and loosen your belt, you'll have arrived in Katherine ready to experience your first included Off Train Excursion to the magnificent and spiritual Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge. Enjoy a leisurely cruise on the idyllic Katherine River, gazing in awe at the towering sandstone cliffs, learning the Aboriginal and geological history of the area. Take time to soak up the ancient beauty and inspiring silence of one of the world's untainted natural wonders. Or gain a moving insight into the culture and ways of the traditional owners of Nitmiluk, the Jawoyn people, with an exclusive tailor-made cultural experience. If you'd prefer to ramp it up a notch, you're welcome to upgrade your excursion with a helicopter flight or scenic flight over Kakadu and Nitmiluk National Parks, providing unparalleled views of the geographic wonders that gave rise to many of the aboriginal Dreamtime stories

Back on board you'll return to the Queen Adelaide Restaurant, enjoying dinner as the sun sets over the outback. Then back in your room you'll find your bed turned down with a cheeky nightcap waiting on the bedside table. As the train rolls soothingly onwards, fall asleep in awe of wonders seen, and excited by those yet to come.

 

Darwin - City Centre to Darwin Berrimah Terminal

Meal

Dinner, Lunch

 

Depart Darwin

 

Your Accommodation

The Ghan

The legendary train was named after the hardy Afghans and their camel trains which provided the only means of transport into "The Red Centre" in the early days. The journey is now a comfortable world class train trip!

The Ghan

Wake up to a new view outside your window, in a world which feels a million miles from home. An outback sunrise could be one of the most spectacular you'll ever see, setting the tone for the day ahead. After coffee, a juice and a sumptuous breakfast you'll arrive in Alice Springs ready for another day of exploration. Here you have the opportunity to embark on one of the included off Train Excursions, taking in the delights of this famous outback town. A full day in Alice Springs gives you ample opportunity to visit the town landmarks, get up close and personal with Australia's incredible flora and fauna or explore the Alice at your own leisure.

At this point you may choose to upgrade your excursion with a helicopter ride over the spectacular MacDonnell Ranges or with the ultimate outback experience; an intimate scenic flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta. There really is no better way to comprehend the vastness of the Northern Territory. Come the evening you'll dine beneath a canopy of stars at an authentic Outback Bush Barbecue set in a strikingly lit quarry.

This is a truly unique experience with live Australiana music and a feast of mouth-watering steak and traditionally made damper. After dessert, cast your eyes skyward and ponder life, the universe and everything with an informative astronomical talk. And with a full belly and deep sense of wonderment, it's back on the train to rest up and roll out of Alice Springs, fulfilled in every sense of the word.

Meal

Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

 

 

Arrive Alice Springs

 

Your Accommodation

The Ghan

The legendary train was named after the hardy Afghans and their camel trains which provided the only means of transport into "The Red Centre" in the early days. The journey is now a comfortable world class train trip!

The Ghan

After breakfast this morning you'll wake up and rub your eyes with disbelief as you pull into the middle-of-nowhere stop at Manguri. Here, a friendly tour guide awaits ready to whisk you away for the day. Your destination - the sun-scorched opal mining capital of world, Coober Pedy, where more than half of the residents live underground.

Venture into the tunnels and caves of this underground town, where you may even catch opal fever as you mine for riches, visit the otherworldly underground Serbian Orthodox church and glimpse the famous Coober Pedy Golf Course - the only course in the world boasting reciprocal rights with St. Andrew's course in Scotland. Below the earth's surface, you'll enjoy a gourmet lunch in the most unique of locations before setting off to the stunning outback moonscape that is the Breakaways.

After an eye-opening action-packed day - if you haven't chosen to stay and find your fortune - it's back on board with plenty of time to ease into a slower gear and prepare yourself for your final evening onboard The Ghan. Dine in style in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant, meet and share stories with new friends in the Outback Explorer Lounge (open until late) or simply head back to the privacy of your cabin to wind down, read a book and plan your next epic journey.

Meal

Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

 

Coober Pedy

 

Your Accommodation

The Ghan

The legendary train was named after the hardy Afghans and their camel trains which provided the only means of transport into "The Red Centre" in the early days. The journey is now a comfortable world class train trip!

The Ghan

Looking out of your window this morning you'll notice a dramatic change in landscape as the rich ochre tones of the outback make way for the beautiful green fields and pastoral lands of South Australia. After breakfast you'll have time to reflect on your journey before The Ghan rolls into Adelaide.

Here, you may wish to extend your stay with trips to the Barossa Valley or Kangaroo Island topping the to-do list. Or stay close to the city, nibbling, sipping and munching your way through the famous Central Market, perusing the revitalised Riverbank precinct (including the updated Adelaide Oval and free Donald Bradman Exhibition), before exploring a myriad of chic laneway restaurants, bars and entertainment venues in this, Australia's City of Churches.

 

Adelaide Parklands Terminal to Adelaide - City Centre

Meal

Breakfast

 

Arrive Adelaide

 

Your Accommodation

Crowne Plaza Adelaide

Enjoy a culturally-rich and inspiring escape at Crowne Plaza Adelaide with stunning views from the city's tallest building in design-led rooms. Stay in the East End- Adelaide's sweet spot- close to Lot Fourteen and Adelaide Botanic Garden with easy access to the casino, Adelaide Convention Centre and Adelaide Oval. Indulge in fresh experiences beginning with check-in on Level 10 that seamlessly lets you segue from business to leisure and back again at this urban haven in the sky.

Duration

2 Night Stay

 

Meal Plan

Room Only

Crowne Plaza Adelaide

Your journey begins with a city orientation tour. You travel through the scenic Torrens Gorge to the Barossa Valley. Perhaps you'll stop at a local bakery to taste the best of the fine German pastries. Travel over the Jacobs Creek for your first tasting of the fine wines at the Peter Lehmann winery. Then visit Torbreck wine cellars, a small winery with rustic charm, making wines in traditional Barossa methods. After, you'll stop for a stroll in the German town of Tanunda with time to discover the small shops. Before lunch take the picturesque drive up to Menglers Hill for an unsurpassed view over the entire Valley. Continue into historic Angaston - one of the more English villages in the Barossa. Lunch will be alfresco under the vines or at Vintners restaurant just out of Angaston. Your next stop may be Henschkes winery in Keyneton, a fifth generation German winery or the historic Yalumba, the biggest family run winery in Australia. If time permits you may visit small boutique producers such as Charles Melton or Turkey Flat.

Adelaide - City Centre to Adelaide Airport

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Tour Map