The Ghan and Ghan Expedition booked in the U.S.

Travel Team > Australia – Independent Tours > The Ghan and Ghan Expedition booked in the U.S.

Day  1

Depart Darwin

Your journey aboard the legendary Ghan begins at Darwin Rail Station where you’ll take the small but momentous step from platform to carriage. The 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 cabin, 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.

Meal Plan            Lunch and Dinner

Duration              3 Days

Accommodation

The Ghan

Day  2

Arrive, Alice Springs,

Wake up to a new view outside your window, in a world that 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 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 Plan            Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day  3

Coober Pedy

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 the 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 Plan            Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day  4

Arrive, Adelaide

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 revitalized 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.

Meal Plan            Breakfast