The journey aboard The Ghan is a culturally rich and geographically diverse experience.
Regarded by many as one of the world’s greatest rail journeys, The Ghan Expedition delivers so much more than just an extended train ride.
It offers access to parts of Australia no other holiday can match–the perfect balance of comfort and adventure, culminating in an experience that takes you deep into the heart of one of the world’s most culturally rich and geographically diverse countries.
Yet it is when the train stops along the route that the adventure really begins. Then you can take your time exploring the ancient, awe-inspiring wonders of the Northern Territory, experience the dramatic scenery of central Australia on the back of a camel, and tap into the cosmopolitan soul of the city of Adelaide.
The 54-hour, 1,851-mile Ghan Expedition runs from Darwin, Northern Territory, to Adelaide, Alice Springs, between April and October 2018.
A full four-day, three-night Ghan experience offers the following:
DAY 1. Your journey aboard the Ghan begins at Darwin Rail Station. Friendly staff will guide you to your private cabin where you can take your time to settle in and explore the amenities as the view outside your window begins its smooth yet dramatic transformation. Lunch in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant is bound to delight with culinary wonders prepared on board by world-class chefs.
All meals are included in your fare, from a hearty full cooked breakfast to a three-course dinner in the evening. By the time you’ve finished your post-lunch nap, you’ll have arrived in the town of Katherine, 200 miles southeast of Darwin, and be ready to enjoy your first off-train excursion to the magnificent Nitmiluk National Park.
DAY 2. On the second day of your trip, you’ll wake up to a new view outside your window and 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. Here, you can take in the famous Outback town of Alice Springs, spending a full day visiting its landmarks and getting up close and personal with the region’s incredible ora and fauna.
At this point you may choose to upgrade your excursion by taking up the opportunity of the ultimate Outback experience, an intimate and scenic flight over the magnificent Uluru and Kata Tjuta rock formations. Come the evening, you’ll dine beneath a canopy of stars on the authentic Outback BBQ Tour, a truly unique experience including live Australian music. There is really no better way to appreciate the vastness and majesty of the Northern Territory.
DAY 3. After breakfast you’ll wake up and rub your eyes with disbelief as the train pulls into a middle-of-nowhere stop known as Manguri. Here, a 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 of the town live underground. Venture into the tunnels and caves of this fascinating place, where you may even catch opal fever as you mine for riches, vi- sit the otherworldly Serbian Ortho- dox church, and get a glimpse of the Umoona Opal Mine.
After an eye-opening, action-packed day -if you haven’t decided to stay be- hind and chase your fortune- it’s back on board the train with plenty of time to ease into a slower gear and prepare yourself for your final evening where you can once again dine in style.
DAY 4. On the final day of your journey, looking out your window 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 travel experience before
The Ghan rolls into Adelaide. Here, you may wish to extend your stay with trips to nearby Barossa Valley or Kangaroo Island, or else remain in the city, nibbling, sipping, and munching your way through Adelaide’s famous Central Market; perusing the revitalized Riverbank precinct (including the updated Adelaide Oval and free Donald Bradman Exhibition), or exploring a myriad of chic laneway restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues in Australia’s City of Churches.
