"THE GHAN EXPEDITION" ULTIMATE HEARTLAND TRAVERSE 10D9N

At 12:45pm, a travel representative will meet you in the Darwin Airport arrival hall and transfer you to your charter flight to Bamurru Plains. For 30-minutes, you’ll soar over the lush landscapes and twists and turns of the Adelaide River before touching down at Bamurru Plains, located just to the west of Kakadu National Park on the Mary River floodplains. Those black dots you thought were trees are actually local buffalo or crocodiles, if you’re lucky!

Transfer via 4WD to your accommodation for the next three nights: Bamurru Plains. You’ll receive a grand welcome and orientation ahead of your afternoon activity and canapé service out on location in Bamurru’s wild and wonderful wilderness.

In the evening, enjoy a gourmet dinner before retiring to your safari bungalow, known for the abundance of bird and wildlife on its doorstep.

Just a short hop by light aircraft across the river systems that separate Bamurru Plains from Kakadu brings you to the heart of this country. Rock art galleries reveal stories of Aboriginal people and their ancient culture. Textures of colours, vistas across savannah woodlands and floodplains provide a sense of the spirituality of this ancient landscape.

From rock overhangs and caves at Ubirr Rock (think classic scenes from Crocodile Dundee) to the meandering waters of the East Alligator River that drains from the stone country of Arnhem Land and marks the boundary between Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land, this day will expose the senses to country that is rich in Aboriginal culture, flora and fauna.

At Ubirr Rock, you will find some of the Kakadu’s most impressive Aboriginal rock art galleries, some dating back as far as 50,000 years. A 1.5-kilometre walk will take you through two rock art galleries before ascending to the top of the rock, where you will be rewarded with panoramic views out over the Nadab floodplain. The climb is relatively easy going and there will be plenty of time to stop and take photographs and learn about the culture and history of the Aboriginal people responsible for this incredible art.

After a wild bush picnic lunch, join a Guluyambi River Cruise. As you meander down the East Alligator River, an Aboriginal guide will share insight into Indigenous culture, local mythology, the river’s abundant food chain, traditional uses for many animals and plants as well as bush survival skills.

Count the crocodiles lining the banks of the river before disembarking in Arnhem Land, where your guide will demonstrate the use of traditional hunting and gathering tools. With only a select few operators allowed access into Arnhem Land, this will be a truly unique experience.

In the afternoon, stop off at the Bowali Visitor Centre for a chance to learn more about the environments as well as stock up on any authentic souvenirs, returning in time for sundowner drinks, canapes and the comfort of the safari lodge as the sun sets over Bamurru Plains.

Explore Bamurru Plains in a new way on a guided quad bike adventure. Criss-cross between floodplain savannah, monsoonal forests and dry open areas dotted with termite mounds and keep an eye out for buffalo and brumbies. You’ll visit areas inaccessible by regular 4WD and the local guides will show you some of their favourite secret spots.

Enjoy lunch around the wet edge pool overlooking the floodplains. After, enjoy your time at your leisure. Why not go for a swim? Or learn about the history of the area with a book from the library? Feel free to wander back to your bungalow for an afternoon rest.

Around 3:30pm, venture further afield by open top 4WD to look for the buffalo, wallabies and birdlife of the tropical savannah. Alternatively, embark on a cruise of the Sampan Creek, home to one of the largest crocodile densities in the world.

Cap off your time in Bamurru Plains with Bamurru’s signature experience: a morning airboat safari around the floodplain wetlands of the Mary River. An airboat safari is utterly exhilarating and the only way to truly experience an environment that is home to thousands of Magpie Geese, Plumed Whistling Duck, Egrets, Ibis and a host of other birds. These birds will take flight as you zip across the floodplains, flocks sometimes thousands of birds strong.

Back on dry land, it’s time to head back to the camp to freshen up before departing on your private charter flight back to Darwin. In the arrival terminal, you will be met by a private chauffeur who will transfer you to your accommodation for the evening: Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront.

With pick up included from the Vibe Hotel Darwin, begin your journey through the heart of Australia onboard the Ghan. From the comfort of your private cabin, you’ll take in remarkable Top End views before stopping in the iconic outback town of Katherine for an afternoon of Off Train Excursions.

You’ll visit the spectacular sandstone country of Nitmiluk National Park and the majestic Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, where mesmerising cliffs glow in the changing light. You’ll have the chance to explore the gorge from the water with guided cruise options to suit every fitness level. The sheer walls of the gorge, etched by time and the elements, are home to a myriad of animal and plant life, much of it unique to this area and all playing a role to the lives of its traditional owners.

If you’d prefer to take it easy, venture out to an authentic cattle station to witness real horse-starting and working dog demonstrations entwined with live music and humorous bush tales. You will have the opportunity to interact with some of the four-legged station characters including Tin Shaker the Brahman Steer and Bill the Buffalo, while learning about the Northern Territory’s rich pastoral history before enjoying a delicious morning tea. 

As the sun sets over the outback, enjoy dinner in award-winning Queen Adelaide Restaurant before retiring to your cabin, where you will find your bed turned down.

Continue south to Alice Springs, the gateway to central Australia.

Upon arrival in this stunning outback town, choose the Off Train Excursions that interest you. Take a four-kilometre guided walk to Simpsons Gap, one of the most prominent gaps in the West MacDonnell Ranges, where flora, fauna and Indigenous culture come together in one magical location. Take a guided coach tour of The Alice and visit iconic sites including ANZAC Hill, the Telegraph Station and The School of the Air, established in 1951 to help with the education of students in remote areas who were unable to attend face-to-face lessons. Or, get up close to over 200 desert animals and 400 plants at The Alice Springs Desert Park.

If you’re seeking a more bespoke experience, why not upgrade to an optional experience? Get the ultimate bird’s eye view of Australia’s beating heart with a scenic flight to Uluru.

Tonight, enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner at the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station, where you will see the night sky like you have never seen it before. The lack of artificial light makes the stars shine bright against an impossibly dark sky. Make sure to make a wish upon a shooting star!

Start your day with a freshly brewed coffee or juice as the day dawns at Marla, an outback outpost in the remote reaches of South Australia. Make sure to have your camera handy for when the sky begins to bleed red, yellow and pink across The Ghan and the surrounding landscape. You are sure to feel as if you are on another planet! 

Continue on to the weird and wonderful opal mining township of Coober Pedy, where more than half of the residents live underground. While in Coober Pedy, choose the Off Train Excursions that suit you. On a guided tour, discover the majestic Breakaways, named for the colourful low hills that appear from a distance as if they are ‘broken away’ from the higher ground of the reserve. Admire the beauty of Australia’s national gemstone at the Umoona Opal Mine and Museum, the Opal capital of the world. Or, jam it all in with an action-packed excursion that hits all the hotspots: the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Opal Mine, the Aboriginal Interpretive Centre, the grassless golf course and more.

Whatever you decide, you’ll cap it off with a gourmet lunch in the most unique of locations: underground.

Dinner is served back on the train where you can enjoy a nightcap as your journey continues.

Cap off one of the world’s great rail journeys with a leisurely brunch overlooking the spectacular Flinders Ranges.

Mid-morning, you’ll arrive into Keswick Station, Adelaide, where a private chauffeur will meet and transfer you to your inner CBD accommodation: The Mayfair Hotel with Adelaide’s Riverbank and entertainment precincts right on your doorstep. Why not enjoy some drinks at the sophisticated HENNESSY Rooftop Bar atop the Mayfair Hotel (at guest's expense), named after the original architects of the Mayfair’s heritage-listed CML Building – ‘Hennessy, Hennessy & Co’, offering sweeping views of Adelaide.

Experience the best the Barossa has to offer with the Ultimate Barossa Day Tour. Visit three iconic wineries starting at Jacob’s Creek, followed by St Hugo for lunch then Seppeltsfield to Taste Your Birth Year.

The day begins at the world-famous Jacob’s Creek with an interactive wine tasting designed to challenge your senses through an ‘Introduction to Wine’. No matter whether you’re a connoisseur or just starting out, you’ll leave with a better understanding of wine and food.

Next visit St Hugo to partake in an intimate ‘Past, Present & Future’ tour and wine tasting. Enjoy a walking tour through the estate, vineyard and unique cork trees, followed by a wine tasting that delves into the current and yet to be released vintages of St Hugo Wines.

After a gourmet four course lunch, the final winery of the day is the iconic Seppeltsfield where you will have the rare opportunity to ‘Taste Your Birth Year’ through the famed Centennial Collection – an irreplaceable and unbroken lineage of Tawny of every vintage from 1878 to the current year.

You’ll return to Adelaide and The Mayfair at the end of the day.

All good things must come to an end! After a hearty breakfast, transfer to the Adelaide Airport at a pre-arranged time to commence your onward journey.