TOP END SPLENDOUR by "THE GHAN" (Adelaide to Darwin) 10D9N

Departing from Adelaide, begin your journey through the heart of Australia onboard The Ghan. From the comfort of your private cabin, you’ll look on in wonder as rolling pastural lands make way for some of the oldest rock formations in the world: The Flinders Ranges.

Take time to explore the legendary train, to get acquainted with the first-class facilities – the Queen Adelaide Restaurant and the Outback Explorer Lounge – and mingle with your fellow travellers.

As darkness swallows the rich ochre tones of the outback, it’s time to indulge in a regionally inspired dinner and all-inclusive fine wines and beverages.

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 Alice Springs, the beating red heart of 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 Simpson’s Gap – one of the most prominent water holes in the region, Mt Gillen Ridgeline and the Larapinta Trail with a scenic helicopter flight. Fly even further and take in the wonders of Alice Springs and the surrounding area with a 90-minute scenic fixed wing flight. Or, if you’d prefer to stick close to Earth, experience what transportation was like in bygone times for the Afghan traders of Central Australia by riding on the back of a friendly camel. Keep an eye out for kangaroos and wallabies, birds and lizards and don’t forget your camera for those spectacular panoramic landscape views! 

Tonight, dinner on the train is followed by an extraordinary evening experience in the outback 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!

Continue onto the iconic outback town of Katherine for more exhilarating Off Train Excursions. 

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 evening falls, arrive into Darwin to complete one of the world’s great travel experiences. You’ll enjoy a complimentary shuttle bus transfer to your CBD accommodation – Vibe Darwin Waterfront – where you may enjoy a delicious evening meal at the hotel restaurant, or else venture down to the main street to try out one of the city’s many restaurants (own cost).

The day is yours to explore Darwin at your leisure. Sleep in and make use of the hotel’s large outdoor swimming pool, fully equipped fitness centre and in-house movies. Or, venture into the CBD and sample the city’s attractions such as Mitchell Street, Smith Street Shopping Mall and Crocosaurus Cove. You may also wish to take it easy around Darwin’s Waterfront Precinct, where you will find a popular wave pool, saltwater lagoon and colourful cafes and eateries.

In the late afternoon, check out the city’s best angles on an iconic sunset cruise of Darwin Harbour. Aboard the Charles Darwin, cruise for two and a half hours and enjoy a sumptuous Territory-inspired buffet with fresh Australian seafood and local produce, served in air-conditioned surrounds. The crew will provide commentary along the way, giving you an insight into the Harbour’s history, cultural significance and biodiversity. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife including crocodiles, dolphins, dugongs and turtles.  

With pick up included from your central Darwin accommodation, say “g’day” to your expert guide and fellow travellers and set out on your outback adventure.

First stop: Corroboree Billabong, home to the largest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in the world. Join a scenic cruise and keep an eye out for these colossal reptiles as well as a large variety of birds. The boat design allows you to get up close to the wildlife with plenty of photo opportunities.

Continue on to Kakadu National Park, one of Australia’s best-loved natural hotspots, via the old Jim Jim Road visiting White Lily Billabong before arriving at Maguk (Barramundi Gorge). Enjoy a scenic 1 kilometre (0.62mi) walk along the edge of Barramundi Creek before arriving at the base of the Barramundi Falls, one of the only waterfalls in the park that still continues to flow even when there’s no rain. Here, you have the opportunity to swim or snorkel in the large plunge pool below the falls and discover a huge array of aquatic life including large black bream.

In the late afternoon, depart Maguk for Nawurlandja Lookout. A short climb takes you up the sloping sandstone to spectacular views of the sunset over Anbangbang Billabong, Nourlangie Rock and the Arnhem Land escarpment.  

You will stay the night at Anbinik Kakadu Resort in a private Bush Bungalow. Designed for the tropical climate with well-ventilated walls and a ceiling fan, the bungalows feature a double bed and bunk beds (sleeping four), external private bathroom, linen and towels, small refrigerator, tea/coffee making facilities and crockery and cutlery. The resort itself features a shared kitchen, fully equipped guest laundry and a swimming pool open 7am to 10pm daily.  

After a hearty breakfast, journey from Jabiru to the northern region of Kakadu National Park. Cross the East Alligator River at Cahill’s Crossing and enter Arnhem Land. From here, a 15-kilometre (93.2mi) scenic drive to Gunbalanya Aboriginal community offers some of the best driving views in the Top End, with floodplains teeming with water lilies and birds running alongside the Arnhem Land escarpment. 

Upon arrival at Gunbalanya, visit the Injalak Arts and Crafts Centre, where you will have the opportunity to meet and watch local artists in action. After, set out with an expert Aboriginal guide to explore Injalak Hill, one of the most important rock art sites in the world. Here, you will see an extensive shelter featuring layered paintings created over thousands of years as well as paintings depicting Aboriginal Dreamtime stories.  

In the afternoon, travel approximately three to four hours with stops and creek crossings to the Cobourg Peninsula. The traditional landowners believe the Creation Ancestors first entered Australia via nearby Malay Bay before traveling across the rest of the country.

Awake to the sound of birds and enjoy a special “Cobourg-style” cooked breakfast. 

Spend the morning exploring the Northern Territory’s largest Marine Park by boat. Here, you will find over 250 species of fish and six of the seven species of turtle as well as crocodiles, dolphins, sharks, stingrays and mud crabs.  

Along the way, stop in at the infamous Victoria Settlement ruins. Established prior to Darwin as a military outpost by the British, this site represents the third failed attempt at settlement in Northern Australia. What’s left of the stone buildings will transport you back to the 1800s, illuminating the hardships faced by the early colonists. 

In the afternoon, enjoy a slow journey back to camp stopping along the way to fish for the legendary Barramundi and other tropical fish.  

Upon your return to Cobourg Coastal Camp, explore the nearby beaches and creek systems at your leisure or simple kick back and relax in a peaceful spot overlooking the ocean. 

Embark on a 4WD adventure through the eastern side of the park into the world’s first RAMSAR wetlands. Here, you will find freshwater paperback swamps and billabongs 100 metres (328 feet) from the coastline. This is the only site in Australia where leatherback turtles regularly come ashore to lay their eggs.  

Keeping an eye out for turtles, continue on via the northern beaches, covered in a wide range of shells. Low tide provides an opportunity to explore exposed coral reefs and rock pools, which are home to many species of marine life.

After lunch, try your hand hunting for mud crabs using traditional Aboriginal methods. Watch and learn how to use handcrafted spears and other equipment before having a go yourself.  

Later in the afternoon, visit the park’s cultural and information centre before returning to Cobourg Coastal Camp for the night.

Rise early and enjoy a scenic drive through Arnhem Land on the way back to Kakadu National Park. Make numerous stops along the way and enjoy one last delicious lunch on the banks of the mighty East Alligator River.  

After lunch, visit Ubirr Rock, where you can admire some of Kakadu’s best Aboriginal rock art. A short walk to the top of Ubirr offers magnificent views of the surrounding wetlands and stone country.  

Depart Ubirr to Darwin via the Arnhem highway. En route, stop in at the Mamukala wetlands, one of the best birdwatching areas in all of Kakadu (home to one third of Australia’s bird species).  Here, you will find large numbers of magpie geese, comb-crested jacanas, kites, cormorants, willie wagtails, purple swamphens, king fishers and more. If you’re lucky, you may even spot an agile wallaby or the occasional crocodile loitering around the edge of the billabong.  

Arrive in Darwin approximately 7:00pm and check in for one final night at Vibe Darwin Waterfront. 

Take your time waking up and enjoy one last breakfast before commencing your onward journey. A private transfer to Darwin Airport is included for your convenience.