At a Glance
There are very few global journeys hailed as a national treasure. Travelling on The Ghan is one.
Over four magical days, treat yourself to the ultimate outback experience aboard The Ghan Expedition, one of the world’s great train journeys between Darwin and Adelaide. With a history dating back over 90 years to the first Afghan-Australian cameleers, this legendary train evokes a frontier spirit, a romantic connection to the land, and travelling on it creates a moving and unforgettable life experience.
Throughout your 2979-kilometre journey, you will visit some of the most remote and captivating parts of Australia in style and comfort, with unique Off Train Excursions to suit every fitness level. In Katherine, explore the spectacular sandstone country of Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge on a guided cruise, or get a taste of life ...
Trip Highlights
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What's Included
- 4-days/3-nights onboard The Ghan in a Gold Single or Gold Twin sleeper cabin
- All-inclusive meals (3 x breakfast, 3 x lunch, 3 x dinner), fine wines and beverages in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant
- Use of the Outback Explorer Lounge for beverages and socialising
- All-inclusive Off Train Excursions and Outback Experiences (with optional upgrades as specified)
- Evening off train experience in Manguri
- A spectacular dinner under the stars at the historic Telegraph Station, Alice Springs
- 60 kilograms of luggage
Itinerary
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Departing from 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. |
The Ghan
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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. 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, 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! |
The GhanBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
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. |
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Dinner is served back on the train where you can enjoy a nightcap as your journey continues. |
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From your cabin window this morning, you’ll see a dramatic change in landscape as the rich ochre tones of the outback make way for the green fields of South Australia. Cap off one of the world’s great travel experiences with a leisurely brunch overlooking the spectacular Flinders Ranges. You’ll arrive into Adelaide mid-morning, where you may choose to extend your experience within this bustling southern capital. Why not venture up to the Barossa or out to one of the state’s other world-class wine regions? Lace up your boots for a hike of the Flinders ranges or the Fleurieu Peninsula? Or, head south on the ferry to Kangaroo Island, an up and coming foodie haven? The choice is yours! |
The GhanBreakfastAccommodation
Dates & Prices
Departs Darwin on Wednesdays and Saturdays (Apr - Oct). Price is based on Gold Twin/Gold Single. Please contact us for group bookings or cabin upgrade to Gold Superior and Platinum Service.
Departures and prices are for reference. Availability is changing fast. Please contact us for availability checking and prices for different cabin types.
More Info
The departure point is Darwin, Northern Territory
The finish point is Adelaide, South Australia
Major commercial flights provide convenient access to Darwin and Adelaide
In the Red Centre, the four traditional seasons are distinct, with temperatures plummeting below freezing during winter nights (June to August) and soaring to well above 40°C (105 F plus) in the height of summer (December to January). Meanwhile, the shoulder seasons of April-May and September are mild with some warmer days.
Rain is not common in the desert, but it does rain on occasion. Please be prepared for wet and windy conditions on all trips.
Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.
Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.
A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 60 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 60 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.
Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.
General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 60 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 60 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance
Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.
Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.
Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.
Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.
Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.
Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.
Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.
Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.
Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.
For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.
Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.
