11 Day Indian Pacific & Ningaloo Coast
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
On these packages you will travel from city to city on your own, exploring at your own pace. We have arranged transportation in most cases and day tours for you to see the destination. Enjoy the time and flexibility to linger longer or pick up the pace and see as much as possible.
Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognised and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and wellbeing of our guests is our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.
We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.
Australian owned and operated with 100% Australian Customer Service support
We are proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, with our head office located in Melbourne, Victoria. When you make your booking, you will receive dedicated and ongoing support from our team of travel professionals throughout your booking, up until you are due to depart.
✓ Incredible sightseeing, travel on the Indian Pacific on a transcontinental journey following the footsteps of legendary adventurers, gold rush prospectors and bush pioneers, explore Rottnest Island’s, travel to the Ningaloo Coast and spend a day swimming and snorkelling with whales
✓ 3 nights on board the Indian Pacific on a Gold Twin cabin (upgrades available). All-inclusive meals, fine wines, and beverages. A regionally-inspired menu paired with a selection of local wines
✓ 7 nights’ accommodation in 4 star hotels
✓ 17 meals throughout
✓ Day cruise & tour to Rottnest Island
✓ Ningaloo whale swimming & snorkelling day tour
✓ Transportation included as per the itinerary
✓ In depth sightseeing as per itinerary
✓ 7 Day cooling off period. See under Fine Print for more information.
✓ Only $99 deposit per person. View payment requirements in 'How to Book & Payments' below.
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Sydney! On arrival, make your way to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Sydney.
You may want to consider taking one of the below optional activities. These are full day tours and you will need to allow for an extra day per activity. We can assist you arrange this extra night of accommodation if required.
Check in & arrival information.
From Sydney airport to the city there are a few options. The quickest way is by train. The Sydney airport link runs frequently, costs $19.40 per person from the Airport to the city terminal and costs approx $16 per person and it takes under 15’ (to Central Station). Alternatively, an Uber ride costs around $35 to the CBD. Hotel check in is at 2pm. Should you arrive earlier than this, hotel staff will do all possible to check you in as soon as possible. If your room is not available before check-in time, you are welcome to leave your luggage in storage and explore the surrounding area.
Board your luxury yacht and cruise up Darling Harbour at a relaxed pace to the main body of Sydney Harbour. After clearing the commuter traffic, hoist the sails and cut the engines for the sail out to the harbour heads. Drop anchor in a peaceful bay for a gourmet lunch with Australian wine, beer & soft drinks. There is plenty of time to try your hand at fishing, go for a swim or just relax on the yacht.
Departs: 10.00am
Includes: Pick up from your hotel, fully qualified skipper, gourmet lunch with Australian wine, beer & soft drinks, all gear for fishing & snorkelling, towels.
Arrives: 03.00pm. Tour ends at Aquarium Pontoon Darling Harbour
Your transcontinental adventure begins in Sydney where you board the Indian Pacific. Prepare for a journey of contrasts, from lush vineyards to vast goldmines, majestic mountains to the barren expanse of the Nullarbor, from cities of four million to ghost towns of four. As the train winds through the breathtaking Blue Mountains, explore the comforts of life onboard, get acquainted with your cabin and fellow travellers. After settling in, savour your first meal – a regionally-inspired dinner paired with all-inclusive fine wines and beverages. After dinner, join fellow guests for a late night drink or head back to your cabin for your first night onboard.
You arrive in the ‘Silver City’ of Broken Hill as the day begins, where you embark on a morning of Off Train Excursions to discover the mining history and artistic culture of this unique town where the streets are wide and there’s a pub on every corner. Lunch is served onboard as the Indian Pacific enters the southern tip of the spectacular and ancient Flinders Ranges. Arriving in the city of Adelaide in the afternoon, you have the choice of a tour of the city, a visit to the world famous Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale wine regions (seasonal), or a trip to the beautiful Adelaide Hills featuring the culinary delights of Hahndorf.
You’ll awake to the seemingly endless expanse of the Nullarbor Plain. Breakfast is served as you travel along the longest stretch of straight railway track in the world. This evening, your sense of wonder will be ignited as you enjoy the tranquillity of dinner under the brilliant desert stars in the remote and beautiful Rawlinna (seasonal).
Breakfast is served as you glide through the mild skies and cool green vales of the Avon Valley on your way to Perth, arriving after an onboard lunch.
Make your way to Barrack Street Jetty and board the Rottnest Express ferry to Rottnest Island, located 22km offshore. Then explore the beauty and tranquility of Rottnest as you sit back and relax in the comfort of an air conditioned coach. This 90-minute circumnavigation of the island takes you out to some of Rottnest’s most spectacular locations including the Wadjemup Lighthouse and the rugged West End and provides you with a complete interpretation of the island through a passionate and knowledgeable crew. This tour will provide you with an insight into Rottnest’s cultural and historical heritage, diverse wildlife and fauna and social heritage. You will also have a chance to step outside and have a stroll along the boardwalk at the majestic look-out point at West End.
Today your Indian Pacific adventure comes to an end. At the appropriate time, make your way to Perth airport to board your flight to the Ningaloo Coast. A taxi or Uber ride will cost you between $30 and $35 from Perth City to Perth Airport.
On arrival in Exmouth please join your shared transfer from Learmonth Airport to your accommodation.
Today is a full day to relax and settle into your idyllic surroundings. Enjoy the day exploring Exmouth and the turquoise coast at your own pace or simply relax around the pool at your resort.
Whale Shark Swim - This itinerary applies when this activity takes place from 15th March to 31st July
Departing at 7:45AM, spend an unforgettable day with the whales. Each year between mid-March and July these slow-moving, gentle, filter-feeding giants migrate past Ningaloo Reef. The world’s biggest fish can grow to lengths of 12 metres or more and has a healthy appetite in order to sustain its immense size. Fortunately for most sea-dwellers (and for us) they feed primarily on plankton and krill, taking in huge gulps of water and filtering out their microscopic meal.
Whale sharks are found in tropical and warm oceans world-wide and can live to almost 70 years. Snorkelling alongside their huge 1.5 metre-diameter mouths is a once in a lifetime experience! Ningaloo is one of the only places in the world whale sharks appear regularly in large numbers, with over 235 individuals recorded. Each year scientists photograph the whale sharks as they pass through our area and some have been identified as having visited Ningaloo for 17 years and counting.
Includes hotel transfers, morning tea, snorkelling gear, wetsuit and lunch.
Humpback Whale Swim - This itinerary applies when this activity takes place from 1st August to 31st October
Departing at 7:45AM spend an unforgettable day with the whales. Every year between August and October, the magnificent humpback whales swim through the waters of the Ningaloo Marine Park. We used to revel in seeing these creatures in the ocean from our camp, but since 2016 you can now experience a swim right alongside them. We can report it as being a truly ‘transformative’ experience … for all nature lovers, this is ‘bucket-list-stuff’ at its very best!
Humpback whales are one of the larger baleen whale species and adults’ range in length from 12 to 16 mtrs. The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is well known for breaching and other surface behaviours. Males produce a complex song lasting 10 to 20 minutes, which they repeat for hours at a time; parts of this song are audible to human ears in the water.
Includes hotel transfers, morning tea, snorkelling gear, wetsuit and lunch.
The next two days are free for you to explore this region at your own leisure and have been built as insurance days. Should swimming with whales (on day 8) need to be cancelled due to bad weather, you will have two days to reschedule that activity
Today you will be collected from your hotel at approximately 7:45AM to travel into Cape Range National Park on a full day sea kayak tour and to snorkel in the beautiful turquoise lagoons of Ningaloo Reef.
Sea kayaking is a fantastic way to explore the sheltered lagoons and beautiful beaches of Ningaloo; paddle into paradise and leave the crowds behind. Along the way you'll look for turtles, rays, schools of fish, and coral life from your kayak. You may even see dugong and dolphins. Enjoy the contrasting scenery of reef and range that this UNESCO World Heritage-listed area offers - all from the best seat in the house.
Travel in your quality double sit-inside sea kayak, and get up close and personal with the amazing wildlife of Ningaloo. Turtles, rays, and schools of jumping fish are often spotted from the kayaks. You may also see dolphins or dugong (in season).
Solo travellers are welcome. Since double kayaks are used, you may end up paddling with another compatible participant, or the guide.
This activity requires a minimum of 3 travellers and usually has no more than 8 participants.
This activity is suitable for novice to advanced sea kayakers. Guides will help you with the skills and information you need to safely enjoy the tour, and be on the water with you at all times An average level of fitness, and a sense of adventure are all you need to participate in this activity. The tour does involve snorkelling from the kayaks (don't worry, getting back in is easier than you think - we'll show you how). Our sea kayaks have a weight limit of 110kg per person, due to the inherent limitations in size and design.
Today is another free for you to explore this region at your own leisure or relax at your resort
Your incredible Indian Pacific and Ningaloo Coast experience comes to an end today. At the appropriate time you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the airport for your onward flight.
Click HERE for more information on the Indian Pacific train
Gold Service (Included)
Platinum Service - From $2,440 per person additional
Please note: Due to heavy demand Platinum cabins are sold out on all departures from 1st March 2022 to 29th of November, 2022. If you wish to upgrade to platinum please choose a departure in January, February or December 2022.
Platinum Service promises and delivers a journey beyond expectations, it includes deluxe extras such as Platinum Transfers, access to the Platinum Club plus a superior food and wine offering.
Platinum cabins are almost twice the size of Gold Twin Cabins in both your room and private en suite. By day your cabin is configured as a private lounge with deluxe lounge seating, a table and two ottomans, by night the lounges convert into two comfortable twin beds.
From an additional $2,440 per person and is subject to availability upon booking.
Please note, there are no single rooms in the Platinum category
The Indian Pacific offers a range of included off train experiences which can be viewed by CLICKING HERE
Off Train Experiences are included in your fare and can be booked on boarding the train (no pre-booking available).
Optional tours offered are paid. These optional activities are paid directly to The Indian Pacific on board (no pre-booking available)
Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognized and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and well-being of our guests are our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.
We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.
Australian owned and operated
We are proudly 100% Australian-owned and now operating across Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. Our head office is located in Melbourne, Victoria, with offices around the globe to provide you with 24/7 support while you travel. When you book with Inspiring Vacations, you'll receive the support of travel professionals who are committed to the mission of inspiring people everywhere to experience the world.
Cooling off period
If you change your mind within 7 days of making your booking online, you can request a refund of your initial deposit payment as part of our cooling-off period. Once your purchase date falls outside of the 7-day period, our standard terms and conditions will apply.
Please ensure that any request to cancel your booking is received via email to [email protected], including the reason for cancellation.
Booking Process
Booking On Request
You can enhance your holiday by arriving early or staying longer upon conclusion of the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre and post tour accommodation
To enhance your journey, we're offering the following optional tours that you can participate in on your free days:
Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. If you choose not to select them at this time, you can choose to add them later by logging in to your Account online or speaking with your Dedicated Support Agent for assistance.
COVID-19
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be effected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure.
Fitness Requirements
While the itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a “3”.
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only.
Please note:
Gold Service - Available in twin configuration only. If selecting double upon check out, this configuration will only apply to your hotel accommodation.
Platnium Service - Available in double or twin configuration
Covid Itinerary Changes
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be effected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure
Single Supplement on the Indian Pacific
There is no single supplement for the Indian Pacific if utilising a Single Room. Single Rooms on the Indian Pacific are very limited and pricing is subject to availability. If the single cabins are not available at the time of booking, you will need to pay for a twin cabin at an additional cost of approx $2,700 for a Gold Twin in addition to the package price. This price is subject to change and as such, cannot be confirmed until after a booking has been made. If you are not happy with the price of the single supplement provided, you can request to cancel and receive a refund of your deposit. If the single supplement cost is suitable, this will be added to your invoice and part of the final balance payable. For an indicative cost prior to purchase, you are welcome to contact our Customer Service team.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation including e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Group Size
This package is made up of multiple components which will be provided by different operators throughout your trip. As such, group size will differ between operators and can be as intimate as 2 people or as lively as up to 60 people, depending on the activity and advertised inclusions. There may be unique cases where your selected travel date exceeds the expected group size for special events or types of activities, particularly during popular times of travel. For packages that include a train or cruise, you will be travelling with other passengers up to the capacity of this component.
When travelling with a group, no matter the size, we ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience.
Bedding requests
We do our best to meet your bedding preference, however, bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only and cannot be guaranteed. All efforts will be made to meet your preference, however, any changes are beyond our control and limited by the hotel facilities and availability.
Tour Styles - This package is an Independent style.
To meet the needs of various types of travellers, we choose to operate various types of tours and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
Who is operating this package
We have partnered with a wide range of third party operators who assist in fulfilling your booking and delivering an enjoyable on-tour experience. Each package will consist of multiple operators meaning both guides and fellow travellers may change day to day. But don't worry, regardless of the operator, you'll be in good hands to experience the most out of each destination.
This package is sold as land only, however you do have the option of adding domestic & international airfares to your booking. Simply click on’ book now’, and under upgrades , you will be asked “Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?”. By selecting this option Inspiring Vacations will contact you to discuss adding flights to your chosen destination. We can then assist with turning your booking into a flight inclusive package.
Upon completing the purchase of your package and fulfilling the following booking requirements, you will be granted access to our flight portal via your Traveller Hub.
Once these criteria have been met, access will be made available to you via Traveller Hub to book your flights via our flight portal.
The following requests are able to be processed through the online flight portal:
The online flight portal is unable to process the following requests and you must book these yourself independently:
Online check-in
Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.
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