This itinerary will be conducted at a relaxed pace. You will typically spend several nights at one location which means less time spent packing and unpacking, and more sightseeing. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and handling your own luggage.
A portion of this tour runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by an expert tour leader. Another portion is self-guided, whether conducted by rail, cruise or land, and you will travel between destinations on your own, with free time to explore at your own pace.
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 Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin through the fiery red centre en-route to Darwin
✓ 2 nights on board The Ghan in a Gold Twin cabin (upgrades available). All-inclusive meals, fine wines, and beverages. A regionally-inspired menu paired with a selection of local wines
✓ 4 nights’ accommodation in 4 star hotels
✓ 11 meals throughout
✓ Day tour to discover Darwin’s highlights
✓ Darwin Sunset Buffet Dinner Cruise
✓ In depth sightseeing as per itinerary
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 Adelaide! On arrival, make your way to your hotel. Your tour will start early tomorrow morning when you are picked up from your hotel.
Check in & arrival information.
From Adelaide airport to the city there are a few options. The Jetbus runs regular services from the Airport to the city terminal and costs approx $16 per person. Alternatively, taxis cost around $18 - $30 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.
Your unbelievable journey on the Ghan begins today. Departing Adelaide, what lies ahead is rugged, beautiful and spectacular – through the Red Centre to the tropical north of Australia. Settle into your cabin and watch the rolling pastoral lands of South Australia from your window, or meet your fellow travellers in the lounge car. Before long some of the oldest rock formations in the world, the Flinders Ranges, come into view. As darkness envelops the rugged outback, it’s time to indulge in a regionally-inspired dinner and all-inclusive fine wines and beverages.
The train departs from the Adelaide Parklands Terminal on Richmond Road Keswick South Australia, 5035 (also known as Keswick Terminal). Terminal access from Richmond Road or Sir Donald Bradman Drive.
Please note: Off train excursions are booked upon boarding the train
Begin with a freshly brewed coffee or juice as the day dawns at Marla, an outback outpost in the remote reaches of South Australia. It is here, deep inland, that you will enjoy a one of a kind experience, as you watch the desert come to life at sunrise. All aboard for brunch as you make your way through the MacDonnell Ranges to Alice Springs where a choice of Off Train Excursions awaits. Alice is an iconic Red Centre outpost. 1,500 kilometres from the nearest major city, it may be remote, but offers plenty to explore – home to doctors who fly, rivers that run dry, and a cast of colourful characters. Your time in the ‘capital out of the outback’ offers numerous opportunities to explore its historic legacy and unique environment.
Your day dawns in the tropical north. The pristine wilderness of Katherine is stirring and powerful, and you’ll have the chance to explore it from the water or land with your choice of off train experiences. Cruise the jaw-dropping Nitmiluk Gorge, learn more about its ancient Indigenous rock paintings and gain insight into the culture of the traditional owners of Nitmiluk, the Jawoyn people, or discover authentic outback life on a cattle station. As evening falls, arrive in Darwin to complete your epic train journey.
On arrival in Darwin, you will be met and transferred to your central Darwin hotel.
This morning make your way to the front entrance of the Mantra on the Esplanade Hotel (an easy 500mtr walk from your hotel) and join a city sights tour for the perfect introduction to Darwin, with expert commentary by a local guide. See the lush Botanic Gardens and the Chinese Temple, which was re-built after it was totally demolished by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Tour the historic sites of the city including the East Point Military Precinct. See the Stokes Hill Wharf area and the Mooring Basin. There is also time available to explore the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, whose collections encompass Aboriginal art, visual arts and Northern Territory history and natural sciences.
Today is a full day at leisure to enjoy the tropical surrounds of Darwin.
This afternoon, make your way to the pier to board your sunset cruise at 5:45PM. It’s a great way to take in the view of the famous Darwin sunset whilst enjoying a delicious Territory style buffet. The menu typically includes Australian seafood, a variety of meat and poultry options, fresh salads, a selection of cakes and local fruits. You can choose to enjoy the spread from the air-conditioned comfort of the lower deck or capture the stunning scenery from the Captain’s Deck whilst the infamous Darwin sunset spreads magnificent colours across the harbour.
The cruise departs from: DOCK 3, located at the very end of Stokes Hill Wharf, City Side. Crew members will meet guests under the large white umbrellas and will commence boarding 20 minutes prior to the cruise departure time.
Today your Ghan & Darwin Discovery comes to an end. At the appropriate time, make your way to Darwin airport. Your hotel is located approximately 10km from Darwin Airport and a taxi ride will cost you between $25 and $35.
Alternatively, you may want to extend your time in Darwin and visit stunning Tiwi Islands on the below optional tour. This tour operates from April to December only. It starts at 07.30am and returns to Darwin at 05.45pm. Depending on your ongoing arrangements, you may require an additional night of accommodation, which we can assist you book if needed
Depart Cullen Bay for the 2½ hour cruise to the Tiwi Islands. On arrival at Wurrumiyanga on Bathurst Island you will be greeted by a local indigenous guide who will escort you on foot to Tiwi Design for welcome to country and a traditional morning tea (damper and a cuppa). Your guide will then show you through the museum where you will enjoy a detailed and informative commentary on the culture and history of the Tiwi people. Return to Tiwi Design where you will have lunch and spend the afternoon working with an Aboriginal artist to create your own work of art – Tiwi style, either painting or screen printing. You also have the opportunity to purchase unique and traditional Tiwi artworks including paintings, fabrics, carving, pottery and clothing at island prices.
Please note that this tour is on foot, not a coach tour. It is conducted at a leisurely pace, no special level of fitness required. Wurrumiyanga is a small Aboriginal community with everything easily accessible by foot.
Tour includes: Return Ferry Darwin to Bathurst Island (Tiwi Islands), guide, morning tea, lunch, cultural art workshop & take home art memento, tour of Tiwi Museum
Gold Service (Included)
Platinum Service - From $1,700 per person additional
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 $1,700 per person and is subject to availability upon booking.
Please note, there are no single rooms in the Platinum category
The Ghan 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 Ghan on board (no pre-booking available)
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.
Flexible Date Change Option
INCLUDED - Date change may be requested prior to 65 days* before your original selected departure date ONLY IF due to government imposed restrictions only ie. Border closures.
*some packages may have a varied period in which you can request a date change due to limitations with the third-party provider.
The Flexible Date Change option does not cover cost incurred for components not fulfilled by Inspiring Vacations or in the event extra services have been booked with Inspiring Vacations outside of the standard package, including but not limited to airfares, pre/post accommodation or insurance.
Airfare Inclusive packages - The Flexible Date Change option applies to the tour portion of your package. Airfare flexibility will be subject to the airline’s fare rules and a change fee plus any fare difference may be applicable.
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 support@inspiringvacations.com
We offer two payment options – the choice is yours. Our advertised price is based on our 'Pay in Full' option, which includes a discount by making full payment at the time of booking. Alternatively, choose our 'Installment Payment Plan' option for the flexibility of incremental payments, beginning with a low deposit.
Please click 'Book Now' and proceed to the payment page to select your preferred option under the heading ‘Choose how to pay’. The total due will be reflected accordingly.
Pay In Full Option:
Installment Payment Plan Option:
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
Pre and Post accommodation is subject to availability and pricing may differ based on your season of travel.
To enhance your journey, we are offering guests a choice of the following optional activities (prices are per person):
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.
Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 65 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability. We appreciate your understanding.
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 “2”.
2 - Leisurely Pace - This itinerary will be conducted at a relaxed pace. You will typically spend several nights at one location which means less time spent packing and unpacking, and more sightseeing. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and handling your own luggage.
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. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however any changes are beyond our control.
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 Ghan
There is no single supplement for the Ghan if utilising a Single Room. Single Rooms on the Ghan 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 $3,900 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.
Single Supplement for the hotels
The single supplement for this portion of the trip is $616. Please see above regarding The Ghan.
Triple Share
Not available.
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 a Partially Escorted 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.
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