The Ghan

Day 1 — Darwin and Katherine

Your journey begins with a leisurely mid-morning departure from Darwin. Settle into your cabin as lush tropical scenery unfolds outside your window, and make your way to the restaurant for a five-star lunch with fine wines. In the early afternoon the train reaches Katherine, where you choose between a relaxing cruise through the ancient sandstone splendour of Nitmiluk Gorge or a fascinating day on a working outback cattle station. Dinner is served as the sun sets over the desert, and your bed is turned down on your return.

Day 2 — Alice Springs

Wake to a morning view of the spectacular Red Centre as the train rolls into Alice Springs. A full day of excursions awaits in this iconic outback town — visit Simpson's Gap, take a guided coach tour, or walk the Alice Springs Desert Park. An optional scenic flight over Uluru is available as an upgrade, returning in time for a barbecue dinner under a million stars at the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station.

Day 3 — Manguri and Coober Pedy

Breakfast is served as the train arrives at Manguri. Board an air-conditioned coach for a full day in Coober Pedy, the extraordinary underground opal-mining township where more than half the residents live below ground. Explore the mines, enjoy a gourmet lunch underground, then return to the train for dinner and a nightcap as the journey continues south.

Day 4 — Adelaide

From your window this morning the ochre outback gives way to the green fields of South Australia. Enjoy a leisurely brunch as the majestic Flinders Ranges slide past, before a mid-morning arrival in Adelaide — the end of one of the world's great travel experiences.

Day 1 — Adelaide to Alice Springs

Depart Adelaide and immediately the landscape begins its transformation — wine country gives way to desert scrub as the spectacular Flinders Ranges recede into the horizon. Enjoy a leisurely lunch in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant, then afternoon tea in the lounge car as the train passes rustic railway towns and vast tracts of Aboriginal land. Dinner is served as darkness descends over the outback.

Day 2 — Alice Springs to Katherine

Before dawn the train passes Marla — rise early for an unforgettable outback sunrise. Brunch is served on the approach to Alice Springs, where the train pauses for guided excursions: a walk through Simpson's Gap, a coach tour of Alice Springs, or a visit to Alice Springs Desert Park to see the region's extraordinary wildlife. An optional helicopter flight over Mt. Gillen and the Larapinta Trail is available at an additional charge. The train then heads north through Tennant Creek into Katherine.

Day 3 — Katherine to Darwin

After breakfast, choose between a guided cruise through the magnificent sandstone gorges of Nitmiluk or a Katherine Outback Experience (April to October only). The train then rolls through the old gold-mining town of Pine Creek and Adelaide River — once a World War II military headquarters — before arriving in tropical Darwin by late afternoon.