Settle into the comforts of The Ghan, relax in your cabin, or mingle with fellow travellers in the Outback Explorer Lounge. Enjoy lunch ahead of your Off Train Experience in Katherine. In a region renowned for jaw-dropping natural assets, Katherine boasts one of the Top End's best – the incredible Nitmiluk Gorge and a cruise is on offer to showcase the beauty of this spot.

Alternatively, the Katherine Outback Experience lets you into the lives of those who call the outback home, while the Cutta Cutta Cave system is home to a variety of native wildlife and is rich in Indigenous culture and modern European history. Or, take it all in from the air, with an optional upgrade helicopter flight over Nitmiluk. Stay: The Ghan Expedition (3 Nights) (B/L/D)

Your arrival into Alice Springs after breakfast provides you with time to explore this iconic town in the red heart of Australia on an Off Train Experience. There's an experience to suit everyone, including an off-road e-bike adventure, the Alice Explorer tour that takes in the historic Telegraph Station and Royal Flying Doctor Service, a cultural experience at Standley Chasm, meeting the wildlife at the Desert Park, or taking in the astounding beauty of Simpson's Gap.

Alternatively, spot Uluru and Kata Tjuta from the air, with an optional upgrade scenic flight. In the evening, the hallmark experience of The Ghan Expedition begins. Dine under a blanket of stars at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, with red earth at your feet and white tablecloths at your fingertips. This will be a night to remember. (B/L/D)

From your morning stop at Manguri, you'll venture into the weird and wonderful opal mining township of Coober Pedy, where more than half of the residents live underground. Here, you'll enjoy a day of discovery, and a gourmet lunch in the most unique of locations: underground. Off Train Experiences on offer include exploring the majestic Breakaways, touring the town, learning more about mining history on the Opal Experience, or an optional upgrade with the Painted Hills and Lake Eyre scenic flight. Dinner is served back on the train, where you can enjoy a nightcap as your journey continues. (B/L/D)

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. Enjoy a leisurely brunch as you pass through the Flinders Ranges before arriving in Adelaide, completing one of the world's great rail experiences. After disembarking the train, you'll be transferred to your accommodation, your home for the next three nights.

Enjoy the afternoon at leisure as you acquaint yourself with Adelaide's city centre. Stroll to the Adelaide Central Markets for lunch and see over 70 traders bring colour and life to the undercover markets. Or, visit the Art Gallery of South Australia to see local and international works. As a city of food and wine, there is no shortage of delicious restaurants, take your pick and enjoy your first evening in Adelaide. Stay: The Playford Adelaide – MGallery (3 Nights)

Today, delight your senses with boutique wine and food touring to the historic Barossa Valley, with its 80 cellar doors. You'll even visit one of the oldest vineyards in the world, where Shiraz vines were planted in 1843. Enjoy running commentary from your driver as you make your way towards the world-renowned wine region and be guided though some of the best wines South Australia has to offer.

Tours are small groups up to 8 people only to ensure a relaxed and unhurried day. Whether you prefer red or white, there will be something to tantalise and delight with tastings at three wineries throughout the day, and a delicious lunch with an accompanying glass of wine included in your tour. (B/L)

Explore more of Adelaide at your leisure. If you'd like to get to the source of that gourmet experience by visiting another wine growing region, McLaren Vale is the perfect option. (B)

• McLaren Vale Winery Experience ($235 per person)
  A tour to McLaren Vale along the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula includes four cellar door experiences and a delicious restaurant lunch. The region is best known for its Shiraz, but expert vignerons will explain why Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes also thrive in this unique microclimate.

After breakfast, check out of your accommodation, bringing your epicurean adventure in Adelaide to an end. (B)

Celebrate the beginning of your journey with a welcome drink and light refreshments and pause for a photo with The Ghan's iconic red locomotive before stepping on board. Settle into your home for the next few days, enjoying the comforts of your cabin, or mingle with fellow travellers in the Outback Explorer Lounge. As The Ghan begins to travel south, a chef-prepared lunch awaits before your Off Train Experience in Katherine.

Here you'll choose how to explore this remarkable region. Cruise through the towering sandstone cliffs and dramatic beauty of Nitmiluk Gorge and uncover its deep cultural significance. Alternatively, step into the Katherine Outback Experience for an authentic glimpse into the lives of those who call the outback home. Or venture underground at the Cutta Cutta Caves, where fascinating limestone formations, native wildlife and stories of Indigenous culture are waiting to be shared. For a different perspective, upgrade to a helicopter flight and take in the scale of Nitmiluk from above. Stay: The Ghan Expedition (3 Nights) (L/D)

Wake to the wide-open skies of the outback as The Ghan draws closer to the iconic town of Alice Springs. After a hearty breakfast on board, step into the heart of Central Australia with a choice of Off Train Experiences designed to suit every traveller.

Take to the red dirt on an off-road e-bike adventure, join the A Town Called Alice tour to uncover the town's major landmarks, or immerse yourself in culture with a guided journey through Standley Chasm and Simpsons Gap. Here, sheer rock walls blaze red in the sunlight and ancient landscapes hold deep spiritual significance for the Arrernte people. Wildlife lovers can meet desert creatures at Alice Springs Desert Park, while those seeking a grander perspective can opt for a scenic flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

As night falls, the hallmark experience of The Ghan Expedition awaits. At the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station, dine beneath a canopy of stars, surrounded by the red earth of the desert. With white tablecloths, fine food and live entertainment, it's an evening you'll never forget. (B/L/D)

Today brings you to the extraordinary outback town of Coober Pedy, where life is anything but ordinary. Known as the opal capital of the world, this desert settlement hides its treasures both above and below, and more than half the population live underground.

Your adventure begins with a morning stop at the remote outpost of Manguri to take in the sunrise, before continuing on to Coober Pedy for a day of exploration. A highlight is a gourmet lunch enjoyed underground, a dining experience as unique as the town itself. Off Train Experiences include visiting the striking Breakaways, uncovering the town's quirky attractions, or learning the fascinating history of opal mining on the Opal Experience. For an unforgettable view, upgrade to a scenic flight over the Painted Hills and Lake Eyre.

Back on board for your final night, dinner is served in the dining carriage before one last nightcap in the lounge with fellow travellers as The Ghan journeys towards Adelaide. (B/L/D)

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. Enjoy a leisurely brunch as you pass through the Flinders Ranges before arriving into Adelaide.

After disembarking the train, you'll be transferred to your accommodation, your home for the next three nights. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure as you acquaint yourself with Adelaide's city centre. Stroll to the Adelaide Central Markets for lunch and see over 70 traders bring colour and life to the undercover markets. Or, visit the Art Gallery of South Australia to see local and international works. As a city of food and wine, there is no shortage of delicious restaurants, take your pick and enjoy your first evening in Adelaide. Stay: The Playford Adelaide – MGallery (3 Nights)

Today, delight your senses with boutique wine and food touring to the historic Barossa Valley, with its 80 cellar doors. You'll even visit one of the oldest vineyards in the world, where Shiraz vines were planted in 1843. Enjoy running commentary from your driver as you make your way towards the world-renowned wine region and be guided through some of the best wines South Australia has to offer.

Tours are small groups up to 8 people only to ensure a relaxed and unhurried day. Whether you prefer red or white, there will be something to tantalise and delight with tastings at three wineries throughout the day, and a delicious lunch with an accompanying glass of wine included in your tour. (B/L)

Explore more of Adelaide at your leisure. If you'd like to get to the source of that gourmet experience by visiting another wine growing region, McLaren Vale is the perfect option. (B)

• McLaren Vale Winery Experience ($250 per person)
  A tour to McLaren Vale along the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula includes four cellar door experiences and a delicious restaurant lunch. The region is best known for its Shiraz, but expert vignerons will explain why Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes also thrive in this unique microclimate.

After breakfast, check out of your accommodation, bringing your epicurean adventure in Adelaide to an end. (B)