Outback Discovery

Welcome to Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, renowned for its gourmet delights and thriving culture. From the airport you will be transferred to your hotel, your home for the next three nights. Enjoy a welcome dinner to celebrate the wonders of South Australia with your travel companions. (D)

Freechoice: Discover the history and culture of Adelaide on a walking tour or taste your way through the Adelaide Central Markets. Alternatively, choose between an Adelaide city sights tour which includes the famous, newly renovated Adelaide Oval or a Torrens River cruise with a visit to the Adelaide Zoo. (B)

Spend the day discovering the Barossa Valley’s famous drop. Enjoy lunch at the award winning Jacob’s Creek Winery followed by a vineyard tour. In the afternoon, appreciate the chance to try wine from the year of your birth at Seppeltsfield. (B/L)

Board the legendary Ghan for your overnight Special Stay trip to Alice Springs. Named after the Afghan cameleers who opened up the centre of Australia many years, this is one of the world’s greatest train journeys. Enjoy a delicious lunch in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant while the pastoral lands of South Australia merge into rugged mallee scrub. Watch the Flinders Ranges disappear into the horizon as darkness falls and enjoy dinner, served with a selection of local wines for you to choose from. (B/L/D)

Start your day with an unforgettable sunrise at Marla before enjoying a gourmet breakfast on board the train. Arriving in Alice Springs, visit the Royal Flying Doctors service which inspired a television series and has been providing medical care to remote communities for over 150 years. Check into your hotel for an overnight stay. Dinner tonight is served outdoors and is an outback bush BBQ with bush damper cooking and entertainment by a bush balladeer. (B/D)

Travel through Australia’s desert landscape before arriving at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park for a two night Special Stay, at a unique luxury retreat. Enrich: Tonight, you’re invited to a dining experience set amidst an outdoor exhibit called ‘Field of Light’. The mesmerising artwork, created by Bruce Munro, is made up of thousands of bulbs planted in the desert surrounding Uluru in the outback. As the sun sets and the lights twinkle, you’ll enjoy canapés, complimentary drinks and authentic Australian cuisine. (B/D)

Freechoice: Watch the sun rise over Uluru, before choosing from a number of exciting activities. Take to the asphalt for a leisurely ride on a Harley-Davidson™ in the hands of an experienced rider, embark on an Uluru Highlights and Cultural Tour, trek around the rock’s giant base, or explore the desert by camel. The afternoon is yours to discover the mysteries of Kata Tjuta. Sundowners: Enjoy the sunset over Uluru from the viewing area. (B)

Return to Alice Springs for a visit to the School of Air before it’s all aboard again for your overnight Special Stay on the famous Ghan (Gold Class). Relax in the Outback Explorer Lounge before dinner in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant. Tonight, try the roast kangaroo fillet with crocodile boudin blanc, potato purée and quandong jus. Crocodile has long been a Northern Territory bushfood staple, and the crocodile boudin blanc (white sausage) featured on the menu has been created in collaboration with award-winning small goods purveyor, Barossa Fine Foods. (B/D)

Enjoy breakfast on board as you gaze out of the window, taking inspiration from the ever-changing landscape. Upon arrival in Katherine choose between a guided cruise to Katherine Gorge, marvel at the towering red ochre sandstone walls and hear stories of the Jawoyn people, or The Ghan’s cultural experience which will take you to the heart of this area. Create your own Indigenous painting, learn to throw a spear and hear ancient Dreamtime tales. Reboard the train and travel to Darwin. Enjoy your two night stay. (B/D)

Freechoice: Cruise on the Adelaide River, home to the ‘jumping crocodiles’ or enjoy a day trip to Litchfield National Park. Alternatively, take the hop-on-hop-off bus around town or take a WW11 Bombing of Darwin tour. (B/D)

After breakfast, say goodbye to your new friends, before returning home with many great memories. (B)