Australia: The Ghan and the Red Centre

The trip

The Ghan runs 2,979km between Adelaide and Darwin, and from 2027 the northbound journey becomes a three-night trip with a day in the Flinders Ranges and off-train experiences in Alice Springs. Everything on board is included: cabins, meals, Australian wines and excursions. It is the most comfortable way to understand just how vast Australia is.

The route

Fly to Adelaide and spend three nights exploring the city and the Barossa Valley. Board The Ghan for three nights to Darwin, then head into Kakadu National Park for two. Fly to Uluru for three nights, then finish with two nights in Sydney before flying home.

Day by day

The Ghan's northbound journeys depart Adelaide on Saturdays from March to November, and also on Tuesdays from April to October, so the route is built around the train.

1. Days 1-3

   Adelaide and the Barossa

   Arrive and recover. The Central Market, a day of tastings in the Barossa, and the hilltop village of Hahndorf.

   Stay Hotel in Adelaide or the Barossa

   Travel Airport transfer, about 20 minutes

2. Days 4-7

   The Ghan

   Through the Flinders Ranges and the red heart of the country, with off-train experiences in Alice Springs and Katherine Gorge before arriving in Darwin.

   Stay Ghan cabin

   Travel Three nights by train

3. Days 7-9

   Kakadu

   Aboriginal rock art at Ubirr and Nourlangie, a sunrise cruise on Yellow Water among crocodiles and birds, and waterfalls in the dry season.

   Stay Lodge in Kakadu

   Travel Drive from Darwin, about 3 hours

4. Days 10-12

   Uluru

   Sunrise and sunset at Uluru, a walk round its base, Kata Tjuta's domes and the Field of Light installation.

   Stay Hotel at Yulara

   Travel Flight via Darwin or Alice Springs

5. Days 13-15

   Sydney

   The Opera House, a harbour ferry to Manly, the Rocks and Bondi to Coogee clifftop walk, then fly home.

   Stay Hotel in Sydney

   Travel Flight, about 3 hours 30 minutes

When to go

May to September is the dry season in the Top End and pleasantly warm in the Red Centre, with cool nights; it is the best time for this route. April and October work too. Summer, December to February, is very hot inside and wet in the north.

Where to stay

Your nights on The Ghan are in Gold or Platinum cabins; elsewhere, choose from city hotels, outback lodges and safari tents. Price bands are a typical night for two sharing; expect more at peak dates.

Featured stay

Longitude 131°

Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia

££££

Couples wanting an unforgettable, all-inclusive stay facing Uluru.

Longitude 131° is Australia's most celebrated luxury camp: sixteen tented pavilions among the red dunes of the Central Desert, each with a view of Uluru from the bed. Everything is included, from guided sunrise walks at the rock to dinner under the stars, making it the perfect counterpoint to a journey on The Ghan.

Rooms

15 Luxury Tents and the Dune Pavilion

Food

All meals and drinks included; Table 131° dinners

Best time to go

April to September

Read our full review →

What it costs

Allow from about £9,000 per person for 15 days with a Gold cabin on The Ghan, good hotels and internal flights, excluding international flights. With Platinum cabins and the top lodges, expect £18,000 or more.

Pace and fitness

The train is easy, with cabins converting to beds and meals in the dining car. Off-train excursions offer gentle and more active options. Outback heat calls for early starts, hats and plenty of water.

How to book

Our advisors plan this trip end to end: flights, hotels, guides and the small details that make the days easy. Tell us your dates and the style of stay you like, and we will build it around you. Speak to an advisor.