Enjoy a relaxed morning and afternoon at leisure – take time to explore the laidback charm of Darwin, visit the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory or simply unwind by the hotel pool.
As the sun begins to dip, make your way to the dock for an unbeatable evening on the water. With panoramic views of the Top End city, there’s no better way to experience Darwin’s iconic sunset than aboard the Charles Darwin.
Settle in for a two-hour cruise across Darwin Harbour as the skyline glows golden. A Territory-style buffet dinner is served onboard, showcasing fresh local seafood and produce, accompanied by gentle background music and drinks available for purchase.
Please note: For 18 May 2026 departure, the Darwin sunset harbour cruise will take place on Day 1.
Darwin sunset cruise
Make your own way to the terminal to board The Ghan Expedition (departing at 10am), or meet at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Esplanade Darwin at 7:30am for complimentary pick-up. On arrival at the Ghan terminal, your luxe adventure begins even before you board – settle in with welcome drinks and canapes, light refreshments, barista coffee and sparkling wine. This is also the perfect opportunity to take photos with The Ghan’s bold red locomotive.
Board The Ghan and be shown to the comforts of your Gold Cabin. Watch the scenery as you make your way south, then enjoy a chef-prepared lunch at Queen Adelaide Restaurant ahead of your off-train experiences in Katherine. Later, return to The Ghan Expedition for a multi-course dinner.
Your choice of one Off-Train Experience (included in fare):
- Cutta Cutta Caves Experience: Step into the limestone caverns of the Cutta Cutta cave system, home to a variety of native wildlife and is rich in Indigenous culture. Recommended Fitness Level: High (guests must be able to navigate steep stairs and walk underground in low light).
- Nitmiluk Gorge Cruise: Wind your way down the Katherine River on a relaxing cruise, while commentary explains the significance of Nitmiluk to the Indigenous Jawoyn people. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Approx. 2 km of walking over rocky paths. Guests are required to board and disembark boats unassisted. A modified experience is available for guests with low mobility. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- Nitmiluk Rock Art Cruise: Discover the ancient stories and stunning rock art of Nitmiluk Gorge on a guided cruise through the First Gorge, where towering sandstone cliffs and Dreamtime tales reveal the significance of this sacred site to the Jawoyn people. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Approx. 2 km of walking and 28 steps to climb. Guests required to board and disembark boat unassisted. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- Katherine Outback Experience: This experience gives insight into the lives of those who call the Outback home, with a fascinating day of discovery that illustrated what it is like to live and work on a huge cattle station. Recommended Fitness Level: Low level mobility – Recommended for guests with mobility requirements. The show is conducted in an undercover arena with full seating available. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- Nitmiluk Gorge Helicopter Flight (Optional Upgrade Experience – $295 per person, Limited Availability): Take to the skies for a breathtaking aerial view of Nitmiluk Gorge, where the sheer scale and beauty of the Top End’s sandstone escarpments are best seen from above. This 20-minute helicopter flight soars across all 13 gorges of Nitmiluk National Park, revealing hidden waterfalls, secluded rockpools and dramatic ridgelines that are otherwise out of reach. As you fly, your pilot-guide shares the Dreaming stories of the Jawoyn people, including the legend of Bula – a powerful ancestral being whose spirit is etched into the land. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate – guests must board and disembark aircraft unassisted. Maximum individual weight: 130kg. Not suitable for wheelchair users.
Please Note: Luxury Escapes will confirm Off-Train Experience preferences by email after booking. Off-Train Experiences are reviewed yearly and subject to change. Optional upgrades will be available to purchase closer to time of travel.
Gold Twin Cabin aboard The Ghan Expedition
Today, stop in Alice Springs and experience the region with a selection of Off-Train Experiences. No matter what you choose, in the evening, the hallmark experience of The Ghan Expedition begins. Dine under a blanket of stars at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station.
Your choice of one Off-Train Experience (included in fare):
- Alice Explorer: Discover the pioneering spirit of the Red Centre on this guided experience. Begin with a visit to the historic Telegraph Station, the original site of Alice Springs, before continuing to the Royal Flying Doctor Service to learn how this vital service supports remote communities. Along the way, enjoy a coach tour of the town’s key landmarks, gaining insight into its rich past and present. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Guests are required to climb coach stairs several times, with walking and standing for short periods. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- Desert Park: As distinctive as the Australian desert itself, the Alice Springs Desert Park captivates and educates. Step inside Nocturnal House, enjoy a front-row seat at the free-flight bird show with a backstage pass to meet the birds and trainers for a private training session, and watch resident dingoes before a film on desert evolution. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Guests are required to walk approx. 4km on gravel and sandy pathways, broken into short distances. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- West Ventures: Standley Chasm is a significant cultural icon in Central Australia. Also visit the highly rated Yubu Napa Gallery in Alice Springs. You will enjoy some of the best walking trails in Alice Springs whilst at the same time enjoying views of the Australian Outback. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Approximately 3.5km of walking over rocky and natural terrain, with standing required. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended. Please note that Yubu Napa Gallery in Alice Springs is closed on Sundays, and as such may not be available for certain departures.
- Alice by E-Bike (Optional Upgrade Experience – $49 per person, Limited Availability): Take the hard work out of cycling with an e-bike tour of Alice Springs. The ride begins at Red Centre Adventures, where you’ll set off along the famously dry Todd River, passing through the southern entrance to town, Heavitree Gap, know to the locals as The Gap. You’ll also make your way to the Telegraph Station, the birthplace of Alice Springs township. Stop off along the ride to visit the highly rated Yubu Napa Gallery in Alice Springs. Cruise through town to reach your lunch destination at Desert Park. Here, you’ll enjoy a ploughman’s-style lunch before kicking into gear once more for your return journey. To finish the day, discover more of Alice from the comfort of a coach, taking in sights including 1934’s ANZAC Hill, dedicated to the ANZAC soldiers of World War I – the most visited landmark in town. Recommended Fitness Level: High-level mobility – Guests need to be confident riding on a push bike. Electric bikes can reach speeds up to 25km/h. Electric bikes weigh up to 30kg. Only one size available. Approx. 20km of cycling. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended. Minimum age of participation is 14 years old.
- Ultimate Uluru Experience – Thursday Only (Optional Upgrade Experience – $1,549 per person, Limited Availability): Witness the spiritual heart of Australia from land and sky on this remarkable full-day adventure to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Departing from Alice Springs Airport, your scenic flight takes in sweeping desert landscapes and Pine Gap, before continuing over the dramatic red plains of Central Australia. After landing at Ayers Rock Airport, join a guided exploration of Uluru. Walk to the serene Mutitjulu Waterhole and hear the story of Wanampi, the ancestral water snake, and learn about the traditions of the Anangu people, Traditional Owners of this sacred land. Enjoy a scenic lunch at the Sunset Lookout with views of Uluru before your return flight glides over the majestic domes of Kata Tjuta. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate – guests must board and disembark aircraft unassisted. Walking and standing required. Maximum individual weight: 100kg. Not suitable for wheelchair or walker users.
Please Note: Luxury Escapes will confirm Off-Train Experience preferences by email after booking. Off-Train Experiences are reviewed yearly and subject to change. Optional upgrades will be available to purchase closer to time of travel.
Gold Twin Cabin aboard The Ghan Expedition
Wake up in South Australia this morning and get ready for a morning stop at Manguri. You will have the time to venture into the wonderful opal-mining town of Coober Pedy, where a selection of Off-Train Experiences awaits. You will also enjoy a gourmet lunch sunk under the red earth of this spectacular town.
After a day of adventure, return to The Ghan Expedition to enjoy one final, three-course dinner aboard, accompanied by select wine.
Your choice of one Off-Train Experience (included in fare):
- Discover the Majestic Breakaways: The Breakaways Reserve got its name from the colourful low hills that appear from a distance as if they are ‘broken away’ from the higher ground of the reserve. A visit to Quest Mine is where you will be able to don a hard hat and try your luck finding fortune while enjoying an underground lunch. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Approx. 500m of walking and standing for periods at the Breakaways. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Warm clothes are advised as underground tunnels may be cold and the Breakaways can be windy. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- Explore Coober Pedy: This full day tour takes in the highlights of Coober Pedy, including a visit to a subterranean place of worship – The Serbian Orthodox Church. At the Umoona Opal Mine and Museum, you will be given the historical context of the town’s emergence, see an example of a ‘dugout’, as the locals call the underground homes. At Quest Mine, you’ll be able to don a hard hat and try your luck to find fortune after enjoying an underground lunch. Finally, enjoy views out over the Breakaways – a vast plain of flat-topped mesas that once presided over an inland sea. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Stairs, steep inclines, short walks and navigating underground tunnels required. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Warm clothes are advised as underground tunnels may be cold. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- Opal Experience: On this shorter tour, you’ll learn about the history of Australia’s national gemstone at the Umoona Opal Mine and Museum, one of Coober Pedy’s most popular attractions. At Quest Mine, you’ll be able to don a hard hat and try your luck finding fortune. You’ll also enjoy an underground lunch here. Before departing Coober Pedy, you’ll stop at the Big Winch. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate level mobility – Stairs, steep inclines, short walks and navigating underground tunnels required. Guests are strongly encouraged to dress for the weather conditions. Warm clothes are advised as underground tunnels may be cold. Enclosed sturdy shoes are required. Sunscreen, a hat, trousers and long sleeves are highly recommended.
- Painted Hills & Lake Eyre Scenic Flight (Optional Upgrade Experience – $1,299 per person, Limited Availability): Fly deep into the heart of South Australia for a rare glimpse of the Anna Creek Painted Hills – a surreal outback landscape where time, wind and erosion have carved vibrant red and ochre ridgelines into the desert floor. From the air, the colours shift with the light; on the ground, a guided walk reveals the geological wonders and cultural stories behind this otherworldly terrain. Your journey continues over Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, Australia’s largest salt lake and lowest natural point. When dry, it shimmers with crystallised white salt; when there’s water, it blushes pink – a truly dreamlike sight from above. Stop for lunch at the remote William Creek Hotel before flying over Coober Pedy. Recommended Fitness Level: Moderate – guests must board and disembark aircraft unassisted. Walking and standing required. Maximum individual weight: 130kg. Not suitable for wheelchair or walker users.
Please Note: Luxury Escapes will confirm Off-Train Experience preferences by email after booking. Off-Train Experiences are reviewed yearly and subject to change. Optional upgrades will be available to purchase closer to time of travel.
Gold Twin aboard The Ghan Expedition
This morning you’ll be rewarded with views from the Queen Adelaide Restaurant as the landscape outside transforms from the Outback to the Flinders Ranges before you reach Adelaide’s CBD. Disembark The Ghan and make your own way to your five-star Adelaide accommodation, where you will spend the remainder of your time at leisure exploring Adelaide at your desired pace.
Five-star Adelaide stay
Your journey ends upon checkout.