Highlights
- Travel the outback on The Ghan, a train from Adelaide to Alice Springs
- Experience Uluru with an unforgettable sunset dinner and sunrise camel ride
- See the Twelve Apostles along the picturesque Great Ocean Road
- Visit a kangaroo sanctuary in Alice Springs and meet orphaned baby roos
- Take a hot-air balloon flight high above Alice Springs
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Melbourne, Great Ocean Road Adventure | Melbourne |
| Day 2 | Fly to Adelaide, Evening Food Tour | Adelaide |
| Day 3 | The Ghan Day 1: Adelaide to the Outback | Ghan |
| Day 4 | The Ghan Day 2: The Outback and Alice Springs | Alice Springs |
| Day 5 | Transfer to Uluru, Uluru Sacred Sights & Sunset Tour | Uluru |
| Day 6 | Sunrise Camel Ride, Hike Kata Tjuta & Sounds of Silence Dinner | Uluru |
| Day 7 | Transfer to Alice Springs, Kangaroo Sanctuary | Alice Springs |
| Day 8 | Hot-Air Balloon Flight, Depart Alice Springs |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Melbourne, Great Ocean Road Adventure
Welcome to Australia! Your adventure starts in Melbourne, but instead of exploring the city, you'll tick off the famous Great Ocean Road. Known for its dramatic and impressive coastline, this drive is one of Australia's top attractions. Today you'll travel along part of the 149-mile (240 km) coast soaking up spectacular ocean vistas that contrast with serene green Aussie bushland. Keep an eye on the gum trees—you might be lucky enough to spot a koala hanging from the branches.
Enjoy lunch at the Apollo Bay Hotel before jumping back in the car to explore the star attraction: the Twelve Apostles. Set within Port Campbell National Park, also known as "The Shipwreck Coast," take in views of the Twelve Apostle from the boardwalk and explore Loch Ard Gorg with its trails, blowholes, and towering cliffs, before returning to the city.
Day 2: Fly to Adelaide, Evening Food Tour
A private transfer will collect you from your Melbourne accommodation in time for your flight to Adelaide. On arrival, another driver will take you to your Adelaide base for the night. Settle in, refresh, and get ready for a night on the town. A food-loving host will collect you for a four-hour evening sojourn through the streets of downtown Adelaide. Half a dozen world-class wine regions surround the South Australian city, so it makes sense to start with the finest local haunts.
Walk to one of the city's lesser-known wine bars for an introduction to South Australian wines. On the way to the second stop, admire Adelaide's architecture, street art, and atmosphere before you dive into one of the city's hidden bars for an introduction to local spirits and creative cocktails. Enjoy delicious share plates as you hear about regional laws and legends, the saints, sinners, innovators, and creators who have shaped this unique Australian city. Finish with a local digestive and delicious cheese at an institution that has shaped Adelaide's night culture.
Day 3: The Ghan Day 1: Adelaide to the Outback
The Ghan is a legendary train that evokes a frontier spirit and a romantic connection to the land. Today you'll board the national treasure for an unforgettable experience. Originally dubbed the Afghan Express, The Ghan was named for the pioneering cameleers who blazed a permanent trail into the red center of Australia more than 150 years ago. The moment you step into your cabin at noon, you'll be immersed into a world of romance that epitomizes rail travel.
Day 4: The Ghan Day 2: The Outback to Alice Springs
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Wake up in Marla. Closer to Alice Springs than Adelaide, this small outback town is just shy of 620 miles (1,000 km) into this incredible train journey. Arriving in the dark, you're invited to step off and stretch your legs as sunlight slowly bathes the outback landscape. Sip a steaming mug of coffee and tuck into a bacon and egg roll before reboarding (you could even return to bed!). Soon enough, the Ghan will cross the Northern Territory border, arriving in Alice Springs around noon.
In Alice Springs, choose how to spend the afternoon. The Ghan traverses magnificent outback landscapes, and you can learn more about the flora, fauna, and ancient cultural stories on a guided walking tour at Alice Springs Desert Park. Meet mysterious nocturnal desert animals, including the iconic bilby and mala, and watch a free-flight bird show. Or get up close to crocodiles, goannas, and frill-neck lizards at the Reptile Centre, visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service and historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station, or take a scenic helicopter flight over the ancient red MacDonnell Ranges.
Day 5: Transfer to Uluru, Uluru Sacred Sights & Sunset Tour
Wave goodbye to Alice Springs as you travel toward Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Stop at an outback camel farm before reaching a permanent campsite at Yulara for lunch.
Continue to Uluru, Australia's famous big red rock. Travel around it in a comfortable coach, learning about the natural monument's incredible history, before stepping out for a short guided walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole at the base of Uluru. Hear Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that stretch back thousands of years, learn about ancient Indigenous rock art, and understand the culture of the traditional owners, the Anangu. The show starts when Uluru's rich colors change under a blazing red center sunset. Feast on an outdoor Aussie barbecue dinner as the day turns to night.
Day 6: Sunrise Camel Ride, Hike Kata Tjuta & Sounds of Silence Dinner
Start the day with a peaceful one-hour camel ride over rich red sand dunes in the cool, clear morning air. From atop your dromedary, witness the sunrise over Uluru and Kata Tjuta and see how the desert comes to life before tucking into a light breakfast of fresh damper (beer bread) with Australian jams, tea, and coffee. Later this afternoon, embark on a hike to explore the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta, an ancient geological formation in the desert. These ocher-colored shapes are a mesmerizing sight and have been sacred to the local Indigenous Anangu people for more than 22,000 years.
Day 7: Transfer to Alice Springs, Kangaroo Sanctuary
Your fun in the outback isn't over yet. Take a scenic 5.5-hour coach back to Alice Springs and lock in a sunset tour at The Kangaroo Sanctuary, a center that rescues orphaned baby kangaroos. Chris "Brolga" Barns launched his 188-acre (76 ha) wildlife sanctuary to care for these adorable marsupials, and your visit supports the work here. Alternatively, you can fill your afternoon with anything you missed on Day 4, such as the Alice Springs Desert Park or Reptile Centre, or get to know the heroic tales of the remote Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Day 8: Hot-Air Balloon Flight, Depart Alice Springs
Wave good morning to the desert from above as you sail in a hot-air balloon. While floating serenely above the outback at dawn, you might spot red kangaroos waking up for breakfast, or other Australian wildlife, from above. This experience is worth the early start if you have time before your flight.
There are no international flights from Alice Springs, so you'll need to take a domestic connection to another destination, such as Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth, before continuing to any international destinations. A driver will transfer you from your accommodation to Alice Springs airport in time for your flight.
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