From Bottom to Top
One of world’s great train journeys, The Ghan snakes through the interior of the country on a three day, two night, 2979km all-inclusive journey that starts in Adelaide.
ADELAIDE
Your journey begins in Adelaide, where a relaxed city rhythm meets some of the country’s most celebrated food and wine regions. Before the rails pull you north, there’s time to explore the nearby Barossa or McLaren Vale, or simply ease into the experience as the landscapes begin to stretch and soften beyond the suburbs.
MARLA
As the city fades, the vastness of the outback takes hold. In Marla, pause in a remote outpost 160 kilometres from the Northern Territory border, and a gateway to the legendary Oodnadatta Track. Here, the horizon feels endless and the pace slows right down — a place where red earth and open skies set the tone for what lies ahead.
ALICE SPRINGS
In the heart of the continent, Alice Springs / Mparntwe is a place of both distance and deep connection. From the stories shared at the School of the Air to the living landscapes of the Alice Springs Desert Park, there’s a quiet understanding of how life unfolds in the Red Centre. As the gateway to the MacDonnell Ranges, it’s a place shaped by ancient formations and enduring culture, where the scale of the country begins to settle in.
KATHERINE
Further north, the landscape shifts again as you arrive on Jawoyn country. Nitmiluk Gorge rises in ancient layers, best experienced drifting along the Katherine River or from above, where the sheer magnitude of the gorge comes into view. It’s a place that invites you to look closer, and think a little deeper.
DARWIN
Your journey concludes in Darwin, where the outback meets the tropics. Step onto the water aboard the Charles Darwin catamaran and take in a Top End sunset that lingers long after the day ends. From here, the wild beauty of Kakadu National Park awaits, where wetlands, wildlife and rock art tell stories that stretch back thousands of years.
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Travel is often at its best when it’s shared. A long lunch that stretches into the afternoon, a view that stops you both mid-conversation, or the quiet ease of simply sitting side by side as the landscape unfolds. Whether it’s a partner, a close friend or family across generations, there’s a special kind of connection that comes from experiencing Australia by train together.
