“Cruise” Australia by rail, traveling by night and waking up to a new adventure each day. No moving from hotel to hotel, packing or unpacking! The train carries comfortable mini-coaches for touring. Each evening, discuss your plans for the following day with your escort, choosing from up to three different tour options daily.

 

Departures Monday

 

Day 1, Monday ~ Sydney/Blue Mountains

Early this morning, you will be picked up from your hotel to join your Australian adventure. See The Rocks and the Opera House and enjoy a cruise on the beautiful harbor. This afternoon, you have a choice of a city highlights tour plus visit to Bondi Beach, or a tour of North Sydney and Manly, before transferring to the Blue Mountains to board the train.

On Board Ozback Explorer Train (Pelican Class)

On Board Ozback Explorer Train (Kookaburra Class)

Day 2, Tuesday ~ Blue Mountains

Awake to the fresh air and beautiful scenery of the Blue Mountains, sometimes called “Australia’s Grand Canyon.” Today, you may choose from a tour to a mine museum and scenic lookouts, or a bushwalking tour of this lovely area.

Day 3, Wednesday ~ Blue Mountains/Canberra

Tour the nation’s capital, beginning with visits to the National Capital Exhibition Centre, War Memorial, and art gallery. Canberra is a modern metropolis specifically designed as the capital. Located within minutes of the city, Canberra’s scenic countryside offers unique outdoor activities. This afternoon, your choices include a sheep station visit, wildlife viewing at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, or further city touring.

Day 4, Thursday ~ Canberra/Melbourne

Marvelous Melbourne and its surrounds are yours to explore on either a tour to the key city sights, nearby Yarra Valley wineries, or the penguin parade at Phillip Island.

Day 5, Friday ~ Melbourne/Great Ocean Road

Travel the Great Ocean Road, Australia’s most scenic coastal drive, on either a highlights tour to Otway National Park and Port Campbell National Park, or a guided nature walk. Both tours also visit the famed Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge. Hear the tragic story of the shipwreck of the Loch Ard in 1878, with only two survivors from the 54 aboard, and see where these survivors sheltered after their ordeal.

Day 6, Saturday ~ Great Ocean Road/Kangaroo Island or Encounter Bay/Adelaide

Today, choose from some of the highlights of South Australia. You might like to visit Encounter Bay on the Fleurieu Peninsula, with winetasting and wildlife viewing. Or, take the ferry to Kangaroo Island, the best place in Australia for viewing wildlife in spectacular natural surroundings. Or, perhaps tour the German village of Hahndorf with its arts and crafts stores, and stop to visit the National Wine Centre.

Day 7, Sunday ~ Barossa Valley or Murray River

Cruise the mighty Murray River, flanked by colossal sandstone cliffs edged by ancient gum trees. Or, indulge in a day of winetasting in the Barossa Valley. The Barossa is known for its fine wines, gourmet food and European heritage.

Day 8, Monday ~ Adelaide/Flinders Ranges

The rugged Flinders Ranges offer you a choice of a visit to the interesting formation of Wilpena Pound with its abundant wildlife, or Mount Remarkable National Park with historic towns and scenic lookouts.

Day 9, Tuesday ~ Flinders Ranges/Coober Pedy

Experience the unique town of Coober Pedy, Australia’s opal capital. Visit an underground church and museum, stop at a mine and try your hand at finding opal, and tour an opal-cutting workshop. You’ll also travel to the lunar landscape of the Breakaways and see the famous Dog Fence, built across Australia to keep marauding dingoes out of the sheep grazing territory.

Day 10, Wednesday ~ Coober Pedy/Ayers Rock

Tour around the base of the world’s largest monolith, visiting Mutitjulu Waterhole and ancient Aboriginal cave paintings. The Aboriginal Cultural Centre provides insight into this fascinating culture. Continue to the Olgas and take a walk or hike through the red rock formations. At sunset, relax with a glass of champagne as you admire the color changes on the Rock.

Day 11, Thursday ~ Ayers Rock/Alice Springs

Alice Springs is surrounded by the ancient MacDonnells mountain range. Choose to tour the Western MacDonnells including Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm, or the Eastern MacDonnells including Trephina Gorge.

Day 12, Friday ~ Alice Springs

You may begin the day with an Aboriginal guide on a desert discovery walk, or if you missed the Western MacDonnells yesterday, you have another chance to visit Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm. In the afternoon, tour the famous Old Telegraph Station; School of the Air, which provides education by radio for remotely-located children; and Royal Flying Doctor Service, lifeline of Outback Australia.

Day 13, Saturday ~ Alice Springs/Katherine

Cruise through Katherine Gorge, then visit the local hot springs. You’ll have the opportunity for a short walk or a longer hike in this wildly beautiful area.

Day 14, Sunday ~ Katherine/Kakadu National Park

World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park is a spectacular setting, with its rocky escarpments, waterfalls, and wetlands teeming with wildlife, plus some of the most significant Aboriginal art sites in the country. Over the next two days, you’ll visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre, Nourlangie Rock, Mirrai Lookout, Anbangbang Billabong, and Ubirr Rock, plus take a cruise to spot crocodiles. As there is no railroad into Kakadu, you’ll overnight at a hotel within the park.

Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn

Day 15, Monday ~ Kakadu National Park/Darwin

Continue touring Kakadu National Park, enjoying the scenery, wildlife, and Aboriginal culture. Rejoin the train outside the park for the last leg of your journey to Darwin.

On Board Ozback Explorer Train (Pelican Class)

On Board Ozback Explorer Train (Kookaburra Class)

Day 16, Tuesday ~ Darwin

Tour the tropical frontier town of Darwin, visiting the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Lyons Cottage, and Government House. You’ll have the choice to continue with highlights of East Point Reserve and a pearling exhibition, or historical WWII oil storage tunnels and military museum, or natural wonders at the Botanical Garden and the mangrove habitat of Charles Darwin National Park. Your touring ends late this evening as you say farewell to your fellow adventurers.

Mirambeena Resort

Day 17, Wednesday ~ Darwin

Your journey ends with transfer to the airport