THE GHAN & NORTHERN TERRITORY 2026

  Fly from Melbourne to Adelaide in the morning or afternoon and settle into your hotel. Spend your day exploring the compact city centre on foot. Walk around Rundle Mall, then head to Adelaide Central Market for fresh produce, pastries, and a casual dinner at one of the market eateries. If you prefer something more atmospheric, stroll to the Gouger Street dining strip, which is full of Asian restaurants and wine bars. For a relaxing evening, wander along the River Torrens for sunset views of the Adelaide Oval and surrounding parklands before returning to your hotel for an early night.

Overnight: Vibe Hotel Adelaide

   Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before heading to the Adelaide Parklands Terminal for check-in. After boarding The Ghan, settle into your cabin and explore the lounge and dining car. Enjoy a long lunch as the train rolls north through the Adelaide Plains and the Flinders Ranges. Spend the afternoon watching the scenery shift to red earth and desert landscapes. After dinner, enjoy conversation in the lounge or stargaze from your cabin window. The train continues deep into the outback overnight, offering a unique sense of isolation and tranquility as you drift to sleep somewhere in remote South Australia.

Overnight: The Ghan

    Early morning, step off the train at Marla for the famous sunrise experience. Warm drinks are served as the desert glows pink and orange. Back onboard, enjoy breakfast before rolling into Alice Springs, where you’ll join one of several off-train excursions — perhaps a town tour, a visit to the Desert Park, or a scenic walk through the rugged ranges. Reboard the train in the afternoon for a leisurely lunch as the journey continues north. Enjoy another elegant dinner onboard followed by drinks in the lounge before settling in for a restful night in your cabin.

Overnight: The Ghan

 Start your morning with breakfast before disembarking in Katherine for the included Nitmiluk Gorge cruise or a cultural experience with local guides. After reboarding, you’ll enjoy lunch as the train makes its final run to Darwin. Arrival is usually around 5:30pm. Transfer to The Leeah Darwin, check in and freshen up. For dinner, wander to the Waterfront Precinct for casual dining, live music, and sunset views over the harbour. After a big travel day, take it slow with a walk around the lagoon area before returning to your hotel for a quiet night. 

 Overnight: The Leea Darwin

    Spend the day exploring Darwin at your own pace. Start with the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, home to Cyclone Tracy exhibits and Indigenous art. Head to the Darwin Waterfront for a swim in the recreation lagoon, or stroll around the shaded parks. Visit the Darwin Botanic Gardens for a peaceful walk through monsoon forest and native plant collections. In the afternoon, see Stokes Hill Wharf for harbour views. If it’s operating today, finish at Mindil Beach Sunset Market for food stalls and crafts; otherwise enjoy dinner at a waterfront restaurant.

Overnight: The Leea Darwin

 Meet your AAT Kings Travel Director and join your group for a short orientation around Darwin. The day is relaxed to allow everyone to settle in before the touring begins. You may stop at the Darwin Waterfront, the WWII Oil Storage Tunnels, or historic city sites depending on timing. In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the city, relax at your hotel pool, or wander to Bicentennial Park for harbour views. In the evening, join the group for a welcome dinner or briefing, giving you a chance to meet fellow travellers and understand the schedule ahead..

Overnight: The Leea Darwin

 The ancient landscapes of Litchfield National Park are shaped by water, as you'll fast discover when exploring this immense protected wilderness. There are rivers, waterfalls and waterholes. Get set to visit Florence Falls, then take a dip in the gin-clear pool of Wangi Falls, this dreamy setting enveloped by monsoon forest (Swimming is seasonal and opening is controlled by NT Parks).

The landscape is also shaped by termites. The national park is pocked with enormous termite mounds, which are architectural feats complete with tunnels and nursery chambers. Small creatures with a big vision. (B/D) Stay: Contour Hotel Katherine

Overnight: Hotel Contour

 The region's main attraction is its stunning Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, which carves the countryside in spectacular form. This awe-inspiring natural wonder features a series of gorges sculpted from ancient sandstone, offering breathtaking views and unique geological formations.

Sit back and enjoy a cruise through this ancient landscape, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, home to the Jawoyn people, where you'll have the opportunity to learn about their rich cultural heritage and traditions. The cruise not only provides a visual feast but also enriches your understanding of the deep spiritual connection the Jawoyn people have with the land.

In the afternoon, join Tom Curtain's award-winning Katherine Outback Experience to delve into the Northern Territory's unique pastoral history and culture. (B)

Overnight: Hotel Contour

  Today is your chance to reset your body's natural rhythms with a morning dip in Katherine Hot Springs – because days are better when you begin them in thermal waters. These hot springs will have you relaxed in no time. Before venturing deep into Kakadu, you're poised for refreshments with a short stopover in the film-set-like town of Pine Creek, where buildings date to the heady gold rush days. In Kakadu, you'll take a guided walk to view ancient Aboriginal rock art at Burrungkuy (Nourlangie). (B) 

Overnight: Mecure Kakadu Crocodile, Jabiru

 If you want a different perspective, sign up for a scenic flight over the national park, revealing just how wide, wild and wonderful this part of the world really is (own expense). Australia is home to some of the oldest art in the world, and much of it decorates rock walls at Ubirr – this jaw-dropping site protects Aboriginal rock paintings and carvings dating back more than 20,000 years. If you thought that was impressive, wait till you see the view over Kakadu from the top of the escarpment.

This afternoon, there's nothing between you and nature, the dramatic escarpments, waterholes and abundant wildlife of Kakadu looming large. Speaking of large, there are saltwater crocs to spot while you drift away on a Yellow Water Billabong cruise. Your local cruise guide will share the secrets of these ancient waterways. Top off your holiday sharing a Farewell Dinner with your Travel Director and travel mates. (B/FD)

Overnight: Overnight: Mecure Kakadu Crocodile, Jabiru

  Your final day of the tour takes you back to Darwin, often arriving late morning or midday. After saying goodbye to your group, transfer to The Leeah Darwin for your two post-tour nights. Spend the afternoon unwinding — perhaps relax by the hotel pool or enjoy an easy stroll to the Waterfront. For dinner, consider trying the local seafood at Stokes Hill Wharf or sample multicultural dishes at nearby restaurants. It’s a gentle, easygoing day designed to help you reset after a week of early starts and full sightseeing days.

Overnight: The Leea Darwin

   Enjoy your last full day in Darwin at a relaxed pace. You could take a full-day Tiwi Islands cultural tour, which is one of the region’s best Indigenous experiences, or keep it simple with half-day sightseeing. Explore local galleries featuring Tiwi art, browse boutiques around Smith Street, or visit Crocosaurus Cove to see saltwater crocodiles up close. For a nature-focused afternoon, wander through the George Brown Botanic Gardens or take a sunset harbour cruise. End the day with dinner at a Waterfront restaurant or a casual pub on Mitchell Street.

Overnight: The Leea Darwin

 After breakfast make your way back to Darwin airport for your flight back to Melbourne.