Description

Your Holiday Package Includes:

•        Economy class flight from Auckland to Darwin, returning from Adelaide

•        2 nights accommodation in Darwin

•        Private transfer from Darwin Airport to hotel

•        4 day Ghan Expedition rail journey from Darwin to Adelaide

-          Includes gourmet meals, wines, beers & other beverages, off train excursions + much more

•        2 nights accommodation in Adelaide

•        4 night Murray River Outback Heritage Cruise onboard Murray Princess

-          Includes all meals & entertainment onboard

For flights ex Christchurch please add on $100pp

Ghan Expedition Itinerary:

Darwin - Katherine

Your journey like no other begins with a leisurely, mid-morning departure from Darwin. Once you’re comfortably settled into your cabin, we make our way through the lush, green, tropical north and you make your way to the restaurant for a five-star lunch accompanied by a selection of fine wines.

An early afternoon arrival at the famous Top End township of Katherine and you have a choice of an afternoon filled with Off Train Excursions that take in the natural beauty of the Gorge, as well as its cultural and historic significance for Indigenous and early settlers. Back on board in the early evening and there is plenty of opportunity to share your experiences with fellow guests before, during and after a sumptuous dinner. Enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep

Alice Springs

A beautiful breakfast prepares you for a full day of Off Train Excursions that include lunch in Alice Springs. You’ll return to the train for a quick freshen up, before dining under a million stars of the outback. Returning to the train, the Lounges are open until late so travellers can share their journey highlights so far, or quietly relax before retiring.

Manguri

Breakfast is served as we arrive into Manguri where we disembark and travel by air-conditioned coach to enjoy a full day of touring in and around the truly unique, underground opal mining township of Coober Pedy. Dinner is served back on the train where you can enjoy a nightcap as we journey through the night.

Adelaide

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast as we prepare for our mid-morning arrival into Adelaide.

Here you have the choice of spending the day exploring the city of churches, or extending your stay with a visit to the Barossa Valley or Kangaroo Island.

Murray River Outback Heritage Cruise Itinerary:

Monday 29 April

Mid-afternoon the PS Murray Princess departs historic Mannum, the birthplace of the Murray River trade and communication, and heads upriver while you enjoy a Welcome Dinner. As we cruise under floodlight to our overnight mooring at Caurnamont, you may see nocturnal wildlife on the riverbank.

Watch for kangaroos, hairy-nosed wombats, tortoises, egrets and many other species. Our on-board entertainer provides music for the night owls.

Tuesday 30 April

Daybreak and time for the keen photographers to be out to capture the special light and the morning movement of wildlife. Prolific birdlife includes pelicans, wrens and swans. Enjoy a leisurely morning and lunch cruising upriver to Blanchetown through one of 13 locks which maintain the flow and levels of water. This afternoon we moor opposite to the township of Blanchetown for our overnight anchorage. As the last rays of the sun fade, we join a guided tour of Burk Salter Boutique Winery and surrounding vineyard and enjoy wine tasting at the cellar door which is fitted out with beautiful red gum bars. After dinner, join us for all the fun and excitement, and participate in our “Murray River Cup”.

Wednesday 1 May

After breakfast we cruise downriver to picturesque Swan Reach. The town was first settled in the 1850s, was originally the largest of five sheep and cattle stations in the area and is now home to native flower and fruit growers. The original Swan Reach homestead is now the Swan Reach Hotel where you can enjoy an ale or cappuccino overlooking the Murray River (additional cost). Join the guided walking tour and visit the Swan Reach Museum (gold coin donation at entry). Cruise downriver after lunch and take in the tranquillity as the landscape slides by. When we arrive at Sunnydale, it’s all ashore for the Woolshed Show as we recreate typical Australian woolshed history. Later we visit the Native Wildlife Shelter where some of South Australia’s most interesting native animals are cared for. And then of course, there is the great Aussie Barbecue – cooked and served in a bush setting on the banks of the mighty Murray River. An optional Nocturnal tour (additional cost) in a comfortable purpose built cart is available after dinner where you may see kangaroos, wombats, foxes, bats and owls.

Thursday 2 May

After an optional early morning Bush Tucker Breakfast (additional cost) or a bush walk with the Captain, the vessel cruises slowly downriver past magnificent cliffs scoured by the river over millions of years. We reach Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Reserve, one of Australia’s most significant archaeological sites, for a step back in time – tens of thousands of years – for a guided boardwalk tour to view ancient rock carvings and to learn about Aboriginal history in the area. We return to the vessel to cruise downriver to Younghusband. Along the way, adventure seekers can also take a scenic tender boat ride. Tonight the Captain and his officers host a spectacular Farewell Captain’s Buffet Dinner. Dress up and dance, if you wish.

Friday 3 May

We leave Younghusband and head back to Mannum. After breakfast we reluctantly say farewell as we arrive at the Mannum Wharf.