Arnhem Land with Kakadu – The Ghan 2026

This morning we fly to Maningrida and experience a Welcome to Country.

We spend the next two nights at Barramundi Lodge, which is owned and operated by Outback Spirit. With special permission from traditional owners, the lodge has exclusive fishing licenses for numerous remote waterways, including the Tomkinson and Liverpool Rivers. The lodge features 12 beautiful safari suites and a restaurant overlooking the floodplains below. Meals (B,L,D)

Departing Maningrida after breakfast, our travels take us through the stone country of west Arnhem Land. We’ll cross the Goomadeer and Liverpool Rivers before arriving at the turnoff to Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris, Mount Borradaile. From here, we travel along a 40km bush track into the safari lodge, arriving in time for lunch. We’ll then check-in to our cabins, home for the next two nights.

This afternoon, the expert staff at Mount Borradaile will take you through 40,000 years of Aboriginal culture in an awe-inspiring landscape. The area contains some of the most stunning rock art galleries in the world. In terms of artistic quality, quantity, colourfulness, and state of preservation, it is virtually unrivalled.

The walls of the many rock shelters are decorated with innumerable pictures documenting traditional Aboriginal life over many thousands of years. Subjects range from now-extinct animals to 20th-century sailing ships and the iconic Rainbow Serpent.

Later this afternoon, we return to the lodge for dinner. Meals (B,L,D)

This morning, we continue travelling through Arnhem Land. Our first stop is at the Injalak Art Gallery located in Oenpelli, which has over 200 active members, including artists, weavers, and craftspeople from Gunbalanya and surrounds.

We cross Cahill’s Crossing (keep an eye out for saltwater crocodiles) and into World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park. Kakadu covers almost 20,000 square kilometres and is renowned for its vast wetlands, exotic wildlife, millions of migratory birds and an estimated 5000 ancient rock art sites. The Bininj/Mungguy people have called Kakadu home for some 65,000 years.

Here, we visit Ubirr art site, home to some outstanding rock art. Enjoy a 1-kilometre circular track walk to take in the multiple sites. Those feeling fit can make the steep 250-metre climb to the top of the rocky escarpment for magnificent views across the Magela floodplain.

After lunch, we visit the cultural centre before checking into the Mercure Crocodile Hotel for our two-night stay. Tonight, we dine at the hotel. Meals (B,L,D)

It’s an early start today as we head to the airstrip, where you’ll gain an aerial perspective on this incredible environment. Take to the skies on a 30-minute scenic flight over ancient escarpments, floodplains and winding rivers, exhibiting the results of 1.8 billion years of continuous erosion.

Setting our sights for Darwin, we will cross the South Alligator River with its expansive wetlands which, for many years, were used for buffalo hunting. We’ll travel via Humpty Doo before arriving into Darwin, .

Upon arrival into Darwin you will be transferred to the Hilton Garden Inn Darwin, where you can enjoy an evening at your leisure before your Ghan Expedition adventure begins the following day. Meals (B,L)

Your arrival into Alice Springs after breakfast provides you with time to explore this iconic town in the red heart of Australia on an Off Train Experience. There’s an experience to suit everyone, including an off-road e-bike adventure, the Alice Explorer tour that takes in the historic Telegraph Station and Royal Flying Doctor Service, a cultural experience at Standley Chasm, meeting the wildlife at the Desert Park or taking in the astounding beauty of Simpson’s Gap. Alternatively, spot Uluru and Kata Tjuta from the air, with an optional upgrade scenic flight. In the evening, dine under a blanket of stars at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. Meals (B,L,D)

This morning, you’ll see a dramatic change in landscape as the rich ochre tones of the outback make way for the green fields of South Australia. Enjoy a leisurely brunch as you pass through the Flinders Ranges before arriving into Adelaide, completing one of the world’s great rail experiences. Meals (B)