South Australia Outback & Indian Pacific Rail Adventure

South Australia Outback & Indian Pacific Rail Adventure | Itinerary

• Two Nights: Adelaide – HotelMOTEL Adelaide

  Fly into Adelaide and check into your classic motel at the heart of South Terrace Precinct for two nights in a King Bed Room. Get out and experience the city’s attractions – from getting up close to the animals at Adelaide Zoo and indulging in a spot of retail therapy at Rundle Mall and Adelaide Arcade to witnessing 360-degree coast and skyline vistas on the Adelaide Oval Roof Climb. Evenings bring Old Adelaide Gaol’s lantern-lit ghost tours, neon-lit, pop-culture themed golf at Holey Moley Golf Club, and rooftop views and sunset cocktails at Peel Street and Leigh Street’s hidden bars.

• Seven–Night Tour: South Australian Outback Adventure with AAT Kings

  Embark on an Outback adventure and explore ancient landscapes, fly over Lake Eyre, experience underground living, and the vast salt lakes of South Australia's outback. Immerse yourself in this Flinders Ranges tour and visit Wilpena Pound and Arkaroola, where nature showcases unique flora and fauna. Explore the Milky Way at an International Dark Sky Sanctuary and enjoy a 4WD tour through dramatic geological landscapes. Visit a ghost town and follow the old Ghan Railway corridor across the Oodnadatta Track. Fly high above Lake Eyre and explore the mines and underground houses of Coober Pedy. This eight-day fully guided South Australia Outback tour packs a punch!

• Day One: Welcome to Adelaide – HotelMOTEL Adelaide

  The South Australian capital often flies under the radar - locals are happy keeping the buzzing dining precincts, glorious gardens, and on-your-doorstep wineries to themselves! But the secret is well and truly out, and over the course of the afternoon you'll see how diverse Adelaide really is. After a welcome drink, you'll embark on an Adelaide tour, covering every interest base: sports (Adelaide Oval), horticulture (the Botanic Garden), culture (the Art Gallery of South Australia), and food (Adelaide Central Market). Tonight, why not wander up to the foodie hub of the West End?

• Day Two: Adelaide to Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park – Wilpena Pound Resort

  Travel 1.5 hours north to Clare Valley and one of Australia’s most awarded wineries. Knappstein Enterprise Winery dates back to 1878 and makes a tasty drop to sample at the cellar door in the Clare Valley’s central town. Ease into the wide-open, otherworldly spaces of the Flinders Ranges – your short coach commute reveals Martian-like landscapes, 800 million years in the making. Your base for the night is owned by the Adnyamathanha people and their community. Your stay supports local employment, training, and economic development as part of this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.

• Day Three – Wilpena Pound to Arkaroola – Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary

  Wangara Lookout reveals Flinders Ranges’ cliffs, craters, red rocks, and Wilpena Pound, before the journey carves north through dramatic gorges – perfect for catching sight of endangered yellow-footed rock wallabies who call this area home. You’ll understand why they choose the South Australian outback as you arrive in Arkaroola; with its ancient granite mountains and golden spinifex-covered hillsides affording views of Lake Frome and the desert. But the real stars are overhead – an astronomy tour brings the night sky into focus and prepare to be humbled - a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.

• Day Four – Arkaroola to Marree – Marree Hotel

  Your local guide will decode Arkaroola’s geological history as you take Ridgetop Track’s steep slopes and hair-raising ascents to see unique plants and vast gorges. A patina follows your journey to the Ochre Pits outside Lyndhurst, where an artist’s fiery hues paints the countryside to the horizon. It’s as sacred as it is spectacular, with the Aboriginal community having used the rich clay soil in ceremonies for centuries. Learn why this part of Australia led the 1800s settlers to nearby Farina – and why they departed - leaving behind a ghost town on Marree’s outskirts, where you’ll lay your head tonight.

• Day Five – Marree to Coober Pedy – Desert Cage Hotel

  Much of South Australia’s outback owes its existence to the Ghan Railway from Adelaide to Darwin. Your journey along the Oodnadatta Track reveals layers of history and views of the spectacular Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre - Australia’s largest inland lake. You’ll witness its grandeur from above during a scenic flight which also passes over the Anna Creek Painted Hills; before touching down to explore otherworldly terrain. Continue to the quirky, opal-mining town Coober Pedy for the next two nights which promises a fascinating blend of adventure, eccentricity, and subterranean discovery.

• Day Six – Coober Pedy Sightseeing

  Most of Coober Pedy’s attractions are subterranean due to the above-ground heat. Go fossicking for opals in mines and look further afield to the Aboriginal-owned and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park and the 5,300km Dog Fence barrier set against a moonscape of fossilised shells and cracked grey clay. The afternoon leads to thumping balls around the Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club’s dirt and sand putting green; before the region’s history comes alive on a journey along SA’s Explorer’s Way at Big Winch 360º, a ‘circlevision’ cinematic experience.

• Day Seven – Coober Pedy to Port Augusta – Majestic Oasis Apartments

  When it comes to dramatic landscapes, the best is yet to come at Lake Hart; a vast saltpan that sparked a community in the 1930s. Today, it’s all but deserted but the vastness of the South Australian outback was no doubt one of the reasons why it – specifically Woomera – became the world’s largest military land base. Established by the British in 1947, the countryside has been a testing base for atomic bombs, ballistic missiles, and satellite boosters. It’s a little-known piece of Australian history to appreciate as you head toward your evening’s rest in the natural harbour of Port Augusta.

• Day Eight – Port Augusta to The Barossa to Depart Adelaide

  The Barossa needs no introduction – your journey today will take in one of Australia’s oldest wine regions, and local makers know a thing or two about creating memorable vintages. Lambert Estate reveals some of the finest regional drops, and your lunchtime tipples are complemented by glorious views over the vines. Cheers to that! You’ll arrive in plenty of time for your Adelaide flight, your heart, mind, and spirit filled with the natural and human wonders of South Australia.

• Three Days - Indian Pacific - Adelaide to Perth

  Indian Pacific - Adelaide to Perth

• Day One: Adelaide

  Celebrate the start of your journey with the ‘Flavours of South Australia Welcome Dinner’, held at the Adelaide Parklands Terminal. A showcase of fabulous food and world-class wine, this complimentary pre-boarding event delivers the best bottles from around South Australia and sublime regional offerings from both land and sea. Note: The ‘Flavours of South Australia Dinner’ is occasionally held offsite at other restaurants. Guests will be notified in advance if there is a change in the dinner venue.

• Day Two: Nullarbor Plain

  Today centres on the unforgettable Nullarbor Plain and a journey across this legendary expanse on the world’s longest stretch of straight railway track. Enroute the train pauses at Cook – a once bustling railway town, now a near-ghost outpost with weathered buildings. By evening, you’ll reach Rawlinna, on the edge of Australia’s largest sheep station. Here, the outback comes alive as you dine under a canopy of stars at a spectacular long-table dinner (Sept–May). Cooler months lead to gathering around a roaring bonfire with drinks and canapés to soak up the remarkable atmosphere and setting.

• Day Three: Perth

  Wake to the soft light over Western Australia’s Avon Valley; its rolling green hills a fitting finale to your Indian Pacific adventure. Savour a leisurely brunch on board as the train makes its final approach into Perth. Soon, you’ll step off the Indian Pacific.

• Three Nights – Tribe Perth Kings Park – Perth

  Check into a Tribe Standard Room at this design-led boutique hotel; minutes from Perth’s CBD, West Perth, and Subiaco. Why not head to Cottesloe Beach or escape to tranquil Kings Park and Botanic Garden? Encounter animals from kangaroos to platypus at Perth Zoo or explore the world of planes at Aviation Heritage Museum. Get a culture fix at Art Gallery of Australia and Western Australia, delve into convict life through Fremantle Prison’s interactive exhibits, or experience cityscapes from The Bell Tower. Or go surfing on the long, rolling barrels or observe the resident quokkas at Rottnest Island.

• Day Eighteen – Fly Back to the UK

  Fly back to London Heathrow via Doha with many happy memories to look back on of your South Australia Outback and Indian Pacific Rail Adventure