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Riding the Rails : The Indian Pacific and The Ghan
Days 7 and 8
Adelaide
the Simpson Desert and finally passes through the MacDonnell ranges, a 250 mile long rolling backbone of fire red quartzite rocks and one of the oldest landscapes in the world, before easing into `The Alice' just over 24 hours later.
The most elegant of all Australian towns, Adelaide's core square mile of gridded streets is surrounded by swathes of green. Shops, offices and civic buildings are right in the middle, and frilly lace bandstands, a botanic garden, a racecourse, parrots, possums and the city's most sacred site, the Oval cricket grounds, in the emerald necklace of parks beyond. In addition to visits to the city's excellent museums you might want to wind down your rail adventure with a 20min rattle and roll on the wooden vintage tram from Queen Victoria Square to the time warp seaside resort of Glenelg. You'll have two nights in the city, staying at the Rendezvous Allegra, which is bull's eye central, a walk away from the excellent museums, the National Wine Centre and the mouthwatering Central Food Market. You could take a half-day private tour to get your bearings (£75) and perhaps spend the second day on a fullday guided wine tour of the Barossa Valley (£160). Or, if nature is more your calling, hop over to Kangaroo Island by plane and be met and guided by a wildlife expert (£292 - see page 39 for a fuller description of KI).
Details and prices
Your accommodation · 3 nights in Perth at the Duxton · 1 night in Margaret River at Moondance Lodge* · 2 nights on the Indian Pacific** · 2 nights in Adelaide at Rendezvous Allegra · 1 night on The Ghan** · 1 night in Alice Springs at the Alice Springs resort · 1 night in Kings Canyon at Kings Canyon Resort · 1 night in Uluru at Sails in the Desert · 3 nights in Sydney at the Hilton
* includes breakfast **includes all meals
Days 10, 11 and 12
The Red Centre
You'll be met at the station by Alice Springs Holidays, a local company specialising in small group tours of the Red Centre. Specific attractions, in addition to the world famous natural icons of Uluru and Kings Canyon, will include the Wallace Rockhole Aboriginal community, the Gosse Bluff crater created by a comet, and the Mereenie Wilderness Area. Your nights will be spent at the Alice Springs Resort, Kings Canyon Resort and Sails in the Desert at Ayers Rock.
Days 13, 14 and 15
Sydney
Ayers Rock
Alice Springs
From natural to urban wonders in one jump. Sydney is everything you have heard and more. The city is remarkably easy to explore on your own, on foot, by tourist Explorer Bus and by ferry across the harbour to places like Watson's Bay, the seaside of Manly, or the shops, museums and restaurants of Darling
Perth
v
Adelaide
Sydney
Day 9
The Ghan
Harbour. If you would prefer to have an introductory half-day tour we can easily arrange one (£75). On your last day we would also suggest a full day `eco-tour' of the Blue Mountains (£106). You'll be staying at the superbly renovated Hilton.
All aboard The Ghan. Named after the turbaned and robed Afghan `cameleers' who, before roads or rail, provided the only supply link to the middle of nowhere, trading their wares from the humps of their dromedaries, The Ghan first opened in 1929. After crossing the market gardens of North Adelaide, followed by the great wheatbelt of South Australia, the track cuts through the Flinders range of mountains, crosses the terrifying nothingness of
What's included Accommodation as above, all transfers, train travel in `Gold Kangaroo' sleeper class on the IP and The Ghan (in an ensuite cabin), internal flight from Ayers Rock to Sydney, and small group touring to Margaret River and in the Red Centre. Day tours are optional at guideline prices shown. When to go mid October to mid April.
Day 16 Transfer to the airport for your onward flight. Alternatively you might want to end your Australia holiday with some R&R on one of Queensland's islands... see page 92 for your options.
Guideline price per person, based on two sharing Year round
from £2455
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