Darwin Cup 2025

Itinerary

DAY 1 – ARRIVE DARWIN

• You’ve arrived in Darwin – it’s yours to explore. Spend the day at your leisure before checking in to your accommodation.
• OVERNIGHT: 3 nights Hilton Garden Inn for Gold or Gold Premium guests.
• OVERNIGHT: 3 nights Hilton Darwin for Platinum guests.

DAY 2 – DARWIN CUP CARIVAL DAY

• Today you’re off to one of the biggest social and sporting events in the Northern Territory – the Darwin Cup!
• As part of your entry to the Leger Marquee you’ll have reserved table seating and a deluxe buffet luncheon. Included in entry is a selection of fresh seafood, a 6-hour beverage package with selected beers, premium wines, soft drinks, basic spirits and entertainment.
• Upon conclusion of the days race events, you will have the choice of returning to your hotel with the included coach transfer or staying on to enjoy the after-race entertainment and festivities – a day you’re sure to remember! (B,L)

DAY 3 – DARWIN HARBOUR LUNCH CRUISE

• Stroll around Darwin today, taking in the fascinating history of the northern capital at your own pace. Take a walk through the Botanic Gardens or visit the Chinese Temple and don’t forget a visit to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
• A late morning transfer from your hotel will take you to the departure point of your harbour cruise. See, taste and embrace the Top End lifestyle as you cruise the magnificent waters of Darwin Harbour. Sit back and relax on board the Charles Darwin in air-conditioned comfort, as you learn more about the Top End with on board commentary provided. Lunch is a Territorian style grazing platter, featuring local produce - beverages are available to purchase onboard.
• The evening is at your leisure. Perhaps explore the Darwin waterfront and its top-notch restaurants, taking in the relaxed pace of life in the north. (B,L)

DAY 4 – BOARD THE GHAN EXPEDITION IN DARWIN

• Today your adventure through Australia’s Red Centre. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in the morning, and before you know it, you’ll be settled into the comforts of The Ghan. Relax in your cabin or mingle with fellow travellers in the Loung before lunch is served on board. In the afternoon you’ll arrive in Katherine, the location of your first Off Train Experience. Katherine is a region renowned for jaw-dropping natural assets and boasts one of the Top End’s best – the incredible Nitmiluk Gorge. Here you’ll cruise through the Gorge, getting up close to its natural beauty.
• Alternatively, the Katherine Outback Experience lets you into the lives of those who call the outback home, while the Cutta Cutta Cave system is home to a variety of native wildlife and is rich in Indigenous culture and modern European history. Or take it all in from the air, with an optional upgrade helicopter flight over Nitmiluk. (B,L,D)
• OVERNIGHT: 3 nights The Ghan Expedition

DAY 5 – THE GHAN EXPEDITION, ALICE SPRINGS

• Your arrival into Alice Springs after breakfast provides you with time to explore this iconic town in the heart of Australia. There are several Off Train Experienced to choose from 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, the hallmark experience of The Ghan Expedition begins. Dine under a blanket of stars at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, with red earth at your feet and white tablecloths at your fingertips. This will be a night to remember. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 – THE GHAN EXPEDITION, COOBER PEDY

• From your morning stop at Manguri, you’ll venture into the weird and wonderful opal mining township of Coober Pedy, where more than half of the residents live underground. Here, you’ll enjoy a day of discovery, and a gourmet lunch in the most unique of locations: underground. Off Train Experiences on offer include exploring the majestic Breakaways, touring the town, learning more about mining history on the Opal Experience, or an optional upgrade with the Painted Hills and Lake Eyre scenic flight.
• Dinner is served back on the train, where you can enjoy a nightcap as your journey continues. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 – THE GHAN EXPEDITION, ADELAIDE

• 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 in Adelaide, completing one of the world’s great rail experiences.
• Your journey comes to an end here, leaving you with memories of awe-inspiring landscapes and unique outback experiences that will last a lifetime. (B)