How much does it cost?

From A$14,995 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $10,755 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is it escorted or independent?

It is an escorted small-group tour with a Tour Director throughout, plus Indigenous guides for cultural activities.

What accommodation is used?

Hilton Garden Inn Darwin, Barramundi Lodge in Maningrida, Mount Borradaile, and the Mercure Crocodile Hotel in Kakadu, before returning to Darwin to board The Ghan Expedition.

What is not included?

Dinner on day 8 is not included; scenic helicopter and flight upgrades at Nitmiluk Gorge, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and the Painted Hills and Lake Eyre are optional extras.

When does this tour depart?

3 departures are listed, in May and September 2026, with twin-share pricing from A$18,865.

Journey Beyond Rail · Escorted small-group tour

Arnhem Land with Kakadu 2026

12-day small-group Arnhem Land and Kakadu tour plus The Ghan

Outback Spirit and Journey Beyond Rail combine on this 12-day trip through Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. A Tour Director leads a small group by 4WD Mercedes-Benz vehicle and light aircraft across 8 days, from a Darwin city tour and a flight to Barramundi Lodge, to rock art galleries at Mount Borradaile and a crossing of Cahill's Crossing into Kakadu, where the Ubirr site is reached by a walking track with an escarpment climb. A Yellow Water wetlands cruise and a scenic flight over Kakadu's escarpments follow before the tour returns to Darwin. On day 9, travelers board The Ghan Expedition for a 3-night journey to Adelaide, with Off Train Experiences in Katherine, Alice Springs, and Coober Pedy. This suits history-minded and photography-minded travelers who want close access to Arnhem Land and Kakadu's rock art and wetlands, and who are comfortable with some walking and climbing, finished off by a hosted rail crossing.

What to know before you look closer

Only the final 3 nights of this 12-night trip are aboard The Ghan Expedition; the first 8 nights are small-group touring by 4WD and light aircraft with Outback Spirit, not the train.
Dinner on day 8, the day of the return flight from Kakadu to Darwin, is not included.
Scenic helicopter and aircraft upgrades at Nitmiluk Gorge, over Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and over the Painted Hills and Lake Eyre all cost extra.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Hilton Garden Inn Darwin
Darwin
Met by Tour Director at accommodation, then a tour of the city including the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Cullen Bay and Stokes Hill Wharf.
Day 2overnight: Barramundi Lodge
Darwin to Maningrida and Barramundi Lodge
Small aircraft flight to Maningrida with a Welcome to Country on arrival, then check-in to Barramundi Lodge for two nights.
Day 3overnight: Barramundi Lodge
Maningrida Fishing, Wilderness Adventure - Arts and Cultural Centre
Exclusive fishing and wilderness adventure on the Liverpool and Tomkinson Rivers aboard Ocean Master vessels, then a visit to the Maningrida Arts and Cultural Centre and the Djomi Museum.
Day 4overnight: Mount Borradaile
Maningrida to Mount Borradaile
Travel through the stone country of west Arnhem Land, crossing the Goomadeer and Liverpool Rivers to Davidson's Arnhemland Safari Lodge at Mount Borradaile, checking in for two nights and touring rock art galleries.
Day 5overnight: Mount Borradaile
Mount Borradaile
Open-back 4WD exploration of rock art sites and occupation sites, then an afternoon on the Cooper Creek wetlands spotting crocodiles and birdlife.
Day 6overnight: Mercure Crocodile Hotel
Arnhem Land to Kakadu National Park
Visit the Injalak Art Gallery in Oenpelli, cross Cahill's Crossing into Kakadu National Park, and visit the Ubirr rock art site with its circular walking track and escarpment climb, then check in to the Mercure Crocodile Hotel.
Day 7overnight: Mercure Crocodile Hotel
Kakadu National Park
Yellow Water (Ngurrungurrudjba) wetlands cruise, then a visit to the Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) rock art site with its galleries and Gunwarddehwarde lookout.
Day 8overnight: Hilton Garden Inn Darwin
Kakadu National Park to Darwin
30-minute scenic flight over Kakadu's ancient escarpments, floodplains and rivers, then travel via the South Alligator River and Humpty Doo back to Darwin, ending the 8-day Arnhem Land and Kakadu Explorer portion.
Day 9railovernight: The Ghan Expedition
Board The Ghan Expedition in Darwin
Coach transfer to Darwin Rail Terminal to board The Ghan. Off Train Experience in Katherine with options including a Nitmiluk Gorge cruise, the Katherine Outback Experience, Cutta Cutta Caves, or an optional upgrade helicopter flight over Nitmiluk.
Day 10railovernight: The Ghan Expedition
The Ghan Expedition, Alice Springs
Off Train Experience in Alice Springs with options including an e-bike adventure, the Alice Explorer tour, Standley Chasm, Desert Park, or Simpson's Gap, plus an optional upgrade scenic flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Evening dinner under the stars at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station.
Day 11overnight: The Ghan Expedition
The Ghan Expedition, Coober Pedy
Stop at Manguri, then a day in the underground opal-mining township of Coober Pedy, including an underground gourmet lunch and options such as the Breakaways, town tours, the Opal Experience, or an optional upgrade Painted Hills and Lake Eyre scenic flight.
Day 12rail
The Ghan Expedition, Adelaide
Brunch aboard the train while passing through the Flinders Ranges before arriving into Adelaide, completing the journey.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3An exclusive fishing and wilderness adventure on the Liverpool and Tomkinson Rivers aboard Ocean Master vessels, followed by a visit to the Maningrida Arts and Cultural Centre.
Day 6Crossing Cahill's Crossing into Kakadu National Park to visit the Ubirr rock art site, including its circular walking track and escarpment climb.
Day 7A Yellow Water wetlands cruise, followed by the Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) rock art site and its Gunwarddehwarde lookout.
Day 9Board The Ghan Expedition in Darwin, with an Off Train Experience in Katherine that can include a Nitmiluk Gorge cruise.
Day 11A day in the underground opal-mining township of Coober Pedy, including an underground gourmet lunch.

Included

1 night's accommodation in Darwin including breakfast
8 days of small-group touring with Outback Spirit in a 4WD Mercedes-Benz vehicle, including hotel, lodge and safari camp accommodation
Meals with beverages, all attractions, permit fees to enter Aboriginal land, and guided touring during the Outback Spirit portion
Transfer from hotel to Darwin Rail Terminal
3 nights on The Ghan Expedition, Darwin to Adelaide, including all meals, beverages and Off Train Experiences in Katherine, Alice Springs and Coober Pedy
11 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners in total

Not included

Dinner on Day 8 (Kakadu National Park to Darwin)

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From A$14,995 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $10,755 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes, for the final 3 nights: The Ghan Expedition from Darwin to Adelaide, with Off Train Experiences in Katherine, Alice Springs, and Coober Pedy. The first 8 days are 4WD and light-aircraft touring with Outback Spirit, not rail.
Is it escorted or independent?: It is an escorted small-group tour with a Tour Director throughout, plus Indigenous guides for cultural activities.
What accommodation is used?: Hilton Garden Inn Darwin, Barramundi Lodge in Maningrida, Mount Borradaile, and the Mercure Crocodile Hotel in Kakadu, before returning to Darwin to board The Ghan Expedition.
What is not included?: Dinner on day 8 is not included; scenic helicopter and flight upgrades at Nitmiluk Gorge, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and the Painted Hills and Lake Eyre are optional extras.
When does this tour depart?: 3 departures are listed, in May and September 2026, with twin-share pricing from A$18,865.