How much does it cost?

From £8,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $12,156 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager who accompanies the group throughout the entire 21 days, from London departure to return.

What meals are included?

Great Rail Journeys includes 16 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 4 dinners. Several evenings and some lunch periods are free or independent; breakfast is included on most days except two.

What standard of hotels will I stay in?

All accommodation is 4-star: the Pacific Hotel in Cairns, Desert Gardens Hotel at Uluru, Crowne Plaza Lasseters in Alice Springs, Hilton in Adelaide, The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins in Melbourne, and ParkRoyal Darling Harbour in Sydney.

When does this tour depart?

December 2027. This is the only published departure date for this tour.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Ultimate Australia at Christmas & New Year

21-day Australian loop from Cairns to Sydney via Uluru and Melbourne

Great Rail Journeys' Ultimate Australia at Christmas and New Year is a 21-day escorted tour that departs London in December 2027 and returns after New Year's Day. The journey begins in tropical Cairns, where travellers explore the Great Barrier Reef and ride the 125-year-old Kuranda Scenic Railway through rainforest. The route then moves inland to Uluru and Alice Springs, where guided tours reveal the Red Centre's desert landscape and Aboriginal culture, culminating in a Sounds of Silence gourmet dinner under the stars. The tour continues south to Adelaide for Christmas Eve wine tasting in the Barossa Valley and Christmas Day lunch at a coastal resort, then boards the Overland train to Melbourne for sightseeing and a full-day drive along the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles. The final leg travels by XPT First Class to Sydney, where New Year's Eve is celebrated at a revolving restaurant overlooking Sydney Harbour and its famous fireworks. Throughout, a UK Tour Manager handles logistics, accommodation is in 4-star hotels, and guided excursions include the Great Barrier Reef, Kata Tjuta, and city tours. This suits repeat rail travellers and couples who value guided comfort, included meals, and holiday-season celebrations.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £8,999 every time.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The group size reaches 40 passengers, so this is a large escorted tour rather than an intimate experience.
The single supplement is substantial: £11,699 versus approximately £9,000 for half the double room rate, a premium of roughly 30 percent.
Only 16 of 21 breakfast, lunch and dinner meals are included; several evenings and one lunch require independent arrangement or are optional.
This departure runs once, in December 2027; no alternative dates are listed.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Overnight flight
Overnight flight to Cairns via Singapore
Meet the Tour Manager and the rest of the group at London Heathrow before boarding an overnight flight to Singapore.
Day 2overnight: Cairns
Welcome to tropical Cairns
Land in Singapore, then connect to a flight to Cairns. Transfer to the hotel overlooking Trinity Wharf. Dinner is independent this evening.
Day 3overnight: Cairns
A free day in Cairns
A full day at leisure in Cairns, with options including the lagoon, Flecker Botanic Gardens or Cairns Aquarium. Welcome dinner at a waterfront restaurant in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4railovernight: Cairns
Kuranda and the Scenic Railway
Coach to Kuranda for an Army Duck ride and guided Dreamtime Walk with Pamagirri guides at Rainforestation Nature Park, followed by a barbecue lunch and the Kuranda Scenic Railway back to Cairns through the Barron River Gorge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5overnight: Cairns
Green Island & the Great Barrier Reef
Full-day catamaran excursion to the Great Barrier Reef, stopping at Green Island then a pontoon for a buffet lunch, underwater observatory viewing and a glass-bottomed boat tour.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6overnight: Uluru / Ayers Rock Resort
To the desert and sunset in Uluru
Direct flight from Cairns to Uluru, with a guided sightseeing tour around the base of the rock including the Mutitjulu waterhole and the Uluru Cultural Centre. Check in at the hotel, then experience sunset over Uluru with a glass of wine.
Day 7overnight: Uluru / Ayers Rock Resort
Uluru sunrise & Kata Tjuta
Sunrise visit to Uluru followed by breakfast, then a guided tour of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). This evening features a gourmet barbecue dinner in Kata Tjuta National Park with sparkling wine, canapés and a stargazing 'star talker' experience.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8overnight: Alice Springs
To Alice Springs, the heart of Australia's Red Centre
Coach through the outback to Alice Springs, stopping for lunch at a roadhouse and visiting James Range Camels. Check in to the hotel for two nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9overnight: Alice Springs
Touring 'the Alice' area
Visit Anzac Hill, the Old Telegraph Station, Alice Springs' School of the Air and the Royal Flying Doctor Base. Free evening to dine locally.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10overnight: Adelaide
Alice Springs to laid-back Adelaide
Early transfer to Alice Springs airport for a direct flight to Adelaide, with a city sightseeing and orientation tour en route. Check in to the downtown hotel for three nights, overlooking Victoria Square.
Day 11overnight: Adelaide
Christmas Eve in the Barossa Valley
Tour and wine tasting at Seppeltsfield Winery, followed by lunch with wine at Lambert Wines. Continue to Hahndorf, the oldest surviving German settlement in Australia, in the Adelaide Hills before returning to Adelaide.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12overnight: Adelaide
Christmas Day in Adelaide
Free time in the morning, then a beachside buffet-style festive Christmas lunch at a hotel in Glenelg with coastal views. Light dinner in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13railovernight: Melbourne
Overland to Melbourne on Boxing Day
Board the Overland train east to Melbourne, with breakfast and lunch served on board while passing Victorian farmland. Check in to a central Melbourne hotel for three nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 14overnight: Melbourne
Culture and sport in Melbourne
Sightseeing tour past the Old Treasury Building, Parliament House and the MCG, followed by a Yarra River sightseeing cruise and a visit to the Melbourne Skydeck.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15overnight: Melbourne
A day trip along the Great Ocean Road
Coach excursion along the Great Ocean Road via Geelong, Lorne and Apollo Bay for lunch, through the Great Otway National Park and along Shipwreck Coast to the Twelve Apostles.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 16railovernight: Sydney
To Sydney by rail
Full-day XPT rail journey in First Class from Melbourne to Sydney, passing farmland and towns such as Wagga Wagga. Transfer to the hotel in Darling Harbour on arrival.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 17overnight: Sydney
Getting to know Sydney
Sightseeing tour through The Rocks and Mrs Macquarie's Chair, then a visit to Bondi Beach with an independent lunch, followed by a Sydney sightseeing cruise.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 18overnight: Sydney
New Year's Eve buffet dinner with views of Sydney's fireworks
Free day in Sydney before a New Year's Eve celebration at a revolving restaurant, with a buffet dinner of over 55 dishes, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, and views of the Sydney fireworks.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 19overnight: Sydney
New Year's Day at leisure in Sydney
A free day to explore Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Royal Botanic Gardens, or take a ferry to Manly or Watson's Bay.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 20overnight: Overnight flight
Starting our journey home
Check out with luggage storage available, with free time in Sydney including the Chinese Garden of Friendship and Darling Harbour, before transferring to Sydney Airport for the overnight flight home via Singapore.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 21
Homeward bound
Touch down at London Heathrow this evening, concluding the tour.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 4Day 4: the Kuranda Scenic Railway travels through tropical rainforest and the Barron River Gorge back to Cairns after a Dreamtime Walk with Pamagirri guides at Rainforestation Nature Park.
Day 5Day 5: full-day Great Barrier Reef excursion by catamaran to Green Island and the Outer Reef activity platform, with snorkelling and glass-bottom boat viewing.
Day 7Day 7: Sounds of Silence gourmet barbecue dinner in Kata Tjuta National Park with wine and a star talker discussing planets and galaxies.
Day 12Day 12: Christmas Day buffet lunch at a beachside hotel in Glenelg with views over South Australian coast.
Day 18Day 18: New Year's Eve buffet dinner at a revolving restaurant in Sydney with views of the city's fireworks, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
18 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
First & Standard Class rail travel; all rail, cruise, ferry and coach travel throughout
Flights from London Heathrow to Cairns, Sydney to London Heathrow (usually departing early morning); all internal flights
16 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 4 dinners
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £8,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $12,156 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager who accompanies the group throughout the entire 21 days, from London departure to return.
What meals are included?: Great Rail Journeys includes 16 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 4 dinners. Several evenings and some lunch periods are free or independent; breakfast is included on most days except two.
What standard of hotels will I stay in?: All accommodation is 4-star: the Pacific Hotel in Cairns, Desert Gardens Hotel at Uluru, Crowne Plaza Lasseters in Alice Springs, Hilton in Adelaide, The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins in Melbourne, and ParkRoyal Darling Harbour in Sydney.
When does this tour depart?: December 2027. This is the only published departure date for this tour.