Is rail travel included in the price?

Yes. The package includes First and Standard Class rail travel on three named trains: the Kuranda Scenic Railway, the Overland from Adelaide to Melbourne, and the NSW Trainlink XPT from Melbourne to Sydney. International flights from London Heathrow to Cairns and Sydney to London Heathrow, plus all internal flights, are also included.

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.

The from-price is £8,999 (approximately USD 12,018). The single supplement is £11,699.

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.

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: In flight
Overnight flight to Cairns via Singapore
Your Australian holiday begins at London Heathrow where you meet the Tour Manager and the rest of the travelling group before boarding the overnight flight to Singapore.
Day 2overnight: Cairns
Welcome to tropical Cairns
Landing in Singapore, after transit time you join the flight to Cairns in Tropical North Queensland. Transferred to the hotel overlooking Trinity Wharf. Free to relax or explore the Esplanade boardwalk. Dinner is independent this evening.
Day 3overnight: Cairns
A free day in Cairns
Full day at leisure to explore Cairns. Options include the lagoon, waterfront promenade, hotel pool, Flecker Botanic Gardens or Cairns Aquarium. Welcome dinner at a waterfront restaurant this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4railovernight: Cairns
Kuranda and the Scenic Railway
Coach to Kuranda for the Rainforestation Nature Park, including an 'Army Duck' amphibious vehicle ride and a Dreamtime Walk with Pamagirri guides. Barbecue lunch, then time in Kuranda village craft market before the Kuranda Scenic Railway journey through rainforest and Barron River Gorge back to Cairns. Free evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5overnight: Cairns
Green Island & the Great Barrier Reef
Full-day excursion to the Great Barrier Reef by air-conditioned catamaran. Two hours at Green Island coral cay, then three hours on the Outer Great Barrier Reef activity platform with buffet lunch, underwater observatory, glass-bottom boat and snorkelling. Free evening; optional Cairns Night Market.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6overnight: Uluru
To the desert and sunset in Uluru
Early flight from Cairns to Uluru. Local guide tour around the base of the rock including Mutitjulu waterhole and Uluru Cultural Centre. Check in to hotel, relax, then sunset over Uluru with wine.
Day 7overnight: Uluru
Uluru sunrise & Kata Tjuta
Early start for Uluru sunrise, then leisurely breakfast. Guided tour of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) National Park. Afternoon at leisure. Evening: Sounds of Silence gourmet barbecue dinner in Kata Tjuta National Park with sparkling wines, canapés, bush-inspired menu and stargazing with a 'star talker'.
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 farm. Check in to hotel for two nights. Independent dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9overnight: Alice Springs
Touring 'the Alice' area
Visits to 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 flight from Alice Springs to Adelaide. City sightseeing and orientation tour en route to the downtown hotel. Free afternoon to explore Botanic Garden, South Australian Museum or Central Market. Three nights in Adelaide.
Day 11overnight: Adelaide
Christmas Eve in the Barossa Valley
Tour and wine tasting at Seppeltsfield Winery, then lunch with wine at Lambert Wines. Visit to Hahndorf, the oldest surviving German settlement in Australia, in the Adelaide Hills. Free evening for dinner in Adelaide.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12overnight: Adelaide
Christmas Day in Adelaide
Free morning walk, then Christmas buffet lunch at a beachside hotel in Glenelg with views over the coast. Return to hotel for relaxation and a light dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13railovernight: Melbourne
Overland to Melbourne on Boxing Day
Early start to board the Overland train to Melbourne. Breakfast and lunch served on board. Arrive Melbourne evening; short walk to central hotel. Free evening to dine independently.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14overnight: Melbourne
Culture and sport in Melbourne
Morning sightseeing tour of Melbourne including Old Treasury Building, Parliament House, Exhibition Building, Melbourne Cricket Ground and Melbourne Tennis Centre. Riverboat cruise along the Yarra River and visit to Melbourne Skydeck. Afternoon at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15overnight: Melbourne
A day trip along the Great Ocean Road
Excursion along the Great Ocean Road past Geelong, Anglesey, Lorne, Apollo Bay (lunch stop), Great Otway National Park and Shipwreck Coast including the Twelve Apostles. Return to Melbourne for a free last evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 16railovernight: Sydney
To Sydney by rail
Full day's journey on the XPT in First Class from Southern Cross Station, Melbourne to Sydney, passing open plains, bush, farmland and towns including Wagga Wagga. Arrive Sydney early evening; transfer to hotel in Darling Harbour.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 17overnight: Sydney
Getting to know Sydney
Sightseeing tour of the Historical Rocks area and Mrs Macquarie's Chair with views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Visit to Bondi Beach with free independent lunch. Sydney sightseeing harbour cruise. Free evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 18overnight: Sydney
New Year's Eve buffet dinner with views of Sydney's fireworks
Free day to explore Sydney. Evening: New Year's Eve celebration at a revolving restaurant with buffet dinner of over 55 dishes, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, and views of Sydney's fireworks.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 19overnight: Sydney
New Year's Day at leisure in Sydney
Free day in Sydney. Options include Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, ferry to Manly or Watson's Bay.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 20overnight: In flight
Starting our journey home
Check out of hotel; luggage stored while you enjoy the day. Options include Chinese Garden of Friendship, shopping centres or lunch in Darling Harbour. Transfer to Sydney Airport for overnight flight home via Singapore.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 21
Homeward bound
Arrive 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 the tour
Flights from London Heathrow to Cairns and Sydney to London Heathrow
All internal flights
16 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 4 dinners
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

Is rail travel included in the price?: Yes. The package includes First and Standard Class rail travel on three named trains: the Kuranda Scenic Railway, the Overland from Adelaide to Melbourne, and the NSW Trainlink XPT from Melbourne to Sydney. International flights from London Heathrow to Cairns and Sydney to London Heathrow, plus all internal flights, are also included.
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.
What is the price?: The from-price is £8,999 (approximately USD 12,018). The single supplement is £11,699.

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