Elite Traveler Winter 2021

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This image The Ghan is named after Afghan cameleers who traveled the same route as the train

The ultimate territory tour

Australia’s vast interior is practically impossible to see in one trip, but The Ghan is as good as it gets. Named after the Afghan cameleers who traveled the same route, it is one of the world’s greatest (in every sense of the word) train journeys. The famous train traverses from North to South through never-ending expanses and out-of-this-world scenery. The classic Ghan route is between Adelaide and Darwin and takes three days, but for a longer excursion, the 14-day Ultimate Territory Tour is the one to book. DAY 1-3 Board The Ghan in Adelaide and head towards Alice Springs, a historic town in the heart of the Outback. Spend your first night on board The Ghan before arriving in Alice Springs for a tour that includes the

didgeridoo. A resident expert will decode the infinite Southern night sky for you while you dine on a delectable bush-tucker inspired dinner. You’ll spend two nights at Sails in the Desert, an apparent mirage in the desert with billowing white sails. On day six, be sure to wake up early — see the sunrise over Uluru and watch the colors of nature paint the landscape; it seems to glow. Later on, learn about Anangu culture on a guided tour and admire rock formations. DAY 7-10 Head back to Alice Springs (with a stop at Mount Conner, a flat-topped monolith estimated to be 500 million years old) to explore at your own pace — visit the botanical gardens, have a pint at Alice Springs Brewing Co, or take to the skies in a hot air balloon.

1,995-ft Anzac Hill. Spend the night in Alice Springs, then travel the Mereenie Loop through the immense Western MacDonnell Ranges (or West Macs, as the locals say). Visit Standley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge before arriving at Kings Canyon, your abode for the next two nights. DAY 4-6 Explore the majestic Kings Canyon, which is some 400 million years old, with a choice of walks (the four-mile rim walk has the most spellbinding views of Watarrka National Park). Venture through Kings Creek Station before arriving at Uluru (Ayers Rock), a massive sandstone monolith that is sacred to indigenous Australians. Dine beneath the stars with a chilled glass of wine while listening to the sounds of a

Photos STRINGER Image / Shutterstock.com, Benny Marty / Shutterstock.com, Shutterstock.com

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