9 Day Great Southern Rail Discovery
This tour is categorised as 1 out of 5
Explore at your own pace: Discover your destination at your own pace with our self-guided itinerary. Options include driving, rail, or cruising (excluding expeditions). Enjoy included guided day trips for sightseeing as outlined in your itinerary.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
On these packages you will travel from city to city on your own, exploring at your own pace. We have arranged transportation in most cases and day tours for you to see the destination. Enjoy the time and flexibility to linger longer or pick up the pace and see as much as possible. The choice is yours.
Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognised and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and wellbeing of our guests is our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.
We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.
Australian owned and operated with 100% Australian Customer Service support
We are proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, with our head office located in Melbourne, Victoria. When you make your booking, you will receive dedicated and ongoing support from our team of travel professionals throughout your booking, up until you are due to depart.
✓ Incredible sightseeing, travel on the Great Southern through rugged wilderness and spectacular coastline, taste your way through the Barossa Valley, discover the nation’s capital, and venture into the rainforest in Lamington National Park
✓ 2 nights on board the Great Southern train in a Gold Twin cabin (upgrades available). All-inclusive meals, fine wines and beverages. A regionally-inspired menu paired with a selection of local wines
✓ 6 nights accommodation in centrally located 4-star hotels
✓ 13 meals throughout, including 8 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches & 2 Dinners
✓ Included off-train experiences in The Grampians, Canberra and Coffs Harbour
✓ Small group tasting tour of the Barossa Valley including wine tastings and lunch
✓ Discover the beauty of Lamington National Park and Tamborine Mountain on a guided tour
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Adelaide! On arrival, make your way to your centrally located hotel and enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
Check in & arrival information.
A taxi or Uber from Adelaide airport to your hotel is approximately $25 per car. Hotel check in is at 2pm. Should you arrive earlier than this, hotel staff will do all possible to check you in as soon as possible. If your room is not available before check-in time, you are welcome to leave your luggage in storage and explore the surrounding area.
We start the day at a relaxing 9am picking you up at your accommodation. Our first winery is the historic Château Yaldara, this is one of the most photographed buildings in South Australia and no trip to the Barossa Valley is complete without getting a photo in front of this iconic building.
Our trip continues with a cruise through some of the most picturesque scenery in the Barossa Valley. We cross the world-famous Jacobs Creek as we head toward the heart of the Barossa Valley, the beautiful and historic township of Tanunda. We have time to wander up the main street and visit some local shops and points of interest, a perfect place to find a souvenir or a coffee.
Lunch is a regional highlight. While we enjoy some of the Barossa’s most internationally acclaimed wines at the beautiful Peter Lehmann winery a platter of the best meats, cheeses, olives, assorted vegetables and freshly baked bread the Barossa Valley has to offer is brought to your table.
Stopping to take in the breath-taking panoramic views of the Barossa from Mengler’s Hill Lookout, we head onwards to our next wine-tasting experience at Lambert Estate Wines. Nestled on top of the Barossa Ranges, this family owned winery showcases a unique range of wines while taking in spectacular views.
We then head to our final destination, Wolf Blass Wines. From humble beginnings Wolfgang Blass has created one of the world’s most iconic wine brands. We enjoy sampling some of his extensive award winning wines with time to explore the state of the art cellar door.
Today is yours at leisure to enjoy all that Adelaide has to offer. Alternatively, you may wish to visit Kangaroo Island.
See the highlights of South Australia’s premier nature-based tourism destination, Kangaroo Island. From Remarkable Rocks to playful fur seals, your guides will take you to the Kangaroo Island’s natural highlights.
Take a guided walk on the beach among a colony of rare and wild Australian sea lions with a National Parks Ranger at Seal Bay Conservation Park. Get up close and see these wild creatures frolic and laze about – a truly amazing and unforgettable experience. Enjoy a delicious 2-course lunch at the Parndana Hotel before visiting the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park to feed some kangaroos and get up close to the Kangaroo Island Koalas while listening to the Keeper talk about the cuddly mammals.
Spend the afternoon in the Flinders Chase National Park, which was devastated in the worst fire to ever hit the island in January 2020. You’ll see that the regeneration of the native bush occurs so quickly after the event and there will be many opportunities to take photos. As you travel through the park, keep an eye out for echidnas, wallabies, reptiles, and koalas.
See the rugged coastline from walks around Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. Remarkable Rocks provide great photographic opportunities, and the Admirals Arch boardwalk takes you down a rugged cliff face to reveal the spectacular rock archway, a natural nursery and safe haven for playful Long-nosed Fur Seals.
From Adelaide, this tour is a 16 hour day that includes travel to and from Kangaroo Island. You do get time to rest during your ferry transfers & coach travel between attractions.
Tour Includes - Pick-up & Drop off from your hotel. Return Coach transfers Adelaide to Cape Jervis. Return Ferry Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island. Full Day Touring and a 2 Course Lunch
Tour Departs - approx 6.45am
Tour Concludes - approx 10.30pm
As the train leaves Adelaide at 08:40am, take your time to settle in and get familiar with your cabin. Enjoy morning tea and then savour a relaxed lunch on board while watching the ever-changing landscape glide by. In the afternoon, the train will arrive in regional Victoria where you’ll have a chance to experience the spectacular wilderness of the Grampians region. Choose from a range of Off Train Experiences.
Today is yours to spend in Australia’s political and cultural capital, Canberra. After breakfast on board, enjoy a scenic coach ride to Canberra to experience a truly memorable lunch and immersive touring at your pick of cultural institutions, including the National War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia and Parliament House, before returning to the train in time for dinner. Enjoy another sumptuous dinner on board before retiring to the lounge for a nightcap.
Choose your own adventure today with a variety of options to suit your fitness level and interests. Opt for the Boardwalk to Beach excursion, stopping at the small station of Urunga to take in the spectacular coastline views and Great Dividing Range along the Urunga Boardwalk before travelling to Coffs Harbour for a relaxing morning wandering around the Harbourside Markets, historic jetty or simply relaxing by the seaside.
The Coffs Explorer experience travels up to Sealy Lookout offering views for miles from the Forest Sky Pier before travelling back to Coffs for time to explore the markets, historic jetty or relax by the beach. Otherwise, simply make the most of Coffs Harbour’s beautiful beaches with an entire morning spent at the seaside. Wander along the coast, have a dip in the ocean, explore the markets or simply relax on the sand.
After your Coffs Harbour morning, enjoy a final lunch on board with your fellow travellers before arriving into Brisbane.
Today we start our tour at O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, situated in the centre of the cool, quiet rainforest of Lamington National Park, with its spectacular panoramic views. Stroll along Gallery Walk, home to Mount Tamborine's unique local art and crafts shops. Feel the history of the area as the tour takes you over old logging tracks and learn of the rescue story of the Stinson Plane crash. Hear the calls of the native birds and feed them with the specially prepared wild bird seed. Lunch (at own expense) is available overlooking the green valley. Walk through the treetops 16 metres above the rainforest floor and visit Canungra Valley Vineyards as well as the Alpaca Farm.
Today is yours at leisure to enjoy all that Brisbane has to offer. You may wish to join an optional Brisbane City Essentials Tour.
Whether you enjoy architecture, art, restaurants, stories, design, history, gardens, coffee or just a bit of company … join us, relax and discover the best parts of beautiful Brisbane.
The perfect introduction to Brisbane, our three‐hour City Essentials Tour covers all the main sights in the City Centre and takes you where the buses can’t go. See King George Square, the Story Bridge, the City Botanic Gardens, the oldest church in Queensland, Eagle Street Pier, the City Hall Clock Tower, and lots of hidden secrets along the way.
Tour departs - 9.30am
Tour concludes - 12.30pm
All good things must come to an end! At the appropriate time today make your way to the airport or continue your onward journey.
Check out & departure information.
A taxi or Uber to Brisbane airport from your accommodation costs approximately $45 per car. Hotel check out is at 11am. You are welcome to leave your luggage in storage and explore the surrounding area if departing later.
Gold Service (Included)
Platinum Service - From $1,800 per person additional
Platinum Service promises and delivers a journey beyond expectations, it includes deluxe extras such as Platinum Transfers, access to the Platinum Club plus a superior food and wine offering.
Platinum cabins are almost twice the size of Gold Twin Cabins in both your room and private en suite. By day your cabin is configured as a private lounge with deluxe lounge seating, a table and two ottomans, by night the lounges convert into two comfortable twin beds.
From an additional $1,800 per person and is subject to availability upon booking. Please note, there are no single rooms in the Platinum category.
The Great Southern offers a range of included off train experiences which can be viewed HERE.
Off Train Experiences are included in your fare and can be booked on boarding the train (no pre-booking available).
Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognised and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and wellbeing of our guests is our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.
We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.
Australian owned and operated with 100% Australian Customer Service support
We are proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, with our head office located in Melbourne, Victoria. When you make your booking, you will receive dedicated and ongoing support from our team of travel professionals throughout your booking, up until you are due to depart.
Cooling off period
If you change your mind within 7 days of making your booking online, you can request a refund of your initial deposit payment as part of our cooling off period. Once your purchase date falls outside of the 7 day period, our standard terms and conditions will apply.
Please ensure that any request to cancel your booking is received via email to support@inspiringvacations.com
Deposit & Payments
Booking Process
Booking On Request
To enhance your journey, we are offering guests a choice of the following optional activities (prices are per person):
Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. If you choose not to select them at this time, you can choose to add them later by logging in to your Account online or speaking with your Dedicated Support Agent for assistance.
Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 65 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability. We appreciate your understanding.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving early or staying longer upon conclusion of the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre and post tour accommodation
COVID-19
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be effected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a “2”.
2 – Leisurely Paced Tour: This itinerary will be conducted at a relaxed pace. You will typically spend several nights at one location which means less time spent packing and unpacking, and more sightseeing. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and handling your own luggage. While on this itineray you will need to be able to walk in and out of train stations (Adelaide & Melbourne) carrying your own luggage.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement on the Great Southern Rail.
There is no single supplement for the Great Southern if utilising a Single Room. Single Rooms on the Great Southern are very limited and pricing is subject to availability. If the single cabins are not available at the time of booking, you will need to pay for a twin cabin at an additional cost of approx $2,700 for a Gold Twin in addition to the package price. This price is subject to change and as such, cannot be confirmed until after a booking has been made. If you are not happy with the price of the single supplement provided, you can request to cancel and receive a refund of your deposit. If the single supplement cost is suitable, this will be added to your invoice and part of the final balance payable. For an indicative cost prior to purchase, you are welcome to contact our Customer Service team.
Single Supplement for the hotels
Single supplement is $399 per person in addition to the twin-share price. Please see above regarding The Great Southern.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation including e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Group Size
This package is made up of multiple components which will be provided by different operators throughout your trip. As such, group size will differ between operators and can be as intimate as 2 people or as lively as up to 60 people, depending on the activity and advertised inclusions. There may be unique cases where your selected travel date exceeds the expected group size for special events or types of activities, particularly during popular times of travel. For packages that include a train or cruise, you will be travelling with other passengers up to the capacity of this component.
When travelling with a group, no matter the size, we ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience.
Bedding requests
We do our best to meet your bedding preference, however, bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only and cannot be guaranteed. All efforts will be made to meet your preference, however, any changes are beyond our control and limited by the hotel facilities and availability.
Tour Styles - This package is an Independent style.
To meet the needs of various types of travellers, we choose to operate various types of tours and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
Who is operating this package
We have partnered with a wide range of third party operators who assist in fulfilling your booking and delivering an enjoyable on-tour experience. Each package will consist of multiple operators meaning both guides and fellow travellers may change day to day. But don't worry, regardless of the operator, you'll be in good hands to experience the most out of each destination.
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