Feel the excitement build as your flight lands in Perth, Australia’s sunniest state capital!

Make your way to the stylish Crowne Plaza Hotel, your home for the next three nights.

The rest of the day is yours at leisure. You’ll find plenty of options for dinner along Hay Street or at Elizabeth Quay, both an easy walk from the hotel.

Crowne Plaza Perth or similar

Perth is known for its laid-back, outdoor lifestyle. If you wake early, there’s nowhere better to enjoy a morning stroll than Kings Park, which is home to a wonderful botanic garden with over 3,000 species of flora found in Western Australia.

A short train ride from the city centre takes you to Fremantle where you can visit the historic prison or peruse the local markets (open Friday to Sunday). On the way back to Perth, make sure to stop at the beautiful Cottesloe Beach.

A trip to Rottnest Island also comes highly recommended. Your can catch the Rottnest Express from Elizabeth Quay in Perth, or Fremantle. The island has 63 stunning beaches, a resident colony of New Zealand fur seals, and over 10,000 curious quokkas that will even pose for a selfie!

Crowne Plaza Perth or similar

You have time for a leisurely brunch before making your way to East Perth Terminal to board the mighty Indian Pacific – one of the world’s great rail journeys.

After settling into your cabin, head to the lounge to meet your fellow travellers, then enjoy your first dinner on board. The menu is inspired by seasonal and regional flavours.

Your journey on the Indian Pacific is all-inclusive, with a carefully selected choice of premium wines, beers and spirits available.

On board the Indian Pacific

Dinner

Awake to see the sunrise across the vast Nullarbor before arriving in Kalgoorlie, Australia’s largest outback town. Here, you’ll have a choice of three off-train excursions:

• The Super Pit – a close-up guided tour of one of Australia’s largest working gold mines
• Golden Treasures – a step back in time at the fascinating Hannans North Tourist Mine
• Curious Kalgoorlie – a city tour told through the stories of its quirkiest characters

Reboarding mid-morning for brunch, spend the afternoon at leisure as the endless sweep of the Nullarbor passes by. Crossing borders and time zones, you’ll arrive late evening into the near-ghost town of Cook, South Australia, where you can disembark for a guided stargazing experience to spot the Southern Cross and other constellations. Return to the train for a regionally inspired dinner as you continue eastward.

On board the Indian Pacific

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board as you watch the changing scenery pass by. You will journey through South Australia’s rolling pastoral lands, the Flinders Ranges, Spencer Gulf and the Adelaide Plains.

Arriving into Adelaide in the afternoon, make your way to the Majestic Roof Garden Hotel in the city centre. From here, Adelaide’s famous parks are in easy walking distance.

There are plenty of restaurants around the CBD, and trendy bars along Leigh Street and Peel Street.

Majestic Roof Garden Hotel, Adelaide or similar

Breakfast, Lunch

Today is yours to explore Adelaide!

If you’re feeling active, you could start your day with a stroll through Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, then a hike to the summit, from where you can see Kangaroo Island on a clear day.

Back in town, you could try some local produce from Adelaide Central Market, or peruse the shops in Rundle Mall.

For a dip in the sea, the beach at Glenelg is just a tram ride away.

Majestic Roof Garden Hotel, Adelaide or similar

Make your way to the airport for your flight to Hobart, where your escorted tour of Tasmania begins.

Put your destination into perspective from the summit of Mt. Nelson, offering endless vistas over Australia’s southernmost city. View the charming Georgian cottages of Battery Point and convict built warehouses along Salamanca Place, the backdrop of epic Saturday markets. Gaze over boats at Constitution Dock, the finishing line for yachts competing in the annual Sydney to Hobart race, and take a stroll in the second oldest Botanical Gardens in Australia with its amazing collection of plants from around the world.

Tonight, join your travel director for dinner.

Best Western Hobart

Dinner

Western Tasmania is like nature amplified, a place where the wilderness rules and people are few and far between.

Visiting Mount Field National Park is a humbling experience, not only for the fact it’s part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, but also because it’s home to some of the tallest eucalypts and flowering plants on Earth. Wander amid these giants to reach Russell Falls.

Records continue to be broken at Lake St. Clair, the deepest freshwater Lake in Australia, before you arrive in Strahan, gateway to World Heritage listed Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.

Strahan Village

Breakfast, Dinner

The inky waters of the Gordon River – given its colour by amber buttongrass tannins – are as eery as they are beautiful, the mirror-like surface only broken by your chariot out to Sarah Island.

It’s hard to reconcile the beauty of this part of the state with its grim history as a penal colony; a place where convicts would fell Huon pines for boat building. Thankfully, they didn’t get to the 2,000-year-old pine that still stands proud at Heritage Landing. Early settlers didn’t mince their words when they called the treacherous entrance to the river’s harbour Hells Gates. You’ll understand why when you drift past.

Cradle Mountain awaits to the north. We’re sure you’ll be content by the fire perhaps with a glass of wine.

Cradle Mountain Hotel

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today your journey reaches new heights – quite literally with a visit to the 1,545-metre Cradle Mountain, your backdrop as you explore Dove Lake on your Cradle Mountain tour, the wild alpine moorlands here a natural magnet for lovers of the wilderness.

The spectacular and pristine wilderness of Cradle Mountain is home to the mysterious and secretive Tasmanian Devil. You’ll love the next adventure today, a Day Keeper tour at Devils @ Cradle will lead you through the sanctuary and provide you with a thorough insight into its operation. When joining this tour you will be directly supporting these animals and threatened species conservation.

Leave the Central Highlands after an uplifting day and head towards the scenic north-west coast for your overnight stay.

Beachfront Voyager Motor Inn

Breakfast, Lunch

Table Cape is by far Wynyard’s most remarkable natural wonder, at 180 metres high, ‘The Cape’ – as locals refer to it – offers spectacular views of Tasmania’s coastline. As you drive to the top of the remains of a 12-million-year-old volcano you’ll reach Table Cape lookout where, on a clear day, you can see mountain ranges over 175 kilometres away.

If there’s a town with a cuter name than Penguin, we’re yet to find it. Locals embrace its appeal – there are penguin sculptures at every turn, including one measuring over 3 metres tall. Your journey along the northwest coast also passes through Ulverstone and Sheffield, The Town of Murals, boasting over 100 large paintings depicting the area’s rich history and local characters.

All this exploring builds an appetite. Refuel at Ashgrove Tasmanian Farm, where happy cows contribute to award-winning cheeses – everything from cheddar and red Leicester to creamy Tasmanian blue. For lovers of sweeter delights, why not treat yourself to a delicious locally made ice cream (own expense).

Best Western Plus Launceston

Breakfast

There are few places in the world where you can leave the city behind and within minutes be surrounded by nature. Launceston is one. Blink and you’re at Cataract Gorge, a yawning chasm carved by ancient rivers. This rare natural phenomenon unites bushland with neat Victorian gardens, replete with ferns and exotic plants.

Get a different perspective of the green cavern on the scenic chairlift, zipping you over the water to a lofty lookout. We wouldn’t blame you for lingering here, or perhaps this afternoon take one of the river cruises on offer (both own expense). The choice is yours.

Best Western Plus Launceston

Breakfast

You’ll smell Bridestowe before you see it, this enormous lavender farm perfuming the Tasmanian countryside (bloom late spring to early summer). The flowers grown here aren’t just used in fragrances, they’re also infused into ice-cream, teas and jams. It’s a tasty entrée to the Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees, sculpted into World War One soldiers.

Little penguins come out to play in Bicheno; sign up to spot them after dark as they waddle to shore from the water (own expense).

Beachfront at Bicheno

Breakfast, Dinner

The colours at Freycinet National Park are so vivid you’ll think someone has taken the glasses off your nose and cleaned them for the first time: The patchwork of ocean blues that lap Coles Bay. The dramatic pink granite cliffs. There’s a reason why the peninsula stars on postcards.

The other place on postcards is Richmond, its grand 1820s Georgian buildings today home to bijou boutiques, galleries and cafés that appear to be lost in time. Your last stop for the day is to the shores of the Derwent River where local palawa will welcome you to country and show off some local bush tucker.

Doubletree by Hilton

Breakfast

The Isle of the Dead, Devil’s Kitchen, Blowhole… the attractions at and around Port Arthur nod to the region’s notoriously grim history. This is the best-preserved convict site in Australia, and among the most significant convict-era destinations worldwide. The stories these walls could tell. Enjoy a farewell dinner tonight at a historic waterfront pub.

Doubletree by Hilton

Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

It took early explorers months to circumnavigate Tasmania. You’ve done it in 10 days. What a wild ride!

After saying your goodbyes, make your way to Hobart International Airport for your flight Sydney.

On arrival, head to the stylish, and well-located Paradox Hotel. From here, it’s an easy walk to the Royal Botanic Garden and the Sydney Opera House, and to the Rocks, where you’ll find trendy bars and restaurants.

Paradox Sydney or similar

Breakfast

You have three full days to explore Australia’s most iconic city!

If you would like to go behind the scenes at the Sydney Opera House or climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, just let your Travel Consultant know, and they can include it in your holiday.

You’ll also get great views of the harbour on the ferry ride from Circular Quay to Manly, where you’ll find a gorgeous beach, overlooked by some great bars and restaurants.

From Bondi Beach, where you can watch the locals ride the waves, there’s a stunning 6 km coastal path to Coogee, with cliff-top views, golden beaches and lots of cafés en route.

Paradox Sydney or similar

It’s your last morning in Australia. Make your way to the airport in time for your flight home, on which you can scroll through your photos from your Indian Pacific and Tasmania adventure!