South Western Escape

A fabled journey. Follow the path of bush pioneers, gold rush prospectors, and legendary adventurers as you make an epic transcontinental crossing aboard the Indian Pacific.

Tours from Perth don’t get any better than this. Discover Fremantle tours, Wave Rock tours, Rottnest Island tours and Margaret River tours. Food, wine, nature and city in Western Australia. A little bit of city life in Perth and Fremantle. A touch of countryside in the bucolic Margaret River Region. Outback drama in national parks and at national landmarks. And beaches. So many beaches. In short, all the ingredients you need to cook up a Western Australia tour from Perth you won’t forget in a hurry.

Your Fly, Rail & Tour Package Includes:

• $500 flight credit per person

• 3 night rail journey aboard the Indian Pacific, Sydney to Perth

• Includes all-inclusive meals & beverages, off train experiences in Broken Hill & Adelaide plus more

• 1 night accommodation in Perth

• 10 night South Western Australia guided tour with AAT Kings, Perth to Fremantle

• Includes premium accommodation, 18 meals, highlights & iconic sites, National Park entrance fees

Pricing is per person twin share and based on travel 02-16 October 2024

Solo traveller pricing available. Please speak to one of our travel consultants for more details

Indian Pacific | Sydney to Perth

Highlights & Inclusions:

• 4 days / 3 nights aboard the Indian Pacific, travelling from Sydney to Perth

• All-inclusive meals, fine wines, and beverages

• A regionally-inspired menu paired with a selection of local wines

• Off Train Experiences in Broken Hill, Adelaide and surrounds, Cook, Rawlinna and Perth

Itinerary:

DAY 01

SYDNEY

Your transcontinental adventure begins in Sydney where you board the Indian Pacific. Prepare for a journey of contrasts, from lush vineyards to vast goldmines, majestic mountains to the barren expanse of the Nullarbor, from cities of four million to ghost towns of four.  As the train winds through the breathtaking Blue Mountains, explore the comforts of life onboard, get acquainted with your cabin and fellow travellers. After settling in, savour your first meal – a regionally-inspired dinner paired with all-inclusive fine wines and beverages. After dinner, join fellow guests for a late night drink or head back to your cabin for your first night onboard.

DAY 02

BROKEN HILL, BAROSSA VALLEY AND ADELAIDE SURROUNDS

You arrive in the ‘Silver City’ of Broken Hill as the day begins, where you embark on a morning of Experience to discover the mining history and artistic culture of this unique town where the streets are wide and there’s a pub on every corner.  Lunch is served onboard as the Indian Pacific enters the southern tip of the spectacular and ancient Flinders Ranges. Arriving in the city of Adelaide in the afternoon, you have the choice of a tour of the city, a visit to the world famous Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale wine regions (seasonal), or a trip to the beautiful Adelaide Hills featuring the culinary delights of Hahndorf.

DAY 03

NULLARBOR PLAIN

You’ll awake to the seemingly endless expanse of the Nullarbor Plain. Breakfast is served as you travel along the longest stretch of straight railway track in the world. This evening, your sense of wonder will be ignited as you enjoy the tranquillity of dinner under the brilliant desert stars in the remote and beautiful Rawlinna (seasonal).

DAY 04

PERTH

Breakfast is served as you glide through the mild skies and cool green vales of the Avon Valley on your way to Perth, arriving after an onboard lunch.

South Western Escape Itinerary:

Day 1: Welcome to Perth

Western Australia’s capital and largest city, Perth is remarkably green. The snaking Swan River cuts through town, its banks lined with leafy promenades – not to mention glorious Kings Park, a floral wonderland home to more than 3,000 plant species in the Botanic Gardens. Enjoy a stroll with your Travel Director to ease into your WA adventure.

Day 2: Perth - Wave Rock

At the start of your tour from Perth, say hello to Wave Rock, a 110-metre, rainbow-hued granite swell formed more than three million years ago. It’s in the ballpark of another imaginatively named rock formation: Hippo’s Yawn. You can actually climb through the hippo’s ‘neck’ to grab a happy snap. Fun fact: the visitor centre here has the world’s largest collection of toy soldiers. Wave Rock local Sheenagh knows a thing or two about life on the land. She’s passionate about her farm, and proudly shows off the outback while you explore the wide open spaces that characterise the WA countryside. You even get to feed her cattle and glimpse her collection of vintage cars – who knew folks in this part of the world were such avid collectors?

Day 3: Wave Rock - Kalgoorlie

Today is deep – quite literally. Your journey through classic WA outback lands you in Kalgoorlie – get your bearings on a town tour, pausing to take in vistas over the staggering ‘Super Pit’ open-cut gold mine. Put life into perspective standing next to monstrous loaders and haul trucks at Hannans North Mine. It’s a shimmering opportunity to experience gold rush history and discover the Golden Mile.

Day 4: Kalgoorlie - Esperance

Nature humbles at Cape Le Grand National Park, a staggering 31,000 hectares of sweeping heathlands, rugged coastal peaks and powdery beaches. It’s so pretty that kangaroos come here for a little sunbaking on the sand – at Lucky Bay, you’ll see Australia’s national emblem dozing beside the water. And then there’s Thistle Cove, replete with sun, sand, sea and sculpted rock formations that ‘whistle’ with the sounds of the wind and waves.

Day 5: Esperance - Albany

Bring your stamina for a day of unparalleled wilderness encounters. Well, until tomorrow, and the next day… Fitzgerald River National Park is one of the most ecologically-important pockets of WA, home to 20 per cent of the state’s flora. Small wonder it’s a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Journey on through the Stirling Range National Park, blanketed with more than 1,500 species of wildflowers, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Get some perspective from the Bluff Knoll Lookout, one of WA’s highest peaks.

Day 6: Albany

Albany turns on pretty much every charm, whether you’re ready for more nature, are a history buff, or feel like it’s time for food and wine. You have a day at leisure to go in whichever direction you please. Perhaps opt for a tour that relives the town’s heritage as the last port of call for ANZAC troopships departing Australia in WWI. Maybe explore Torndirrup National Park, where steep cliffs give way to dramatic rock formations and whales are a common sight during migration. Or get a taste for the region on a culinary excursion.

Day 7: Albany - Margaret River

Think big when you visit the Valley of the Giants, where the Tree Top Walk gives you a bird’s-eye view of the soaring tingle trees that stand large all around; you’re suspended 40 metres above the forest floor. More lofty attractions await at the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, the tallest of its kind in Australia, set at the tip of a peninsula where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. Being amid nature makes you thirsty. It’s a good thing Margaret River tours are on the horizon.

Day 8: Margaret River

There aren’t many places in the world where grape vines grow metres from the sand – the Margaret River region is one. Here, 200 vineyards sit beside talented makers, bakers and purveyors. All you need to know is that today is one of indulgences, beginning at Vasse Virgin to savour olive oil that’s good enough to drink. But maybe try it on bread instead. Lunch is leisurely, at a vineyard with plenty of time to sip and savour local drops. If you still have room for dinner after your Margaret River tour, ask us for recommendations.

Day 9: Margaret River - Fremantle

You’ve seen the bucolic vine-laced countryside; now experience the region’s coast as you journey north to Busselton. Yet another record-breaking attraction awaits (we’ve lost count): the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. Tip your cap to those who built this 1.8-kilometre structure out into Geographe Bay.

Day 10: Fremantle Free Time

Fremantle sits at the mouth of the Swan River, its port the gateway to all manner of watery expeditions. One that will surely make you smile is the ferry ride to Rottnest Island, where Australia’s happiest (and friendliest) critters await. Bring your swimsuit to cool off between cycling expeditions on your Rottnest Island tour. If you’re ready for some downtime, follow the lead of locals to Little Creatures Brewery for an icy ale. Or explore the town on a Fremantle tour in the company of an in-the-know local. Today is yours to create, but we always have a few ideas in our little black book.

Day 11: Farewell from Fremantle

Eleven days. Too many beaches to count. Wildlife galore. A few wine bottles and a few thousand memories… this trip is one for the record books.

Prices listed are per person in Australian Dollars, based on twin occupancy in gold twin class, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking.  Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices/Offers are correct as at 27 October 2023 and can be withdrawn without notice. Hotels may charge resort fees not included in this package, payable direct upon check in. Visas are not included. Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge. Air credit is applicable on airline of choice, subject to availability and subject to the carriers’ flight schedules and conditions.