Australia
Great Australian Train Trek
Program No. 3110RJ
Experience an immersive adventure through an incredible landscape — traverse Australia by rail on two iconic train journeys.
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Participant Reviews
Based on 41 Reviews
SHOWING
This was my second Road Scholar trip and it was wonderful. Cherie, our trip guide, was masterful in making everything run as smoothly as possible. As for the tour itself, from cute little quokkas trying to share our lunches on Rottnest Island off Perth to sea turtles in the Great Barrier Reef,from the Aboriginal art in Darwin to the sheep farm and eucalyptus distillery on Kangaroo Island off Adelaide, not to mention the train trips. I can't think of a better way to see and experience the country.
— Review left April 17, 2025
Excellent -- 5 stars! Sydney was beautiful, especially the harbor and the Opera House. From Perth, I was able to see and touch the Indian Ocean for the first time. The train ride from Perth to Adelaide was great -- excellent food, cozy accommodations, and spectacular views of the desert. From Adelaide, our trip to Kangaroo Island was a treat -- sheep, seals, and "remarkable rocks" -- led by our outstanding local guide, Elspeth. (She and the other tour leaders also taught us some traditional Australian songs.) Kakadu was wonderful, especially the aboriginal rock art and the crocodile next to our boat (!) in the (mis-named) Alligator River. The ride on the Ghan train was also great, especially the view of the sunrise. Alice Springs was very hot, but we had a very good early morning hike to Simpson's Gap. Uluru and Kata Tjuda were amazing, beautiful and inspiring. And the final stop in Cairns including snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, which we loved, and a scenic train ride to the Kuranda Rain Forest. All along, our tour guide, Harry, was great -- well-organized, flexible, supportive, and funny. The local guides were also excellent, especially Meredith in Alice Springs & Uluru, and Mark, David, and Hirani in Cairns. We got to travel all over Australia to see the diverse landscapes and towns, and I especially appreciated learning more about the aboriginal people and their culture. I strongly recommend this trip for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the history, culture and landscapes of Australia.
— Review left April 16, 2025
You'll never never know if you never never go.
Great itinerary. Opportunity to experience the 'wet', the large cities, the small towns, three trains, the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Centre.
You will see a huge variety of vegetation, animals and geological features.
Group leader Cherie was outstanding as were the site leaders along the way.
Definitely recommend!
— Review left April 12, 2025
The Great Australian Train Trek is just that — great! It is a bit of a whirl-wind tour of an amazing country but it gives you satisfying experiences at locations that, and with the people who, define Australia.
— Review left April 11, 2025
If you have not yet traveled to Australia and New Zealand, I recommend looking at combining the "Great Australian Train Trek" with a New Zealand program, such as "A New Zealand Odyssey: Indigenous Culture & Natural Beauty." We traveled for 6 weeks total and enjoyed the North and South Islands of New Zealand for 2 weeks, which was followed by 4 weeks visiting 5 of the 8 states and territories in Australia. This was a most memorable trip and Road Scholar provided excellent group leaders and instructors!
— Review left April 7, 2025
In addition to comments mentioned previously learning about the diverse and unique natural history - geology, flora, and fauna and human history, The Australian Great Train Trek is an excellent opportunity to learn about the people of Australia. The individuals affiliated with Road Scholar including our fantastic group leader Cherie along with the site coordinators, subject matter experts, drivers, etc. all worked together to provide an authentic, interesting, and fascinating learning experience. They were all helpful, caring, and eager to share their knowledge. I also appreciated the many opportunities to interact and converse with a variety of local Australian people along the way.
Five **** Stars
— Review left April 7, 2025
Aside from the train, the food was lackluster; we were often fed sandwiches and pizza. The hotel accommodations were not satisfactory, on the whole. Our group was left waiting a full day at the Melbourne airport and lost a day in Cairns. There was a lack of transparency regarding the air travel information provided by Road Scholar.
We were not provided with the standard email evaluation communication...Road Scholar stated that this was an oversight on their part.
— Review left April 4, 2025
An amazing experience of Australian history, wildlife, Aboriginal culture, geography, and train rides through the outback. You will not be disappointed.
— Review left April 4, 2025
This program was outstanding and exceeded my expectations. Our group leader Jon was excellent. He was helpful and approachable. The site leaders and experts were outstanding. Road Scholar has done a fabulous job of assembling an outstanding group of experts. We saw an amazing amount of Australia And learned a great deal about the natural history and the human history. I was particularly pleased with how much we learned about aboriginal history, culture, and art.
— Review left March 31, 2025
Program tours Australia from east to west, from north to south and in the middle. Great introduction to the continent.
— Review left March 25, 2025
Leave your political views and opinions home!
If sick, wear a mask to protect others, mainly elderly from getting sick!
— Review left March 21, 2025
Such a great program for seeing so much of Australia! I learned so much about the history, flora & fauna, and geography of this large island. And enjoyed the many experiences, from wading in the Indian Ocean to snorkeling (for the first time!) in the Pacific, seeing a play at the Sydney Opera House to eating bush tucker (food) in the Outback, flying across a continent to lounging in a train observation car. It was an amazing experience - but be prepared for the many miles of travel involved throughout this trip!
— Review left December 11, 2024
If you are interested in Australia, this is the program for you. We visited cities, tropical rain forests, the Great Barrier Reef, the outback and more. We learned about the flora and fauna, the geological and social history of Australia, and the culture of the Aboriginal people. The train trips were so fun. But be warned. This is not a trip for relaxing. We were steadily on the go. It was a very good value.
— Review left December 7, 2024
Great experience! Saw parts of Australia not normally seen be tourists. Just be advised some days are a bit strenuous (especially in the Australian heat).
— Review left November 26, 2024
A great study in geography - the diversity of culture, lifestyle, landforms, and biology.
— Review left April 9, 2024
This is an excellent, comprehensive tour of Australia that I highly recommend! Our program included an equal number of couples and singles so don't hesitate to sign up if you are solo.
— Review left March 31, 2024
This program exceeded my expectations in so many ways! It provides a broad overview of the landscapes, cities, people, culture and societal challenges of Australia, much like trying to see and encompass the US in a month. There is a lot of in-country travel needed to cover so much ground in so short a time, and the traveler must be prepared for quite a number of long days packed with travel, activities, or both, but as long as that works the rewards are many and varied. Our group leader, Les "Harry" Day, and all of our local guides and site coordinators were wonderful, friendly, and skillful in handling problems (health issues in the group, weather disruptions). The itinerary is well designed to cover highlights as varied as the attractions of the major cities; the beauty of the landscapes, animals and plants of the Outback, Top End, rain forest and Great Barrier Reef; and exposure to some unique cultural experiences (conversations on iconic train rides, sharing bush tucker foods, meeting local people in pubs, remote road houses, and on farms and ranches). You will leave wanting more and come home tired, but happy and inspired to read and learn more.
— Review left March 22, 2024
This was a marvelous, once-in-a-lifetime trip. John was an outstanding guide for the entire trip, and the local guides at each stop were knowledgeable, welcoming, and enthusiastic about showing us their special piece of Australia. Accommodations were very good, though the hotel in Perth could stand an upgrade. The train trips were welcome breaks after busy days of touring and were thoroughly enjoyable (like an Agatha Christie novel without the dead body). My son and his family live Down Under, so this was not my first trip to Australia. But it was certainly the most inclusive, giving me a brief look at the tremendous beauty and variety of the continent.
— Review left January 13, 2024
This program provided an amazing introduction to Australia's diverse ecosystems, geology, animals, plants, peoples and cultures. I experienced so many once in a lifetime experiences, from riding on trains, attending a concert at the Sydney Opera House, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, seeing kanagroos in the outback, and meeting amazing people. If you have a chance, sign-up and enjoy.
— Review left December 23, 2023
This trip was excellent. The guides definitely know their country and love to share it with travelers.
— Review left December 6, 2023
I cannot recommend highly enough the Road Scholar Great Australian Trian Trek trip that we just completed in November of 2023. The places we saw, from Sydney to Perth to Adelaide to Kangaroo Island to Darwin, to Kakadu, to Alice Springs, to Ulruru, to Cairns, and the experiences we had from the Sydney Opera House to Kangaroo Island to riding the Indian Pacific and The Ghan railroads to watching the sunset on Uluru, to snorkling the Great Barrier Reef and visiting the Wet Tropical Rainforests of North Queensland by the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway were unparalled! And that is the tip of the iceberg because there was so much more than I can possibly list here: there wasn't a single place we were taken where we weren't delighted and educated, with special sidetrips to nonprofits that benefited both the nonprofits and us. If you have a chance to take this trip of a lifetime, seize it! And if you haven't had Jane Marsden as your leader, seek her out: she was fantastic throughout, as were all the leaders stationed around Australia.
— Review left December 2, 2023
An awesome trip! Trains were just one of many many highlights
— Review left November 19, 2023
It was an incredible trip - so much more wonderful than I even imagined it would be. Absolutely fantastic - I hated to have it end. We had a really great group of traveller and our leader, John Watkins, was amazing. I can hardly wait to return and do Tasmania and the more of the East Coast!
— Review left May 23, 2023
With Australia being about the size of the United States, it is hard to see most of it, but this tour provides a great way to see the amazing rest of the country not on the east coast.
— Review left April 8, 2023
It is hard to describe a trip like this one. It so exceeded my expectations that I started every day excited to see what was next! My travel companions soon felt like old friends and that surely includes our Road Scholar leader. I feel very lucky to have added this amazing trip to my Road Scholar adventures.
— Review left December 25, 2022
Quit reading the reviews and sign up. It is that fabulous and you will not be disappointed.
— Review left December 9, 2022
THIS WAS A GREAT EDUCATIONAL AND TRAVEL EXPERIENCE. ROAD SCHOLAR, ON THE WHOLE. DOES A EXCEPTIONAL JOB, BUT THERE ARE A FEW FLAWS OF COURSE, SOME RATHER CLOSE TIMING KEEPS YOU ON YOUR TOES, AND COLD BOXED LUNCHES , SITTING ON COLD HARD BENCHES, IN COLD OUTDOOR WEATHER IS PERHAPS "OVER THE HILL"
— Review left November 28, 2022
The Great Australian Train Trek is truly a trip of a lifetime, providing great insight to a country as large in territory as the US -- but just a fraction of the population. The history, biodiversity, and culture are fascinating, and well presented. The 3 trains in the program (2 overnight) are iconic and great fun. I loved the whole experience.
— Review left November 26, 2022
This program took us to all parts of Australia. The trains were special and the guides exceptional. I recommend it to anyone.
— Review left November 25, 2022
This is a wonderful program that covers more than just the typical Australian tourist destinations. The wide variety of experiences and geographic regions visited greatly enhanced my understanding of Australia. I highly recommend this program!
— Review left November 23, 2022
This was a very thorough and fast-paced journey through Australia. It didn't disappoint! The fact that we were in a small group (13 guests with the coordinator making it 14 travelers), made it easy to maneuver through airports, train stations, city walks, restaurants, etc. Road Scholar advertised this trip as fast-paced. Although expected, toward the end of the trip it became tiring. Future participants should pay attention to this disclaimer. The hotel accommodations and locations were perfect, and the food was good throughout the trip. The train compartments were small but comfortable. The conductors and crews of both trains were very friendly. The Australian people were marvelous and very welcoming. Road Scholar presented a great learning experience by providing expert instructors, lectures, and first-hand accounts of life past and present on that great continent.
— Review left November 22, 2022
If you like to be busy, both physically and mentally, don't mind being away from home for almost a month and are curious about Australia, you are likely to enjoy this experience.
It includes stops in six different parts of the country, four in-country flights, two train rides with overnights. So when they say you have to be able to carry your own luggage in the program materials, they are not kidding. There is a lot of luggage carrying to do. And a lot of walking. We went to bed tired every night - a good tired.
I learned some history of Australia, how indigenous people who have lived in Australia for 60,000 years are living today, how Australians feel about Americans, what the Outback really looks like and how people can survive there. I also had the chance to snorkel with the diverse coral in the Great Barrier Reef (plus one sea turtle and a lot of fish), to feed and pet a rescued kangaroo and so much more - including sampling several Australian wines and singing a few Australian songs.
The local guides at each of the six locations were knowledgeable and excited for us to know the story of the place they love. Everyone worked together well to provide us a wonderful series of unique learning opportunities.
— Review left November 19, 2022
An exceptional way to see and experience significant portions of this large and diverse country.
— Review left November 12, 2022
The Great Australian Train Trek was the best value for my money of any travel experience I’ve had. The program allows access to entertaining and educational experiences we could never have arranged for ourselves. The quality of all the leaders/instructors is phenomenal. I loved it!
— Review left March 15, 2020
I highly recommend this program! Fun, educational and exciting all rolled into one adventure!b nnnnnnnnnnnn
— Review left February 14, 2020
We just completed the Road Scholar "Great Australian Train Trek" in November. It was highly informative, very well organized and very good value. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in great introduction to Australia.
— Review left December 19, 2019
This was a wonderful adventure! I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get a good feel for Australia. I would also like to highly recommend Martin Landgate as the leader of the program as he was delightful and very knowledgeable about all things Australian.
— Review left December 17, 2019
Road Scholar makes it possible to see all four coasts of Australia, as well as several islands and the red center, in less than a month. This program is fun, educational and a great value. You will see and do things that you never dreamed of, such as attending a live performance at the Sydney Opera House, ride on two luxurious cross-country trains, enjoy many national parks, see wildlife up close, learn about Aboriginal culture, swim the Great Barrier Reef, meet local Australians, and gain new insights to ecology, geology, history and the world economy.
— Review left November 29, 2019
We had a diverse and interesting group. There was a variety for all and it was important to be physically prepared to be able to enjoy all of it. Sleeping on a train is a challenge but the food is great!
— Review left November 9, 2019
Fulfilled my life long desire to visit Australia. This trip allowed me to learn and experience more than most tours.
— Review left March 27, 2019
Fulfilling and gratifying! The landscapes, the animals, the opportunities to learn something new every day .... but particularly the Aussies ! If this essence could be bottled and sprayed on the discouraged or malcontents....things could go much easier.
— Review left March 17, 2019
