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The easy way to explore the very best bits of Australia

International Traveller

Go off the beaten track and explore your own country with these immersive experiences, explore Australia with Inspiring Journeys.

You know the amazing frisson you get every time you explore a new destination? That passion is ready to be rekindled, even in your very own backyard. Inspiring Journeys’ range of holidays, from five to 22 days of boutique touring, explores some of the most breathtaking locations in Australia and New Zealand. In a small group of up to 20 travellers and in the company of an expert Journey Director, you have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and flavours of each destination. All journeys include authentic, engaging and off-the-beaten-track experiences to create meaningful memories. Meals capture the essence of a destination, while accommodation is distinctive and soulful. Hidden gems are waiting to be discovered, and Inspiring Journeys shares an unparalleled wealth of expertise to take you there.

 

Spring time: Victoria

Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa
Unwind in the warm mineral waters of Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa

Explore the humble gold-rush beginnings and idyllic spa setting of Daylesford, an eclectic village today most famous for its natural mineral springs. Relax in the healing waters of its historic Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa, soaking up the restorative powers that visitors have been enjoying for more than a century, followed by a classically romantic dinner.

 

Red heart: Northern Territory

Uluru Northern Territory
Encounter the spiritual wonder of Uluru

Travel to the heart of Australia for your own spiritual encounter with Uluru, its imposing red form rising hundreds of metres from sandy scrubland, and which the Anangu people have held sacred for centuries. Watch as the outback sky changes colour from dramatic by day to ethereal in twilight as you toast to a magnificent sunset with sparkling wine.

 

Walk the homelands: Tasmania

Discover Tasmania on a guided walk through the magnificent natural landscape of wukalina (Mount William) and Larapuna (Bay of Fires), the cultural homeland of the palawa people. This genuine experience will deepen your understanding of Tasmanian Aboriginal culture and history as well as immerse you in the natural, rugged beauty of the area.

 

Falls in love: Top End

Gunlom Falls Nothern Territory
Breathtaking Gunlom Falls is a must in the Top End

You haven’t seen the Top End until you’ve explored Gunlom Falls. A hike to its summit is rewarded with a crystal-clear plunge pool and jaw-dropping views of the sacred lands of Kakadu.

 

Lighthouse lands: Western Australia

Experience a ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony at Cape Naturaliste, where a local guide will escort you on a short walk in the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse area. See the land through the eyes of an Aboriginal custodian, with the opportunity to experience an artefact interpretation and didgeridoo demonstration.

 

Book now and save up to 10% on all Inspiring Journeys* call 1300 669 175 or visit inspiringjourneys.com *T&Cs apply.

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These are officially the 5 best train journeys in the world right now

    Emily Murphy Emily Murphy
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    Travel + Leisure just crowned the world’s best trains for 2026, and the results might reroute your next holiday.

    Forget the airport security queue. Forget the middle seat. Forget the bloke in 14C who reclines the second the seatbelt sign turns off. Travel + Leisure just dropped its 2026 World’s Best Awards, and the train category is basically a love letter to slow, scenic, ridiculously plush travel – voted on by roughly 661,000 readers who have very strong opinions about onboard spas and pisco sours. Here’s who made the cut.

    1. Andean Explorer, a Belmond Train – 96.84

    Peru takes the crown, with the Andean Explorer, South America’s first luxury overnight train, running a three-day, two-night route between Arequipa and Cusco that has zero direct competition on the continent – which might explain why it’s clearing 96 points.

    Launched in 2017, the train threads through the Peruvian highlands with stops at Lake Titicaca, all while passengers tuck into signature Andean cuisine, get treatments in an onboard spa carriage, and take in scenery that will blow you away. This isn’t a quick transfer – it’s an immersive, multi-day journey for people who want the trip to be the destination.

    2. Hiram Bingham, a Belmond Train – 96.46

    Peru pulls off the rare feat of taking out the top two spots. Named after the American explorer credited with bringing Machu Picchu to international attention in 1911, the Hiram Bingham is the glossy, dark-wood, live-band, welcome-cocktail version of getting to Machu Picchu. Think traditional dancers on the platform, a five-course dinner on the way there, and a bar carriage full of live music and pisco sours on the way back. It’s shorter and livelier than the Andean Explorer, more group celebration than private hideaway – but it delivers one of the most theatrical arrivals in world travel.

    3. Royal Canadian Pacific – 90.93

    The Royal Canadian Pacific runs vintage rail carriages out of Calgary through the Canadian Rockies, and unlike everything else here, you can’t just book it off a website – it operates mostly through private charters and limited special departures, with no standing public timetable. That scarcity is basically the point: this is old-money rail travel, heavy on restored heritage carriages and light on crowds.

    4. Rocky Mountaineer – 90.80

    The people’s champion of luxury rail, the Rocky Mountaineer, runs daytime routes with glass-domed carriages through British Columbia, Alberta, and down into Colorado and Utah, turning the Canadian and American Rockies into a rolling widescreen movie. It’s more accessible than most trains on this list – no overnight cabins, no need for a private charter – which is probably exactly why so many readers have actually ridden it and voted accordingly.

    5. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a Belmond Train – 90.78

    The name that started the whole luxury train fantasy. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE)’s 1920s-vintage Art Deco carriages – navy-and-gold livery, polished wood, white roof – have been the definitive symbol of golden-age rail travel since 1883, running routes between Paris, Venice and other storied European cities. It might land at number five on points, but in terms of pure name recognition, it’s still the train every other train on this list is being measured against.