5 extraordinary journeys most Aussies miss out on

Don’t just see Australia, discover it. These adventures help you delve deeper into the natural beauty and rich heritage.

Wild, beautiful, untamed, and vast—Australia is a country like no other. Those who choose to experience it, rather than just see it, have a wealth of experiences at their feet. Experiences from Journey Beyond like Sal Salis, Reefsleep, the Indian Pacific, The Ghan, and Outback Spirit small-group touring, covering more of Australia than any other—all in comfort, luxury and style.

From exploring the vibrant fringing reefs, to riding the rails on historic train lines and walking on Country with the traditional custodians of the land, Journey Beyond will help you discover another side to Australia, delivering an intimate experience that goes deeper to the heart of this Great Southern Land than you’ve ever imagined.

Here are just five of the adventures that await.

1. Exploring Arnhem Land with Outback Spirit

With a cultural legacy of over 60,000 years, Arnhem Land is a powerful bastion of traditional Indigenous life in Australia. With the permission of traditional owners, Outback Spirit proudly offers a chance to see the real Arnhem Land.

From experienced guides to a combination of land, air and watercraft, a trip with Outback Spirit will help you journey deeper into the heart of Country. Adventurous days end with restful nights in lodges around Arnhem Land, each offering guests comfortable access to the remote wilderness.

Journey deeper into the heart of Country.

Drift off as the gentle rhythm of the waves soothes in your luxury villa at Seven Spirit Bay on the remote coastline of the Cobourg Peninsula in the north, stay in comfortable safari suites overlooking the Tomkinson floodplains at Barramundi Lodge or be enthralled by the incredible Murwangi Safari Camp on the banks of the Arafura Swamp (the gateway to one of Australia’s most important waterways, where over 300,000 birds gather each season).

Stay at Murwangi Safari Camp on the banks of the Arafura Swamp.

2. Sleep at the Horizontal Falls with Jetwave Pearl

No photos can do justice to Horizontal Falls, the secret treasure of the Kimberley, but a stay onboard the Jetwave Pearl takes care of everything: from powerboat rides to swimming with sharks to sleeping in luxury on the water.

Zoom low over Horizontal Falls in the seaplane you catch from either Broome or Derby. All passengers get a bird’s-eye glimpse of this natural wonder, the best way to take it all in. Once the plane comes in for a landing between the mountains on that incredibly blue water, right beside a fairly large pontoon – almost the only sign of human life – a myriad of other ways to explore await. Swim with local sharks from a viewing platform on the main pontoon, take a fishing trip into the mangroves (and if you’re lucky, you’ll even come face to boat with resident crocodiles) and take multiple boat tours through the falls.

Discover one of Australia’s most unique natural phenomena: Horizontal Falls.

The best part? Moored around the bend from the falls sits Jetwave Pearl, this 26-metre liveaboard is available via Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures. Accommodating a maximum of 20 guests, the vessel is intentionally designed with a colour palette complimenting the hues of Talbot Bay (think teal greens, rusty browns, and cool sand tones). The shared spaces are beautiful, encouraging guests to spend time out of their rooms and mingling with each other – whether that be over a meal prepared by the onboard chef at the long dining tables next to the kitchen downstairs, lounging on the sofas with a few boardgames upstairs, or soaking in the Kimberley air on the back deck.

Stay for the night on Jetwave Pearl.

3. Explore Ningaloo Reef from Sal Salis

Get a front-row seat to Ningaloo/Nyinggulu, home to one of the world’s largest fringing coral reefs at Sal Salis. This luxury eco-resort caters for just 32 guests and is the only serviced accommodation within Cape Range National Park. Beyond the creature comforts provided, perhaps the greatest luxury is being so intimately embedded in this pristine landscape—turquoise waters before you, white sands underfoot and the rusty-reds of the rugged Cape Range behind.

Dotting the sands are 16 camouflaged double-skinned canvas tents, placed for privacy and reachable by raised boardwalks to minimise disruption to the dunes. Inside each is a charming space with an oversized timber bed dressed in white linen, stylish cane furniture, USB chargers, a lamp for mood lighting and a hammock on the deck. There’s an ensuite too with piping hot water, though you’re encouraged to be mindful of its use. This care for the environment—the star of the show—is evident throughout, from the removable nature of all the structures to the reef-safe sunscreen provided for ocean dips.

Relax in this luxury eco-retreat.

Just metres away the ocean beckons. The reef in all its intricacy and variation is right at my doorstep. Snorkel for hours and drift with the current, paddle or kayaks to peruse local sea creatures from above. Or stay on dry land and explore the arid Cape Range National Park. It’s brought to life by knowledgeable staff who lead dawn walks, highlighting life forms and sharing stories and history. The granite cliffs of Yardie Creek Gorge glow red as day breaks and nimble rock wallabies emerge from craggy overnight hideouts.

Spend your day swimming with the locals.

4. Train your way through Australia’s centre on the Indian Pacific

There’s a moment when you first step onto to the Indian Pacific when you feel the full size of Australia stretching out in front of you and the joy of knowing you’re about to experience it all in train-lover’s style. And in 2025, the new five-day itinerary adds even more ways to experience the best of this country.

Board in Perth and stop at Kalgoorlie, Cook, The Barossa, Broken Hill and The Blue Mountains on your way to Sydney. While onboard, different dining options await depending on your chosen booking. There’s the art deco Queen Adelaide Restaurant carriage, or the Platinum Club restaurant for a more modern setting. Meanwhile, the Gold Premium dining carriage offers exclusive dishes. All menus celebrate native Australian ingredients local to the area you’re travelling through. Mingle with other travellers in the spacious lounge car while sipping on coffee or cocktails, then be rocked to sleep in your cosy cabin bed.

Watch the world go by from the comfort of your Gold Premium Cabin.

Besides incredible sights along the way, get off the train to immerse into your surroundings. Join excursions like stargazing around a bonfire in the ghost town of Cook, an exclusive dining experience prepared by Executive Chef Andrew Owens in Seppeltsfield Winery’s vintage cellar in The Barossa and seeing The Blue Mountains from 270 metres above through the glass floors of your Scenic Skyway cabin.

See Lake Hart from the Journey Beyond train, the Indian Pacific.

5. Get acquainted with the Great Barrier Reef thanks to Reefsleep

Stay out on the Great Barrier Reef long after day trippers have gone home, thanks to a stay at Cruise Whitsunday’s Reefworld: a multilevel pontoon moored 39 nautical miles from the mainland.

There is plenty to pass the day away, with swimming and snorkelling, a semi-submarine ride, checking out the underwater observatory, and time to relax. Divers can plunge even deeper, but from any angle, you will get up close to the reef’s rich marine life. On a guided snorkel safari, guests can spot giant clams, turtles, parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish and more.

Spend the day snorkelling, then enjoy the reef to yourself at night. (Image: Irjaliina Paavonpera)

Opt into a scenic helicopter flight, the Great Barrier Reef sprawls below in a maze of atolls and reefs, the occasional shark and turtle visible in the clear azure water. It’s another perspective on this natural wonder, taking me beyond the expected and into the extraordinary.

Just 24 guests get to stay behind and relish the quiet. Watch the sunset over Coral Sea in a burst of gold, while drinks are served. Dinner is served on the deck, where fellow travellers swap stories of the day’s adventures and travels.

Watch the marine life while you sleep. (Image: Irjaliina Paavonpera)

Start planning your extraordinary Australian adventure at journeybeyond.com.