The Ghan is celebrating its 20th anniversary of the final section of line opening between Alice Springs and Darwin. Lisa Young recently discovered more about this incredible luxury train on a recent trip through Australia?s Outback. Read on to discover more.

To travel on one of the world?s iconic trains, The Ghan is turning a trek through Australia?s awesome Outback into an unforgettable desert cruise in unparalleled style.

The immense Outback landscape is like nothing else on our planet, and The Ghan takes you right through its heart in comfort.

It was the start of The Ghan Expedition, an epic train adventure that rolls between the wet tropics of Darwin in the Northern Territory (NT) to the wheatfields and urban sprawl of Adelaide in South Australia (SA). The train winds along the spine of Australia to places of incredible natural beauty and Aboriginal cultural importance which most travellers, even Aussies, never lay their eyes on. 
It was a warm September morning when we set off. The elegant, snake-like silver body of the train overlapped Darwin?s long railway station at both ends. Then, with a firm jolt, The Ghan?s bold red and yellow engine began to haul its 36 silver carriages away from the platform.

The carriages, which date to the ’60s, rocked and rivets squeaked as we picked up speed and soon Darwin was left behind in the dust.

Before boarding, I had two days exploring Darwin, the NT?s capital city, full of inne...