For a luxury rail holiday, South Africa is a world-beating destination. South Africa has some of the world’s most fascinating and dramatic rail journeys, such as Rovos Rail’s Pride of Africa, the Shongolo Express and perhaps the most iconic and luxurious of them all the Blue Train. Get aboard the Blue Train as it plies the lusciously beautiful South African hinterland between the administrative capital, Pretoria and the unofficial holiday capital; Cape Town.
Start your journey in Cape Town, a vibrant cosmopolitan city at the southern tip of the continent, surrounded by a sightseer’s utopia of spectacular mountains, sparkling surf beaches and lush vineyards. Overlooked by the brooding bulk of Table Mountain, itself a hikers’ paradise, Cape Town is a city brimming with history, culture and lifestyle attractions making it a relaxed and welcoming departure point on your luxury rail journey.
The Blue Train is globally recognised for its luxury and elegance, cosseting soft-adventure travellers in utmost comfort as it makes the 1600km journey through the heart of South Africa. You’ll be pampered with full butler service to attend your every whim, treated to a formal high tea and elegant gourmet dinner with unlimited premium wines (dress to impress!) before retiring to your sumptuous suite for a nightcap, and perhaps a soak in the ensuite bath. Sure beats the 7.15 from Parramatta.
Your journey will take around 27 hours and, and on the trip you’ll enjoy a stopover and excursion to a private game reserve where you’ll get up close and not too personal with semi-wild cheetahs. You’ll be watching South Africa’s fascinating landscape unfold as you sit in air-conditioned comfort sipping a cocktail delivered by your personal butler, and naturally, the supply of DVDs will keep you entertained well into the night.
All too soon, your indulgent journey will come to an end and the jacaranda-lined streets of Pretoria will await your exploration. A fascinating and historic westernised city, Pretoria has much in common with Canberra with its swag of embassies and bureaucracies lining the streets. Although the nightlife leaves a little to be desired there are many museums, galleries, gardens and monuments to explore.
Blue Train fun facts
For the guests' comfort, each suite on the Blue Train has individual temperature controls ranging from 18 to 24°C
Pretoria is also known as Tshwane
Cape Town is South Africa’s most popular tourist destination
Egypt and Jordan
Wednesday 4th April 1990
Travel Counsellor: Trish Downs
A great place to experience something totally different to your normal walk of life! The culture is strong and exciting.
I flew into Cairo from London on dusk. My driver to the hotel didn't have his headlights on (like everyone else I soon noticed), and it made for an exhilarating ride...like dodem cars in the dark! A lot of beeping and flashing of lights.
I stayed at the President Hotel in Cairo, a standard 3 star hotel handy to Embassies and good for walking.
My tour was with Transglobal - the Imaginative Traveller. I got plenty of time to see the Museum, the Markets, and obvious sights like the Pyramids, Sphinx of Giza, Aswan Dam, Philae Temple, Luxor, Hatshepsut Temple, Valley of the Kings, to name but a few.
I just had to have an Arabian horse ride near the Pyramids on the outskirts of the desert. Of course, also a must is 'high tea' at the famed Agatha Christie movie - Death on the Nile - the old Cataract Hotel.
My trip down the Nile was on a Doma, bit more comfortable than... view full story
click a circle on the map to view a Travel Counsellor's Diary