This South Africa luxury tour includes:
The Blue Train (fixed departure schedule): This magnificent moving five-star hotel will take you through some of the most breathtaking countryside to be found anywhere in the world. As the ever-changing scenery flashes by, guests will savor exquisite meals freshly prepared on board by top chefs. Meals are complemented by the best wines South Africa has to offer. Retire for the night to your elegant suite fitted with finest bed linen, marble tiles and gold fittings in the bathrooms. This is truly a journey in a world of grace, elegance and romance.
Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula: This “Fairest Cape” is a region of rugged shores, sand and surf, breathtaking mountain scenery, beautiful wine estates and warm, hospitable people.
Your safari adventure unfolds in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve adjoining the Kruger National Park, ensuring that your wilderness experience is not marred by tourist overcrowding. Luxury accommodation is provided at Djuma Vuyatela safari lodge with day and night game-viewing in open 4x4 land cruisers and off-road tracking of wildlife.
Age Restrictions: Reservations for children are on request only and at the discretion of The Blue Train. Children aged 2 years and younger are to share with parents or guardians. A strict child policy applies on board the train.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Johannesburg, South Africa
We meet you on arrival in Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and privately road transfer you to Illyria House, a sought-after boutique hotel in the heart of the Jacaranda City of Pretoria. It is an exclusive privately owned residence set in tranquil gardens overlooking the famous Union Buildings. Illyria House is a mere 5 minutes from Pretoria Railway Station where you will board The Blue Train in the morning. World class spa facilities are offered at Illyria just the indulgence to fight off any fatigue from your long flight. Overnight Illyria House (D,B)
Day 2: Blue Train, South Africa
This morning starts early with a transfer to the train station in Pretoria to board your train to Cape Town. Boarding starts at 8:30 am when butlers usher guests to their suites. Each suite on board the train has an en-suite bathroom with bathtub or shower, a telephone, TV monitor and individually controlled air conditioner. There are four suites per coach and a professionally trained butler is on duty on every coach to cater to the needs of his guests.
12:00pm – first sitting for lunch.
2:00pm – second sitting for lunch
3:30pm - high tea is served in the lounge car
5:10pm – The Blue Train arrives at Kimberley Station. Guest disembark and assemble at the railway museum, from where they will be ushered to a bus, which transfers them to the centre of Kimberley to join an old tram for a ride down to the mine.
5:45pm – Guests arrive at the Open Mine Museum for a tour of the mine. Guests are first taken to the Diamond Die to try their luck to win a diamond, after which they will view, interesting and historical sites. Guests are also taken onto an enclosed ramp on the edge of the Big Hole, a huge open-pit diamond mine.
6:35pm – Guests depart from the Open Mine Museum for Kimberley Station. At Kimberley Station guests are greeted with a glass of sherry. The sherry glass engraved with The Blue Train logo is a memento for guests to keep.
7:05pm – The Blue Train departs Kimberley Station for the journey southbound to Cape Town. After this exciting tour, guests are free to refresh themselves and enjoy pre-dinner drinks served at any one of our lounges. Remember, dinner is an elegant affair and men are requested to wear a jacket and tie or dress in traditional attire and ladies in elegant evening or traditional wear.
7:30pm – first sitting for dinner
9:15pm – second sitting for dinner.
Overnight Blue Train - (FI)
Day 3: Cape Town, South Africa
7:00 – 10:00am – Breakfast is served on a first come first serve basis or may be served in-suite at the guest’s request.
12:20 pm - The Blue Train arrives at Cape Town Station. Butlers usher guests to the Blue Train Lounge. Our driver guide will be waiting for you and will privately transfer you to The Table Bay Hotel at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Relax in the comfort of this award winning hotel and later explore the waterfront with its many restaurants and boutique shops, craft markets and buskers.
The Table Bay Hotel - (B)
Day 4: Cape Town, South Africa
We will meet you at the hotel reception this morning just after breakfast (around 8am) to start a full day tour of Cape Town. Firstly, we travel to Table Mountain take the cable car to the flat summit with its misty mountain trails and panoramic views across ocean and shore. Cable car entrance is not included since the activity is dependent on good weather.
Your peninsula tour continues to historic Simonstown and the boardwalks of the penguin-breeding colony at picturesque Boulders Beach. Sandy coves permit safe family bathing and encounters with the penguins in the sea. Your tour continues along the Cape Peninsula, with its fishing harbors, sheer cliffs and wave-swept coves to the incredible splendor of Cape Point and the old Cape Point Lighthouse, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Then visit the fishing village of Hout Bay. Overnight The Table Bay Hotel - (B)
Day 5: Cape Town, South Africa
Again we meet you at the hotel reception this morning just after breakfast (around 8am) to start a full day Winelands tour. Driving to Paarl via Agter Paarl (a scenic detour), first port of call is the Laborie wine estate (belonging to KWV). Taste some international award winning wines. Continue to Franschoek, and en route view the prison from which Nelson Mandela was finally released.
Franschoek is named after the French Hugenots who arrived in the Cape and contributed significantly to making the Cape Wine industry world class. Visit Rickety Bridge and Dieu Donne Estates. After lunch visit the French Huguenot Memorial, and continue to the second oldest town in South Africa – Stellenbosch. Visit the museum (consisting of 4 original houses) and enjoy exploring two more old Cape Wine Estates in the Stellenbosch region. Overnight The Table Bay Hotel - (B)
Day 6: Cape Town, South Africa
A trip to Cape Town is not complete without Robben island. So we take in some of the special and historical interest buildings as we drive through Cape Town city. A tour of the Castle of Good Hope, the first recorded building in South Africa, demonstrates the many influences which have shaped South Africa’s history. Drive via District Six to the original Government Gardens. A short walk in the gardens allows for viewing of Parliament, national galleries, museums and other historic buildings.
Time for specific interest tours is allowed eg: natural history, cultural galleries or museums. A short drive to the Bo Kaap museum, in the old Malay quarter of Cape Town, highlights a group of people who have contributed much to the culture of Cape Town.
Continue down to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and the Nelson Mandela Gateway, and board a ferry to cross Table Bay to visit Robben Island. The two Oceans aquarium can be visited either before or after Robben Island (included in tour cost). Overnight The Table Bay Hotel - (B)
Day 7: Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, South Africa
We transfer you back to Cape Town Airport today for a regional flight to Johannesburg and a connection to Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit, here a driver is waiting to road transfer you to Djuma Vuyatela Lodge in the heart of Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve. This is Big 5 country and game drives in Sabi Sand brings the visitor closer to lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant, not to mention the endangered wild “painted dogs” and cheetah. Overnight at Djuma Vuyatela Lodge (FI)
Day 8: Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, South Africa
This morning starts with an early morning game drive before breakfast to catch a glimpse of the African bush as it awakens. There will be another game drive later in the day. Accommodation is in luxury thatched chalets, each with en-suite bathrooms including a private enclosed outdoor shower, air conditioning, over head fans, and mosquito nets, private deck with plunge pool.
The lodge offers a library and a pool to cool off in, in the heat of the day. Two viewing decks overlook the African bush and the water hole. Overnight at Djuma Vuyatela Lodge (FI)
Day 9: Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, South Africa
The day is started with an early morning game drive with another later in the day and into the early evening. The clear bush air definitely works on the appetite and your bush lodge offers a full English style buffet breakfast and high tea with savories and cakes, served in the afternoon. An optional nature walk in the bush led by an expert ranger is a great way to observe smaller animals and provides a superb bird watching opportunity. Overnight at Djuma Vuyatela Lodge (FI)
Day 10: Johannesburg
We road transfer you to Hoedspruit Airport today for a flight back to Johannesburg for your onward journey.
Notes: Rates on some tours are dependent on currency exchange rates.
Inclusions, exclusions and single supplements apply. The information and prices contained in the Abroad and Beyond website, brochures and price lists together comprise an invitation to do business and not an offer. Our Standard Terms and Conditions will apply to all proposals, quotes and sales.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices Include:
- Accommodations
- Airport meet and greet
- Airport to lodge / hotel road transfers
- Meals as per itinerary
- Blue Train activities
- Butler service - Blue Train
- Safari activities - Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve
- Park entrance fees
- 3 Full day tours - Cape Town
Prices Exclude:
- Regional flights
- International flights
- Spa treatments - Illyria House
- Visas
- Gratuities
- Medical and travel insurance
- Items of a personal nature.
- Other optional activities are quoted separately and not included in the tour price
MEAL PLAN:
B – Breakfast
L – Lunch
D – Dinner
FI – Full Board
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
South Africa
Wildlife Viewing
Railway Trips
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
