Enjoy the world's most epic rail journeys
Tuesday, 2 October 2007 12:00 AM
Rovos Rail in South Africa (photo: Cox & Kings)
If you are excited by the prospect of luxury, long-distance rail travel on some of the world's greatest railways then there are plenty of holidays to choose from.
Among the tour operators specialising in epic rail holidays are Cox & Kings, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2008.
The experts at the company have put together their top rail holidays for 2008, which include journeys spanning right the way across South Africa, the mammoth trip from Moscow to Vladivostok, close to the Chinese border, and touring north-west India.
The most epic train journey on the planet can be had with 12-nights on board the 9,000 kilometre Trans-Siberian Express, which passes by 80 towns, eight time zones and the world's biggest lake, Lake Baikal. On the itinerary are Novosibirsk (known for its impressive medieval churches), Mongolia's capital Ulan Bator, and Kazan's Kremlin, a World Heritage site containing several historic towers, palaces and cathedrals.
The company also recommends the views from trains through the Peruvian Andes on the way to Machu Picchu, in particular the Andean Explorer to Cuzco and the train from the Sacred Valley. The holiday can be combined with the sights of Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca and the Nazca Lines (ancient figures of animals in the desert only visible from high above).
You can also go on a nine-night journey in classically furnished Palace on Wheels in northern India, stopping at Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ranthambore National Park, Udaipur, Agra and the Taj Mahal - some of subcontinent's most amazing sights.
If you cannot get enough of the South African scenery, a trip from Pretoria in the north-east to Cape Town in the south-west on the Pride of Africa is ideal. The journey can be enjoyed over two nights, in a full-board luxury suite in restored coaches, and includes tours of Kimberley, known for its diamond rush and the pretty Western Cape village of Matjiesfontein.
Other tour operators specialising in rail holidays include Ffestiniog Travel and Travelsphere.
