Experience the magnificent highlights of South Africa on board the Blue Train

South Africa is well known for its cultural diversity, which is what makes it such an exciting place to visit and take tailor made rail holidays. The Blue Train is an ideal way to experience such a trip in real style, combining luxury travel with stunning sights and adventures.

The Blue Train provides one of the most luxurious modes of transport on the continent. Boasting exquisite fine dining, comfortable lodgings and a wide range of entertainment, it is an incredibly relaxing way to experience South Africa.

Escorted tours incorporating travel on the Blue Train are one of the most attractive options for South African travel. Initially arriving in Cape Town, visitors will be able to enjoy a guided tour of the area - which is often described as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Prior to a four-night stay in the five-star Cape Grace Hotel, groups of holidaymakers as well as single travellers will be whisked to the top of Table Mountain via cable car to enjoy unparalled views of the city.

Visitors can easily make their way around the city centre on foot, which is an ideal way to experience this iconic city during a free day or afternoon. Adderley Street's fresh flower market is a colourful delight, with many other shops and sights in the vicinity.

Cape Point on the Cape of Good Hope is the next stop-off for holidaymakers - an area famed for the legend of The Flying Dutchman - a notorious ghost pirate ship. Named after it, the area's funicular takes passengers to a vantage point from which stunning views can be seen.

Close by, visitors can enjoy seeing Africa's only indigenous penguins at Boulders Beach - a sight sure to be enjoyed by all who go there.

After such breathtaking coastal sights, holidaymakers may wish to take a trip further inland to see the famous Stellenbosch Vineyards. During the visits, both vineyards will provide tastings of some of the wines they produce, giving you a real feel for the flavours South African grapes produce.

Following on from treating your taste buds, the delights of the Blue Train await. No stranger to fine wine itself, the locomotive offers some of South Africa's best wines, as well as exquisite cuisine packed full of fresh local produce. The dining area itself is beautifully decorated, giving the ultimate feeling of luxury.

Each carriage has a dedicated butler who is available 24-hours a day, meaning if you need anything at all someone will always be available to help. Private cabins all feature washbasins, WCs and a bed that turns into the perfect seating to watch the country go by during the day.

The Blue Train will take you past some beautiful South African scenes, such as the Boland Mountain passes and famous winelands, before making its first stop at the Karoo plateau.

Visitors will be able to explore Matjiesfontein, a village dating back to 1884, before re-embarking on their rail adventure. The area is now a National Historic Monument, following on from restoration of its finest buildings back in the 1970s.
Once the Blue Train sets off again, passengers will be headed towards Pretoria, the administrative centre of the country, which boasts a rich history and is an area of much cultural importance.

It is here that the exciting Blue Train journey terminates, leaving holidaymakers to explore the sights of Pretoria on foot. The location of Winston Churchill's captivity in the Staats Model School during the second Boer War, it is also the area of his subsequent escape.

Many of the conflict's forts can be seen today, as nationally preserved monuments.

Prior to returning to England, you will be able to visit the famous Kruger National Park for a period of three days, during which you will be able to see lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalos and leopards, which are sure to thrill.

During this exciting safari, visitors can enjoy early-morning game drives to spot some of the larger animals, as well as seeing a host of brightly coloured birds and smaller creatures. The area also boasts a spa and a swimming pool, allowing you to relax later in the day before enjoying a sumptuous evening meal.

Tailor made rail holidays to South Africa do not get more exciting and more luxurious than those taken on the Blue Train. Its combination of fine cuisine, excellent service and beautiful sights marry perfectly with the captivating tours of some of the country's most important areas.