A South African adventure by rail

Recapture the golden age of rail travel on an epic 1000 mile journey through the heart of South Africa on board one of the world’s most elegant trains - ‘Highlights of South Africa’ is a classic new 16-day itinerary which has been introduced into the 2009 worldwide programme of Great Rail Journeys, the UK’s market leader for escorted holidays by rail.

The epitome of luxury, the Pride of Africa sleeper train provides five-star comfort, fine cuisine and first-class service on a journey through the African wilderness.

The tour commences in Cape Town with four nights at the five-star Cape Grace Hotel – regarded as one of the finest in Africa – which is located on its own private quay on the Victoria and Alfred waterfront with views of the ocean and Table Top Mountain.

Highlights here include a city tour, a cable car ascent of Table Mountain, a tour of Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, a visit to the Franschhoek and Stellenbosch valleys – two of South Africa’s finest wine producing areas – plus an excursion to Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope and the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens.

The holiday continues with eight nights – in luxurious air-conditioned Pullman Suites - on the restored private Pride of Africa train as it journeys through the African bush to Pretoria and Johannesburg, where guests enjoy city tours and an excursion to the Brenthurst Gardens, the private estate of the Oppenheimer family featured in Monty Don’s Great Gardens of the World series on the BBC.

Included en route are game drives in the Addo Elephant Park, the Mkhaya Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park – three of the best locations to experience South Africa’s abundance of wildlife. There are also visits to many landmark towns and cities including Oudtshoorn – home to the world’s largest population of ostriches - Bloemfontein (the ‘City of Roses’), Ladysmith and Durban, before ending with a night at the five-star Michelangelo Hotel in Johannesburg.
source:http://www.easier.com/view/Travel/Holidays/article-187859.html