- Rovos Rail's trains pass right by Victoria Falls, affording visitors a unique vantage point.victoria falls image by christine dedman from Fotolia.com
Taking an African train trip is an ideal way to experience Africa's landscape and scenery without sacrificing comfort. Africa's rail companies travel throughout the continent, and while the luxury of the companies may vary, certain amenities are consistent. Dining cars serve a minimum of two meals a day, air-conditioning is offered on all but the most budget-conscious lines and regular stops are made at points of interest. Companies have standard routes they follow, but many also offer annual or semi-annual journeys that are elongated or offer trips to special locales. - Based in South Africa, Rovos Rail takes visitors on luxury train trips throughout Africa. Rovos Rail employs only resort classic train cars designed to evoke the glory days of early-20th-century train trips. Each train carries a maximum of 72 passengers, so trips remain intimate and maintain a high guest-to-service ratio. Trips range from 24 hours to two weeks, and include destinations as diverse as Victoria Falls, Tanzania's Dar es Salaam, the deserts of Namibia and the Mpumalanga game reserves.
Rovos Rail Head Office
P.O. Box 2837
Pretoria 0001, Gauteng
South Africa
011-27-12-315-8242
rovos.com - South Africa's Blue Trail company operates two trains that travel within the South African nation. The company has regularly scheduled routes between Cape Town and Pretoria, and is also available for chartering. The trains are modern and are up-to-date with safety requirements and modern conveniences. The Blue Train's semi-formal dining rooms specialize in local cuisine. High tea is offered in the lounges, as is after-dinner cognac. Each coach has an assigned butler who is available to guests 24 hours a day.
Blue Train
5750 Collins Avenue, Suite 16
Miami Beach, FL 33140
305-864-4569
bluetrain.co.za - From its base in South Africa, the Shongololo Express offers travelers the chance to experience South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia. There are four levels of accommodation. Emerald, the most luxurious level, includes en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning and a small private lounge. Ivory, the most basic level, has shared bathroom facilities and no air-conditioning. The dining car serves two daily meals, an English breakfast and an African-inspired dinner. Lunch is generally not provided, as guests will normally have their daily excursions during that time.
Shongololo Express
P.O. Box 1512
Ferndale, 2160
Johannesburg, South Africa
011-27-11-483-0657
shongololo.com - Abela Egypt travels between Egypt's major tourist destinations, including Luxor, Alexandria, Cairo and Aswan. Each train has 13 sleeping cars and a club car. The cabins are air-conditioned and are equipped with basic amenities. A steward is on-call for each cabin should visitors require any assistance. Breakfast and dinner are available on board, but guests are responsible for their own lunches. Abela Egypt travels most routes daily, with the exception of its Cairo-Matrouh route, which travels three times weekly from mid-June to Mid-September.
Abela Egypt
26 Mohamed Mazhar St.,
Zamalek, Cairo
Egypt
011-202-2574-94-74
sleepingtrains.com
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