South Africa|Safaris in South Africa
Blue Train - Captial to Coast
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Fast Facts
Travelling to:
Pretoria and Northern Cape
duration:
4 Days - 3 Nights
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Travel Blue Train on the 31 hour journey, traversing huge 994 miles, between Pretoria and Cape Town. Travelling through some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery offered by the African sub-continent.
When travelling in a southbound direction guests will visit Kimberley, where you take a step back in time to the days of the diamond rush. On the northbound route a visit is made to the Lord Milner Hotel in Matjiesfontein. On arrival at Matjiesfontein you are invited for a glass of sherry at the bar.
The Victorian buildings and original nineteenth century London lampposts impart to the traveller, the uncanny sense of entering a colonial time warp – an oasis suspended in a different age.
Outline Itinerary
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Day 1 - Pretoria
Staying at: Castello Di Monte
Check in for your pre tour night at the Castello Di Monte. The afternoon and evening are at leisure for you to be able to explore the administrative capital of South Africa. In Pretoria you will find a wealth of history in relation to diamond mining, heritage, memorials and parliament buildings.
Day 2 - The Blue Train
14:00 Register and check-in at The Blue Train Lounge, Pretoria Station.
Guests enjoy pre-departure snacks and drinks.
15:15 Boarding commences.
Butlers usher guests to their suites. Suite orientation done by butlers. Boarding concludes at 15:45
16:00 The Blue Train departs from Pretoria Station (will depart earlier if all guests have checked-in.)
18:30 – 20:00 First sitting for Dinner
(Please Note: Dinner is an elegant affair. Gentlemen are requested to at least wear a jacket/ waistcoat). Guests enjoy post-dinner drinks, cognacs and Cuban cigars in the Club Car before retiring to bed.
20:30 – 22:00 Second sitting for Dinner
(Please Note: Dinner is an elegant affair. Gentlemen are requested to at least wear a jacket / waistcoat). Guests enjoy post-dinner drinks, cognacs and Cuban cigars in the Club Car before retiring to bed
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Day 3 - The Blue Train
06:00 – 09:00 Breakfast is served on a first-come-first-served basis.
OFF-THE-TRAIN EXCURSION (Weather & time permitting)
09:30 The Blue Train arrives at Kimberley Station
Guests disembark and gather at the Railway Museum, from where they will be ushered to a bus, which transfers them to the Kimberley Open Mine Museum.
10:00 Guests arrive at the Open Mine Museum for a tour of the mine
Guests are first taken to view interesting and historical sites. Guests are also taken onto an enclosed ramp on the edge of the Big Hole.
12:30 Guests depart from the Open Mine Museum for Kimberley Station
At Kimberly Station guests are greeted with a glass of sherry. The sherry glass engraved with The Blue Train logo as a memento for guests to keep.
13:00 The Blue Train departs Kimberley Station for the southbound journey to Cape Town
After this exciting tour, guests are welcome to refresh themselves and enjoy aperitifs served at any one of our lounges.
13:00 – 14:15 First sitting for Lunch
14:30 – 16:00 Second sitting for Lunch
16:30 High Tea is served in the Non-Smoking Lounge Car
18:30 – 20:30 First sitting for Dinner
(Please Note: Dinner is an elegant affair. Gentlemen are requested to at least wear a jacket/ waistcoat). Guests enjoy post-dinner drinks, cognacs and Cuban cigars in the Club Car before retiring to bed.
20:30 – 22:00 Second sitting for Dinner
(Please Note: Dinner is an elegant affair. Gentlemen are requested to at least wear a jacket/ waistcoat). Guests enjoy post-dinner drinks, cognacs and Cuban cigars in the Club Car before retiring to bed.