To understand a country well, you need to be exposed not only to its important tourist sights but to delve into its history, its culture and to travel through as much of it as you can. This wonderful, 17-day rail journey shows you South Africa from the inside out. With wonderful daily excursions including everything from game viewing to visiting famous battle sites, travel from one end of the country to the other. Follow the scenic Panorama route before spending thrilling time in the Kruger National Park with all its fascinating African animals including the ‘Big Five’. Then explore the powerhouse cities of Pretoria & Johannesburg before heading for the Indian Ocean city of Durban.

Set off by road into the heart of Zululand for more game viewing as well as having some unique cultural experiences before cruising the St. Lucia Estuary, an important UN World Heritage. In the stunning Drakensburg Mountains you can hike or visit Boer War battlefields. In the Cape Province, see elephants at Addo, travel the Garden Route to see Ostriches, awesome caves, and beautiful coastal scenery. In the Winelands, taste some of the countries best wines before finishing with two days of touring in Cape Town. The many optional excursions are also exciting; overnight in a private game reserve, visit the Kingdoms of Swaziland or Lesotho, go shark cage diving.

Finally there is the Shongololo train 3-star experience. This unique train that pulls its own fleet of touring vehicles along with it, is your home for 16 nights. Cozy, comfortable, friendly and unpretentious, it caters to the adventurer who loves train travel and wants a relaxed experience. Tasty meals and wines are served on board (lunch is on ones own when off the train), and there’s no need to pack a jacket and tie, just lots of enthusiasm.