Luxury train zips across Africa

Your 3,000-mile trip across Africa – on what’s billed as the world’s most luxurious train, no less – starts in the shadows of a flat, 3,600-foot-high mountain outside Cape Town, South Africa. Fifteen days later, the train ends up on the eastern side of the continent in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city and the ninth fastest growing metropolis in the world.

Operated by Rovos Rail, the train – called “The Pride of Africa” – gives its passengers a two-week taste of the romance of a bygone era as it clickety-clacks across South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania. The trip is marketed by Gibsonia, Pa.-based Frontiers International Travel.

Along the way, passengers riding in the train’s posh, wood-paneled coaches  enjoy fine cuisine in five-star luxury when not between dickering for diamonds in Kimberley, moseying around the Madikwe Game Reserve, oohing and aahing at the breathtaking splendor of Victoria Falls, crossing the mighty Zambezi River, taking a bush walk at Chisimba Falls, zipping across the tunnels, switchbacks and viaducts of the spectacular escarpment on the descent into the Great Rift Valley and traversing the Selous Game Reserve (the largest reserve on the continent).

You wouldn’t expect an adventure like this would come cheap, and this trip (marketed by Frontiers International Travel) doesn’t. The tab starts at $11,850 per person, based on double occupancy. Trip dates this year are July 2-16 (for Cape Town to Dar es Salaam) and July 19– Aug. 2 for Dar es Salaam to Cape Town. You can get more information by visiting Frontiers International Travel’s website  http://www.frontiersej.com or by calling the company at 800-245-1950 or 724-935-1577.

Photos courtesy of Rovos Rail