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A luxury railway journey on the Shongololo Express, gives Saga guests an exquisite four-star experience as they travel in comfort into the heart of South Africa for big game drives and visits to the Drakensburg Mountains, the Valley of Devastation and Boer War sites.
 
On the Rovos Rail’s new Shongololo Express guests dine in period-style dining cars, enjoying a choice of quality cuisine and South African wines while watching the stunning scenery of the country pass by from the observation car and balcony.

At the end of each day the train stops, allowing everyone to relax and sleep in ‘Gold’ category en-suite double or twin cabins, equipped with tea and coffee-making facilities. Better still, the tour group of up to 18 guests only have to unpack once as the train is home for 14 nights.

Guests visit Pretoria, Soweto and the Valley of Desolation, in Graaf Reinet, also known as the ‘cathedral of the mountains’, a hauntingly beautiful valley offering outstanding views with the rugged, piled dolerite columns set against the backdrop of the Karoo plains. 

The Big Five of lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo are among the wildlife in Kruger National Park, scene of a full day’s game drive, and at Imfolozi Park, where there are two excursions, while the UNESCO World Heritage Site of iSmangaliso Wetland Park is home to hippos and crocodiles.

The cities of Durban and Cape Town, as well as excursions to the God’s Window mountain viewpoint, Kimberley’s Big Hole diamond mine and a glass craft workshop in Swaziland are on the itinerary while the history of the Boer War of 1899-1902 also features strongly. From Ladysmith the tour takes in the Siege Museum and Wagon Hill, the site of the battle in 1900, while Bloemfontein is home to the Anglo Boer Museum.

Kimberley Mining Museum houses the world’s largest uncut diamond, the ‘Big Hole’, the world’s biggest hand-dug excavation. The city is the base for visits to the William Humphrey Art Gallery and the McGregor Museum, where displays include natural history, the Siege of Kimberley, a Hall of Religions and Ancestors Gallery.

From Durban, Saga’s small group visits uShaka Marine World and visits some of the most iconic highlights of the Garden Route including: Oudtshoorn, Knysna and Hermanus, a coastal village known for whale-watching.

At the start and end of the train journey guests stay in hotels – the four-star Maslow Hotel on arrival in Johannesburg and the five-star Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town to provide a memorable finale to this incredible journey.

For details call free on 0800 056 0464 or visit saga.co.uk/SouthAfrica

18-night holiday from £5,999 per person, departing London Heathrow with South African Airways on March 15, 2020.

Price includes VIP door-to-door chauffeur service, return flights, airport taxes, 14 nights on the Shongololo Express, accommodation, most meals – 16 breakfasts, two lunches and 15 dinners, porterage, tour manager, optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a discount if passenger has own insurance.