Shongololo - The Good Hope Adventure

Shongololo Express provides a very special touring experience for visitors to Southern Africa. The trains travel comfortably and securely during the night and you awake each dawn to a different vista. No more packing and unpacking for the whole duration of the trip! The train carries a fleet of air-conditioned touring vehicles with professional guides on board ready to take guests on the daily inclusive scheduled tours.

Day	Region	Accommodation
1	Cape Town	Shongololo
2	Cape Town	Shongololo
3	Winelands / Overberg	Shongololo
4	Kimberley and Bloemfontein	Shongololo
5	Midlands / Southern Drakensberg	Shongololo
6	Durban	Shongololo
7	Zululand	Shongololo
8	Zululand	Shongololo
9	Swaziland	Shongololo
10	Kruger National Park	Shongololo
11	Panorama Route or Kruger National Park	Shongololo
12	Pretoria / Johannesburg / Soweto	Shongololo
13	Johannesburg	Departure

Please note: Tour can be done in reverse. For a fully descriptive itinerary of all day tours please contact us.

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Shongololo Express provides a very special touring experience for visitors to Southern Africa. The trains travel comfortably and securely during the night and you awake each dawn to a different vista. No more packing and unpacking for the whole duration of the trip! The train carries a fleet of air-conditioned touring vehicles with professional guides on board ready to take guests on the daily inclusive scheduled tours.

A 13-day journey offering an amazing and comprehensive view of South Africa, incorporating virtually every internationally regarded 'must see' sight and highlight. As the train travels the length and breadth of the country, guests can enjoy the great variety of landscapes, shorelines, cultures, lifestyles and cuisine that the South African Rainbow Nation has to offer.

Days 1 & 2: Cape Town

Guests arriving at Cape Town International Airport today should arrive no later than 08h00 at the airport in order to be able to participate in the day's excursions. Guests will be collected from the airport and transferred to the train. Cape Town's nautical heritage, diverse cultural influences and the magnificence of its setting with Table Mountain dominating the skyline make this one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in the world. (Please Note: All the activities below will be covered over Days 1 & 2, but as some are weather dependent, the order in which we visit them may vary.) Over Days 1 and 2 you will enjoy both a Cape Point Tour and a Cape Town City Tour. The train remains stationary at Cape Town station for the night. An evening shuttle service will be available to take passengers to/from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. OPTIONAL EXTRAS: (The below Tour add-ons can only be done on the day of the Cape Town City Tour). 1. Two Oceans Aquarium: 2. Robben Island Tour: 3. Helicopter Flight: 4. Table Mountain: Experience an awesome ride up Table Mountain in a cable car, where the view from the top is spectacular. This activity is weather dependent.

Day 3: Winelands / Overberg Region

Surrounded by proud mountain ranges, the fertile green valleys of the Cape Winelands enjoy a Mediterranean climate and winter rainfall which produces some of the best wines in the world. The rich, fertile soils along the Breede River and the Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl areas have become justly famous for their whites, reds, fortified wines and brandies. The Overberg region to the southeast embraces mountains, valleys and coastal areas and annually welcomes the Southern Right Whale to its waters. Enjoy either a Historic Heart of the Winelands Tour or a Scenic Mountain Passes and Hermanus Tour. OPTIONAL EXTRA: Whale Watching Boat Cruise (Hermanus) (This Optional Extra can be combined with Option 2 above and is weather dependent). Guests meet the train at Worcester. The train departs for Kimberley over night.

Day 4: Kimberley and Bloemfontein

Kimberley is the capital city of the Northern Cape, well known for the Big Hole which resulted from the discovery of diamonds that led to the establishment of the city in 1893. Bloemfontein is the seat of the South African judicial system. At the end of the 19th century it was also the capital of the old Boer republic of The Orange Free State. Enjoy either a Kimberley – Bloemfontein Tour or the tour in reverse ( Bloemfontein – Kimberley) or just a Bloemfontein Tour. Guests rejoin the train in Bloemfontein and travel overnight to Ladysmith.

Day 5: Midlands / Southern Drakensberg

Guests now head to the eastern jagged peaks of the Drakensberg, following waterways as they drop and cascade down mountain clefts, and through hidden valleys to the tumbling luscious hills that extend through the Midlands. Enjoy either a Battlefields Tour, Midlands Meander Tour, a Southern Drakensberg Birding Trail or a Drakensberg Hiking Trail. OPTIONAL EXTRAS: Sani Pass / Lesotho (NB: YOUR PASSPORT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS ACTIVITY!) Guests rejoin the train in Nottingham Road and travel overnight to Durban.

Day 6: Durban

Enjoy a Durban City Tour, a Durban Spiritual Tour or a Umhlanga Rocks Beach Day: The train departs for Empangeni Station in Zululand.

Day 7: Zululand

Enjoy a Zulu Cultural Experience and iSimangaliso Wetland Park - St Lucia. In the morning guests will enjoy a guided tour of a Zulu cultural village, followed by the St Lucia Wetlands, declared a World Heritage Site. In the afternoon we will take a cruise on the St Lucia Estuary, looking for hippos, crocodiles, and a large variety of water birds. OPTIONAL EXTRAS: St Lucia Boat Based Whale Tours. (Please note that the ski boat is launched from the beach so this activity is not recommended for the elderly guests). Guests return to the train in the afternoon.

Day 8: Zululand

Enjoy a Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park Tour. An early departure to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve will get us into the park to experience wildlife magic. The park lies in the heart of Zululand where ancient trails lead through the thorn veld and along the mighty rivers of Africa's oldest established wilderness area. Once the exclusive royal hunting ground of King Shaka, it is a tapestry of natural and cultural history. The park is a treasure store of species including lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, kudu, bushbuck, cheetah, hyena and many others. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here. Game drives will be conducted in our vehicles. Guests meet the train at Golela station. Please note that guests will go through immigration before they get back to the train. Guests will need to take their passports with them for the day. The Train Departs for Swaziland, Mpaka Station.

Day 9: Swaziland

The tiny Kingdom of Swaziland covers only 17 000 square kilometres, making it the second smallest country in Africa. Enjoy a tour of Swaziland: YOU WILL NEED YOUR PASSPORT FOR THIS DAY. This tour in Swaziland will introduce you to everyday life in Africa's smallest kingdom. Guests rejoin the train at Kaapmuiden, South Africa. The train remains stationary at Kaapmuiden for the night.

Day 10: Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park straddles the province of Mpumalanga, which means "Land of the Rising Sun". It is a province of extraordinary natural beauty. Enjoy day in Kruger National Park: The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience second to none. OPTIONAL EXTRAS: Open Vehicle Safari; or Protea Kruger Gate Lodge or Private Game Reserve or Mountain Lodge. The train remains stationary at Kaapmudein for the night.

Day 11: Panorama Route or Kruger National Park

Enjoy a Panorama Route Tour or a day in Kruger National Park. OPTIONAL EXTRAS: Sunrise Balloon Experience: Early morning pick-up and transfer to the balloon launch site where tea, coffee and biscuits will be served on arrival, followed by a scenic balloon flight of approximately one hour's duration. Cape sparkling wine will be served upon landing followed by breakfast at a country lodge. You will meet the rest of the group at Sabie along the Panorama Route. (This activity is weather dependent). Guests rejoin the train at Nelspruit and the train departs for Johannesburg Boksburg East Yard.

Day 12: Pretoria / Johannesburg / Soweto

Gauteng is the economic powerhouse of the southern African region and home to South Africa's capital, Pretoria as well as Johannesburg. Enjoy a Pretoria and Soweto Tour or a Johannesburg and Soweto Tour. The train remains stationary at Boksburg East Station.

Day 13: Transfer Day

Guests transferring to a hotel will be taken during the morning. Guests who are flying from O R Tambo International Airport later may take optional tours within the Johannesburg area. OPTIONAL EXTRAS: The Cradle of Humankind; Lesedi Cultural Village; Apartheid Museum & The World of Beer; or East Rand Mall or Emperors Palace.

Departures	Twin	Single
Ivory Class	$4,440	$4,880	Enquire Now
Gold Class	$5,475	$POA	Enquire Now
Commodore	$5,750	$POA	Enquire Now
Emerald	$6,370	$POA	Enquire Now

Inclusions:

• Twelve nights accommodation
• Breakfast and dinner daily
• Choice of daily scheduled off-rail excursions
• Return airport transfers

• 01 – 13 February 2012 ex Johannesburg
• 20 February – 03 March 2012 ex Cape Town
• 25 April – 07 May 2012 ex Johannesburg
• 14 – 26 May 2012 ex Cape Town
• 06 – 18 June 2012 ex Johannesburg
• 25 June 2012 – 07 July 2012 ex Cape Town
• 24 October – 05 November 2012 ex Johannesburg
• 12 – 24 November 2012 ex Cape Town

You can choose to extend your trip by adding the following options.
Or talk to one of our experts now.