The Blue Train has an aura of mystique about it. Kings and presidents have travelled on this magnificent moving five-star hotel. Its very name has become synonymous with the ultimate in luxury and personal service.
The routes of The Blue Train - both scheduled and chartered - take guests through some of the most breathtaking countryside to be found anywhere in the world.
Day 1: August 23, 2010
7:50 – 08:30 Register and check-in at The Blue Train Lounge,Pretoria Station.
Guests enjoy pre-departure snacks and drinks.
08:30: Boarding starts. Butlers usher guests to their suites.
Suite orientation done by butlers.
08:50: The Blue Train departs from Pretoria Station
10:30 – 12:30: First sitting for Brunch
12:30 – 14:30: Second sitting for Brunch
15:30: High tea is served in the Lounge Car.
17:10: The Blue Train arrives at Kimberley Station.
Guests disembark and assemble at the railway museum, from where they will be ushered to a bus, which transfers them to the Kimberley Open Mine Museum.
17:45: 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 Kimberly hole.
18:35: Guests depart from the Open Mine Museum for Kimberley Station.
At Kimberley Station guests are greeted with a glass of sherry. The sherry glass engraved with The Blue Train logo is a memento for guests to keep.
19:05: The Blue Train departs Kimberley Station for the journey Southbound to Cape Town.
After this exciting tour, guests are free to refresh themselves and enjoy pre-dinner drinks served at any one of our lounges.
Remember, dinner is an elegant affair and men are requested to wear a jacket and tie and ladies elegant evening wear.
19:30: First sitting dinner
21:15: Second sitting dinner
Day 2: August 24, 2010 (next morning)
07:30 - 10:00: Breakfast is served on a first come first serve basis. Breakfast can also be served in-suite
at the guests’ request.
12:00: The Blue Train arrives at
Cape Town Station. Butlers usher guests to the Blue Train Lounge
Luxury Accommodations:
Each suite has its own bathroom with either a shower or bath. There are two luxury coaches which both have three suites with bathrooms fitted with tubs. The luxury suites have hi-fi, audio CD and VHS video systems. The other nine De Luxe coaches have four suites per coach. One of the four suites has a bathroom with a bath, while the other three have showers.
The beds have been custom-designed for The Blue Train. A butler pulls them out, already made, from a space in the suite wall, converting the lounge into a comfortable bedroom. White cotton sheets and down duvets are the standard linen throughout the train. Ten of the suites feature double beds on the first train, while there are nine on the second.
Guests on The Blue Train receive special branded gifts at the end of the journey.
Dining
The dining car provides seating for 42 people. There are two sittings for lunch and dinner. Lunch is smart-casual, dinner is jacket and tie for the men and elegant wear for the ladies, while breakfast is casual.
Lounges
Each of The Blue Trains has two lounges: the main lounge car in which high tea is served each afternoon, and the club car where guests can relax over a post-prandial cognac. The club car is the only public area available for smoking.
Air: International and domestic airfare not included. Zoom Vacations has negotiated a 5% off your fare with American Airlines on this trip. Go to aa.com/rainbow, type in your departure city and arrival city and don’t forget to enter the Promotion Code: 4880AC. Click " Get Fare".
*Land onlyIntroductory rate, based on double occupancy. Prices are subject to change.
Please read Terms and Conditions prior to booking.
Testimonials About Zoom South Africa
By FAR of the 5 G&L tour companies you guys put the others to shame.Great planning, consistent follow thru, and a very impressive thoughtfulness of your guests.
ZOOM:Professional, responsive, and personalized.
Mark, Atlanta: Zoom South Africa Vacation
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Bryan and Joel,
We will be forever grateful to you guys for making the incredibly complicated seem simple and easy. The task of transporting fourteen “high standard” queens half way around the world, then entertain and wow them for two weeks was monumental, but you guys pulled it off and never looked like you were working. Wow.
David, Miami : Zoom South Africa Vacation
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Bryan and Joel go out of their way to make sure that all guests have that "once-in-a-lifetime" experience and memory. The trip exceeded all expectations, even after setting very high goals. I wanted each day to be better than the day experience that was just had, and we accomplished that.
Zoom is easy to work with, and Bryan and Joel work very well together.
Sid Stolz, Miami: Zoom South Africa Vacation
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Zoom Vacations went out of their way to make sure the trip was special. The necessary details were handled which made traveling easy. But, it was the special attention to details or special events that made this trip memorable. Whether it was the dinner in the bush or the visit to the village these are what made this trip, and the experience with Zoom Vacations, unique. The thing that impressed me the most however, and the thing I be most often goes un-noticed, is the way Zoom paid attention to the experience of each person on the trip. There were a number of times when they paid special attention to people who they felt like needed it – whether it was just checking in to make sure the person was ok or making a point to engage them in conversation or give them space as needed. I can honestly say that Zoom went out of their way to care for the travelers on all levels.
Bill Pullen, Washington DC: Zoom South Africa Vacation
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I can't thank you enough. another amazing trip! You always make me feel comfortable traveling with Zoom. Beautiful accommodations, fun packed itinerary and wonderful people on your trips--more friends to my circle :) RIO new years 2004, Amsterdam Gay Pride and South Africa New Years 2005 (Wow) Can't wait to see what you have lined up for Peru. Thanks again, Love Tom
Tom, New Jersey: Zoom South Africa Vacation
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Man, did we have fun on your fantastic trip to Africa, you did a great job planning it, THANKS!
Richard, Atlanta: Zoom South Africa Vacation
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Zoom had the right blend of history, culture, sightseeing, free time and fun!
Craig Collins, Washington, DC: Zoom South Africa Vacation
