A nice adventure with WORLD’S MOST LUXURIOUS TRAIN : ROVOS
Rates starts from 25,000 Euro excluding arrival-departure flights 1st and last days :-(
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1 Cairo; arrive Cairo and transfer to Four Seasons First Residence Hotel with views of both the Nile and the Great Pyramids for lunch. Day at leisure. Optional tours available. Welcome dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 2 Giza Pyramids; full day tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 3 Cairo; tour of Saqqara and Memphis. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day 4 Board Nile Cruise; transfer to Cairo airport for flight to Luxor. Board Nile Cruiser for river adventure. Lunch on board. Afternoon visits to the West Bank of Luxor, including Valley of Kings, Valley of Queens, the Temple of Hatshepsut and photo stop at Colossi of Memnon proceeded by Luxor Temple visit. Afternoon tea and dinner on board. Overnight on board in Luxor.
Day 5 On board – Esna; breakfast buffet on board. Visit Karnak Temple. Sail to Esna at 09h00. Lunch on board. Afternoon tea and dinner on board. Overnight on board in Esna.
Day 6 Nile Cruise; breakfast buffet on board. Morning visit to the Temple of Khnum at Esna. Lunch on board, while you sail to Edfu. Afternoon visit to the Temple of Horus at Edfu. Afternoon tea on board, and sunset sailing to Kom Ombo. “Egyptian Night” dinner on board, including Galabeyya party with a chance for all guests to dress in traditional Egyptian Galabeyyas for the night. Overnight on board in Kom Ombo.
Day 7 Aswan; breakfast buffet on board. Morning visit to the Temple of Sobek at Kom Ombo. Sail to Aswan. Lunch on board. Afternoon visits to the Temple of Philae on Agilika Island, the Unfinished Obelisk at the Ancient Granite Quarries, and the Aswan High Dam. Afternoon tea on board. Farewell gala dinner on board, with oriental folkloric show. Overnight on board in Aswan.
Day 8 Flights to Sudan; breakfast buffet on board, and checkout. Transfer to Aswan airport for flight to Abu Simbel, Enjoy visits to the temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari. Transfer back to airport for 1 ½ hour flight to Khartoum, Sudan. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at Borg Alfatih Hotel.
Day 9 Sudan; visit to the Sudanese National Museum of Ethnography and the National Museum of Sudan. Afternoon visit to Bait Al-Khalifa Museum. Lunch, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 Flights to Uganda; transfer to Khartoum Airport for 3 hour flight to Entebbe, Uganda. Arrive Entebbe and transfer to Imperial Resort Beach Hotel. Afternoon visit to the island of Ngama and its orphaned chimpanzees. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 11 Jinja; depart for visit to Jinja, the source of the Nile (2 ½ hour drive from Entebbe). Mabira Forest Walk en-route. Lunch at Jinja Nile Resort. Dinner and overnight hotel.
Day 12 Serengeti, Tanzania; after immigration and customs formalities we depart Entebbe airport for 1 hour flight to Mwanza, Tanzania Arrive Mwanza. Board vehicles for 2 hour journey to luxury Serengeti camp. Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight in camp.
Day 13 Serengeti; breakfast at the lodge. Morning & afternoon game drives in the Serengeti. Dinner & overnight at the camp.
Day 14 Ngorongoro; board light aircraft for flight to Ngorongoro Serena crater lodge. Lunch and dinner at the lodge, rest of the day at leisure to relax and enjoy magnificent views of the crater.
Day 15 Game Drive; game drive excursion with lunch on floor of Crater. Dinner and overnight at lodge.
Day 16 Zanzibar; after breakfast board vehicles for 2 ½ hour drive to Arusha airport via Lake Manyara. Board aircraft for 1¼ hour flight to Zanzibar flying past Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Arrive Zanzibar and transfer to Zanzibar Serena Hotel for dinner and overnight. Afternoon tour of Stone Town.
Day 17 Island Spice; Tour with lunch en route. Stone City tour. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 18 Dar es Saalam; board local flight for 20 minute trip to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and transfer to Tazara Station. Rovos Rail’s Edwardian Train Safari departs Dar es Salaam, lunch, dinner and overnight on the train.
Day 19 On board; arrive Makambako en route to Tunduma. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board. Afternoon lecture by on-board Historian.
Day 20 Border Crossing; arrive Tunduma/Nakonde for Tanzanian/Zambian border control. Morning and afternoon lectures.
Day 21 Kundalila Falls, Zambia; arrive Kanona. Brunch outing at Kundalila Falls. Zambia. Depart Kanona, lunch and dinner on board.
Day 22 On Board; pass through Lusaka, Kafue and Choma. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board with morning and afternoon lectures.
Day 23 Victoria Falls; arrive Livingstone for Zimbabwean border formalities before arriving Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Transfer to the Victoria Falls Hotel. Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. African Spectacular Show. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 24 At Leisure; tour of the Falls, game of golf, Flight of the Angels, river rafting, etc. Rovos Rail departs Victoria Falls. Dinner and overnight on the train.
Day 25 On Board; pass by Bulawayo on route to Beitbridge with breakfast, lunch and dinner on board with morning and afternoon Lectures. Overnight on train.
Day 26 Kruger National Park; arrive Hoedspruit, South Africa and transfer to 5-star Thornybush or Kapama Game Lodge for full board two-night stay.
Day 27 Kruger National Park; after breakfast, guest activities i.e. Guided walk or morning and afternoon game drives. Overnight at Kapama or Thornybush.
Day 28 Kruger National Park; morning game drive followed by lunch in the bush. Afternoon visit to Wild Dog and Cheetah Project. Depart Hoedspruit on the Pride of Africa via Nelspruit to Pretoria.
Day 29 Board Rovos Rail; arrive at Rovos Rail’s gracious Capital Park Station in Pretoria. Tour of Rovos Rail depot. Light garden lunch followed by city tour of Pretoria. The train departs Pretoria for Cape Town.
Day 30 Kimberley; arrive Kimberley for tour of ‘ Big Hole ’ and diamond museum. Rejoin the train for lunch. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight on board the train.
Day 31 On Board; arrive for 2 hour visit to Matjiesfontein Victorian Village. Depart for Cape Town. Arrive Cape Town. Transfer, dinner and overnight at the Cape Grace Hotel on the V & A Waterfront.
Day 32 Cape Winelands; depart for full day tour of Cape Winelands, including a visit to a famous wine estate with lunch en route. Afternoon visits to Franschhoek, Boschendal and Stellenbosch. Dinner and overnight at Cape Grace.
Day 33 Cape Peninsula; depart for full day tour of Cape Peninsula (including Groot Constantia, Fish Hoek, Simonstown, Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Hout Bay and Kirstenbosch). Light lunch en route. Farewell dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 34 Departures; morning at leisure before transferring to Cape Town International Airport for return flight home.
Tigerlily Member # 3567
posted
Man wouldn't it be something to go on such a trip once in a lifetime! Thanks for posting this, Shahrazat!!
Makbeta Member # 14401
posted
Shahrazat, if you go on this tour, I will happily join you. Lovely pics.
'Shahrazat' Member # 12769
posted
Thanks Tiger.... I ve seen most of the places scheduled on the itinerary but that one should be amazing
The best places for safari are Botswana and Kruger in South Africa. Once I was on a morning safari in South Africa. We found ourselves between 25-30 giraffes including baby ones. As soon as you try to approach them, they escape, very cute shy animals I also had a chance to watch the lions while they were hunting. They hide themselves behind the yellow bushes...very quite... As soon as they catch the best time for hunting, 2-3 of them jump on the animal altogether. The funny thing is, the hunting is always done by females. Then they take the meat to male ones, after the males finish eating, they start
'Shahrazat' Member # 12769
posted
Makbeta before that one, don't forget that we will go to San'a, Yemen . I wonder if we can convince DG for coming with us if we take some jars of Nutella
Serioussly, I will do Yemen in Autumn inshaallah
Makbeta Member # 14401
posted
*Makbeta imagines that she will be resting somewhere on a boat later this year instead of being stuck in a classroom*
Have a nice trip to Yemen.
desertgirl Member # 12450
posted
Wow!
MICKY A Member # 11209
posted
wheres the food at? nice pictures though P
'Shahrazat' Member # 12769
posted
Well I know that the foods on the train and cruise are very nice but I cant say the same thing for the national park
Exiled Member # 14410
posted
I am contemplating touring Africa, part of it at least. Actually I am a little bit beyond contemplation as I will receive a few vaccines this week. This is absolutely necessary because some vaccines take effect two weeks after administering. The research is arduous and I am focusing on safety and transportation especially the routes. When I travel I love to explore the country and walk among the people, but this time I will have my wife with me and so I am being extra careful with my research. Let’s take Kenya for example, it is actually quite safe compared to other nations but the one dangerous spot is Nairobi. Or NaiROBi as some people call it. It will definitely be avoided but Mombasa shouldn’t and wouldn’t. Planning these routes is the not the easiest thing in the world but I have made tremendous progress in this regard.
It’ll be great and I am actually an experienced flashpacker, and my wife knows the deal as we have flashpacked together. Simply put a flashpacker is someone who backpacks yet has money and also carries around gadgets. So we’ll basically eat whatever we want, sleep in 2*/3* hotel rooms or such rooms in guesthouses. And also fly from city to city when necessary as I am beginning to realize is inevitable in some locations, I mean it’s either that or two week overland travel and sometimes time is simply more valuable than money.
I have set myself a deadline in this regard, whether to do this trip or not, and like I mentioned earlier I am getting my vaccinations in order because I am greatly leaning towards going ahead with this. I'm a little bit hesitant but that’s mainly from a safety perspective. I have some experience in traveling in Africa but with a woman with me I know I can’t afford to let my guard down, something I am too accustomed to doing. This is really nothing but merely a result of media sensationalism, and it’s scrutiny of Africa.
posted
I hear Yemen is wonderful. Oman also. But most of all I would like to go to Iran and see all the monuments there and experience the people there. What a civilization and history! I want to go before it all gets blown up!
'Shahrazat' Member # 12769
posted
Yes San'a looks wonderful.
What happens if I have veil during my visit??
In November 2000, I was visiting Israel. I think we were one of the a few groups visiting the country during that problematic period. There were too many people dying everyday because of the bombs. Before we leave the plane the Mossad girls took me and told that we musn't go for Friday pray and gave some more recommendations.
In the 2nd day of the trip, we went to visit Masjid-ul Aksa. Normally, it s forbidden to visit there by non-Muslims only on Fridays. But in that period they didn't let any non-Muslims in for everday. So they have to know who is Muslim and who is non-Muslim by a mini-quiz right? In the group there was a couple, Turkish wife and British husband. The man at the entrance asked him first 'Are you Muslim?' He said 'Half' So he showed the outside and said 'go'. Then asked to the Turkish wife. When she said she s Muslim he didn't believe and made her to read some suras. After the 3rd sura he let her in And it was my turn. I was thinking the shortest way of going inside, without reading too many suras. He look at me from the top to the feet. Asked me 'Are you Muslim?' with an arrogant face. And I put my right hand on my heart and shouted like a member of Muslim Brothers 'ALHAMDULILLAH!' His face suddenly became very happy and said with his marveolous Arabic accent 'OKKKEYYY'
Tiger by the way thanks again for the info
Exiled Member # 14410
posted
My trip to Africa will materialize. I am however facing a few problems with regards to routes. Initially I wanted to do Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania. The problem is Kenya as almost all flights to Mombasa go through Nairobi, the only exception is Saudi Airlines which direct from Jeddah to Mombasa. The second problem is that airline tickets are very expensive between neighboring African countries. And I do mean very expensive – you know if Ramadan wasn’t around the corner I wouldn’t be sweating it. Anyway I am thinking about eliminating either Uganda or Kenya from my itinerary.
Shah – when are you traveling to Yemen? I’ve traveled around Yemen for a few months and it was awesome. Are you traveling independently or as a tour? If by tour then there isn’t much I can tell you but if independently. The Emirates hotel in Sanaa (tahreer area) is decent and economical. I would say it is 2* and it cost me 1800 YR a day – it is next to everything. Also if you are in Sanaa eat at Shaybani restaurant (the older one, original) and try out their baby lamb, two people could eat ¼ of a lamb, as it’s so small to begin with. In Aden or Hadramut try the Mendi meat (delicious). And don’t forget the salta in Sanaa too.
Whatelse – try to avoid traveling between Sanaa and Aden at night the mountainous roads are treacherous and very dangerous. The same for Sanna to Taiz. You will realize that most men will be indoors during the afternoon as they are all chewing “chat”/”qat”, so this is the time that the cities are less crowded and women go out to do their thing. If you are ever invited to chew qat then just know that women do it too but only amongst themselves. Again I traveled throught Yemen a few months and never did men and women chew qat together. If you want to experience it and you should, just make sure you soak and wash the leaves in water first as many are sprayed with chemicals to make them prematurely bloom earlier than they should. Have fun and have a great time, souq al malh in Sanaa has many goodies to buy, even old Ottoman coins.
Also you will realize that Land Cruisers are abundant and rightfully so as Yemen is a mostly Mountainous (well the north is), anyway they call the older land cruisers : laila alawi (the Egyptian actress) and the newer Land cruisers: Monica (after Monica Lewinsky)
The reason because both get the job done (like a LC) and have big asses – in the same manner that a Land Cruiser goes over any terrain and is large and wide in back
posted 
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)