| TRAINS & TRAVEL P.O. BOX 10625 RENO, NEVADA 89510-0625 Chris@traintrips.biz Rail Tours Manager. For question regarding tour itineraries and details. Deborah@traintrips.biz Office Manager: Accounting |
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1-800 359-4870 USA 1-800 752-1836 CANADA 1-800 266-8751 FAX (530) 836-1944 |
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South Africa is a beautiful country filled with amazing sights, dramatic history and - of course -
interesting railways. We have put together a tour that transports you from dramatic game reserves
and mile high cities to lush coastal magnificence as we explore some of the best that the sub
continent has to offer.
We will visit Cape Town and Johannesburg, travel to the southern tip of Africa, spend a day trying some good wine, sleep in a preserved gold mining town and, of course, visit a game reserve. We like to add in a few train rides; we think that this makes a good tour much better. South Africa is a great country in which to do this. There are a fascinating collection of rail experiences to be enjoyed , from a quaint narrow gauge steam train to a stately overnight sleeper train that will transport you from Johannesburg to the coastal city of Cape Town and then on to Port Elizabeth. An interest in trains is not needed. However, if you do, your guides will be there to share their considerable knowledge of South Africa's railways with you. Sit back, relax, enjoy the journey!
Day 1 Sunday August 29: (B-D) The tour will start this morning with a road transfer from Johannesburg to the Kruger
National Park. The five hour journey will leave the City Lodge Airport Hotel at 10:30AM, calling at Johannesburg Airport en
route. On arrival, check into the Nkambeni Tented Lodge. Below are recent photos of the Nkambeni Tented Lodge which is
in Kruger National Park. As you can see, this is total luxury in the wild bush of South Africa.
NKAMBENI TENTED LODGE-TOTAL LUXURY IN T HE WILD BUSH OF SOUTH AFRICA Day 2 Monday August 30: (B-L-D) Early to rise, we enjoy a full day Safari in open vehicles in the Kruger National Park. The world-renowned Kruger Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 this national park of nearly 2 million hectares is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Our included lunch will at a railway themed restaurant on the now disused Selati Railway Station in the heart of the game reserve. Return to the lodge this afternoon to freshen up for dinner.
Day 3 Tuesday August 31: (B-D) Enjoy a second day in the Kruger National Park. Our morning game drive will finish earlier than yesterday, offering free time before we gather for a sunset drive that will include sundowners overlooking the park and a searchlight drive back to the camp looking for elusive nocturnal animals. This will be followed by dinner at the Nkambeni Tented Lodge. Day 4 Wednesday September 1: (B-D) We leave Kruger Park this morning and spend the day exploring the scenic Panorama Routes. Visit the Blyde River Canyon, Gods Window, Bourkes Luck Potholes, the three Rondavels and at least one scenic waterfall. There will be a lunch stop en-route (for own account). Continue this evening to Pilgrim's Rest which is a restored gold mining town with great character and charm. The entire town has been declared a national monument and our hotel has served the residents for well over a century. The bar was originally the church, and the rooms are a delightful mix of South African Victoriana. We will stay at the Royal Hotel Pilgrim's Rest.
Day 5 Thursday September 2: (B) This morning there will be time to explore Pilgrim's Rest before we enjoy a scenic coach drive to Gold Reef City on the edge of Johannesburg. Gold Reef City used to be a working gold mine, nowadays it is a heritage center and theme park. Our hotel is located in the historic buildings of the heritage park, surrounded by restored buildings representative of Johannesburg at the end of the 19th Century. There are a number of railway artifacts to be seen, including steam locomotives and a coach used to carry gold bullion. Adjacent to Gold Reef City is the Apartheid Museum (admission extra) and a large entertainment center with a casino. Relax at the hotel or enjoy an evening of entertainment at the Casino or one of the two theatres located in the complex. We will stay 3 nights at the Gold City Reef Hotel.  Day 6 Friday September 3: (B-D) After breakfast we will drive to Soweto to see the Hector Pieterson Memorial , the site of where the student uprisings of 1976 began. Visit the fascinating museum, which is a state of the art multi media center depicting scenes leading up to the student uprising and the eventual transition to democracy. The huge taxi ranks and markets will give you a real feeling for urban Africa. Continue to Pretoria, South Africa's "Jacaranda City", where history becomes more formal. We will visit the Voortrekker Monument and Paul Kruger's house. After a stop for lunch we will drive to the Lesedi Cultural Village with a theme dinner . Experience the origins of today's colorful South African nation with a guided tour of the Zulu, Basotho, Xhosa and Pedi homesteads. The traditional singing and dancing session, held in the boma at the end of the tour, sets the atmosphere for our meal in the Nyama Choma restaurant, a Pan African Buffet in true African style.  Day 7 Saturday September 4: (B-L) We will start earlier than usual this morning, transferring to the Germiston Locomotive Depot in time to board the Reefsteamers train for Magaliesburg. A magnificent steam locomotive will take charge of up to 17 coaches as we steam out of the city into the hills surrounding Magaliesburg. Coffee and a bacon roll will be served and refreshments will be available on board. After the buffet lunch at the Magaliesburg Hotel, the train will return to Germiston where the Reefsteamers crew will welcome us with a traditional South Africa Braai (Barbecue). There will be an opportunity to tour the depot and see the locomotive being 'put to bed'. Following dinner in South Africa's largest steam depot, return to our hotel.
Day 8 Sunday September 5: (B-D) This morning you will be free to explore Gold Reef City, the Apartheid Museum and the Entertainment Complex. After breakfast we will host a short walk around Gold Reef city, ending at the Gold Mine in time for a trip down the original mine shaft (extra cost and subject to conditions). After an early lunch , transfer to Johannesburg's Park Station to join the Premier Classe Train bound for Cape Town. The various sleeping coaches are well appointed with quality bedding, gowns and toiletries and service is friendly and appropriate for this mainline adventure. The train will leave Johannesburg and roll past the savannah and gold mines of the highveld as you relax and enjoy the sunset. Dinner tonight will be in one of the two dining cars on the train, followed by drinks and entertainment in the lounge.
  Day 9 Monday September 6: (B-L-D) Awake this morning in the dry Karoo. Enjoy breakfast in the dining car and relax as the train makes its way down the African escarpment to the Cape Flats. The scenery here is dramatically different, vineyards surrounded by high mountains. After lunch, Table Mountain will come into view and we will arrive at Cape Town Station mid afternoon. A motor coach will be waiting to transfer us the short distance to our hotel, conveniently located at the V&A Waterfront . The waterfront is part working harbor, part shopping and recreational area. There are numerous restaurants and a wealth of other attractions to see in the safe tourist area. Tonight's dinner will be at a restaurant in the Waterfront. We will stay for 4 nights at the Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel.
Day 10 Tuesday September 7: (B) This morning we will take a 2 hour tour of the city of Cape Town on an open top bus. You will be have several options for the remainder of the day, when you will be able to use your full day bus ticket to return to any of the attractions in-route. These include the Castle, the Company Gardens, Parliament and Cape Town Cathedral and the lower cable car from where (weather permitting) you can take the cable-car to the top of Table Mountain (own account). Gather this afternoon for an included charter trip on a genuine steam powered launch around Cape Town harbor.
Day 11 Wednesday September 8: (B-L) We will tour the Cape Peninsular today. Drive to Hout Bay, an attractive working fishing harbor where we will join a boat trip to a small island inhabited by seals (weather dependent). Continue to the Cape Point Nature Reserve to visit both the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. Included is a journey on the Funicular Railway at Cape Point. Lunch will be at Bertha's Restaurant overlooking the historic naval base at Simon's Town, once home to Nelson's fleet and now at main base of the South African Navy. After lunch, ride a commuter train on the Simon's Town to Cape Town railway. This electric railway travels dramatically along the False Bay beach under commanding naval defences before it passes between the waters of False Bay and quaint seaside towns before turning inland at Muizenburg to head across the Cape Flats to Cape Town. We will leave the train at Lakeside to join our coach for the drive to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, located at the base of Table Mountain. After a walk through the gardens we will return to our hotel.
Day 12 Thursday September 9: (B-L) South Africa is well known for its wines that are produced around Cape Town. We will visit one of the wine producing regions. Our coach will take us to Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, where there will be time to explore the attractive town. The tour will include a cellar tour and wine tasting at the KWV Cellars in Paarl before driving to Franschhoek for a short visit and the Boschendal Estate for wine tasting with an included light cheese lunch. Continue to Stellenbosch for a short visit before our third tasting at the Uitkyk Historic Manor House.
 Day 13 Friday September 10: (B-D) Enjoy a morning at leisure in Cape Town before transferring to the station for our second Premier Classe train journey, this time to the Indian Ocean coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Prepare for a lazy, scenic journey that meanders through the small villages, farms and craggy mountains of the Little Karoo before rolling down to the spectacular bays of the Garden Route. Dinner will once more be in the dining car.  Day 14 Saturday September 11: (B-L-D) Our Premier Classe journey will end at Port Elizabeth this afternoon. Transfer to our hotel close to Humewood Beach and the Indian Ocean. 
 Day 15 Sunday September 12: (B-L-D) After breakfast we will drive to the Humewood Road Narrow Gauge railway station to join the famous Apple Express steam train. This morning the train will take us as far as Lourie Station in the Langkloof. Our lunch will be at Lourie before we make our leisurely way back to Humewood Road. Dinner will once more be at the Kelway Hotel.
Day 16 Monday September 13: (B-D) Your tour ends after breakfast today. Airport transfers are not included, but can be arranged. Alternatively, spend an extra day at Port Elizabeth to relax at the end of our tour. The city offers excellent beaches and shopping. A tour to the nearby Addo Elephant Reserve is also an interesting option. Extra lodging at the Kelway Hotel upon request. |
PRICES ALL PRICES ARE PER PERSON DOUBLE ROOM OCCUPANCY................................$3898 SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT...............................$ 598 DEPOSIT DUE ONCE THIS TOUR IS CALLED A SURE-GO.......$1000 FINAL PAYMENT DUE JUNE 29, 2010 TOUR INCLUDES *34 MEALS *FULL ESCORTED *ENTRY FEES PER THE ITINERARY *KRUGER NATIONAL PARK GAME RESERVE *ALL TRAIN TICKETS PER THE ITINERARY *15 NIGHTS LODGING IN 3 STAR OR BETTER *TRANSFERS AND BUSES PER THE ITINERARY *LUGGAGE HANDLING BETWEEN TRAIN, BUS AND HOTELS |
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Immigration rules:
All participants need a passport which is l valid at least 6 months after the travel date and needs to have at least 3 free pages, preferably facing each other. Please check the immigration rules for your nationality to avoid surprises. Climate and Clothes: It is Spring in the southern hemisphere: at night it can be cool, during the day temperatures rise to around 20 degrees. It may rain, but you should enjoy a blue sky with scattered clouds. A warm pullover, long trousers and long sleeve shirt will protect you against cool nights and insects. A hat and sun-block will protect you against the African sun. There may be a small risk of Malaria in Mpumalanga and Kruger, precautions are advised. |
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TOUR PRICE: All tour prices are corrected to November 1, 2010 and are subject to change without notice, at any time. All prices based on double room
occupancy. We reserve the right to change tour prices if necessary.
PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE: Personal items, meals not listed in the itinerary, laundry, phone calls, excess baggage charges, rental cars, side tours, insurance, passport fees including visas, vaccinations, gratuities, medical costs, tips to train or motor coach staff, extra tour costs due to unanticipated changes in the itinerary for reasons beyond our control, including weather, travel conditions, or cancellations, government intervention, sickness, political disputes, and failure of transportation or other causes beyond our control.
TRAVEL AND HEALTH DOCUMENTS: A valid passport is required for our international tours. In some cases a visa is also needed. Consult your
health professional for the recommended immunizations and documents. Trains and Travel International , here on referred to as TTI, assumes no other responsibility if a client is refused entry into a country. Cost and cancellation fees will be paid by the client in the event they do not have valid documents.
CHANGE OF ITINERARY: We reserve the right to substitute, alter or modify the tour if any unexpected and unforeseen conditions beyond our control
preventing the completion of such. Conditions can include weather, train schedules, equipment, motive power, revision of train consist, train delays, labor strikes, political disputes, derailments, closure of a rail line, break down of railroad or motive power equipment, railroads not honoring contracts and bus equipment problems. We will always endeavor, in each case, to provide substitutes, if any changes take place. TTI is not responsible for canceled trains,
delays, hotel rooms, route changes or missed connections, for any reason whatsoever. We will not give refunds if such conditions or cancellations take place.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel Insurance is mandatory for all tours. This insurance will cover and give the tour members many benefits and protection. Benefits include baggage, accident, life, trip cancellation, sickness, bankruptcy, strike, weather conditions, employer termination or layoff effecting you or
a person sharing the room with you, terrorist incident in your departure city or city of destination, jury duty, you are subpoenaed, hijacked, or quarantined,
your residence or traveling companion residence is rendered uninhabitable, emergency military duty, traffic accident, single supplement upgrade when your traveling companion cancels their trip, trip interruption, trip delay, missed connections, itinerary change, emergency medical benefits, medical evacuation, baggage delay and loss, pre-existing medical conditions if enrollment is within 21 days of your invoice date, burglary of you or your companion before departure, felonious assault of you or your traveling companion before departure, 24 hour hotline emergency assistance, emergency cash transfer and more.
We will supply you with a travel insurance brochure with rates and application when we mail you the invoice after trip deposit is received. Travel insurance protects your vacation investments and is a very good investment for your travel and vacation money. US law allows us to offer this insurance to all persons
Worldwide. We will accept a "refusal of travel insurance wavier" if you do not wish to purchase any travel insurance. FOR CUBA: Because of the nature of these tours travel insurance is MANDATORY for everyone. We have a special American travel insurance company that will insure all folks going to Cuba on legal US approved tours. This insurance information will be sent to you upon receiving your booking.
RESPONSIBILITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Accepting your payment represents an agreement that you understand all the conditions, to
be a member of our tours. TTI gives notice that they are acting agents for the owners, contractors and suppliers, providing the transportation and all related travel services and assume no responsibility for injury, sickness, damage, loss, additional expenses accidental delay or irregularities which may be caused through willful or negligent acts or omissions on the part of the companies providing or engage in transportation, accommodations or services related to the accomplishment of the tour. Nor do we assume responsibility for natural disasters, social or political upheaval, acts of terrorism or acts of nature. TTI reserves
the right to substitute hotels, tour leaders, equipment, motive power, trains, onboard accommodations, routes and to alter the itinerary when deemed necessary without notice. The right is also reserved to cancel any trip or train prior to departure for any reason . TTI is not responsible for expenses incurred by tour members in preparing for the tour, including non-refundable airline tickets, visa fees, planning, phone calls, or any other expenses. TTI reserves the right to decline to accept, or ask to leave a tour, any person whose actions impede the daily operations of a tour, welfare or enjoyment of other tour members. TTI cannot give any refunds for any unused services. The terms contained herein shall serve as a waiver of liability to TTI. Assumption of risk on behalf of the client, their heirs, executor, administrators, successors, and assigns for any and all known persons injuries
RESERVATIONS: A deposit is due in our office within 14 days after you make your bookings. Full payment is due 90 days before departure. You will
receive an invoice, reservation form and current tour bulletins with your confirmation and travel insurance forms. No notice for final payment will be sent
to you. It is your responsible to make the final payment on-time.
CANCELLATIONS: TTI does not accept cancellations on the phone. Cancellations must be received by postal mail, email or fax before any refunds will be considered. Allow enough time if sending your written notice by US mail postal system. When a written cancellation is received in the Trains and Travel
office this will be the effective date of the cancellation. Please take note that it can take up to 60 days to to process some refunds. Cancellation refund rules:
100 days prior to the start of any tour you will receive a full refund less a $100 per person administration fee. 99 to 61 days before the departure of any tour
there will be a 80% cancellation penalty based on the full cost of the tour. Cancellations received 60 or less days before the start of any tour will not receive
any refund. GW Travel Ltd has their own cancellation rules and these will apply. If booking on GW Travel Ltd ask for cancellation rules.
PRE-DEPARTURE TOUR BULLETINS: Tour bulletins will be sent to clients that have booked on tours operated by TTI. Bulletins include travel info related to the tour. Final documents will be sent out about two to three weeks before a tour begins. We offer tours operated by other companies and they may
or may not send out tour bulletins and updates and most send out final documents only one to two weeks prior to the start of their tours.
PAYMENTS: Payments can be made with personal check drawn on a U.S. Dollar account, money order for U.S. Dollars, bank wire transfer, or credit card.
We accept Visa, Master Card, Discover or American Express. Final payment for all tours is due 90 days prior to departure. If final payment has not been received 7 days after the due date, a late fee of $50 per week will apply.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: All prices are based on double room occupancy. We will try and match you with a roommate if one is available. If not, you may
be charged the single room supplement listed for the tour you are booked on. Single rooms may not be available in some remote locations and on some trains.
TOUR REFUNDS: If for any reason tour members amend or delete any arrangements during travel, and leave the tour on their own, we cannot give any refunds on unused portions of the tour. If buses and trains are cancelled by the carrier or there is a labor strike or they go out of business, we cannot be held
responsible and we cannot give refunds. Travel insurance will protect you for any of these reasons. If TTI needs to cancel any tour everyone will receive a
full refund. Please take note that in some cases refunds can take up to 60 days to process.
PARTIAL TOURS: We will allow passengers to join or leave a tour at certain points. It will all depend on the tour and the conditions. Give us a call and
we will try and work up a custom option for you.
MILEAGE COLLECTORS: Mileage collectors please take note that TTI does not cater just to mileage collectors. We cater to all folks that enjoy trains and
Rail journeys. We give strong warning that itinerary and route changes do happen and this is totally beyond our control when it does. If the only reason that
you would want to book a tour is to collect the rare mileage, you need to understand that possible route changes do happen.
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