Placing those mental checkmarks next to your travel bucket list is incredibly satisfying. Whether it’s visiting the Louvre, or making sure you get to see the Macaws of South America up close, there are so many wonders of the world that are calling us to immerse ourselves in new experiences! The world is so beautiful and so large, it’s no wonder that you keep adding to your destination bucket list every year.
One of the most beautiful countries in the world to visit is South Africa. Rich in spectacular coast lines, a deep and fascinating history, and some of the most welcoming and entertaining cities! Not to mention the ease and the luxury with which you can travel through this enticing country.
Making the commitment to yourself to live an eco-friendly life, also includes how you travel. One of the best ways to stay true to your lifestyle, travel in style, and see so much of South Africa’s beautiful cities and landscapes is to take the train. The Blue Train runs through the heart of South Africa and will let you make that check mark with one of the most amazing journeys you can take in your lifetime!
Reduce Waste, But Add the Luxury
Being eco-friendly doesn’t mean you have to turn away from the finer things in life. On the contrary, you can relax and enjoy your travels knowing that the choices you make while you’re traveling can positively impact the environment. It also means you can truly immerse yourself in your holiday.
Tailor your journey from London, through Johannesburg and Pretoria, and down to Cape Town to fit your personal standards! There are also so many holiday extensions that you can stave off your flight home for more than a few days, adding excitement and experiences to your vacation.
The Blue Train experience in South Africa is a once in a lifetime trip filled with luxury and eco-friendly travel options. Planning out your own travel dates, extending your itineraries, and choosing your own hotels are all extremely important factors in creating a rail holiday that can be both fun and friendly for the planet!
Pretoria
An excellent reason to add this train holiday to your travel bucket list is the amazing city of Pretoria. Your first two days of your journey will be spent flying from London to Johannesburg, then catching a transfer to Pretoria. Here you can choose to stay in a hotel that offers eco-friendly options. These can include not washing linens daily, using only recycled materials, using environmentally safe cleaning products, and so much more!
On the third day of your journey you will be able to explore the administrative capital of South Africa by bike, or by foot. Walk down the Apies River, or stroll through one of the cities many museums. Spend your morning basking in the beauty of the Magaliesberg mountains, but make sure to get yourself to the train station in time to finally board the gleaming Blue Train!
All Aboard!
Once you’ve settled into your cabin, you can make your way to the dining car to enjoy an excellent dinner before you retire for the night. You can rest easy knowing that you’ve chosen a mode of transportation that, with modern technologies, releases less harmful emissions into the atmosphere than other vehicles like a plane, or a car!
Here are a few things that you can enjoy while you journey to Cape Town!
- You will be able to eat at your own time, on your own schedule for this fourth travel day. The five-star quality of the food on the Blue Train is all locally sourced to be fresh, as well as reduce carbon emissions from transporting food from out of the region. The menu is regularly refreshed to meet all sorts of dietary needs. Including gluten-free, Halal/Kosher, vegan, and vegetarian options!
- Kimberly Station. There will be a stop at Kimberly Station where you will be able to take a tour of the Open Mine Museum. It is a fascinating destination that explores the ups and downs of the old days of the diamond rush!
- Lunch and High Tea. Again you will be able to spend your leisure time on board the Blue Train enjoying the scenery of South Africa, and also enjoy your spectacular meals. When you make your reservation, you can always request special vegan, or environmentally friendly meals from locally sourced producers! High tea will be served in the lounge car in the afternoon as well.
- Dinner and a Show! Enjoy pre-dinner drinks in one of the Blue Train’s lounges, while you get to see all the wondrous natural beauty of this amazing country! Then it’s off to a 4-course evening meal in the dining car. Afterwards you can choose to spend your post-supper evening in the Club Car where you can play chess, or sink into a good book from the library. Head off to bed knowing you’ll wake up in Cape Town!
Days four and five of your trip will be spent being at ease in the luxury of the Blue Train, and in knowing you chose a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation! Wake up to the splendor of Table Bay, as the awe-inspiring views of Table Mountain and Cape Town spill through the train windows.
Cape Town
Once you’ve arrived in Cape Town, you’ll immediately understand why this holiday is definitely a bucket list trip! You’ll spend three days exploring Cape Town and the surrounding areas. You can choose to fill your time with sticking to the city, or pick from an array of fascinating excursion add-ons.
You can stay eco-friendly while traveling by not only doing things like picking a green hotel, but also by making sure you extend your trip. Extending your trip with day trips to the Cape Windlands, or taking a Whale-Watching tour will cut down on the carbon emissions released into the air by traveling more frequently.
Taking one long trip a year, then introducing day trips throughout your journey will actually help the environment. Studies show that short trips of three miles or less, to larger modes of transportation, or destinations, will help to cut down on emissions. So will not traveling far to more than one destination a year. Not only are these day trips and holiday extensions not as harmful to the planet, but they are also affordable and FUN!
Home Again
Spend your last few days in Cape Town basking in the sun and surf of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, before heading back to London on the tenth day! Take that check, mark it off, and fondly look back on your trip to South Africa with affection!
You can also maintain your eco-friendly lifestyle while traveling. Whether you pick a green hotel, or travel with your own food containers, you can rest assured you’ve both experienced and helped save our world!
Your Blue Train journey through South Africa will be a fond memory to look back on for the rest of your life. From exploring Pretoria, to choosing eco-friendly meals and hotels, to extending your trip in Cape town, all of your tailor made choices will help you impact our planet in a positive way. All while getting to enjoy its most precious natural wonders!
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