Victoria Falls, Cape Town and Botswana Safari30/Apr
Christine Lawrence
“This was a very enjoyable trip. There were 5 flights, which enabled us to see a wide variety of places, people and animals. Although busy there was always time to chill, have a drink at the bar and a chat to others in the group. The quality of the service and the hotels was very good. I especially liked the fact that we often ate in local restaurants, recommended to us. The food was excellent, especially in South Africa where it was also surprisingly cheap. Besides our tour guide, who was with us for the whole trip, we had a variety of local guides. Their knowledge was extensive and it gave me a real feel of what it is like to live in the places we visited..We had a delay of 2 days with the plane home from Johannesburg. These circumstances were dealt with promptly and efficiently by Great Rail and turned into a bonus rather than a negative.
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Highlights of India, Mumbai and the Golden Triangle28/Apr
A Richardson
“We recently returned from the 10 day tour of the Golden Triangle, Ranthanbore and Mumbai. We've had the most amazing experience.
It felt like a school trip at times, but our Tour Manager Christine was a retired Teacher so that was to be expected and we found it quite funny. It must be difficult to manage a group of adults so she did a good job. Our local tour guide Sidir was fantastic. His knowledge was incredibly detailed and helpful. He was also a very personable and polite man, who we are sure went above and beyond his actual role.
We met lots of nice people and got along with everyone. The vibrancy of India was overwhelming and sometimes we couldn't believe our eyes. Highlights for us included Fatiphur Sikri, Taj Mahal, Amber Fort and seeing Tigers in their natural habitat. There are too many highlights to note them all, as we would be here all night.
Negatives - We were taken to a few businesses where they tried to sell their goods to us but these visits were usually in the afternoon which kept us out of the midday sun, so we didn't mind.
The organisation of the trip was brilliant. The travel arrangements ran like clockwork, including coach, train and plane journeys.
Our Great Rail trip ended in Mumbai but we had arranged to extend our trip and booked internal flights to Goa for 5 nights. Great Rail delayed our flight home and there were no issues with our return journey. The tour is quite full on with some very early mornings so we do recommend extending your stay to rest and recuperate before coming home.
Overall this has been a trip of a lifetime and we recommend this tour.
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India’s Golden Triangle, Tigers and Shimla25/Apr
M Toan
“It was a great experience with some amazing sights. The tiger safari was the best for me as we saw a mother tiger with 3 cubs. The only downside was the early starts but we were prepared for that and a couple of visits to carpet factories which we could have done without.
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Grand Imperial Cities20/Apr
Julie Harmsworth
“Great tour
Excellent guide
You need to fit there is a lot of walking but worth it
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Grand Tour of New Zealand11/Apr
Bev
“This was a full-on itinerary but worth the effort. We really experienced New Zealand in all its glory.
The tour was well organised, the guides and Tour manager were excellent.
We recommend Great Rail Journeys, this was our 9th holiday with them.
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Cape Town, The Blue Train and Kruger National Park4/Apr
David Dodds
“Three great holidays in on trip!
First of all the trip would not have been as good without our tour manager Angie and the excellent guides and drivers. Angie had all the info needed and kept us up to date with everything.
Hotels were excellent. Staff friendly, rooms very well appointed, food very good and varied.
Cape Town - from Cape Point to Table Mountain to Boulders Bay Penguin colony; much to see and enjoy. Hout Bay and Seal Island for seals and dolphins. Cape Town Waterfront area is lively with a great selection of places to eat and shop with very friendly staff. Added to this the visits to a winery in Stellenbosch (and "Uncle Samie's Store"in the town), lunch at another estate and the obligatory visit to Robben Island there was so much to see and the time was filled without any boredom. The group gelled brilliantly with members passing on info about their own travels and recommending further travels.
The Blue Train - this is NOT your ordinary train journey. From embarkation to disembarkation we were looked after by a staff whose total commitment was to those on board and their enjoyment of the journeys experience. Excellent food, selection of wines and an ambience that ensured all passed the time in comfort and enjoyment. The journey was not fast as the train is subject to the requirements of the railway but that gave enough time to view the passing country and the ever changing scenery. The stop at Kimberley, the visit to "the Big Hole" diamond mine museum was worth it. A big hole and a long way down from the viewing platform! The old town is set out with all the shops, store and facilities right down to the shale covered streets.
Last but not least, Kruger National Park. Two game drives with an early start of 4.30am. We were able to see the "big five" and a number of other species. Knowledgeable guides and drivers, adequate stops for comfort and food and great company. There is nothing to beat seeing the animals in the wild and realising that they are but metres away! Great photographs!
But all too soon it has to end, the journey back to Johannesburg and the airport and home.
An excellent holiday and great memories!
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Sri Lanka's Leopards and Temples3/Apr
C Woods
“This is a lovely tour, busy, but a great experience. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and you get to see a lot of sights. The hotels are great with gorgeous swimming pools.
The food was good and all buffets so you get to choose what you want. This tour was really good value as well.
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Darjeeling and the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan28/Mar
Sue Bates
“A holiday full of experiences in amazing places. History, culture, nature and fabulous landscapes. Something for everyone especially rail enthusiasts.
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(124 reviews)
