South Africa's Blue Train and Cape Town

Catch your direct flight from London Heathrow to Johannesburg.

After landing in Johannesburg, a private takes you to Pretoria. Your hotel for the night is the five-star Castello Di Monte in Pretoria, styled on a Tuscan villa and nestled in the glamorous, leafy suburb of Waterkloof.

After checking in, why not start to explore? Perhaps visit the insightful Apartheid Museum or try some local dishes such as 'bunny chow', a type of South African curry, or 'mogodu', the perfect slow-cooked comfort food. A guided city tour can be arranged for you, if you'd like.

Transfer to Pretoria station, where you board the iconic Blue Train. A butler will escort you to your cabin and provide a tour before inviting you for brunch as your journey to Cape Town begins.

Service on the Blue Train is impeccable. During your journey, enjoy afternoon tea, aperitifs and a lavish dinner of local cuisine each night, accompanied by locally-produced wines and a selection of post-dinner drinks. After departing Pretoria, the Blue Train climbs through the winelands to reach the Karoo Plateau, before entering the first Boland Mountain pass and travelling through the southern reaches of Swartland.

The Blue Train arrives in Kimberley, the capital of South Africa's Northern Cape. Discover the town's prosperous past on a visit to the 'Big Hole' Mine Museum. This was where diamonds were first uncovered in South Africa; the pressure of over-mining caused the pit to implode, resulting in the 'Big Hole' we see today.

The fascinating museum here details the history of the site and includes some restored period buildings from the early years of the diamond rush. After re-boarding the train for lunch, continue your journey towards Cape Town.

Following a leisurely breakfast on board the Blue Train, disembark in Cape Town. Transfer to your hotel for the next 3 nights, the four-star Victoria & Alfred, situated right on the waterfront.

Based around the country's oldest working harbour, the V&A Waterfront District is one of South Africa's most visited areas. Why not take a stroll along the seafront, watching the boats at work, before exploring the area's cosmopolitan range of bars and restaurants? Sports fans will enjoy a trip to the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum, celebrating the best of South African rugby.

Take a coach tour around Cape Town. Ascend Table Mountain by cable car to enjoy panoramic views across the city and the Atlantic Ocean (weather permitting). On a clear day, you can see Robben Island from the summit, famous as Nelson Mandela's place of imprisonment for 18 years.

Continue past the Parliament Building and Castle of Good Hope - the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. Stop at the Company Gardens, a 17th-century heritage site, and learn about the history of District 6 before ending the tour at a professional diamond cutting workshop in the Malay Quarter.

Today you can choose to explore Cape Town on your own or join one of two excursions.

Your first option is a cruise to Seal Island, home to a large population of Cape fur seals, before visiting the penguin colony at Boulders Beach. You end your day with either a visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens or Groot Constantia for a wine tasting and cellar tour.

Alternatively, you can tour the Stellenbosch Winelands, exploring bohemian galleries and shops alongside the cultivated vineyards that stretch out towards the mountains. Afterwards, there's a cellar tour and tasting session to enjoy.

Following a hotel pick up, transfer to the airport today for your return flight to London Heathrow.

Your tour comes to an end as you touch down at London Heathrow.