From there, it’s on to Istanbul to board The Golden Eagle Danube Express, which will whisk passengers away to Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary, sprinkling in tours of ornate castles and charming mountaintop hamlets along the four-night journey. Travelers will then head down to South Africa for an unforgettable safari and three-day sojourn on Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Cape Town. On the final leg of the journey, passengers will jet to Singapore for a magical tour on the newly resumed Belmond Eastern and Oriental Express, which will weave its way to Malaysia, passing lush jungle forests and glittering rivers and returning to Singapore, where this epic journey terminates.
Railbookers designed the monumental itinerary after noticing a significant uptick of travelers seeking back-to-back extravagant train trips. “The demand for luxury rail from our customers continues to grow, and in response, we’ve created the ultimate bucket-list trip,” Frank Marini, Railbookers president and CEO said in a statement. “As we’ve seen a trend to combine itineraries to include multiple luxury trains, we’ve tailor-made this itinerary, along with smaller, customizable itineraries featuring these iconic trains.” Indeed, for those who can’t swing the full 80-day voyage, the company has made it possible to book shorter legs of the trip that are built around each of the individual trains and destinations of the larger, comprehensive itinerary.
If it all sounds like a whirlwind, don’t worry: The joys of slow travel are still emphasized across the voyage. Each stop along the way has plenty of time for sightseeing, sometimes with overnight stays in some of the destinations. Plus, in between the seven rail journeys, there are also longer stays in the best hotels in fascinating cities like London, Florence, Rome, Delhi, Istanbul, and Budapest.
What’s more: Most of the logistics are handled by travel specialists, leaving travelers worry free. Hotel stays, car transfers, several flights, and many meals and sightseeing tours are included in the fare price and organized by Railbookers’ advisors. (Passengers are responsible for arranging their own international air travel.) Among the off-train excursions included in the journey are two full days in a safari lodge in South Africa’s Kruger National Park; ascending the Eiffel Tower and dinner at Moulin Rouge in Paris; visits to Jasper and Banff national parks in Canada; and a luxury picnic on the shores of Malaysia’s Pulau Payar Marine Park, to name only a few. Travelers also have free time at many of the destinations to explore on their own, if they wish.
This ultimate luxury rail journey departs August 28, 2024. Tickets start at $119,599 per person and can be booked with Railbookers.
