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Great Trains of the World

By Michael Wellner
Premier Selections, Inc

How would you like to be able to go back to the golden age of rail travel, when streamlined locomotives carried you to your destination in relaxed and comfortable surroundings?

You can still enjoy just such an experience aboard one of the Great Trains of the World, such as Europe’s legendary Venice-Simplon Orient Express and South Africa’s Rovos Rail, arguably the world’s most luxurious train. Or Australia’s Great South Pacific Express, which trundles along the fabulous Gold Coast from Sydney to Cairns, often within view of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Royal Scotsman steams its way through the haunting beauty of the Scottish highlands, while the Eastern & Oriental Express appeals to more adventurous souls with its posh ride up the tropical Malay Peninsula from Singapore to Bangkok. In all, there are two dozen specially prepared itineraries to choose from, each one of which will reward you with a lifetime of memories.

One of the most popular rail journeys in the world is right here in our own back yard in the fantastically beautiful Canadian Rockies. These are America’s Alps, sheer, towering peaks that rise abruptly without foothills to diminish their awesome effect. Come spend a week with us sightseeing these and other marvelous mountains in such storybook places as Vancouver, Banff and Lake Louise.

Our “Canadian Rockies and Vancouver” tour departs six days a week from April 15 through October 13, and runs 700 spectacular miles between Vancouver and Calgary. Along the way you’ll spend two days aboard the world-renowned Rocky Mountaineer daylight train, enjoy six nights of hotel accommodations, see the city of Vancouver – said by many to be the most beautiful in North America – spend time at the world-famous Lake Louise and Bow Valley, ride a gondola up the mountain in Banff and see nature at its spectacular best.

We’ll start in Vancouver and work our way east along the narrow canyon of the mighty Fraser River through the soaring, forested Coastal Mountains. Once past Hell’s gate, we’ll work our way north to the great rail center at Kamloops, British Columbia, for our first night’s stay. The next day we continue east through the vast ranchlands of western Canada before heading into Roger’s Pass and over the Continental Divide into Banff National Park, one of the crown jewels of Canada’s great national park system. There will be ample time to spend in Banff and at Lake Louise, including a visit to the lake’s chateau hotel, which is known the world over.

On the way back we’ll stop in Calgary, where you’ll see some of Alberta’s most interesting geography, including the Hoodoos, Surprise Corner and Sulphur Mountain. Just be sure to bring your camera and lots of film – you won’t want to miss a thing!

In South Africa, you’ll have the option of riding out from the base camp on day trips, or going on longer trips, camping in the bush in the lovely Lapalala Reserve. This is also a good safari for the first-time traveler to Africa. And since there are daily flights from the U.S. to Johannesburg, South Africa an easy place to reach.

No matter which horse safari you choose, you’ll spend long hours in the saddle – from four to six hours per day – riding in the presence of hundreds of animals in exquisite scenery. It is by far the best way to see Africa and should not be missed by the experienced rider.