trail of two oceans - westbound

12.00 Depart from Tazara Station in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Guests may freshen up in their suites before joining fellow travellers in the lounge car and observation car, which will be at the front of the train for the first 72 hours – a different aspect that our rail enthusiasts enjoy. Please ensure the Train Manager or Administration Deputy is in possession of your passport. Lectures will take place throughout the journey during the morning and/or afternoon in the lounge car. Please consult Lecture Sheets for details.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train travels the fertile lands of Tanzania towards the Selous.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Fuga Halt. Dress: Formal

05:30 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 07:00.
07:00 Enjoy a game visit in the Nyerere National Park, the largest in Africa at 30 000km 2 (time permitting).
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train travels towards the jungled Udzungwa Mountains and negotiates the dramatic switchbacks, viaducts and tunnels of the escarpment.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Mlimba. Dress: Formal

07:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00. Arrive at Makambako and enjoy a stroll through the town (time permitting).
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train passes baobab forests and ascends the Rift Valley to the border, almost exactly the midpoint between Africa’s two Great Rift Valley lakes.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars. Dress: Formal

Please Turn Your Watches Back By One Hour Before Retiring For The Evening.

Border: Tunduma, Tanzania / Nakonde, Zambia
07:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00. Border formalities.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train travels the TAZARA railway line, an engineering tour de force and one of Africa’s best-kept secrets as it passes through remote territory. Enjoy an afternoon visit to Chisimba Falls where guests can take a pleasant walk down to the rock pools at the base of the falls or admire them from various viewpoints. Return to the train by 18:00.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars. Dress: Formal
Chisimba Falls is a series of three waterfalls named Mutumuna, Kaela and Chishimba (Chisimba), which are separated over 300m along the Luombe River. According to Bemba tradition, the nature spirit “Chishimba” lives in a cave behind the falls therefore no bad behaviour (including fights, insults and arrogance) is allowed in this area. Though the Bemba people arrived here in the 17th century, they weren’t the first as the land surrounding the falls is dotted with evidence of Iron Age activities including kilns, smelting pipes and iron ore deposits.

07:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00. The train travels from Serenje to Kapiri Mposhi.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars. The train is turned at New Kapiri Mposhi.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Ndola. Dress: Formal
Most of the territory of Zambia forms part of the great plateau of south and east Africa displaying a gently rolling and somewhat monotonous surface, relieved at intervals by hills, small escarpments of resistant rock formations and deep valleys that form part of the great African Rift system. The countryside, although high, is thick with Miombo woodland and Raffia palms. The Continental Divide, separating the drainage to the Atlantic and Indian oceans, forms the Zambia-DRC boundary as far as the southern tip where the DRC intrudes into Zambia. It then trends northeast to leave the country about halfway between lakes Tanganyika and Malawi. The railway, in fact, follows this line very closely. In this comparatively short section of the divide are the sources of the Congo and Zambezi rivers, two of the four largest rivers on the continent.

Please pack a small overnight bag for a two-night stay in South Luangwa National Park. For your convenience we have placed bags in your suite. Please ensure you have warm clothing for the game drives. Walking safaris are available so please ensure you have the correct shoes if you would like to participate. Time of game drives confirmed on arrival. See inclusions/exclusions. Please ensure you have obtained your passport from the Train Manager or Administration Deputy.
06:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 08:45.
09:00 Transfer to Ndola Airport for a chartered flight (±60 min) to South Luangwa National Park, initially founded as the Luangwa Game Park in 1904 and converted to one of three game reserves in 1938. The impressive park covers about 9050km 2 of the Luangwa Valley floor and lies anywhere from 500-800m above sea level. With its western and northwestern edge bounded by the Muchinga Escarpment, and the southern border lined with the meandering Luangwa River, there is no shortage of dramatic and fascinating topography in this beautiful game-rich park.
12:00 Transfer to respective camps. Enjoy lunch and check-in on arrival.
15:30 Afternoon game drive in the Luangwa Valley (±180 min).
19:30 Dinner and overnight at the camps. Dress: Casual

06:00 Enjoy a continental breakfast.
06:30 Early morning game drive (±18 0 min).
10:00 Brunch is served. Afternoon at leisure.
15:30 Afternoon game drive in the Luangwa Valley (±180 min).
19:30 Dinner and overnight at the camps. Dress: Casual

Border: Ndola, Zambia / Sakania, Drc Please ensure that your luggage is ready for collection.
Breakfast, a morning game drive (±120 min) and check-out times will be confirmed.
Transfer to the airport for the chartered flight (±60 min) to Ndola.
12:00 Transfer to Ndola Station to rejoin the train.
Please ensure the Train Manager or Administration Deputy is in possession of your passport.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train travels towards the border.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Lubumbashi. Dress: Formal

06:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 08:00.
08:00 Enjoy a drive through the city of Lubumbashi.
11:00 Rejoin the train and travel towards Lukuni.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train passes Luishia, an old open-pit copper and cobalt mine.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Kolwezi. Dress: Formal

06:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 08:00.
08:00 Disembark at Kolwezi for a visit to a copper mine in an area that holds one of the world’s largest known copper and cobalt resources.
10:30 Enjoy brunch at Katebi Lodge.
13:00 Return to the train. Depart for Kasombo.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Mutshatsha. Dress: Formal

07:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train passes Kakopa en route to Malonga.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Dilolo. Dress: “Africa” Theme or Smart Casual

Please Turn Your Watches Back An Hour Before Retiring For The Evening.

11:00 Enjoy a walking tour of Luau, the start of the Benguela line.
12:00 The train departs for Luena.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars. The train travels alongside the Cassai River. The catchment of the Cassai River encompasses a vast eco-region of 900 000km 2 with an incredibly rich fish fauna. As the train passes the villages of Cassai and Cameia, there is sometimes an opportunity to see the local fishermen at work.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Luena. Dress: Formal

07:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.
10:00 Enjoy a walking tour of Luena to learn more about the recent history of Angola.
11:00 Depart for Tchicala Tcholohanga.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Kuito. Dress: Formal

06:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 09:00.
09:00 Enjoy a stroll through the town of Kuito, built in the historical heart of the Ovimbundu kingdom.
11:00 Depart for Huambo.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Huambo. Dress: Formal

06:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 09:00.
09:00 Enjoy a tour of Huambo, the second largest city in Angola and one of the old kingdoms on the central plateau.
11:00 Depart for Lépi.
13:00 Lunch is served in the dining cars.
16:30 Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19:30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Cubal. Dress: “1920s” Theme or Smart Casual

Please ensure that your luggage is ready for collection by 09:45 and that you have your passport.

07:00 Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 09:30.
10:00 Arrive at journey’s end, Lobito Station, Benguela Province, Angola.