Interesting Modes of Transportation on Goway's Holidays of a Lifetime

I remember a song performed by the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, back in the 1970s, called “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” We all look forward to boarding that plane which will take us to our desired and eagerly awaited destination. Some say that the travel element in getting there is a large part of the enjoyment of travelling. I agree with this. However, unless you are going to stay put in one place, other forms of transportation can be enjoyable too. Let’s look at some of these on Goway’s Holidays of a Lifetime exclusive group itineraries.

Rail Travel

What could be better and more relaxing than settling back in a comfortable seat and letting the world go by with a train’s window acting as your movie screen – scene after scene unfolding. This is the case on 4 different Holidays of a Lifetime. On the Waltzing Matilda tour to Australia and New Zealand, (or our Best of Australia), there is a wonderful optional train trip available from Alice Springs to Adelaide. This almost 24-hour overnight journey through the Australian Outback is taken on the luxury Ghan Train. You will have a comfortable cabin to sleep in with all private amenities, enjoy exceptional meals in the dining car, and arrive fresh for the next portion of your tour.

If you really enjoy luxury train travel, our Cape to Cairo… Ultimate Journey of a Lifetime is the group tour for you. Rovos Rail, Africa’s most luxurious train journey specialist, is your host for over 2 weeks of rail travel. The journey starts in Cape Town in South Africa, and continues to the Cape Winelands, Kimberley, Pretoria, and the Madikwe Game Reserve. It then heads to the Hwange Game Reserve in Zimbabwe, followed by a visit to Victoria Falls. Finally, it traverses Zambia and enters Tanzania, finishing up in Dar es Salaam. Now, you are not spending all that time on the train. You will have comprehensive sightseeing excursions as well as staying at a lodge in Madikwe and a hotel in Victoria Falls. Life on board is idyllic, as staff endeavour to spoil you with their excellent service. You will have gourmet meals with complimentary wine. The observation car at the back of the train provides you with exceptional views of the varied and dramatic countryside through which you travel.

On the Splendours of India exclusive group tour, there is a short opportunity to travel through the Indian countryside from Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary to Bharatpur, taking approximately 2 hours. You will travel on the comfortable Shatabdi Express, which is fully air-conditioned and offers a high standard of accommodation compared to many other Indian trains.

Our Splendours of China & Tibet itinerary offers the opportunity to experience the Maglev. I first encountered this train when someone insisted I depart for Shanghai airport from the centre of the city using this high-speed form of transportation. I am glad I did. It reaches a speed of around 270 miles/430 kilometres per hour! Maglev stands for magnetic levitation – the train, when in motion, hovers above a concrete track. I recall looking down from the train when at full speed and seeing cars on a highway below looking as though they were moving at the speed of an ant. And I couldn’t even get a sense of the speed as the ride was so smooth. Oh, and you get to the airport in no time at all!

Maglev train, Shanghai, China — Maglev train, Shanghai

River Cruising

There is nothing like a cruise, especially on a river as part of our Holidays of a Lifetime exclusive group tour. On the Cape to Cairo, what could be more appropriate than a Nile River cruise in Egypt. For 4 nights, your luxury cruise vessel, the Oberoi Philae, sails up the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. There are several shore excursions taking you to see amazing sites from the time of the Pharaohs. These include the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, with their magnificent tombs of past Egyptian Pharaonic royalty and the splendid monumental structures of the Karnak and Luxor Temples. During the journey, other important archaeological sites are visited. Eventually you arrive at delightful tropical Aswan, Egypt’s sunniest city. Here you visit the impressive Aswan High Dam and the awe-inspiring temple at Abu Simbel.

On the Splendours of China, what’s better than a cruise on China’s longest and most scenic river, the Yangtze. On this 3-night journey, the ship sails during daylight hours and docks overnight so that you obtain maximum viewing time. Departing from Chongqing, you sail to Yichang, passing through the fabled Three Gorges – with their dramatic scenery, as the ship cuts through high cliffs and steep precipices. There is also a visit to the amazing Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydro electric power plant in the world.

Atrium Lobby of Century Paragon Cruise Vessel on Yangtze River Cruise, China — Atrium lobby of Century Paragon cruise vessel on Yangtze River cruise

And Now for Something Completely Different…

Perhaps not going to take you very far but at least unusual, is a rickshaw ride on the Splendours of India in Varanasi, the holy city of Hindus. The teeming streets and the boisterous and frenzied lifestyle of the city are seen from a totally different perspective as you ride along. On the Splendours of China, there are, in Beijing, old neighbourhoods called Hutongs, which are a type of narrow streets or alleys where you will find traditional Chinese houses complete with courtyards. What better way to enjoy a visit to one of them than on a leisurely Pedicab Ride observing the traditional lifestyles which still exist in parts of Beijing.

Cycle rickshaw in Hutong area, Beijing, China — Cycle rickshaw in Hutong area, Beijing

Up in the Air

Yes, get literally up in the air on the Samba, Tango and Waterfalls group tour. At Iguassu Falls, you have the opportunity to take an optional helicopter ride over this magnificent and powerful gift of nature. Seeing Iguassu Falls from the ground is pretty spectacular. Seeing them from above is even more breathtaking.