Belmond Trains: From the Inca Citadel to the Parks of Malaysia

Remarkable rail journeys from a company with 50 years of experience in hospitality.

To the cradle of the Inca Empire. Andean Explorer

Artefacts from the Inca civilisation are still being found at the bottom of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. You can visit it in comfort aboard Andean Explorer, South America’s only luxury sleeper train, which runs from Cusco to Puno and Arequipa or in the reverse direction.

The train’s colour palette echoes the soothing mountain scenery outside, while handwoven textiles celebrate the cultural heritage of Peru. The dining cars serve dishes made from the finest Andean produce, and the spa treatments use local ingredients and techniques.

You will glide across the lake in a traditional boat made of totora reeds, the same material used to build the Uros islands, and relax on the silky pale sand of Collata beach on Taquile, one of more than 40 islands on Lake Titicaca. Here you will be greeted with traditional dances and can lounge by the clear water, go boating, practise yoga or paint. You will gaze at the stars over high-altitude Lake Saracocha, visit the Sumbay caves with 500 rock paintings created 6,000-8,000 years ago, see the ancient Inca city of Raqchi and cross the high La Raya pass between the regions of Cusco and Puno.

Extend your trip with a stay at Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel, Cusco, set in an old monastery in the Inca capital and home to a collection of 17th-century paintings by artists of the Cusco School.

To Machu Picchu. Hiram Bingham

The “lost city of the Incas”, Machu Picchu, was brought to world attention by the American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911, and the Belmond train that takes travellers there bears his name. A journey on the Hiram Bingham is an immersion in Peru’s traditions and heritage: on the way from Cusco you will enjoy Peruvian cuisine and wines in two dining cars to live folk music. As well as a private tour of the Inca citadel, you will be treated to “cocktails in the mountains” at Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu, the only hotel just 50 metres from the citadel entrance, which hosted scientists and explorers before it became part of Belmond. There is no more comfortable way to visit Machu Picchu than the Hiram Bingham.

From Paris to Istanbul on a legendary train. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

This Belmond train is a true Art Deco palace with meticulously restored carriages from the 1920s and 1930s – the very train that inspired Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express”. Its three restaurants serve dishes by Jean Imbert, and the most luxurious cabin, L’Observatoire, designed by the artist JR, occupies an entire carriage. Its features include a secret tea room with a fireplace and a model of the train, a marble bathroom with separate shower and bath, a library of hundreds of Gallimard books, a record player with a vinyl collection curated by JR, 24-hour steward service, all drinks including wine, Champagne and premium spirits, in-cabin dining and return transfers within 300 km.

Signature journeys:

• Paris – Istanbul / Istanbul – Paris, 5 nights. From the fragrant, colourful bazaars of Istanbul to the magical lights of Paris, with walks in Budapest and Bucharest, a Danube cruise and a visit to the fairytale Peles Castle.
• Paris – Portofino, 3 nights. The towns and villages of France, the Côte d’Azur and the Italian Riviera, ending in Portofino at Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino.

The train also runs on other European routes. Season: March to December.

Through the scenic corners of Britain. Britannic Explorer

The Britannic Explorer travels through the most picturesque corners of England and Wales (United Kingdom). You will admire idyllic countryside, the villages of the Cotswolds and the historic architecture of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire. You will visit the Victorian Lingholm Estate, canoe and paddleboard on a lake, meet alpacas and enjoy England’s wide open spaces, wildflower meadows, woodlands and coast. Sunrise over the sea in Pembrokeshire, wild swimming in lakes, walks through lavender fields, a 150-year-old viaduct, the majestic mountains of Snowdonia, an evening by the campfire – Britain is enchanting in every way.

Food on board is overseen by British chef Simon Rogan, whose restaurant L’Enclume holds three Michelin stars. He offers seasonal regional dishes showcasing the many facets of British cuisine, along with traditional English baking. You will also tour his farm in the Cartmel Valley and enjoy Champagne at The Cadogan.

Journeys:

• Cornwall, 3 nights: sandy beaches, sheer cliffs above a bright blue sea, hidden coves and villages slumbering in the mist;
• The Lake District, 3 nights: the charm of English gardens, cosy villages, lakes with green shores and picturesque islands, hills and peaks that have inspired poets, writers and painters for centuries;
• Wales, 3 nights: from the peaks of Snowdonia to the rocky Pembrokeshire coast, with historic castles, colourful villages in blooming gardens and walks in Snowdonia National Park;
• combined journeys of 6 nights.

Across the Scottish Highlands. Royal Scotsman

A journey to the sound of bagpipes, with itineraries of 2-7 nights. Along the way you will pass picturesque forests, glens, rugged cliffs, beaches and waterfalls, and impressive bridges and viaducts. Expect walks and boat trips, legendary golf courses and mysterious castles. On the grand tour of 11-18 June 2027, for example, you will enjoy private whisky tastings with the finest distillers, visit the Orkney Islands and the prehistoric village of Skara Brae, explore Drumlanrig Castle and its gardens and linger by a beach campfire. The busy programme is balanced by relaxation in the Dior Spa on board.

Through the parks and coast of Malaysia. Eastern & Oriental Express

One journey takes you to the idyllic beaches of Langkawi to relax, snorkel and enjoy the attractions, then on to George Town with its UNESCO-listed old town, where local art galleries, hotels and museums sit side by side. Another introduces Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia, one of the oldest rainforests on the planet at 130 million years old, home to gaur and water buffalo, tapirs, monkeys and muntjacs, sun bears and tigers and countless birds. A canopy walkway 40 metres above the ground lets you stroll through the treetops and watch the birds.

Would you like to travel aboard a Belmond train? Our travel consultants will book your cabin, choose the dates and add hotels and excursions to your journey.