The Brazilian Steam Safari
Thursday 4th September to Monday 22nd September
From the mad passion of the carnival to the enormity of the dark Amazon, Brazil is a country of mythical proportion, a vast and vibrant landscape of unexplored rain forests, pristine tropical beaches and endless rivers. Best of all are the people themselves who delight visitors. We see the major cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and visit the best of the steam and scenic railways that Brazil has to offer. A wide variety of locomotives still exist, mainly of metre gauge but with some 760mm gauge. Steam locomotives are mostly American but there are some British designs as well.
Thursday 4th September
Direct Flight to Brazil
Our evening flight leaves London Heathrow at 22:30 direct to Sao Paulo.
Friday 5th September
Steam around Sao Paulo
Arriving in the morning at Sao Paulo we transfer to reserved rooms at the Caesar Park Hotel close to the airport. A light lunch is served at the hotel followed by an afternoon visit to the Taubate Parque Municipal Railway to take a train ride with one of its 2-6-2 tank locomotives. Following this we make a visit to the Campos do Jordao which has steam and electric locomotives. We return to our hotel for dinner. (L D)
Saturday 6th September
The Highest Railway in Brazil
We transfer by coach from our hotel to Pindamonhangaba where we join our special chartered train to Campos do Jordao. An interurban railway, it has extremely severe gradients and reaches a summit at 5,715 feet, the highest railway in Brazil. During our thirty mile journey we change to several different interurban trains and even steam features. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Campos do Jordao. (B L D)
Sunday 7th September
Pacifics
After breakfast we transfer by coach to Passa Quatro where we join our special train hauled by a beautiful Baldwin Pacific. We enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to Sao Lourenco, joining a special steam charter hauled by a British Beyer Peacock Pacific, to Soledade de Minas and back. Dinner and overnight accommodation is at our hotel in Sao Lourenco. (B L D)
Monday 8th September
Narrow Gauge at Sao Joao del Rei
After breakfast we transfer by coach to the beautiful colonial city of Sao Joao del Rei and enjoy a guided tour of the city before taking lunch in a local restaurant. We visit the beautifully restored collection of ten 760mm gauge locomotives all lined up in the superbly presented original roundhouse. Later in the afternoon we take a trip to Tiradentes with a Baldwin 2-8-0. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Sao Joao del Rei. (B L D)
Tuesday 9th September
Baldwin Locomotives
We return to the station and join our special steam charter train to Tiradentes and back, double headed with a Baldwin 4-6-0 and a 4-4-0 built in 1887. After lunch we travel on our coach to Ouro Preto, the largest and most homogenous Portuguese colonial style town in the world.
It was the first Brazilian town to be given world heritage status by UNESCO. We have a local guide to show us around. (B L D)
Wednesday 10th September
Steam Train to Mariana
After breakfast we join our special steam charter train from Ouro Preto to Mariana. We enjoy lunch in Mariana before returning to Ouro Preto and on arrival transfer to Belo Horizonte by coach for dinner and overnight accommodation. (B L D)
Thursday 11th September
Metre Gauge Passenger Train to the Mountains
We board the morning passenger train on the Vitoria a Minas railway at Belo Horizonte station to travel on the line to its terminus at Vitoria. Lunch will be served on the train. This metre gauge railway runs ore trains 350 wagons long!! We arrive Vitoria early evening where we check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation. (B L D)
Friday 12th September
Steam Railway at Grussai
Following a late breakfast we transfer by coach to Grussai which is a resort for government employees with its own railway that has twelve steam locomotives. We will have an afternoon charter train with at least three locomotives in steam for our enjoyment. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Grussai. (B L D)
Saturday 13th September
Sightseeing in Rio
We depart by coach to Rio de Janeiro for an early check in to our hotel. We will have an afternoon sightseeing tour of this fantastic city with a local guide before returning to our hotel for dinner.
(B L D)
Sunday 14th September
By Street Car to overlook Rio
Today we have arranged a private charter of a tram on the Santa Teresa System and a visit to its carbarn, the depot. We then ride the FC Corcovado Rack line to the top of Corcovado with fantastic views overlooking Rio. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in our hotel in Rio.
(B L D)
Monday 15th September
Farewell to Rio
This morning we visit the Fazenda Mato Alto Railway which has several steam locomotives in operation. We should have a special steam charter train here before boarding our afternoon flight from Rio to Curitiba, a town of 1.6 million people. Dinner and overnight is in Curitiba.
(B L D)
Tuesday 16th September
Serra Verde Express
After breakfast we have chartered a 1950’s Budd diesel railcar that will be waiting for us at Curitiba station to travel the line to the port of Paranagua. Five thousand men died during the five years it took to complete the 70-mile stretch of railway. The route is known as the Serra Verde Express, and is a spectacular ride through tunnels and over high viaducts, in particular the São João Bridge which has a span of 370 feet. In places the train clings to mountain edges. On arrival at our destination we return to our hotel in Curitiba by coach for dinner and overnight stay. (B L D)
Wednesday 17th September
Steam Charter to Rio Natal
Our coach will take us to Rio Negrinho to enjoy a full day steam charter to Rio Natal and back through some spectacular scenery. This line is home to large steam locomotives. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Rio Negrinho. (B L D)
Thursday 18th September
Teresa Cristina Railway
We transfer to Curitiba Airport for our morning flight to Florianopolis. After lunch we will visit the famous Teresa Cristina Railway, which is a coal hauling railway in southeast Brazil. We will have a steam charter from Imbituba to Tuburao. Our coach will follow the train so there is a choice of riding the train, or photographing it as it steams along. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Tuburao. (B L D)
Friday 19th September
Return to the Teresa Cristina Railway
Today we return to the Teresa Cristina Railway where we have a full day charter from Tuburao to Morro Grande and return using one of its large 2-10-2 steam locomotives. Later in the afternoon we visit the railway workshops. Dinner and overnight accommodation is again in Tuburao.
(B L D)
Saturday 20th September
Steam near Sao Paulo
Our flight departs Florianopolis for Sao Paulo in the morning. On arrival we check into our hotel and, following lunch, we join a special steam charter out of Campinas station. It is a major railway hub near Sao Paulo but normally there are no passenger services. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Sao Paulo. (B L D)
Sunday 21st September
Railway Museum
After breakfast we visit the railway museum in Cajamar followed by a farewell lunch. We transfer to the airport for our direct flight to Heathrow. (B L)
Monday 22nd September
Arrive in the UK
We arrive back at London Heathrow at 15:35.
Direct Flight to Brazil
Our evening flight leaves London Heathrow at 22:30 direct to Sao Paulo.
Friday 5th September
Steam around Sao Paulo
Arriving in the morning at Sao Paulo we transfer to reserved rooms at the Caesar Park Hotel close to the airport. A light lunch is served at the hotel followed by an afternoon visit to the Taubate Parque Municipal Railway to take a train ride with one of its 2-6-2 tank locomotives. Following this we make a visit to the Campos do Jordao which has steam and electric locomotives. We return to our hotel for dinner. (L D)
Saturday 6th September
The Highest Railway in Brazil
We transfer by coach from our hotel to Pindamonhangaba where we join our special chartered train to Campos do Jordao. An interurban railway, it has extremely severe gradients and reaches a summit at 5,715 feet, the highest railway in Brazil. During our thirty mile journey we change to several different interurban trains and even steam features. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Campos do Jordao. (B L D)
Sunday 7th September
Pacifics
After breakfast we transfer by coach to Passa Quatro where we join our special train hauled by a beautiful Baldwin Pacific. We enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to Sao Lourenco, joining a special steam charter hauled by a British Beyer Peacock Pacific, to Soledade de Minas and back. Dinner and overnight accommodation is at our hotel in Sao Lourenco. (B L D)
Monday 8th September
Narrow Gauge at Sao Joao del Rei
After breakfast we transfer by coach to the beautiful colonial city of Sao Joao del Rei and enjoy a guided tour of the city before taking lunch in a local restaurant. We visit the beautifully restored collection of ten 760mm gauge locomotives all lined up in the superbly presented original roundhouse. Later in the afternoon we take a trip to Tiradentes with a Baldwin 2-8-0. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Sao Joao del Rei. (B L D)
Tuesday 9th September
Baldwin Locomotives
We return to the station and join our special steam charter train to Tiradentes and back, double headed with a Baldwin 4-6-0 and a 4-4-0 built in 1887. After lunch we travel on our coach to Ouro Preto, the largest and most homogenous Portuguese colonial style town in the world.
It was the first Brazilian town to be given world heritage status by UNESCO. We have a local guide to show us around. (B L D)
Wednesday 10th September
Steam Train to Mariana
After breakfast we join our special steam charter train from Ouro Preto to Mariana. We enjoy lunch in Mariana before returning to Ouro Preto and on arrival transfer to Belo Horizonte by coach for dinner and overnight accommodation. (B L D)
Thursday 11th September
Metre Gauge Passenger Train to the Mountains
We board the morning passenger train on the Vitoria a Minas railway at Belo Horizonte station to travel on the line to its terminus at Vitoria. Lunch will be served on the train. This metre gauge railway runs ore trains 350 wagons long!! We arrive Vitoria early evening where we check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation. (B L D)
Friday 12th September
Steam Railway at Grussai
Following a late breakfast we transfer by coach to Grussai which is a resort for government employees with its own railway that has twelve steam locomotives. We will have an afternoon charter train with at least three locomotives in steam for our enjoyment. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Grussai. (B L D)
Saturday 13th September
Sightseeing in Rio
We depart by coach to Rio de Janeiro for an early check in to our hotel. We will have an afternoon sightseeing tour of this fantastic city with a local guide before returning to our hotel for dinner.
(B L D)
Sunday 14th September
By Street Car to overlook Rio
Today we have arranged a private charter of a tram on the Santa Teresa System and a visit to its carbarn, the depot. We then ride the FC Corcovado Rack line to the top of Corcovado with fantastic views overlooking Rio. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in our hotel in Rio.
(B L D)
Monday 15th September
Farewell to Rio
This morning we visit the Fazenda Mato Alto Railway which has several steam locomotives in operation. We should have a special steam charter train here before boarding our afternoon flight from Rio to Curitiba, a town of 1.6 million people. Dinner and overnight is in Curitiba.
(B L D)
Tuesday 16th September
Serra Verde Express
After breakfast we have chartered a 1950’s Budd diesel railcar that will be waiting for us at Curitiba station to travel the line to the port of Paranagua. Five thousand men died during the five years it took to complete the 70-mile stretch of railway. The route is known as the Serra Verde Express, and is a spectacular ride through tunnels and over high viaducts, in particular the São João Bridge which has a span of 370 feet. In places the train clings to mountain edges. On arrival at our destination we return to our hotel in Curitiba by coach for dinner and overnight stay. (B L D)
Wednesday 17th September
Steam Charter to Rio Natal
Our coach will take us to Rio Negrinho to enjoy a full day steam charter to Rio Natal and back through some spectacular scenery. This line is home to large steam locomotives. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Rio Negrinho. (B L D)
Thursday 18th September
Teresa Cristina Railway
We transfer to Curitiba Airport for our morning flight to Florianopolis. After lunch we will visit the famous Teresa Cristina Railway, which is a coal hauling railway in southeast Brazil. We will have a steam charter from Imbituba to Tuburao. Our coach will follow the train so there is a choice of riding the train, or photographing it as it steams along. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Tuburao. (B L D)
Friday 19th September
Return to the Teresa Cristina Railway
Today we return to the Teresa Cristina Railway where we have a full day charter from Tuburao to Morro Grande and return using one of its large 2-10-2 steam locomotives. Later in the afternoon we visit the railway workshops. Dinner and overnight accommodation is again in Tuburao.
(B L D)
Saturday 20th September
Steam near Sao Paulo
Our flight departs Florianopolis for Sao Paulo in the morning. On arrival we check into our hotel and, following lunch, we join a special steam charter out of Campinas station. It is a major railway hub near Sao Paulo but normally there are no passenger services. Dinner and overnight accommodation is in Sao Paulo. (B L D)
Sunday 21st September
Railway Museum
After breakfast we visit the railway museum in Cajamar followed by a farewell lunch. We transfer to the airport for our direct flight to Heathrow. (B L)
Monday 22nd September
Arrive in the UK
We arrive back at London Heathrow at 15:35.
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Price
| Price per person | £3895 |
| Single supplement | £375 |
Price includes:
- Flights London to Chicago and return Denver to London
- All rail travel
- Superliner Roomette accommodation for the overnight journeys on Amtrak
- All hotel accommodation
- Breakfast each day
- 6 lunches (4 on Amtrak)
- 4 dinners (3 on Amtrak)
- Admission fees to all museums
- Transfers by private air-conditioned coaches
- The services of a tour manager
Meals included each day are shown as:
B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D= Dinner
B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D= Dinner