3
WINNIPEGCHURCHILL
Canada; 2 nights
GettingtoChurchill,the‘polarbearcapitalofthe
world’,hasneverbeeneasy.Theonlywayinoroutis
by trainorlight,andwhenloodingrecentlywiped
out its railway for 18months,travellostoneofitsgreatjourneys.
Now it’s back, andpullingoutofthebeaux-artsUnionStationfor
the muskeg and ‘barrenlands’ofCanadaisstillathrill.Thisisfar
from a tourist train;itremainsalifelinetoremotecommunities,
and even if its sleeperfacilitiesaremodernandcosy–with
access to a panoramicobservationdomeforauroraviewing
a plus – it’s still a rideintothefrozenwild.
From CA$693pp(£417)one-way,basedontwopeople
sharing a bunkbedcabin;trainsrunyearround;viarail.com
WANDERSLEEPERS
wanderlust.co.uk September 2019 752
BELMOND ANDEAN
EXPLORER
Peru; 12 nights
A slew of high-end locomotives
hit the rails in 2017, but the most
anticipated was South America’s irst luxury
eort: the Andean Explorer. Two years later,
it still has no local rival, as few can match its
scenic two-day chug between Arequipa and
Cusco (it also has one-day routes). With two
dining cars and a baby grand piano, it
doesn’t lack for atmosphere – in any sense,
cabins have in-built oxygen for high altitude.
Expect en-suite showers, double beds,
a spa and alpaca blankets that keep out the
chill at 4,312m as you cruise the altiplano
between Lake Titicaca, the condors of Colca
Canyon and the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.
From US$2,835pp (£2,239) one-way,
based on two sharing a bunkbed cabin (two
nights); trains run Mar–Jan; belmond.com