Zimbabwe’s Elephant Express is offering travelers an unusual safari experience aboard a custom-built railcar running alongside Hwange National Park, home to around 40,000 elephants. The slow-moving train travels a 50-mile stretch between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, giving passengers close encounters with wildlife rarely seen from conventional safari vehicles. Guests aboard the 22-seat carriage regularly spot elephants, lions, baboons, wildebeest, and occasionally cheetahs. The train was designed to reduce long road transfers to remote safari camps while creating a unique tourist attraction. The railcar combines safari viewing with nostalgia for Zimbabwe’s historic railway network, running on one of the world’s longest straight stretches of track. Travelers can even take turns operating the train under supervision. Operators say the route’s proximity to wildlife creates unforgettable experiences while highlighting the delicate relationship between transport infrastructure and conservation.
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