There are certain travel experiences you don't forget, when food, culture and landscape all intersect perfectly. Traveling by train aboard the Orient Express Northern Belle (pictured, courtesy Oriental Express) in England was definitely one of them. As waiters wheeled the cheese board in, the emerald, sheep-speckled hills of England rolled by the window. Though the Brits are generally a reserved bunch, at the end of each meal, (lunches and dinners) the gigantic cheese board was ushered down the car's gilded aisles by two porters, creating a domino-effect cacophony of "Lovely!" "Smashing!" and "Fantastic!" as it passed each row of delighted travelers.

The journey primed us for more travel by rail, so we've compiled a list of where we'd love to go next: our wish list of luxe rail journeys -- ten in all, each offering its own memorable symphony of land, food and culture.

1. El Transcantabrico, Northern Spain
Route: 7 nights; Santiago de Compostela to León along the Cantabrian coast
Berths: Double beds, private bathroom with hydro-sauna, individual a/c and heat controls.
Landscape and trip highlights: Hugs the Cantabrian Sea through Spain's Green Coast. Pass high jagged mountains and lush green meadows, pristine beaches and rugged coastal cliffs with stops in Santillana del Mar, Santander, and the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum.
Sample meal: Most meals served in local restaurants. Breakfast buffet includes fresh orange juice, local cheeses and meats, breads, and coffee.
Cost: $3,400 per person/double cabin, includes all meals, wine, hotels, and coach tours.

2. Orient Express Northern Belle, Grand Tour U.K.
Route: 6 nights; London to Edinburgh to Oban to Wales to London
Berths: None. Guests stay at luxury hotels.
Landscape and trip highlights: Steam past rolling hills, rain-swept harbors and steep, narrow mountain passes, with stops in the towns of York, Oban, Isle of Mull, Edinburgh, Chester, Portmerien, Wales and Bath.
Sample meal: Slow confit of duck with cider sauce, 
bubble and squeak, and braised red
 cabbage. And the aforementioned Great British cheese board: a massive selection of local cheeses, with "guest cheeses" from the local towns visited on the journey, follows all meals.
Cost: $6,400 per person includes all meals, wine, hotels, and coach tours.

3. Orient Express Hiram Bingham, Peru
Route: 3.5 hours; Cusco to Macchu Pichu
Berths: None.
Landscape and trip highlights: Descend from the Andean highlands into the Cloud Forests hugging the Inka Trail, while chugging past Sacred Valley agricultural plains, lush waterfalls, and the babbling waters of the Urubamba River.
Sample meal: Olive corn tamales with salsa, 
fine herbs omelet, crayfish, and alpaca loin roast with elderberry compote.
Cost: $588 includes ticket to Macchu Pichu, alcohol, meals, and coach transportation.

4. Rovos Rail, South Africa
Route: 5 nights form Cape Town to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Berths: Refurbished air-conditioned 2-person suites that Rovos claims are the largest in the world, decked out in wood paneling, Edwardian furniture, and twin or double beds. 24-hour room service and en suite bathrooms with vintage fittings, including Victorian bath and shower, are included.
Landscape and trip highlights: Encounter the world's largest man-made diamond excavation, the historic village of Matjiesfontein and the spectacular mountain ranges and scenic wine lands of the Cape.
Sample meal: Ostrich sausages, kudu kebabs, and a guinea fowl curry served with a locally grown Rudera Chenin Blanc.
Cost: $2650 per person in Pullman Suite. Includes onboard alcohol, excursions, meals and hotels.

5. Deccan Odyssey
Route: 7 nights; Mumbai to Goa to Pune to Mumbai
Berths: Air-conditioned salons, with 4-twin bedded chambers decked out with music channels, intercoms, CD/MP3 players, attached toilets and showers. Also on board: Ayurvedic spa, gym, steam bath, conference-room/dance club, beauty parlor and business center.
Landscape and trip highlights: Rumble through eastern India's majestic state of Maharashtra past beautiful Arabian Sea beaches, antique palaces, and jungle-cloaked Buddhist caves, including stops in Mumbai, Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Pune, Aurangabad, Ajanta and Ellora.
Sample meal: Dosa crepes, lamb biryani, creamy chicken Mughal style, and chilled Alphonso Mango soup.
Cost: $4,480 for double (2 to a berth) includes onboard alcohol, excursions, meals and hotels.

More can't-miss rail trips after the jump...

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