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South Africa Luxury Train, Rovos Rail: Kruger + Durban + Garden + Cape Town

Rovos Rail: Grand South Africa (Pretoria to Cape)
South Africa Luxury Train Rovos Rail Kruger Durban Garden Cape Town
18 NIGHTS FROM:
$7,776
Per person sharing
Scheduled flights quoted separately
9SYE18J
• South Africa Luxury Train
• Kruger National Park
• Swaziland
• Hluhluwe Game Reserve
• Durban
• Bloemfontein
• Addo Elephant Park
• Oudtshoorn & George
• Garden Route & Cape Town
• Luxury Train, Rovos Rail

Explore beautiful South Africa on a luxury train with Rovos Rail on this epic journey, travelling to the Kruger Park, Swaziland, Zululand, Durban, Drakensberg Mountains, Free State, Addo & the scenic Garden Route, all the way to Cape Town, with included game viewing & Spion Kop battlefield tour. Golfing journeys also available. 3 or 4 journeys per year, contact us for departure dates.  (Pullman, Deluxe or Royal cabin).

Detailed itinerary ▶
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Day 1
You will be met at Johannesburg Airport and transferred 1-hour to Pretoria (now called Tshwane).
 
This city is the administrative capital of South Africa and is renowned for its jacaranda trees that flower from September to November. Check into your hotel and relax under warm blue African skies.
Day 2
This morning enjoy a half day private tour of the highlights of Pretoria.
 
We visit the Voortrekker Monument and historic Church Square, where we visit the home of Paul Kruger who was the president of the old Transvaal Republic at the time of the Anglo Boer War. We also drive past the City Hall and stop for photos at the beautiful Union Buildings - the official residence of the South African president, designed by Sir Herbert Baker. Here there is an impressive statue of Nelson Mandela.
Day 3
Transfer from your hotel to Capital Park Station arriving by 17.00, in good time to board the luxury Rovos Rail Pride of Africa departing 18.00 for Cape Town.
 
Relax and enjoy the elegance of luxury 5-star train travel of a bygone age, as you settle in to your wood-panelled coach for your unforgettable rail journey to Cape Town, enjoying fine cuisine and outstanding personal service as you travel over 2,000 miles through some of South Africa’s most spectacular scenery.
 
Enjoy dinner in the dining car, as the train travels on the eastern line towards the harsh eMalahleni coal-mining area and Middelburg, known as the “stainless steel capital of Africa”. The Dutch railway building company, NZASM, built this line between Pretoria and Lourenço Marques (Maputo) between 1893 and 1895
 
Note: Dress code on the train during the day is smart casual, with comfortable walking shoes for the off-train excursion. Evenings are generally more formal, with most guests enjoying the opportunity to dress up (gentlemen are asked to wear a collar & tie, but jackets are optional).
 
Please be aware you may experience delays on your journey, due to issues with the local railway network. Rovos Rail will do its best to mitigate these, but they do sometimes occur. For this reason you should not book your flight home on the day your journey ends.
Day 4
Breakfast is served in the dining car and the rolling hills of Makhazeni, eNtokozweni and Dullstroom, renowned for the genteel yet skilful sport of trout fishing, are a welcome sight.
 
After lunch, the train descends the spectacular Drakensberg Mountains escarpment from Belfast to Waterval Onder. The Drakensberg Mountains were named by the Voortrekkers who thought the unbroken chain of heavily weathered peaks reminded them of the spines on a dragon’s back, hence the name ‘Dragon Mountain'.
 
Tea is served in the lounge and dinner in the dining car, as the train continues towards Malelane.
Day 5
This morning disembark early for a game drive in the world-famous Kruger National Park, taking advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day.
 
Game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately in this vast 2-million hectare game sanctuary the size to Wales. The park is home to all the Big Five – elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino and lion – as well as zebra, wildebeest, giraffe and many other interesting species. Bird life is also prolific.
 
After lunch and an opportunity for curio shopping we rejoin the train at Malelane. We continue southwards towards Mpaka in the small mountain kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland).
 
Note: You will need your passport to enter eSwatini and possibly a visa (and multi-entry visa to re-enter South Africa).
Day 6
The tiny kingdom of eSwatini covers only 17,000 square km, most of which is mountainous. It is landlocked and borders South Africa and Mozambique. Mbabane is the administrative capital and Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital.
 
We disembark today and visit Swazi Candles, where you can interact with the artisans. Woodcarvings, colourful textiles and superb basketwork are also on display. We also visit Mantenga Cultural Village, which is nestled in the mountains overlooking ‘Execution Rock’. The village is a living museum that represents traditional Swazi traditions.
 
We return to the train for dinner as we head towards KwaZulu Natal, completing border formalities again as we re-enter South Africa.
Day 7
Disembark and transfer 30-minutes for a game drive in Hluhluwe National Park, which saved the black rhino from extinction. With its hilly topography, Hluhluwe is one of South Africa’s most beautiful game parks. It is home to all the Big Five, as well as Africa’s largest population of endangered white and black rhino. It is also a prime birding destination.
 
Afterwards we return to the train and travel southwards along the coast towards Durban.
Day 8
We disembark at Durban today for a short city tour, including a visit to the Durban Botanical Gardens and lunch at the Umhlanga beachfront. Durban is the third largest city in South Africa with important industries and a large port.
 
Afterwards the train winds its way through the Valley of a Thousand Hills and the rolling hills of the Natal Midlands towards Ladysmith.
Day 9
Disembark this morning at Ladysmith and transfer 30-minutes to Spioenkop Lodge for a game drive and battlefield talk, followed by lunch.
 
Here one of the bloodiest battles of the South African War (Anglo Boer War) of 1900 took place in efforts to relieve Ladysmith, which was besieged for 118 days. Visit the mass graves atop Spioenkop Hill and see for yourself how poor military decisions affected the outcome of this battle. Incredibly three future world leaders were in the area at the time this battle took place - Winston Churchill as a young newspaper correspondent, the future Mahatma Gandhi as a stretcher bearer, and Louis Botha as the Boer general who would go on to become the first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa.
 
Afterwards we reboard the train at Van Reenan and travel across the Drakensberg Mountains into the Free State province.
 
Recommended Reading:
Boer War – Thomas Pakenham
Day 10
Today disembark and drive through Golden Gate National Park, named for the effect that the colours of the setting sun have on these dramatic sandstone cliffs, which offer excellent walking opportunities.
 
We also visit the picturesque town of Clarens  situated at the foothills of the Maluti Mountains where we enjoy an early lunch (at own expense).
 
Afterwards we transfer to the Sandstone Heritage Trust, a large agricultural estate that houses an impressive collection of heritage trains, tractors, buses, cars and military vehicles.
 
We then rejoin the train at Bethlehem and depart for Bloemfontein.
Day 11
This morning disembark for a city tour of Bloemfontein, which is the judicial capital of South Africa.
 
Afterwards the train travels to Coerney. We traverse through the Great Karoo, a vast and beautiful semi-desert, and journey across this dry southeastern region with its variety of grasses, hardy shrubs, tumbleweeds and succulents. We then descend the Great Escapment towards the coast.
Day 12
Arrive in the holiday town of Port Elizabeth on the shores of the warm Indian Ocean.
 
Here we disembark for a tour to Addo Elephant Park to view these magnificent animals which once roamed free in this area and were saved from extinction by this national park, which has also preserved the rare Cape buffalo and the flying dung beetle.
 
Afterwards we rejoin the train and enjoy dinner onboard.
Day 13
Disembark at Port Elizabeth this morning and transfer 1.5-hours along the scenic Garden Route to Oudebosch Farm Stall, where we stop for refreshments before continuing for another 1.5-hours to Knysna.
 
On arrival in Knysna enjoy a ferry ride on this scenic lagoon, followed by lunch. This lively town is famous for its oysters, which are grown in the lagoon. It offers good shopping opportunities and many interesting craft shops.
 
Afterwards we drive for 1-hour past the serene lakes of Sedgefield and the glorious beaches of Wilderness to Fancourt Golf Estate situated in George. Check in and enjoy dinner at your luxury hotel.
 
Note: You need to pack an overnight bag for your stay at Fancourt. Small tog bags will be provided for this.
Day 14
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and transfer 1-hour across the magnificent Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo. Here we visit an Ostrich Farm to see these huge flightless birds in their natural surroundings, followed by lunch.
 
We also visit the famous Cango Caves – a vast series of underground halls and caverns formed over 20 million years ago in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains. The caves, which extend for over 3 miles, contain spectacular stalagmites and stalactites and offer relatively easy access.
 
Afterwards we transfer 2.5-hours to Prince Albert Road Station, where we re-board the train and enjoy dinner.
 
About an hour after Matjiesfontein, the train arrives at the first of four tunnels on the pass. The first tunnel is 8 miles (13.5 km) long so you should be careful when walking through the train and turn on some lights.
Day 15
Enjoy breakfast whilst travelling along the scenic Hex River Valley today.
 
The train travels through Worcester and the Du Toits Kloof tunnel, with spectacular views of the mountains and vineyards of the Cape Winelands.
 
View imposing Table Mountain as we arrive in Cape Town Station around 18.00 at our journey's end. Here you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Day 16
Today is free for independent sightseeing in Cape Town.
 
To orientate yourself, use your pre-paid pass for the Red Route Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and attractions, including the Table Mountain (a Fast Track cable car ticket is also included). Here you can ascend and enjoy one of the world's most famous views.
 
Continue to trendy Camps Bay beach and the many attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.
 
Note: Don't let the colour of the bus confuse you. All buses are red, but they run two different routes - the Red City Route and the Blue Kirstenbosch Route.
 
Table Mountain cable car is closed for annual maintenance from mid July to end August.
Day 17
Today we recommend an optional full day shared tour to the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where you may see baboons, ostrich and perhaps even dolphins or whales in season (July/November).
  
Your tour travels through Hout Bay and along spectacular Chapman’s Peak Drive to the Cape Point peninsula, before returning via Simons Town and Fish Hoek. This is a scenic tour of the whole Cape Peninsula, with the optional opportunity of visiting the penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
 
Note: Lunch is for your own account today. Group size is minimum 2 / maximum 15.
Day 18
Today we recommend an optional full day shared tour to the renowned Stellenbosch Winelands, travelling through the scenic Franschhoek Valley where a handful of French Huguenot refugees started South Africa’s now famous wine industry.
 
Explore the historic university town of Stellenbosch and several wine estates on this famous wine route, which stretched from Paarl through to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Enjoy a cellar tour and some wine tasting, before returning to Cape Town in the late afternoon.
 
Note: Lunch is for your own account today. Group size is minimum 2 / maximum 15.
Day 19
Transfer to Cape Town Airport for your flight home.