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Rovos Rail Luxury Train, South African Triology: Kruger + Swaziland + Hluhluwe + Namibia

Rovos Rail African Trilogy: South Africa + Swaziland + Namibia

Rovos Rail Luxury Train South African Triology Swaziland Namibia Kruger

19 NIGHTS FROM:

$11,911

Per person sharing

Scheduled flights quoted separately

9NYB19J

• Rovos Rail Luxury Train

• South Africa to Namibia

• Kruger National Park

• Swaziland

• Hluhluwe Game Reserve

• Fish River Canyon

• Sossusvlei Sand Dunes

• Walvis Bay & Swakopmund

• Etosha National Park

• African Triology

Enquire about this Rovos Rail luxury train - the South African Triology - that journeys from Pretoria to the Kruger National Park, Swaziland, Hluhluwe Game Reseve, Durban, the Drakensberg Mountains, Kimberley & Upington. It then continues to the mighty Fish River Canyon, the gigantic sand dunes of Sossusvlei & Etosha National Park in Namibia, before ending in Walvis Bay or Swakopmund. Two departures per year (Feb/Oct). Pullman & Deluxe cabins. Early booking essential.

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

This afternoon transfer to Capital Park Station in Pretoria, arriving in good time to board the luxury Rovos Rail train for its African Trilogy journey.

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 rail journey through South Africa and eSwatini (Swaziland), before continuing through the vast Kalahari to Namibia. Enjoy fine cuisine and outstanding personal service as you travel over 3,000 miles through some of Southern Africa’s most spectacular scenery.

The train sets our heading eastwards towards Mpumalanga.

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.

Tea is served in the lounge and dinner in the dining car, as the train continues towards Malelane.

Day 5

Today we disembark early at Malelane for a full day of game viewing in the world renowned Kruger National Park.

The Kruger National Park has 2-million hectares of unrivalled wildlife diversity. It is a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and is home to an impressive number of wildlife species - including 147 different mammals, 507 species of birds, 336 different trees, 49 species of fish, 34 amphibians and 114 reptiles. It is also home to all the Big Five - lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard.

Re-join the train in the late afternoon as we depart towards eSwatini (previously called Swaziland).

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 the Hluhluwe, 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 in Durban today and enjoy a City Tour, including a visit to the Botanical Gardens and lunch on the Umhlanga beachfront.

Durban is the third largest city in South Africa, with important industries and a large natural harbour.

In the afternoon we return to the train and head towards Ladysmith, traversing the Valley of a Thousand Hills.

Day 9

Breakfast is served in the dining car, as the train traverses the spectacular Drakensberg Mountains, 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 Kimberley.

Day 10

Today we disembark in Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape.

Kimberley is well known for the discovery of diamonds, which led to its establishment in 1893. Highlights of the day include a visit to the Diamond Mine Museum and Big Hole.

We return to the train in time for lunch and travel through the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormour inland sea, as we head towards Upington.

Day 11

This morning we arrive in Upington on the Orange River and disembark from the train for a local activity confirmed on the day.

The Orange River is the longest river in South Africa, rising in the Drakensburg Mountains in Lesotho and flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean.

We then return to the train to continue our journey. After border formalities, we enter Namibia and head towards the Fish River Canyon.

Day 12

This morning we disembark at Holoog and drive 1-hour to view the Fish River Canyon, second only in size to the Grand Canyon and a truly spectacular sight (good walking shoes & sun hat required)

The Fish River rises in the centre of the country, before flowing south into the Orange River on Namibia's southern border with South Africa. The vast rocky landscape breaks up into a series of spectacular cliffs formed by the river, which now meanders between boulders over half a kilometre below.

Afterwards we rejoin the train and travel along the southern reaches of the Kalahari Basin. In the afternoon we visit Garas Park (Quiver Trees). These prehistoric trees have forked branches that reach up to 5 metres making it a great photo opportunity.

After returning to the train, we continue across the untamed beauty of the Kalahari towards Windhoek.

Day 13

This morning we disembark at Windhoek and transfer to the airport for our 1-hour light aircraft flight to Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert,

The Namib is the oldest desert on earth, where some of the highest sand dunes in the world tower over the white desert plains. These great mountains of sand are a monument to the extreme forces of nature, with fog supplying life giving moisture for the survival of its plants and animals.

Check into your lodge and enjoy lunch, a desert drive and a bush dinner.

Note: A small overnight bag will be placed in your suite for this excursion. Please pack comfortable clothes & shoes for hot days and cool evenings. Also sun hat & sunscreen.

Day 14

After an early wake-up call, your overnight bags will be collected at 06.00. Then enjoy a special early morning desert ride and breakfast in the vast Namib Desert.

We return to our lodge before transfering to the airstrip for our light aircraft to Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia.

After lunch, we visit the Trans-Namib Transport Museum situated in Windhoek railway station, before we rejoin the train.

Our journey continues through the ever changing landscapes of central Namibia, as we travel northwards towards Otjiwarongo.

Day 15

Today we disembark in Otjiwarongo to visit a Cheetah Conservation Project.

Founded in Namibia in 1990, the Cheetah Conservation Fund is dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild. Afterwards we return to the train for lunch, before continuing our journey northwards towards Otavi.

Day 16

This morning we disembark and transfer 1-hour to our safari lodge situated near the entrance to the great Etosha National Park, which is one of the largest and greatest wildlife reserves in Africa.

Etosha owes its unique landscape to a vast shallow depression – the Etosha Pan – with its open pans offering magnificent game viewing. Etosha is home to over a hundred different species of mammals, including springbok, oryx, lion, elephant, rhino, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest.

After lunch we enjoy a thrilling afternoon game drive in this magnificent park.

Note: Please pack a small overnight bag containing comfortable clothes & shoes for hot days and cool evenings. Also sun hat and sun screen, and warm clothes for your late afternoon game drive.

Day 17

Enjoy another early morning game drive in Etosha National Park today.

Afterwards we transfer 1-hour to re-join the train. Enjoy another afternoon of luxury train travel and the magnificent stark landscapes of this dramatic country, including a spectacular African sunset, as the train heads southwards towards Walvis Bay.

Day 18

This morning the train passes along the German-built railway line through the Namib Desert to the port of Walvis Bay, arriving around 12.00 at the end of your journey aboard the Rovos Rail.

Here you will be met and transferred 30-minutes to the beach resort of Swakopmund, with its old lighthouse and easy access to the sand dunes and activities of the Namib Desert.

Day 19

This morning we recommend transferring 30-minutes to Walvis Bay to enjoy an optional 3-hour shared Marine Cruise to Pelican Point, which has a resident school of dolphins and a large colony of Cape fur seals, with oysters and sparkling wine served on board.

Marine bird life is abundant and includes pelicans, terns and large flocks of flamingos which live in the shallow waters surrounding the harbour. You should see many Cape cormorants and hopefully some more difficult birds such as the Cape gannet, Pomarine skua and African black oyster catcher. You may also see migrating whales in season (September to October).

Your afternoon is at leisure to relax at the beach resort of Swakopmund, with its palm lined streets and seaside promenade. Established by German colonists in 1892, the town’s landmarks include the Swakopmund Lighthouse and the Mole, an old sea wall. Next to the lighthouse, the Swakopmund Museum documents Namibian history. In the town you can find the elegant Swakopmund Railway Station (now a hotel), which also dates to the colonial era. An enjoyable local pastime is Kaffee-Kuchen at 16:00 when you can take a mid-afternoon break for a coffee, with a slice of baked cheesecake or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (German Black Forest Cake).

Day 20

Transfer 30-minutes to Walvis Bay Airport for your flight home.

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