The longest of the Rovos rail train trips, this fifteen-day expedition travels through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania.
Highlights include the historic village of Matjiesfontein, the diamond town of Kimberley, Madikwe Game Reserve and some of Africa’s most beautiful waterfalls including Victoria and Chisimba falls.
Witness the roaring of the Zambezi River as you cross from Zimbabwe to Zambia. Traverse the Great Rift Valley negotiating the tunnels, switchbacks and viaducts of the spectacular escarpment.
If you have time to spare this is the perfect way to experience a multitude of African Cultures and landscapes.
| Day 1 | |
| 11h00 | Depart Cape Town Station on the Pride of Africa. |
| 13h00 | Lunch is served in the dining car/s. |
| 16h30 | Tea is served in the dining car/s. |
| 18h00 | Arrive in Matjiesfontein and explore the quaint village. Dinner and overnight on the train. |
| Day 2 | |
| 14h00 | Tour of Kimberley’s Big Hole and Diamond Mine Museum. Ten minutes after departing Kimberley a shallow lake appears on the left-hand side of the train where, on most occasions, there are spectacular flocks of Lesser Flamingos (approximately 23 000). Travel from the Karoo to the Highveld. |
| 19h30 | Dinner on board. |
| Day 3 | |
| 10h00 | Arrive at Rovos Rail Station in Capital Park, Pretoria. Enjoy a walking tour of the station and locomotive workshops (weather permitting) followed by lunch on the platform and a city tour of Pretoria at 14h15. |
| 18h00 | Depart for Zeerust in the North West Province. Dinner and overnight on board. |
| Day 4 | |
| 11h00 | Disembark at Zeerust and transfer by coach to Madikwe Reserve for a two-night stay at TAU Game Lodge. Lunch is served upon arrival at the lodge. Afternoon tea and game drive (approximately 3 hours). Dinner and overnight at the lodge. |
| Day 5 | |
| Enjoy an early morning game drive, afternoon game drive and other guest activities. Overnight at the lodge. | |
| Day 6 | |
| Early morning game drive followed by breakfast until 09h30. | |
| 10h30 | Transfer to the train at with border formalities en route to Gaborone, Botswana. |
| 13h30 | Depart Gaborone and travel to Plumtree for border formalities and overnight. |
| Day 7 | |
| Day at leisure on board. Lectures will be given during the course of the morning and/or afternoon by the on-board historian. The train passes Gwaai and Dete along one of Africa’s longest stretches of straight railway line – 114 kilometres – and along the eastern edge of the Hwange National Park where occasional sightings of animals can occur. The train heads for Thompson’s Junction for the overnight stop. | |
| Day 8 | |
| 12h00 | Arrive at the incomparable Victoria Falls and walk across to the hotel. Enjoy lunch. |
| 16h00 | Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River. Buffet dinner at Jungle Junction. Overnight at the hotel. |
| Day 9 | |
| Day at leisure in the Victoria Falls with activities (tour of Falls, helicopter over Falls, elephant-back safari, walk with lions, whitewater rafting, bungee-jumping, golf, etc). | |
| 16h00 | Depart Victoria Falls and cross the bridge to Livingstone, Zambia. |
| Day 10 | |
| Day at leisure on board. Lectures will be given during the course of the morning and/or afternoon by the on-board historian. The train travels across the Kafue railway bridge – a 477-metre long steel girder truss bridge of 13 spans each at 33 metres supported on concrete piers – towards Kapiri Mposhi and the start of the TAZARA railway line. | |
| Day 11 | |
| Enjoy a day at leisure on the train. Lectures will be given during the course of the morning and/or afternoon by the on-board historian. The train passes through Serenje and Mpika to Kasama. | |
| Day 12 | |
| 08h00 | Disembark at Kasama for a morning excursion to Chisimba Falls. |
| 11h00 | Depart from Kasama and travel towards the Tanzanian border. |
| Day 13 | |
| 09h00 | Arrive at Makambako where guests may enjoy a stroll through the town – time permitting. |
| 10h30 | Depart and travel towards Mlimba. The train descends into the Rift Valley and through the Udzungwa Mountains as it negotiates the tunnels, switchbacks and viaducts of the escarpment. |
| Day at leisure on the train with lectures by the on-board historian. | |
| Day 14 | |
| Game visit in the Selous Reserve (time permitting). Travel towards Gwata for an overnight stop. | |
| Day 15 | |
| 06h30 | Depart Gwata in and travel in an easterly direction towards the coast. |
| 07h00 | Breakfast is served in the dining car/s until 09h30. |
| 10h00 | Arrive at journey’s end in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| Day 1 | |
| 12h00 | The Pride of Africa departs Dar es Salaam and travels the TAZARA line. During the late afternoon the train passes through the Selous Game Reserve – the largest in Africa at 55 000km². For a few hours wild animals can be seen from the train. Overnight on board at Mlimba. |
| Day 2 | |
| 14h00 | Game visit in the Selous Reserve (time permitting). Descend into the Udzungwa Mountains and Rift Valley. |
| Day 3 | |
| The train travels the Rift Valley to Makambako. | |
| 09h00 | Guests may enjoy a stroll through the town of Makambako – time permitting. |
| Day at leisure on board. Lectures will be given during the course of the morning and/or afternoon by the on-board historian as the train travels via Mbeya to Tunduma for the overnight stop. | |
| Day 4 | |
| Tanzanian and Zambian border formalities take place. | |
| 14h30 | Disembark at Kasama for an excursion to Chisimba Falls. |
| 18h00 | Return to train and depart Kasama. Overnight on board at Mununga. |
| Day 5 | |
| Enjoy a day at leisure on the train. Lectures will be given by the on-board historian. The train passes through Kapiri Mposhi to Ngwerere for the overnight stop. | |
| Day 6 | |
| The train travels through Lusaka, capital of Zambia and crosses the Kafue railway bridge – a 477-metre long steel girder truss bridge of 13 spans each at 33 metres supported on concrete piers. Lectures will be given by the on-board historian as the train makes its way to Zimbabwe and overnights at Makoli. | |
| Day 7 | |
| 10h00 | Arrive at Livingstone then cross the bridge and arrive at Zimbabwean border for passport formalities. |
| 11h00 | Arrive at the incomparable Victoria Falls. Disembark and walk across to the hotel. Enjoy lunch. |
| 16h00 | Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River. Buffet dinner at Jungle Junction. Overnight at the hotel. |
| Day 8 | |
| Day at leisure in the Victoria Falls with activities (tour of Falls, helicopter over Falls, elephant-back safari, walk with lions, whitewater rafting, bungee-jumping, golf, etc). | |
| 16h00 | Meet on the platform and depart Victoria Falls. Travel southeast along the edge of Hwange Park towards Bulawayo. |
| Day 9 | |
| Enjoy a day at leisure on the train. Lectures will be given by the on-board historian. The train heads southwards through Francistown and Serule, crosses the Tropic of Capricorn and continues via Mahalapye to Gaborone. | |
| Day 10 | |
| 10h00 | Disembark at Gaborone and transfer by coach to Madikwe Reserve for a two-night stay at TAU Lodge. Border formalities will take place en route and guests are required to present themselves to the officials. |
| Lunch is served upon arrival at the lodge. Afternoon game drive (approximately 3 hours). Dinner and overnight at lodge. | |
| Day 11 | |
| Enjoy an early morning game drive, afternoon game drive and other guest activities. Overnight at the lodge. | |
| Day 12 | |
| Early morning game drive (approximately 2 hours) followed by breakfast until 09h30. | |
| 11h00 | Depart the lodge and transfer to the train at Zeerust. The train traverses the Magaliesberg Mountains – a range of low hills stretching 120 kilometres due east-west from Pretoria to Rustenberg. Dinner and overnight on board. |
| Day 13 | |
| 10h00 | Arrive at Rovos Rail’s private station in Pretoria. Disembark for city tour. |
| 13h00 | Lunch on the platform followed by a walking tour of the station and the locomotive workshops (weather permitting). |
| 15h00 | Depart Pretoria and travel south towards Kimberley. Dinner and overnight on the train. |
| Day 14 | |
| 10h00 | The train arrives in Kimberley. Passengers visit the Big Hole and the Diamond Mine Museum. |
| 12h30 | Depart Kimberley and proceed overnight via De Aar and Beaufort West to Matjiesfontein. |
| Day 15 | |
| 08h30 | Enjoy a visit to the historic village of Matjiesfontein. |
| 10h30 | The train departs for Cape Town via Touws River and Worcester. |
| 18h00 | Arrive at Cape Town Station’s Platform 24. |
| PULLMAN SUITES | DELUXE SUITES | ROYAL SUITES |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|
| PULLMAN SUITES US$11 850pps |
US$11 850pps |
| DELUXE SUITES US$15 300pps |
US$15 300pps |
| ROYAL SUITES US$20 550pps |
US$20 550pps |
|
Includes:
Accommodation, meals and excursions as well as all beverages, including alcohol, while on board. Single supplement +50% on all suites. |
|
| CAPE TOWN - DAR ES SALAAM | DAR ES SALAAM - CAPE TOWN |
|---|---|
| 4-18 Jul 2015 | 3-17 Feb 2015 |
| 15-29 Aug 2015 | 21 Jul - 4 Aug 2015 |
| 26 Sep - 10 Oct 2015 | 1 - 15 Sep 2015 |
| 13 - 27 Oct 2015 |
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