On arrival into Cape Town you will be met and transferred to the luxurious Table Bay Hotel for a three night stay. Enjoy the hotel’s excellent location amongst the popular Victoria & Alfred Waterfront area with its many shops, restaurants and other attractions.

You will have plenty of time over the coming days to explore the ‘Mother City’ with its scenic Table Mountain backdrop. For some ideas of what to do see and do in this beautiful city and its region, see our South Africa experiences page.

Table Bay Hotel

Your 1,600 kilometre journey commences this afternoon from Cape Town, a city cradled by the iconic Table Mountain. The journey continues through spectacular mountain ranges and lush vineyards of the Western Cape. Passing through Worcester in the Hex River Valley, the train climbs over 750 metres up the face of the escarpment, before passing through a series of tunnels on the pass, the last being an impressive 13 kilometres long.

After breakfast, arrive in the historic village of Matjiesfontein where there is an opportunity to take a stroll through the quaint village with historic buildings including the Lord Milner Hotel. There is also a museum on the platform with a collection of historic cars and railway carriages.

Continue through the stark and barren beauty of the Great Karoo, a semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea.  Enjoy the company of your fellow guests amidst the elegant surrounding of your Rovos Rail train.

This morning, arrive at Kimberley where you will enjoy a visit to the Diamond Mine Museum and the Big Hole. Capital of the Northern Cape, the town is well known for the discovery of diamonds that led to its establishment in 1871. The Big Hole to this day remains as one of the world’s largest man-made excavations.

Lunch is served as the train continues north-east towards klerksdorp and the broad grassland plains of the Highveld that were once the centre of South Africa’s goldrush.

Arrive into Pretoria, one of South Africa’s capital cities and have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy the facilities of your hotel.

This morning depart Pretoria on your northbound journey aboard Rovos Rail. Travel through the towns of Warmbaths, named after its mineral waters and then Nylstroom, which was once believed to be the source of the Nile by the Voortrekkers. Passing along the escarpment of Limpopo Province, the train then crosses the Tropic of Capricorn towards the Zimbabwean border.

Your luxury rail journey crosses the South Africa – Zimbabwe border at Beitbridge and continues through the Zimbabwean landscape towards Bulawayo for its overnight stop.

Experience one of the world’s longest stretches of straight railway line as you skirt the eastern edge of the famous Hwange National Park between Gwaai and Dete. This afternoon, enjoy an exciting game drive to seek out the park’s prolific game which includes impressive elephant herds, prides of lion and a wild dog population.

Arrive into Victoria Falls station, where you will be transferred to the historic Victoria Falls Hotel for a three night stay.

A private tour of the Falls has been included where you will be amazed by the sheer volume of water plunging into the gorge below, then enjoy an unforgettable Zambezi sunset cruise on the small and intimate Ra Ikane boat.

Victoria Falls Hotel

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Nairobi which will take you from Southern to Eastern Africa. On arrival, transfer to your Nairobi hotel which begins the Kenya Rail Safari.

Eka Hotel, Nairobi

This morning transfer to the modern Nairobi Terminus Station on the outskirts of the city for the 0820 departure aboard the Madaraka Express train.

Inaugurated in 2017, this modern rail service travels along the new Nairobi to Mombasa standard gauge rail line. You will travel in the comfort of First Class with recliner seats and plenty of leg room and there is an informal dining car where snacks and drinks can be purchased. The journey to Emali takes around 1.5 hours so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the Kenyan countryside as it rolls past. A vehicle from Serena Amboseli Lodge will be waiting at the station to transfer you into Amboseli National Park.

Lunch is served at the lodge, before heading off on an exciting game drive to seek out the large herds of elephants with the ever present scenic splendour of Mt. Kilimanjaro forming a backdrop. Return to the lodge as the sun sets where this evening you will enjoy a bush barbeque dinner.

Amboseli Serena Lodge, Amboseli

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

There is another chance to spot some wildlife on a morning game drive, before transferring by road to Tsavo West National Park, arriving in time for lunch at the Kilaguni Serena Lodge. Enjoy some time to relax, before an afternoon game drive. Tsavo has an impressive variety of wildlife including the Big 5 and numerous bird species and a visit will be made to Mzima Springs where you may see hippos in the lagoon and other game.

Kilaguni Serena Lodge, Tsavo West

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Your Kenya Rail Safari finishes this afternoon with a transfer from the station to your luxury Mombasa beachfront Hotel. The Serena Beach Resort will provide a relaxing place to unwind after your rail adventure with its excellent range of facilities and superb service.

Serena Beach Resort

Today, enjoy the beach one last time before transferring to the airport for your flight home.