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This extravagantly luxurious 7-day steam train rail journey begins in the bustling city of Cape Town, traverses a variety of diverse regions across South Africa, and ends in the wonderfully warm seaside city of Durban.
En route you will travel through the picturesque Cape Winelands, the spectacularly scenic semi-desert Great Karoo region, and the lush subtropical Valley of a Thousand Hills. Enjoy many stops along the way including a visit to the quaint historic village of Matjiesfontein; a tour of the world’s largest man-made excavation in Kimberley; and a leisurely one-night stop-over at an exclusive hotel in the city of Pretoria. Other highlights include a visit to the Ardmore Ceramics Centre in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains and a thrilling safari adventure in the Nambiti Conservancy, an impressive private game reserve, inhabited by the Big-Five as well as over forty other species of game. The journey ends in the seaside town of Durban, known for its sub-tropical climate, decadent cuisine, and stunning beaches.
Once you have settled into your private coach on the Pride of Africa, one of Rovos Rail’s classic luxury trains, you will begin your journey through the lush mountains and valleys of the famously scenic Cape Winelands region towards Worcester.
Accommodation: Rovos Rail
The train continues its journey to the strikingly beautiful Great Karoo desert. It is here that the train makes its first stop at the delightful little village of Matjiesfontein, known for its beautifully-restored Victorian architecture and its array of charming tourist sights. These attractions include the Transport Museum, showcasing an impressive array of vintage cars and the Marie Rawdon Museum, containing an astonishing collection of Victoriana, which provides a fascinating glimpse into life at this old colonial outpost in the late 1800s.
Accommodation: Rovos Rail
Arrive in Kimberley, a historic mining town renowned for being the site of the world’s largest man-made excavation known as ‘The Big Hole’. The train makes a stop here for guests to enjoy a tour of this enormous hole as well as the Kimberley Mine Museum, featuring a variety of large-scale dioramas and exhibits including a recreation of a nineteenth-century mine shaft and a large vault full of real diamonds. After departing from Kimberley, guests can take in the view of a shallow lake on the left-hand side, which is regularly inhabited by incredibly large flocks of up to 23,000 flamingos. You will then travel through the Highveld region on your way to South Africa’s administrative capital, the city of Pretoria.
Accommodation: Rovos Rail
Upon your arrival at the Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria, you will be transported to the Sheraton Hotel. Guests will be treated to a leisurely one-night stay in this luxurious hotel, which serves as an excellent base. Enjoy a tour of Pretoria with lunch included.
Accommodation: Sheraton Hotel
In the morning, guests will be transported back to the Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria, where the train will set off towards the breathtakingly beautiful Drakensberg Mountains. In the afternoon the train climbs Majuba Hill, the site of a battle in which the Boers of the Transvaal regained their independence from the British during the First Boer War. The train then heads to Elandslaagte a farming and coal-mining center, known as the scene of the Battle of Elandslaagte, one of the first battles of the Second Boer War in 1899.
Accommodation: Rovos Rail
The sixth day of your journey starts with an early wake-up call followed by some tea, coffee, juice and pastries served in the train’s dining car. Guests will then embark on an exhilarating game drive in the Nambiti Conservancy, a private game reserve set on 20,000 acres of malaria-free bushveld in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. This impressive expanse of wilderness is inhabited by the ‘Big Five’ - elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and wildebeest - as well as over forty other species of game including cheetah, giraffe, hippo, hyena, impala, eland and zebra.
Accommodation: Rovos Rail
In the morning, the train descends the escarpment en route to Lions River, a tiny village in the center of KwaZulu-Natal’s extraordinarily scenic Midlands area. Upon arrival at the Lions River Station, guests will disembark and head for the Ardmore Ceramics Centre, a renowned pottery studio and gallery set on a beautiful farm in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains. You will then return to the train which will set off at noon to travel through the spectacular Valley of a Thousand Hills, before arriving at your journey’s end in the sunny seaside city of Durban.
On your arrival in Durban, you will connect with your onward travel arrangements.
April 10, 2024
Keith was extremely helpful during the…
Keith was extremely helpful during the booking process. He is the only reason I continued the booking process with your firm. There were issues with your website among other things that had me feeling uncomfortable. Keith has great energy which eased my concerns. I feel the package Keith put together is great and I expect to have a wonderful trip.
April 9, 2024
Keith answered all of my questions…
Keith answered all of my questions without any issues. He addressed everything that I asked and was quite prompt in his responses.
March 29, 2024
Thank you so much Keith
Thank you so much Keith! You’ve made booking our holiday and the Safari so easy. We look forward to meeting you.
May 14, 2024
Helpful
Helpful, friendly
May 14, 2024
Tanya from Safari were a great help at such short notice. Her friendliness, kindness and great service are much appreciated. 5 Stars for Tanya
Tanya from Safari were a great help at such short notice. Her friendliness, kindness and great service are much appreciated. 5 Stars for Tanya
May 13, 2024
I highly recommend Shann Shaw
Shann Shaw has been great to work with and she has tried her best to try to meet our budget expectations. She is very kind, responsive and detailed in her explanations and really, really helpful. When I told her I decided to book through expedia or booking, she still explained how everything worked and how these websites sometimes don't have all the details you need, yet, she work hard in getting us our flights and the hotel that we really wanted for this experience. I couldn't be happier with her service and dedication and highly recommend her services!
May 13, 2024
Candis was lovely to work with and…
Candis was lovely to work with and super quick to respond. The entire process from when we first reached out to her to inquire about a trip to when we confirmed the quote and booking was under a week. We sincerely appreciated having all of these details taken care of for us and the all of the attention she took in answering our questions and adjusting our trip to work within our timeline.
May 13, 2024
Safari
Candis was brilliant in assisting us to organise our safari. Highly recommended!
May 10, 2024
Prompt customer service
Very responsive, attentive with attention to detail. Quick and direct communication, great creativity and flexibility to accommodate our asks
May 10, 2024
Attitude
Attitude, helpfulness and friendliness!
May 10, 2024
Fabulous and efficient service by Shann…
Fabulous and efficient service by Shann Shaw, highly recommend her services! Made the process simple and stress-free.
May 9, 2024
Great experience- very well organised…
Great experience- very well organised and trustworthy. 5 Stars