7 Day Cape Town to Durban Rovos Rail

Overview

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 stopover 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 subtropical climate, decadent cuisine, and stunning beaches.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Rovos Rail Cape Town Train Station

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

Day 2: Karoo to Kimberley

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

Day 3: Kimberley Arrival & Activities

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 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

Day 4: Pretoria Stay

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

Day 5: Drakensberg Mountains

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

Day 6: Game Drives in the Nambiti Conservancy

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

Day 7: End of Journey

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.