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Safari itinerary · South Africa · Cape Town
Incorporating a great train journey into your travel itinerary adds a unique perspective to your vacation. With some of the best-escorted rail tours in the world, traveling by train in Southern Africa has become a firm favorite in recent years.
From R 45 000 per person
Safari itinerary · South Africa · Cape Town
From R 45 000 per person
Enquire nowIncorporating a great train journey into your travel itinerary adds a unique perspective to your vacation. With some of the best-escorted rail tours in the world, traveling by train in Southern Africa has become a firm favorite in recent years.
Duration · 4 days
Your stay · The Rovos Rail
From, per person · R 45 000
The journey
Incorporating a great train journey into your travel itinerary adds a unique perspective to your vacation. With some of the best-escorted rail tours in the world, traveling by train in Southern Africa has become a firm favorite in recent years.
Where you'll travel: South Africa Cape Town
This meander is a perfect illustration of South Africa as a world in one country. Travel the grasslands of the gold-rich Highveld to the haunting barrenness of the Great Karoo; trundle through the spectacular mountain ranges and scenic winelands of the Cape. Journey’s end is Cape Town, the Mother City of South Africa, cradled by the imposing bulk of Table Mountain, Devil’s Peak, and Lion’s Head.
Highlights of the north- and southbound routes include a visit to the historic village of Matjiesfontein, an authentically preserved Victorian Village founded as a refreshment stop in 1890, which also boasts an impressive museum on the platform. Another stop is made in Kimberley to visit the Diamond Mine Museum and the world’s largest man-made excavation, the Big Hole. Available in reverse.
The train departs on set dates throughout the year.
Meal times on the train: Breakfast from 7 am to 10 am, Lunch at 1 pm, Tea at 4:30 pm, Dinner at 7:30 pm.
Excursions may be changed according to the schedule achieved.
Travel and cancellation insurance are compulsory.
2023 departure dates are available on request from your Safari.com African Safari Expert.
Day 01
After checking in at Rovos Rail's Station in Pretoria, you depart on your train journey at 11:00 am. Travel across the goldfields of the Witwatersrand. Guests may freshen up in their suites before joining fellow travelers in the lounge car and observation car.
Day 02
Enjoy a tour of Kimberley’s Diamond Mine Museum and the Big Hole. Capital of the Northern Cape, Kimberley is well known for the discovery of diamonds that led to its establishment in 1871. Dinner is served in the dining cars Gemsbok.
Day 03
The train travels through the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea. Over millions of years, volcanic matter was ground down and deposited as silt upon the seabed to form what geologists call the Karoo system.
After lunch, there is a chance for guests to disembark the train at Whitehill Siding and walk the 5 km into Matjiesfontein. A member of staff will accompany the group. Of special interest is the museum on the platform and a collection of historic cars and railway carriages to the right of the Lord Milner Hotel.
Enjoy tea in the lounge and observation cars. About an hour after Matjiesfontein, the train arrives at the first of four tunnels on the pass. The first tunnel is 13.5 km long, so guests are to be careful when walking through the train and may wish to turn on necessary lights. Dinner is served as the train climbs approximately 750m down the escarpment towards Worcester.
Day 04
Enjoy breakfast, while your train journey continues through the Hex River Valley ending at Cape Town Station.
The complete package
Stay
Pullman Suite
Experiences
Excursions
The same as booking direct
Per person sharing for the complete package. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.
Valid until 30 Sept 2027
Shoulder
1 Oct 2025 – 30 Sept 2026
R 45 000
per person
International flights excluded
Shoulder
1 Oct 2026 – 30 Sept 2027
R 54 000
per person
International flights excluded
The rate is for the complete package, per person sharing. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your specialist.
Your specialist for this itinerary
Safari Specialist - Southern Africa
Knows 4 Day Rovos Rail Pretoria to Cape Town backwards. Your direct contact from first enquiry to the day you come home.
With Darren across the team.
Imagery
"Five Star level treatment. I booked our Safari in Sabi Sans at Arathusa lodge, and our stay in Cape Town South Africa back in August of 2026 and the experience had been amazing. Safari.com agents have every detail thought from travel insurance, eSIM for phones, private transportation, and booked us amazing experiences. We saw the Big 5 in the Safari, went cage Shark diving, did a private guided Cape Peninsula tour. Everything was perfect! This was our first time using Safari.com and we will definitely use them in the future. I would highly recommend this company."
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