How much does it cost?

From £5,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $7,158 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is the train travel included?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes 2 nights in a Deluxe Cabin aboard the Blue Train from Cape Town to Pretoria via Kimberley.

Is this trip escorted or independent?

It is an escorted tour with a UK Tour Manager from start to finish, in groups of up to 40.

The Blue Train, travelling from Cape Town to Pretoria via Kimberley, in a Deluxe Cabin (with a Luxury Cabin upgrade available).

What hotels are used?

The Southern Sun Waterfront in Cape Town (4 nights, 4-star), The Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg (1 night, 4-star), and the Kruger Gate Hotel in Kruger National Park (3 nights, 4-star).

Departures run in January, February, March, October, November and December across 2026 and 2027.

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Cape Town, Kruger National Park & the Blue Train

Escorted South Africa tour with 2 nights on the Blue Train

Great Rail Journeys operates this 13-day escorted tour of South Africa, with a UK Tour Manager travelling with the group from London Heathrow to Kruger National Park. Four nights in Cape Town include a full-day tour of the Cape Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Bay's African penguins, a cable car ride up Table Mountain, and a wine-tasting lunch in the Stellenbosch Valley. The tour then boards the Blue Train for two nights, where a butler escorts you to a private Deluxe Cabin for formal dining and a stop in the diamond city of Kimberley, before disembarking in Pretoria. After a night in Sandton, Johannesburg, three nights at the Kruger Gate Hotel include two full-day jeep safaris with a skilled ranger tracking the Big Five. It suits travellers who want a guided introduction to South Africa built around a two-night journey on the Blue Train, with wildlife safaris at the end.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £200 since 4 Jul, to £5,299.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The single price (GBP 7,699) is well above half the twin-share price (GBP 5,499), so solo travellers pay a significant single supplement.
The Table Mountain cable car ride on day 4 is weather permitting, so it is not guaranteed.
The base package uses a Deluxe Cabin on the Blue Train; an upgrade to a Luxury Cabin is available at extra cost.

Day by day

Day 1
An overnight flight to Cape Town
Meet the Tour Manager at London Heathrow for a direct overnight flight to Cape Town.
Day 2overnight: Cape Town
Arrival in South Africa's 'Mother City'
Touch down in Cape Town and transfer to the hotel near the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, with the rest of the day free to explore and dine independently.
Day 3overnight: Cape Town
Cape of Good Hope & Boulders Bay
A full-day tour of the Cape Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, riding the Flying Dutchman Funicular, with lunch in Simon's Town and a visit to the African penguin colony at Boulders Bay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4overnight: Cape Town
Table Mountain & lunch in the Cape winelands
A cable car to the top of Table Mountain, then a coach to the Stellenbosch Valley for a traditional South African braai lunch and wine tasting at a Cape Dutch wine estate.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5overnight: Cape Town
A free day in beautiful Cape Town
A free day, with options including Bo-Kaap, a ferry to Robben Island, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden or the V&A Waterfront.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6railovernight: Aboard the Blue Train
Experiencing old-world charm on the Blue Train
Transfer to the station to board the Blue Train, settling into a private cabin with butler service, afternoon tea, aperitifs and a formal dinner of local cuisine with Cape wines.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7overnight: Aboard the Blue Train
Uncovering the Diamond City of Kimberley
Breakfast onboard before arriving in Kimberley to visit the Kimberley Open Mine Museum and the Big Hole, then reboard for dinner as the journey continues.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8railovernight: Sandton
Disembarking the Blue Train in Pretoria
A final breakfast and lunch aboard the Blue Train before arriving in Pretoria and transferring by coach to the hotel in Sandton for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9overnight: Kruger National Park
To the world-acclaimed Kruger National Park
Depart Sandton by coach for the luxury lodge-style hotel at the entrance to Kruger National Park, with free time to settle in before a welcome drink and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10overnight: Kruger National Park
Wildlife viewing in the Kruger National Park
A full-day jeep safari with a skilled ranger tracking the Big Five and other wildlife, with a picnic lunch in the park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11overnight: Kruger National Park
A second safari day in the Kruger Park
A second full-day jeep safari with a picnic lunch, seeking the Big Five and other species including genets, civets, warthogs and monkeys.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12
From Kruger to Johannesburg for our flight to London
A relaxed morning at the lodge before travelling by coach to Johannesburg's OR Tambo airport for the direct overnight flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13
Homeward bound
Land at London Heathrow this morning, concluding the South African adventure.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3A full-day tour of the Cape Peninsula rides the Flying Dutchman Funicular near the lighthouse and visits Boulders Bay to see a colony of African penguins.
Day 4After Table Mountain by cable car, lunch is a traditional South African braai at a Cape Dutch farmhouse and wine estate in the Stellenbosch Valley.
Day 6A butler escorts you to your private cabin as you board the Blue Train, with a formal dinner of local cuisine and Cape Winelands wines that evening.
Day 7The Blue Train stops in Kimberley for a visit to the Kimberley Open Mine Museum and the Big Hole, 705 feet (215 metres) deep.
Day 10A jeep safari with a skilled ranger tracks big cats and the Big Five on the first of two full days in Kruger National Park.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
8 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
2 nights in a Deluxe Cabin aboard the Blue Train
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Direct flights from London Heathrow to Cape Town, Johannesburg to London Heathrow
Breakfast each day, 7 lunches, 6 dinners
High tea each day onboard the Blue Train
Beer, wine and soft drinks each day onboard the Blue Train
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £5,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $7,158 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes 2 nights in a Deluxe Cabin aboard the Blue Train from Cape Town to Pretoria via Kimberley.
Is this trip escorted or independent?: It is an escorted tour with a UK Tour Manager from start to finish, in groups of up to 40.
Which train is used?: The Blue Train, travelling from Cape Town to Pretoria via Kimberley, in a Deluxe Cabin (with a Luxury Cabin upgrade available).
What hotels are used?: The Southern Sun Waterfront in Cape Town (4 nights, 4-star), The Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg (1 night, 4-star), and the Kruger Gate Hotel in Kruger National Park (3 nights, 4-star).
When does it run?: Departures run in January, February, March, October, November and December across 2026 and 2027.
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance.