Discovery Trains · Escorted rail journey

Rovos Rail : Pretoria - Durban

3-day luxury Rovos Rail journey, Pretoria to Durban via safari country

Rovos Rail : Pretoria - Durban, a rail journey with Discovery Trains

Discovery Trains runs Rovos Rail: Pretoria to Durban as a 3-day, 2-night escorted rail journey, with travelers staying aboard Rovos Rail for both nights. The train leaves Pretoria's private station and crosses the Highveld and the Witwatersrand goldfields before reaching the Drakensberg range during dinner on day 1. Day 2 brings a Big Five safari in the 20,000-hectare private Nambiti game reserve, followed by a choice between a second safari or a historical excursion to Spionkop, site of a Boer War battle and Winston Churchill's 1899 capture at Chieveley. On the final day, the train descends the Drakensberg foothills to visit the Ardmore Ceramics gallery, known for work inspired by African wildlife and Zulu folklore, before crossing the Valley of a Thousand Hills to Durban on the Indian Ocean. A qualified English-speaking guide leads the excursions throughout. It suits travelers who want a short, all-inclusive taste of Rovos Rail's luxury travel combined with safari and South African history, rather than a multi-week rail crossing.

What to know before you look closer

  • Arrival and departure transfers, and hotel accommodation before and after the 3-day journey, are not included; travelers need to arrange their own logistics into Pretoria and out of Durban.
  • Onboard drinks are included except champagne and international sparkling wine, which cost extra.
  • On day 2, travelers choose between a second Nambiti safari or the Spionkop historical excursion; the itinerary doesn't allow doing both.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: À bord du train

    Pretoria

    Embarquement à la gare privée de Rovos Rail à Pretoria, accueil personnalisé et installation en suite. Le train traverse le Highveld et les terres aurifères du Witwatersrand, puis la chaîne du Drakensberg pendant le dîner.

    Meals: dinner

  2. Day 2overnight: À bord du train

    Nambiti et Spionkop

    Safari dans la réserve privée de Nambiti (20 000 hectares, Big Five). Brunch à bord puis Spionkop Lodge, au choix : nouveau safari ou excursion historique sur la bataille de Spionkop (guerre des Boers) et la capture de Winston Churchill à Chieveley en 1899.

    Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

  3. Day 3rail

    Ardmore Ceramics et Durban

    Le train descend les dernières pentes du Drakensberg vers la région de Lions River. Visite de la galerie Ardmore Ceramics, créations colorées inspirées de la faune africaine et du folklore zoulou. Traversée de la Vallée des Mille Collines jusqu'à Durban, ville portuaire sur l'océan Indien.

    Meals: breakfast, lunch

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1The train departs Pretoria's private Rovos Rail station and crosses the Highveld and Witwatersrand goldfields, then the Drakensberg range during dinner.
  • Day 2A Big Five safari in the 20,000-hectare private Nambiti game reserve, followed by a choice of a second safari or a historical excursion to the Spionkop battlefield, site of a Boer War battle and Winston Churchill's 1899 capture at Chieveley.
  • Day 3A visit to the Ardmore Ceramics gallery, known for colorful work inspired by African wildlife and Zulu folklore, before the train crosses the Valley of a Thousand Hills to Durban.

Included

  • Hébergement à bord du train pour toutes les nuits mentionnées, selon la catégorie de compartiment choisie
  • Tous les repas mentionnés (PDJ, DJ, DI)
  • Toutes les boissons à bord sauf le champagne ou vin pétillant international
  • Les excursions avec un guide qualifié anglophone
  • Les droits d'entrée sur les sites selon l'itinéraire
  • Un service léger de blanchisserie (limité)
  • Les taxes gouvernementales

Not included

  • Les vols internationaux
  • Les visas
  • Les assurances voyage
  • Les transferts arrivée/départ
  • L'hébergement en hôtel avant et après l'itinéraire
  • Les boissons à l'extérieur du train
  • Les pourboires
  • Les dépenses personnelles

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes, this all-aboard escorted rail journey travels aboard Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Durban via Nambiti, Spionkop and Ardmore Ceramics in KwaZulu-Natal, with both nights spent onboard.
Is it escorted or independent?
It's an escorted rail journey with a qualified English-speaking guide included for the excursions.
What accommodation is provided?
Suite Pullman (about 7m², shower/toilet/sink, double bed or bunk configuration) or Suite Deluxe (about 10m², seating area, private bathroom, three sleeping configurations); a Suite Royal class is also listed for the train.
When does it depart?
Three departures are listed, in September, October and November 2026.
What is not included?
International flights, visas, travel insurance, arrival and departure transfers, hotel accommodation before and after the trip, drinks outside the train, tips and personal expenses.
How much does it cost?
From €2,280 ($2,610 USD) per person for Suite Pullman, or from €3,520 for Suite Deluxe, about $870 per day.

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