Tailor Made Rail · Tailor-made rail holiday

Rovos Rail: Southern Cross

Rovos Rail: Southern Cross, a rail journey with Tailor Made Rail

An incredible 17 day journey by luxury train across Southern Africa from Pretoria to Victoria Falls including excursions and meals.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Overnight flight to Johannesburg

    London to Pretoria

    Fly overnight from the UK to Johannesburg.

  2. Day 2overnight: Pretoria

    Arrival in Pretoria

    Met by a private transfer driver and taken to Pretoria for an overnight stay at the Southern Sun Hotel (or similar). Explore South Africa's administrative capital, known for its historic landmarks and jacaranda trees which blossom in October and November.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Depart Pretoria aboard the Pride of Africa

    Transfer to Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria for a 10am departure. Lunch is served travelling through the eMalahleni coal-mining area and Middelburg ('the stainless steel capital of Africa'), on a rail line built by a Dutch railway company between 1893 and 1895. The first dinner is served in the dining cars.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Panorama Route

    Breakfast onboard, then disembark for a full-day tour taking in the gold rush town of Pilgrim's Rest, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and Graskop for lunch, including the Graskop viewing lift (payable locally). Rejoin the train at Mbombela for Malelane; dinner served onboard.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Kruger National Park

    A game drive from 7am in Kruger National Park, with its diversity of wildlife including the Big Five, and a full-day tour with lunch. Afternoon tea is served in the lounge and observation cars as the train crosses into Mozambique; dinner served onboard.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Maputo, Mozambique

    Breakfast onboard before arriving into Maputo for a city tour with lunch, exploring its mix of African, Portuguese and Colonial architecture. The train arrives at Mpaka, eSwatini, for border formalities; dinner served onboard.

  7. Day 7overnight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    eSwatini

    Disembark at Mpaka to visit Mantenga Cultural Village, a living museum of local traditions from the 1800s, with lunch at Mantenga Lodge overlooking Execution Rock. Onward towards the South African border at Hoedspruit for more border formalities; dinner served onboard.

  8. Day 8overnight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Kapama Reserve & Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre

    An early continental breakfast (available until 5:30am) before a game drive in Kapama Game Reserve (potentially the Big Five among 40 mammal species and 350 bird species), then a visit to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, a sanctuary for rhinos, cheetahs and other threatened species. Dinner onboard has an 'Africa' theme (smart casual optional).

  9. Day 9overnight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Limpopo Province

    A leisurely breakfast, then a day travelling through Limpopo Province towards Rutenga in Zimbabwe, with time to socialise in the lounge and observation cars or browse the onboard gift shop.

  10. Day 10railovernight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Great Zimbabwe Monument

    A journey through granite hill country to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Great Zimbabwe Monument, the largest colonial-era monument south of the pyramids in Egypt, with lunch, before returning to the train at Oreti Siding; dinner served onboard.

  11. Day 11overnight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Antelope Park

    A full day at Antelope Park, home to the ALERT lion rehabilitation programme, with payable optional extras including horseback game viewings, canoeing and game drives. Afternoon tea onboard as the journey continues towards Bulawayo; dinner served in the dining cars.

  12. Day 12overnight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Matobo National Park

    A full-day tour of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Matobo National Park, including lunch, visiting the grave of Cecil John Rhodes on Malindidzimu ('hill of benevolent spirits') and bushman caves with rock art.

  13. Day 13overnight: Aboard the Pride of Africa

    Hwange National Park

    A full day of game viewing in Hwange National Park, covering 1,462,000 hectares and known for its large lion population, including a packed lunch. Dinner onboard has a 1920s dress theme (smart casual optional).

  14. Day 14railovernight: Victoria Falls

    Victoria Falls

    A leisurely breakfast onboard before arriving at Victoria Falls station; check out of the train and walk to the Victoria Falls Hotel (or similar) for a 2-night stay. A walking tour of the village and the Falls with lunch, followed by a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River.

  15. Day 15overnight: Victoria Falls

    At leisure in Victoria Falls

    A free day to relax at the hotel or spend more time admiring the Victoria Falls, one of the world's great natural wonders, just over a mile long and up to 108m deep at Rainbow Falls.

  16. Day 16overnight: Overnight flight to London

    Victoria Falls to London

    Check out and transfer to the airport for an internal flight to Johannesburg and a connecting flight back to the UK.

  17. Day 17

    Arrival in London

    Arrive back in London on the connecting flight from Johannesburg.

Included

  • Return flights from London to Johannesburg (with connecting return flight from Victoria Falls) in economy class
  • 3 nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • An 11-night journey aboard the Pride of Africa including all meals, drinks and excursions (some optional excursions payable locally)
  • Transfers to and from the hotel in Pretoria and Victoria Falls to Johannesburg Airport

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