Cox & Kings · Tailor-Made Journey

Rovos Rail: Southern Cross Adventure

17-day Rovos Rail journey across South Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe

Rovos Rail: Southern Cross Adventure, a rail journey with Cox & Kings

Cox & Kings operates this 17-day, 16-night tailor-made journey on Rovos Rail, starting with a flight to Johannesburg and a transfer to Pretoria to board an 11-night rail journey through South Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. Days on board mix full-day wildlife drives in Kruger National Park, Kapama Game Reserve and Hwange National Park with cultural stops such as the Maputo city tour, the Mantenga Cultural Village in Eswatini, and the Great Zimbabwe Monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Matobo National Park adds a visit to the grave of Cecil John Rhodes among dramatic hills and Bushmen caves. The rail journey ends at Victoria Falls, where the trip includes a walking tour of the falls and a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river, followed by two nights at the landmark Victoria Falls Hotel before flying home via Johannesburg. It suits travelers who want an all-inclusive, multi-country African rail journey built around wildlife, history and one signature train.

What to know before you look closer

  • The Pretoria hotel before boarding the train, the Ivory Manor Boutique Hotel, is listed as 'or similar,' so the exact hotel used may vary.
  • The trip includes overnight flights from the UK to Johannesburg and back via Johannesburg, taking up parts of days 1, 16, and 17.
  • Several activities are optional extras rather than included, such as the Johannesburg and Soweto tour with the Apartheid Museum, canoeing and horseback wildlife viewing at Antelope Park, and the helicopter flight over Victoria Falls.
  • The evidence lists price tiers for January to June and September to November only; confirm current departure dates directly with Cox & Kings.

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Fly from the UK overnight to Johannesburg.

    Fly overnight from the UK (regional connections available) to Johannesburg, South Africa.

  2. Day 2overnight: Pretoria (Ivory Manor Boutique Hotel)

    Johannesburg • Pretoria

    Morning arrival in Johannesburg. Transfer to Pretoria for an overnight stay at the Ivory Manor (or similar). Add an optional tour of Johannesburg and Soweto, including the fascinating Apartheid Museum.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Pretoria

    Check in at Rovos Rail Station for an 11-night journey through some of Africa's most picturesque landscapes.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Panorama Route

    Full-day panoramic tour of Pilgrim's Rest, a once thriving gold rush town; Bourke's Luck Potholes; and Graskop, which offers sweeping views of the Lowveld. Rejoin the train in Nelspruit and continue on to Malelane.

  5. Day 5overnight: Rovos Rail

    Kruger National Park

    Full-day wildlife drive in Kruger National Park, home to the 'Big Five' as well as cheetahs, hippos and wild dogs. In the evening, depart for Mozambique.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Maputo

    Wake up in Mozambique and take a tour of the colourful capital city of Maputo, an architectural blend of African and Portuguese colonial traditions. Return to the train for afternoon tea and head for Mpaka in Eswatini (Swaziland).

  7. Day 7railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Eswatini (Swaziland)

    Disembark at Mpaka and take a 90-minute transfer to visit Swazi Candles and the Mantenga Cultural Village to see artisans at work. Enjoy a lunch with scenic views at Mantenga Lodge. This afternoon the train will travel back into South Africa and north to Hoedspruit.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Kapama Game Reserve

    Morning wildlife drive in Kapama Game Reserve, South Africa, followed by a visit to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre. Return to the train for lunch as it departs for Tzaneen, with an overnight stop at Louis Trichardt.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Rovos Rail

    On board the train

    A day on board the train as you travel north to Zimbabwe.

  10. Day 10overnight: Rovos Rail

    Great Zimbabwe Monument

    Upon arrival in Oreti, drive to the Great Zimbabwe Monument, a Unesco world heritage site. This is the largest ancient man-made structure south of the Egyptian pyramids.

  11. Day 11railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Antelope Park

    Full day at Antelope Park, home to the ALERT lion conservation program. Optional extras include canoeing, wildlife drives, horseback wildlife viewing and a birdwatching cruise. Return to the train and depart for Bulawayo.

  12. Day 12overnight: Rovos Rail

    Matobo/Matopos National Park

    Full-day tour of Matobo/Matopos National Park with its dramatic hills and rock formations. Visit the grave of Cecil John Rhodes as well as Bushmen caves hidden among the hills. Continue on to Kennedy.

  13. Day 13overnight: Rovos Rail

    Hwange National Park

    Full day of game drives in Hwange National Park, the largest wildlife reserve in Zimbabwe and known for its prolific elephant, lion and wild dog populations.

  14. Day 14overnight: Victoria Falls (The Victoria Falls Hotel)

    Victoria Falls

    Disembark at Victoria Falls station then take a walking tour of the falls. In the evening join a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river. Stay 2 nights at the landmark Victoria Falls Hotel.

  15. Day 15overnight: Victoria Falls (The Victoria Falls Hotel)

    Victoria Falls

    Day at leisure. Optional activities include a scenic helicopter flight over the falls.

  16. Day 16

    Fly home via Johannesburg.

    Transfer to the airport and fly home via Johannesburg. Arrive the next day.

  17. Day 17

    Arrive London.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4The Panorama Route stops at Pilgrim's Rest, a former gold rush town, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and Graskop for views over the Lowveld, before rejoining the train at Nelspruit.
  • Day 5A full-day wildlife drive in Kruger National Park looks for the Big Five along with cheetahs, hippos, and wild dogs.
  • Day 10The Great Zimbabwe Monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is described as the largest ancient man-made structure south of the Egyptian pyramids.
  • Day 12A full-day tour of Matobo/Matopos National Park visits the grave of Cecil John Rhodes and Bushmen caves hidden among its dramatic hills and rock formations.
  • Day 14After disembarking at Victoria Falls station, a walking tour of the falls is followed by an evening sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.

Included

  • 4- & 5-star accommodation either side of the rail journey
  • 11 nights aboard Rovos Rail
  • 14 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 11 dinners
  • Guided off-train excursions as specified
  • Entrance fees & porterage

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price of this trip?
Yes. The package includes 11 nights aboard Rovos Rail, traveling from Pretoria through Kruger National Park, Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is a tailor-made journey, with guided off-train excursions included as specified throughout the Rovos Rail portion of the trip.
Which train is used on this trip?
Rovos Rail, described as having elegantly appointed accommodation carriages with dining, lounge and observation cars, running from Pretoria to Victoria Falls.
What hotels does the trip use?
The Ivory Manor Boutique Hotel (or similar) in Pretoria for 1 night before boarding, and The Victoria Falls Hotel for 2 nights after disembarking, with 4- and 5-star accommodation either side of the rail journey.
What meals are included?
14 breakfasts, 12 lunches, and 11 dinners are included.
How much does this trip cost?
Cox & Kings prices this trip from GBP 9,595 per person for January to June departures, rising to GBP 9,645 for September to November.

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