Destinations: Cape Town (CPT-Cape Town Intl.), Pretoria, Kimberley, Matjiesfontein, Johannesburg (JN...
Destinations: Victoria Falls
Southern Africa unfolds from Cape Town’s mountain-backed coast to the wide Karoo and the Sabi Sabi bushveld. There’s no finer way to cross South Africa’s changing landscapes than aboard the legendary Rovos Rail. Over 10 days, pair an all-inclusive, three-night rail journey from Cape Town to Pretoria with a stay at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge, set in one of South Africa’s premier private reserves.
Begin with two nights at The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, poised between Table Mountain National Park and the Atlantic Ocean. Then board Rovos Rail and settle into your private Pullman Suite as the train leaves the Cape Winelands for the Great Karoo. Step ashore at Matjiesfontein, a preserved Victorian railway village, and visit Kimberley’s Diamond Mine Museum and Big Hole along the way.
After a night in Johannesburg, continue by scheduled internal flight to Skukuza, then transfer privately to Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge for three nights. Set in Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, the lodge is a base for guided open-vehicle safaris by day and night, as well as environmental awareness walks.
Deluxe Upgrade: Elevate your rail journey with an upgrade from a Pullman Suite to a Deluxe Suite aboard Rovos Rail, offering additional space and enhanced amenities for the three-night passage from Cape Town to Pretoria.
Destinations: Cape Town (CPT-Cape Town Intl.), Pretoria, Kimberley, Matjiesfontein, Johannesburg (JN...
Destinations: Victoria Falls
After breakfast, take the day at your own pace. Cape Town’s story is closely tied to its harbour, where mountain and sea meet and ships have called since the 17th century. Your included shuttle runs between 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa and the V&A Waterfront, making it easy to explore the old docklands, browse the Clock Tower precinct or settle in for lunch beside the water.
For a deeper look at the city’s past, you could book an optional visit to Robben Island from the Nelson Mandela Gateway. Return to the hotel when you’re ready, with the evening free before tomorrow’s transfer to Rovos Rail.
After breakfast and checkout, transfer to Cape Town Railway Station to board Rovos Rail. As the train departs at 11am, watch the city recede and the Cape’s vineyards and mountain ranges come into view on the journey towards Worcester.
Your Pullman Suite is a private retreat for the day ahead, with classic wood panelling, a comfortable sofa that converts to a bed by night and an en-suite bathroom. Once settled, make your way to the lounge or observation car and watch the scenery change as the train leaves the city behind. A dedicated onboard host is on hand to look after your suite throughout the journey.
Lunch is served in the dining car as the train travels through the winelands. Later, take afternoon tea in the lounge or observation car as the route climbs towards the escarpment, rising around 750 metres above sea level. After dinner, the train reaches the first of four tunnels on the pass; the longest stretches for 13.5 kilometres. Please take care when moving through the train while it is inside the tunnels. Evening attire is formal.
As the train pauses at Matjiesfontein, step into a village shaped by the railway age. Founded as a refreshment stop in 1890, its quiet streets and carefully preserved buildings offer a glimpse of Victorian-era South Africa. Visit the museum on the station platform, then see the historic cars and railway carriages beside the Lord Milner Hotel.
Back on board, the train carries you into the Great Karoo, a vast semi-desert formed over millions of years from the silt of an ancient inland sea. Watch this stark, open landscape unfold from the lounge or observation car, with lunch and afternoon tea served along the way. As evening falls, gather in the dining car for a formal dinner before the journey continues overnight towards Kimberley.
Travel time: Train – approx. 22 hours / 480km
Kimberley’s diamond story is written into the earth itself. At the Big Hole, look down into the vast excavation created during the city’s 19th-century diamond rush, then visit the Diamond Mine Museum to learn how the discoveries reshaped this part of South Africa. Your guided excursion offers a closer view of both the scale of the mine and the history behind it.
Back on board, lunch is served as the train heads northeast towards the Highveld’s broad grasslands. The afternoon unfolds at an easier pace: watch the scenery from the lounge or observation car, pause for tea, then take your place in the dining car for formal dinner.
Enjoy breakfast as Rovos Rail travels northeast through the goldfields of the Witwatersrand, then lunch in the dining car before arriving at Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria at 5pm. If you’d like to visit the station museum or take a station tour, Rovos Rail suggests arranging your pick-up around 90 minutes later. Your private transfer then continues to Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa in Sandton.
Check into your Grand Chateau Suite, one of 20 individually decorated suites in the hotel’s Grand Chateau Wing. At around 50sqm, each suite pairs Fairlawns’ established style with a contemporary finish; downstairs, lounges and sandstone fireplaces create an inviting place to settle in. Take a moment to explore the gardens or enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure. This evening, you might choose to visit Amuse-Bouche which offers an a la carte menu of modern cuisine with a French influence.
After breakfast, leave Johannesburg behind and transfer to OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) for your separately arranged flight to Skukuza (SZK).
From the airport, continue by transfer into Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger area. Check into your Luxury Suite at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge or, alternatively, Selati Camp. At Bush Lodge, a private deck opens onto bushveld views; at Selati, your suite has a secluded courtyard and open-air shower.
Take time to settle in over lunch before heading out on your first afternoon game drive. Return to the lodge for dinner, then enjoy your first night in the reserve.
Travel time: Flight – approx. 1 hour
Set out into the bush with your ranger and tracker, whose trained eye can turn a quiet stretch of track into a story of the wildlife that passed through. Sabi Sabi lies in the southwestern reaches of the Greater Kruger ecosystem and is home to the Big Five, though every drive unfolds differently. Your guide will help you look beyond the headline sightings, from animal behaviour to the finer details of the reserve’s ecology.
Between safari activities, return to Bush Lodge for your included meals and time to enjoy the setting. You can also join an environmental awareness walk, where exploring on foot brings attention to tracks, plants and smaller signs of life that are easy to miss from a vehicle.
At Bush Lodge, the safari continues beyond the game drives. The thatched dining deck looks across a waterhole where elephants often come to drink and play, giving you a front-row view of the reserve even while you’re back at the lodge. Between included safari activities, take time to enjoy the setting and the considered pace of your stay.
As night falls, dinner moves to the boma (subject to weather conditions and guest occupancy), centred around a towering log fire beneath the African sky. Interactive food stations bring together flavours from across the continent, while the sounds of the bush carry on around you. It’s a fitting close to another day in the reserve.
Take one final morning game drive through Sabi Sands, where the first light brings the reserve back to life and your guide has another chance to read the tracks and movement of the bush. Return to the lodge for breakfast before checking out.
A private transfer will take you from Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge to Skukuza Airport (SZK), for your flight to Johannesburg, where your tour ends.
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Pre- and post-tour accommodation can be booked to extend your stay before or after your tour by contacting our Tours Concierge Team at tours@luxuryescapes.com.
Luxury Escapes uses a range of accommodation partners. For pre- and post-tour accommodation options where we can offer the same hotel as the start and end of your tour, your pre- and post-tour accommodation will be booked independent of your tour. If the hotel for your tour changes, this will be independent of your pre- or post-tour accommodation booking. In this instance, change fees may apply on your pre- or post-tour accommodation. If you choose to change, change fees can be found in your ‘My Escapes’.
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Your tour begins at Cape Town International Airport (CPT). For the base itinerary, your final included transfer is to Skukuza Airport (SZK); onward flights to Johannesburg are quoted separately. For the extended itinerary, your tour ends at Victoria Falls Airport (VFA), with an included transfer from Palm River Hotel.
Scheduled flights are not included in your package and must be purchased separately. This includes flights between Johannesburg (JNB), Skukuza (SZK), Kruger Mpumalanga (MQP), Victoria Falls (VFA) and Livingstone (LVI), as applicable. If your chosen tour departure date is not yet guaranteed, please wait for confirmation before booking flights.
Airport and in-tour transfers are included as listed in your itinerary. Please coordinate your flight arrangements with the Tours Concierge Team before booking, as flight departure times are not specified in the tour details.
Important: Please allow for travelling time from international countries. International flights are not included in your package and must be purchased separately. It is your responsibility to make your own travel arrangements and ensure that you arrive at your starting location on your chosen tour start date.
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Important Destination Information:
South Africa
Time zone: GMT+2
Telephone: +27
Currency: South African rand
Accessing money: ATMs are widely available with credit cards widely accepted within the city. Cash is advised when visiting rural areas. Travellers are advised to inform their bank of their travel plans.
Language: South Africa recognises 11 official languages, however, the most widely spoken are Afrikaans, English and Zulu
Climate: Varies by region. Winter falls between June and August, while summer is from December to February.
Dress code: Relaxed but respectful, especially when visiting religious institutions.