2023 Africa Train Tour
Experience 7 African Countries 22 day train tour - October 5, 2023
Information
Africa Train Map
Experience 7 African Countries
Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho
Before we charter a train or ship, the owners have to experience it first, to check out the quality and itinerary. There were three things that convinced them they needed to charter trains in Africa for our passengers.
- Bathrooms and Showers: On our Africa luxury trains EVERY cabin has an attached private bathroom. On our Siberia and Silk Road Trains, that we have chartered, only a few cabins included an attached bathroom and shower. the majority of the cabins did not have a private bathroom attached to their cabin. They did have shared public toilets and showers in each car. Having the luxury of having a bathroom attached to each train cabin was impressive.
- Charter Pricing: They offered us huge savings if we chartered the whole train. The normal train portion of your package price, per person in the Elephant Cabin, is $9,670 per person. This is more than a fair price when you consider each luxury train cabin has a private attached bathroom. But, that is not good enough for us. By chartering the whole train, we were able to save our passengers $1,500 PER PERSON. Our passengers pay only $8,170 per person for the Elephant cabin. We also have added an educator and tour managers while still giving you the huge savings.
- Open Lounge Cars: The Siberia Trains and the Silk Road Trains, do not include a lounge car for socializing, reading or playing games. Our Africa Train has two lounge cars where guests can gather with large windows to look out. They also have an area where you can step outside onto an open-air deck to take pictures. Impressive is the best word to describe the luxury train.
We Bring You More!
Money is not the only difference between us and the train company. Their passengers visit 4 countries and go home, when their train trip is finished. It is a shame to go so far in the world and miss so much. Our special Africa Train Safari is a combination of two packages. The train package visits 4 countries. We have designed our own special land package that we have added to your luxury train. Our special land package has added 3 additional countries, additional safaris, additional hotels and additional touring. Below is a small taste of what we have included in our special land package, that is not included with the train:
- 9 days of additional hotels, buses, guides, entrance fees, safaris, boat rides, educators, tour managers, meals, and more!
- We fly in earlier than the train starts in Victoria Falls. With our extra time we visit Zambia and Botswana for safaris and touring.
- St. Lucia area with Safaris, Boat ride and the Zulu Tribe.
- The tiny country of Lesotho. We travel by 4-wheel drive vehicles through beautiful canyons – from sea level to 11,000 feet to the tiny country of Lesotho. A huge highlight
- Cape Town with Table Top Mountain, boat rides and three days of touring throughout the area.
We have included all of the important areas in this part of the world. Our over three-week trip that includes our private train tour, combined with our own special land tour, insures you have seen the best of the best Africa has to offer! What makes it even better, you are traveling by luxury train and staying in luxury hotels and Safari lodges!
Cabin Categories
Every cabin has its own private bathroom with shower.
Here is the difference between the two Cabin Categories:
Elephant Cabins: Has two lower beds or one large bed. It is very important to know there are no sitting chairs or couches in the Elephant Cabins. The only place to sit is on your bed. It is important to remember that this train has two lounge cars with plenty of seating. So you can always go to the lounge car to find a couch or chair.
Upgraded Leopard Cabin Category
Much larger than the Elephant cabin – with sitting area and more windows.
Note: There are two different floor plans for the Leopard Cabins (not shown).
Pricing
Package Price Includes:
Our Ultimate Africa is a combination of two packages.
The total package price includes both the Train and our land additions before and after the Train:
The Private Luxury Africa Train Package Includes:
- Private chartered luxury train through 4 countries – a private train with only our passengers. Elephant Category cabin with a private attached bathroom.
- Three meals a day on the train.
- All tours, buses, guides, and entrance fees from our private train.
- Option to upgrade to larger Leopard Cabin.
Our Special added Land Package:
- We have added the following to the train package that was not included in the train package:
- The visit and touring of 3 additional countries.
- 8 nights of additional hotels.
- 2 nights 5-Star Lodge Victoria Falls Zimbabwe.
- 2 nights 2.5-Star Hotel St. Lucia South Africa.
- 2 nights 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Durbin South Africa.
- 2 nights 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Cape Town South Africa.
- Breakfast and dinner most days.
- Special Safari into Botswana.
- Two flights in South Africa: Johannesburg to Durbin AND Durbin to Cape Town.
- Zulu tribe with performance.
- Special full-day 4-wheel drive trip to the country of Lesotho.
- All tours, buses, safaris, guides, national park fees, boat rides, and all entrance fees.
- Fun for Less Tours educator and staff throughout the full trip.
- Option to purchase our group airfare to and from Africa.
Very Important Note: The company we charter the train from, charges $9,670 just for the train portion. We saved a GIGANTIC amount of money when we chartered the full train! We were able to add all of our special land tour with 8 additional deluxe hotel nights, the additional touring, the additional safaris, and two airline flights AND your price for everything is only $9,970. Yes, you are reading it right. The train package AND all of our additions are only $300 more than the train normally charges just for the train package. This really is an unbelievable deal!!!!
Package Price: $9,970*
**Per person cash discount price, based on double occupancy. Does not include airfare, tips.
Itinerary
This is a partial list, and subject to change as needed to accomplish everything we can in each area we visit. We will have local guides who will make sure we see the very best in the time we have.
Day 1 & 2. October 5 & 6: Travel to Zimbabwe
We do not know the flight schedules as they have not become available yet. We should know our routing around August of 2022. (We will be overnighting somewhere on our travels into Zimbabwe. We do not know where until we know the exact routing with the airline. This hotel is not included in the tour price and is optional.)
Day 3. October 7: Zimbabwe
Today, you arrive into Zimbabwe and transfer to your safari lodge. This afternoon is free time to enjoy. Your evening ends with a welcome dinner—a traditional Southern African barbecue or braai—around a flickering campfire.
Day 4. October 8: Botswana
This morning early, we travel into Botswana to Chobe National Park for our Morning game Drive. In the afternoon, we will return in time to take the Zambezi River by boat. With luck, your day will be filled with Elephants, Lions, and hippos up close. Overnight: Victoria Safari Lodge.
Day 5. October 9: Victoria Falls, the Smoke that Thunders
After breakfast, you enjoy a visit to the one-of-a-kind Victoria Falls, known locally as “the Smoke that Thunders,” one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Numerous vantage points provide stunning views of the waters of the Zambezi River pouring into the canyon below. A short walk takes you to the Victoria Falls Hotel, where you can enjoy amazing views of the Victoria Falls Bridge. In the afternoon, the crew of the African Explorer private train welcomes you on board. Overnight: Onboard (BD)
Day 6. October 10: Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s Largest Game Reserve
After an early breakfast, you go on a safari through Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest game reserve. With a bit of luck, you might encounter giraffes and lions and even the occasional wild dog. Here you can continue your safari in an open-top vehicle accompanied by a professional ranger. In the afternoon, you head back to your private train. Overnight: Onboard (BD)
Day 7. October 11: Matobo National Park and Cecil Rhodes’ Grave
In the morning, you can take a bus through Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. You can also visit the Natural History Museum or the Railway Museum. Later you head to Matobo National Park, where you can visit the grave of Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist and politician who founded the territory of Rhodesia in today’s Zimbabwe. In the evening, you enjoy dinner onboard your private train. Overnight: Onboard (BD)
Day 8. October 12: Great Zimbabwe
The destination of today’s bus excursion is the stunning, thousand-year-old ruined city of Great Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest pre-colonial structure south of the Egyptian pyramids. In Rutenga, you board your private train to continue your journey. Overnight: Onboard (BD)
Day 9. October 13: Realm of the Rain Queen
On its way through the Limpopo Province, your African Explorer private train passes the Soutpansberg mountains and the lands of South Africa’s Rain Queen. Later you enjoy a biltong (traditional beef jerky) tasting. Overnight: Onboard (BLD)
Day 10. October 14: Makalali Game Reserve
In the morning, you leave the African Explorer private train for a safari through the Makalali Game Reserve. As part of a wildlife resettlement program, many animals were brought here for conservation, including the famous Big Five game animals: the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. Afterward, you can see rare wild dogs and cheetahs on a visit to the Moholoholo Animal Centre. Lunch is served on board the African Explorer. Overnight: Onboard (BLD)
Day 11. October 15: The Drakensberg in the Great Escarpment
Today, you enjoy a scenic bus ride on South Africa’s Panorama Route, which includes the gorgeous Drakensberg, the highest region of the Great Escarpment, as well as Blyde River Canyon. Afterward, you enjoy a safari in the world-famous Kruger National Park. You end the night in style with a dinner under the starry African sky. Overnight: Kruger Gate Hotel (BD)
Day 12. October 16: Kruger National Park
In the morning, you head out for a full-day safari in open-top vehicles through Kruger National Park. After lunch, the safari continues, and you return to your train in the late afternoon. Overnight: Onboard (BLD)
Day 13. October 17: Swaziland
We will do a tour from the train in Swaziland.
Day 14. October 18: Train Day
Your train journey is slowly coming to an end. Time to enjoy the comfort of the African Explorer one last time! Read a book in one of the lounge wagons and see the landscape passing by in the platform wagon.
Day 15. October 19: Johannesburg area
This morning, we will depart our wonderful Train in Pretoria, South Africa. We will do a tour in Pretoria and Johannesburg area before flying to Durbin. Upon arrival, we will drive the 3 hours to St. Lucia to overnight.
Day 16. October 20: Hluhluwe
Early morning departure for the gates of the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. In open-air vehicles, enjoy a full day in the wilds exploring this, the oldest Wild Animal Park in South Africa. This was once the private hunting grounds of King Shaka. A Lunch Barbeque is included. We then return to our lodge outside the gate. (B,L,D)
Day 17. October 21: St. Lucia – Zulu Tribe – Durban
This morning we will take a scenic boat safari to look for Hippos and crocodiles. After we head to our visit with the tribe, where we will enjoy a cultural tour and dancing show put on by the Zulu’s. We then continue our drive to Durban to overnight.
Day 18. October 22: Durban – Lesotho – Durban
Today is a wonderful highlight day. We drive through what looks like the Grand Canyon, up steep unpaved roads going from just above sea level to 11,000 feet. At the top, we will be in the small country of Lesotho. The drive is stunning and the visit is something few tourists have ever done. At the end of the day, we return back to Durban.
Day 19, 20, 21. October 23, 24 & 25: Durban – Cape Town – fly home
Today your journey begins by visiting Cape Town one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We will spend the next three days around the Cape Town area. Your tour will include visits to Table Mountain (if weather permits), Hout Bay boat trip to Seal Island, Peninsula Tour to Cape Point, and Cape of Good Hope (one of the most southern points in Africa). We will also spend time visiting a local penguin colony and more. On day 21 October 25 early evening, we depart Cape Town for our flight back to the US.
Day 22: October 26: US – Home
This morning we arrive back into the US where we will board our flights back to your home.
