Ultimate Africa Train

Experience 5 African Countries! 16 day train tour - August 19, 2027

Experience 5 African Countries – Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatini.

Before we charter a train or ship, the owners have to experience it first, to check out the quality and itinerary. There were six things that convinced them they needed to charter trains in Africa for our passengers:

Rovos Rail: Our exclusive Africa train charters are through Rovos Rail. Considered by many to be the most luxurious train in the world! Rovos Rail harkens back to a simpler, more elegant era encompassing the timeless grace and high romance of
African exploration. With vintage wood-paneled coaches and open lounge areas, the train is its own highlight. The train can carry up to 72 passengers in 36 superbly appointed suites.
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, very 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 in each train cabin was impressive.
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.
Great Itinerary: We stay two nights in Zambia. Our hotel is located at Victoria Falls. It has its own private entrance to Victoria Falls so our passengers can visit it more than once while staying at our wonderful hotel. We then cross the border into Zimbabwe where we board our Luxury Train. From there your luxurious train travels down through Zimbabwe into South Africa and the famous Kruger Park, before heading into the country of Eswatini (formally Swaziland) and before heading to Johannesburg and Pretoria, the capital of South Africa.
Charter Pricing: They offered us huge savings if we chartered the whole train. Buying the Rovos Rail train through other companies for a similar 14-day trip would run over $12,500 or more per person AND that would not include Victoria, Zambia and the safari into Botswana that we include. With our private exclusive charter – your price is $10,895 for the same Elephant Cabin with its own bathroom AND our price INCLUDES Victoria Falls, Zambia along with our Botswana Safari. Considering what we have included you are saving more than $2,000 per person.”

Optional Land Portion Extension: with Educator Diederik Van ‘t Hof

The train Itinerary misses some of the best of South Africa, along with the country of Lesotho. With our optional extension package you can add an additional 7 days of touring that will include additional safaris, 2 airfares, the Zulu Tribe, Cape Town, Durban, St. Lucia and a 4 wheel drive from to the country of Lesotho. To get there we travel from sea level to 11,000 feet through canyons that look like the Grand Canyon covered in moss. There is so much more to experience in South Africa! We highly recommend adding this extension. You’re already in the neighborhood, now is the time to experience it all.

Package Price Includes:

16 Day Private Luxury Train Package includes:

2 Nights 4-Star Deluxe Avani Victoria Falls Resort. Our hotel is as close as you can get to Victoria Falls – it has its own entrance. The grounds have zebras and giraffes roaming free.
Chobe Botswana Safari: Full-day safari into Chobe National Park in Botswana. Includes boat ride across the Zambezi River, open-air safari vehicles, and guides.
1 Night 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Johannesburg before flying to Livingstone.
Private Chartered LUXURY Rovis Rail Train from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Elephant Cabin with private bathroom in each cabin.
With this package, experience 5 Countries: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatina. The normal expensive train package only visits 3 countries. They do not experience Botswana or Zambia.
Transfers from Zambia into Zimbabwe to board the train.
Three quality meals a day on the train.
All safaris off the train.
All buses, guides, tours and entrance fees on the Train Excursions.
Option to upgrade to a Leopard Larger cabin.
Total 16 day Train Package Price: $10,895

7 day 6-night Optional Extension:

6 additional hotel nights 3 Nights 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Durban.
2 Nights 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Cape Town.
1 Night 2.5 Star Best Lodge in the area. We always try to get a minimum of 4-Star Deluxe accommodations. But in some areas of the world the best can’t reach a 3-star. That is the case on one.
Two flights.
- Johannesburg to Durban.
- Durban to Cape Town.
Additional Safaris Hluhluwe National Park.
St. Lucia Estuary.
Boat Rides to see hippos and crocodiles.
Boat Ride in Cape Town to see seals.
Visit to the Zulu Tribe with performance.
Full Day Special 4-wheel drive trip to the country of Lesotho. Travel from Sea Level to 11,000 feet through canyons that look like the Grand Canyon covered in moss – it is absolutely stunning!
All tours, buses, safaris, guides, national park fees, boat rides and all entrance fees.
Guest Educator Diederik Van ‘t Hof (land portion extension only).

Optional Tour Extension Price: $2,577
Note: Even when you include both packages you are only $300 more than you would pay from others for only the train portion. This really is an unbelievable deal.

Package Price: $10,895*

*Per person cash discount price, based on double occupancy. Does not include airfare, tips.

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). We will not know which floor plan you will get until you arrive onto the train. Please be open to either plan since it is not up to us which floor plan you will get.

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.

Regular Tour Day by Day Schedule (The day by day is always subject to change at any time):

Day 1 & 2: August 19 & 20: Travel to Zambia
We are planning to fly on Delta Airlines. If we are on Delta Airlines we will depart our homes and travel to Atlanta where we will continue to Johannesburg. We will arrive into Johannesburg the evening on August 20. We have included a hotel in Johannesburg for the night of August 20. (Transfers are included if you booked our group airfare or your flight arrives on or before and departs on or after our group flights.)

Day 3: August 21: Livingston, Zambia
This morning we will offer an optional flight from Johannesburg to Livingstone, Zambia. This flight is OPTIONAL and is NOT included in the tour price. Today you arrive into Zambia and transfer to your Avani Victoria Falls lodge. This afternoon is free time to enjoy.

Day 4: August 22: 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. Your evening ends back to your resort hotel. Breakfast and lunch is included today. Overnight: Avani Victoria Falls Lodge.

Day 5: August 23: Victoria Falls, the Smoke that Thunders
After breakfast, we will have some free time to enjoy the beautiful hotel and its grounds. You can also enjoy another view of the falls on the Zambia side right out the hotel back door. Later this morning we will transfer and cross into Zimbabwe where we will have some free time to enjoy around one of the open markets. We will then transfer to your train where we will embark.

Day 6: August 24: 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: August 25: Matobo National Park and Cecil Rhodes’ Grave
The day begins with a short city tour of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, and the heartlands of Matabeleland. 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: August 26: 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: August 27: 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: August 28: Makalai Game Reserve
In the morning, you leave the African Explorer private train for a safari through the Makalali Private 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 Rehabilitation Centre. Lunch is served on board the African Explorer. Overnight: Onboard (BLD)

Day 11: August 29: 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 can 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: Hotel Kruger Gate (BD)

Day 12: August 30: 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: August 31: Swaziland
We will do a tour from the train in Swaziland.

Day 14: September 1: Train Day
Today is a train day as we travel to Pretoria. We will arrive sometime during the night into Pretoria.

Day 15: September 2: Johannesburg area
We will tour the Rovos Rail station in Pretoria this morning and then do additional touring in Johannesburg and Pretoria if time permits. Early afternoon – those not doing the extension will go to the airport for their flight home this evening. (Transfers are included if you booked our group airfare or your flight arrives on or before and departs on or after our group flights.)

Day 16: September 3: The regular tour group arrives home.

Extension Group Day by Day Itinerary:

Day 15: September 2: Johannesburg area
After doing the tour in Johannesburg area if time permits. We will transfer to the Johannesburg airport for your flight to Durbin. Upon arrival into Durban we will transfer to our hotel where we will overnight.

Day 16: September 3: 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 17: September 4: Durban – Zulu Tribe – St Lucia
Today we will take a scenic boat safari to look for Hippos and crocodiles. After we head to our visit with the Zulu tribe, where we will enjoy a cultural tour and dancing show put on by the Zulu’s. We then continue our drive to St Lucia to overnight.

Day 18: September 5: Hluhluwe Game Reserve
Early morning departure for the gates of the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. In open air vehicles, enjoy a day in the wilds exploring, this is the oldest Wild Animal Park in South Africa. This was once the private hunting grounds of King Shaka. A Lunch Barbeque included. We then travel approximately 2 hours back to Durban where we overnight. (B, L)

Day 19, 20, 21: September 6, 7 & 8: Durban – Cape Town – fly home
This morning we transfer to the Durban airport for our flight to Cape Town. 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 September 8, 2027 early evening, we depart Cape Town for our flight back to the US. (Transfers are included if you booked our group airfare or your flight arrives on or before and departs on or after our group flights.)

Day 22: September 9: US – Home
This morning we arrive back into the US where we will board our flights back to your home.