Rovos Rail: Cape Town to Dar Es Salaam 2026
A luxury rail journey
• South Africa • Botswana • Zimbabwe • Zambia • Tanzania
PRICE FROM | DURATION | |
---|---|---|
NZD
$30,000
|
Days
17
|
Nights
16
|
PRICE FROM | DURATION | |
---|---|---|
NZD
$30,000
|
Days
17
|
Nights
16
|
Introduction
This epic journey is one of the most famous in the world.
Beginning in Cape Town guests will visit the historic village of Matjiesfontein and the diamond town of Kimberley followed by two nights in the Madikwe Game Reserve.
Continue through Botswana into Zimbabwe and overnight at the Victoria Falls Hotel. After crossing the mighty Zambezi River, the train joins the Tazara line in Zambia continuing to Chisimba Falls to enjoy a bush walk. The train climbs to the Tanzanian border then descends into the Great Rift Valley negotiating the tunnels, switchbacks and viaducts of the spectacular escarpment. Climbing again, visit Nyerere National Park before arriving in Dar es Salaam.
The Train: Each train has accommodation carriages, dining cars, lounge car, small gift shop, smoking lounge and observation car with open-air balcony. Maintaining the spirit of a bygone era, there are no radios or television sets on board. The three types of suites include a dedicated host available at all times and services the suites daily.
Pullman Suite: Used on short journeys, cabins feature an en-suite bathroom with shower, toilet and basin. During the day, the suites have a comfortable sofa-seat with a conversion to double or twin beds (side-by-side or upper and lower bunks) for the evening.
Deluxe Suite: Accommodates one or two passengers in double or twin beds with its own lounge area, and en-suite bathroom with shower, toilet and basin. Includes a bar fridge filled with the on-board beverages of the guests choice.
Royal Suite: Takes up half a carriage with its own private lounge area and en-suite bathroom with Victorian bath, separate shower, toilet and basin. Accommodates one or two passengers in double or twin beds and includes a bar fridge filled with the on-board beverages of the passengers choice.
Itinerary
Day 1 : Cape Town
Check in at Rovos Rail Lounge this morning and settle in before joining fellow travellers in the lounge cars as you depart from Cape Town Station. Lunch is served as the train travels towards the Hex River Valley. Disembark at Matjiesfontein before dinner for an opportunity to stroll through the historic village (time dependent). Depending on time of year, this stop could be after sunset.
Day 2 : At leisure onboard
Breakfast is served as the train traverses the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea. Over millions of years, volcanic matter was ground down and deposited as silt upon the seabed to form what geologists call the Karoo system.
Day 3 : Kimberley
After breakfast enjoy a tour of Kimberley’s Diamond Mine Museum and the Big Hole. Capital of the Northern Cape, Kimberley is well known for the discovery of diamonds that led to its establishment in 1871. Dinner is served en route to Klerksdorp.
Day 4 : Pretoria
After breakfast transfer to Pretoria for a city tour followed by lunch on the Rovos Rail Station platform. Enjoy a walking tour of the station and locomotive workshops (weather permitting). Dinner is served en route to Zeerust.
Day 5 : Madikwe Game Reserve
After breakfast pack a small overnight bag and transfer to a lodge in Madikwe for a two night stay. Lunch is served on arrival followed by a game drive. Madikwe is a prime malaria-free Big 5 wildlife reserve bordering Botswana. It lies within a transition zone between the North West Province bushveld and Kalahari thornveld with enormous volcanic intrusions, wide open plains and the riverine environment along the Marico River. As a result, the region is host to an incredible diversity of species from both ecosystems with a rich assortment of vegetation and more than 300 resident and migrant bird species.
Day 6 : Madikwe Game Reserve
Enjoy an early morning game drive to spot wildlife while they are still active, in their natural habitat. Return to the lodge for breakfast and some time at leisure. Enjoy lunch at the lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive. Dinner is back at the lodge.
Day 7 : Madikwe Game Reserve
Early morning game drive before breakfast before departing the lodge and transferring to the train at Gaborone in Botswana. Border formalities will take place en route and guests are required to present themselves to the border officials. Lunch is served in the dining cars as the train crosses the Tropic of Capricorn and the eastern edge of the Kalahari Basin. Known as ‘Kgalagadi’ in Botswana, the Kalahari (which extends to over 900,000 km2 and covers much of Botswana as well as parts of Namibia and South Africa) is not a true desert as it does experience small amounts of rain, with some areas enjoying up 250mm. The surrounding basin covers over 250,000 km2, extending further into Botswana, Namibia and South Africa and encroaching into parts of Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is part desert, part plateau. The only constant river, the Okavango, flows into a delta in the northwest forming marshes that are rich in wildlife.
Day 8 : At leisure onboard
Day at leisure onboard the train where lectures will take place throughout the journey during the morning and afternoon in the lounge car. Pass Gwaai and Dete along one of Africa’s longest stretches of straight railway line 114 kilometres and along the eastern edge of the Hwange National Park.
Day 9 : Victoria Falls
Breakfast is served in the dining car as you arrive at Victoria Falls. Pack a small overnight bag and disembark the train and walk across to the Victoria Falls Hotel. Enjoy a welcome address on the lawn followed by lunch at Jungle Junction. Later this afternoon meet in the hotel foyer and depart on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Dinner is served at the Livingstone Room, Victoria Falls Hotel.
Day 10 : Victoria Falls
After breakfast at the Jungle Junction Restaurant, enjoy a day at leisure at Victoria Falls (a range of optional activities such as a helicopter ride over the falls, golf etc are available at additional cost, and must be booked in advance).
Plunging over the lip of the Victoria Falls is the largest body of falling water on earth. The mighty Zambezi, fourth longest river in Africa, is about 2kms wide above the falls and cascades dramatically over a precipice 1.6km in length and 108m at its deepest, compressing the vast volume of water into a chasm 50m wide. The sound can be deafening, the aspect magnificent and the memory indelible. In autumn, the spray is so great it inhibits photography while in spring the seasonal flow considerably reduces leaving large slabs of brown basalt exposed on the lip.
Later this afternoon meet on the station platform for departure to Zambia, crossing the Victoria Falls Bridge. Tea is served in the lounge and observation cars as border formalities take place.
Day 11 : At leisure onboard
The train travels across the Kafue Railway Bridge – a 477-metre long steel girder truss bridge of 13 spans each at 33 metres supported on concrete piers. The train then passes through Zambia’s capital, Lusaka before travelling the TAZARA railway line, an engineering tour de force and one of Africa’s best-kept secrets as it passes through remote territory. The train passes Zambia’s capital, Lusaka this evening.
Day 12 : At leisure onboard
Today the train travels train travels the TAZARA railway line, an engineering tour de force and one of Africa’s best-kept secrets as it passes through remote territory. Dinner is served en route to Kasama.
Day 13 : Chisimba Falls
Enjoy a visit to Chisimba Falls and take a pleasant walk down to the rock pools at the base of the falls or admire them from various viewpoints. Chisimba Falls is a series of three waterfalls named Mutumuna, Kaela and Chishimba, which are separated over 300m along the Luombe River. According to Bemba tradition, the nature spirit ‘Chishimba’ lives in a cave behind the falls therefore no bad behaviour (including fights, insults and arrogance) is allowed in this area. Though the Bemba people arrived here in the 17th century, they weren’t the first as the land surrounding the falls is dotted with evidence of Iron Age activities including kilns, smelting pipes and iron ore deposits.
Lunch is served as the train climbs to the border, almost exactly the midpoint between Africa’s two Great Rift Valley lakes. Tea is served as border formalities take place, followed by dinner as the train passes Baobab forests and descends the Rift Valley towards Mbeya
Day 14 : At leisure onboard
Today the train traverses the Rift Valley and boabab forests towards Mbeya. The Southern Highlands of Tanzania are covered with grasslands, savannas, woodlands and forests. Miombo woodland and savanna predominates at lower elevations while the higher mountains are home to Afromontane evergreen forests, grasslands and shrublands, and part of the Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic ecoregion, which extends into the nearby mountains of Malawi and Zambia.
Day 15 : Makambako
Arrive this morning at Makambako and enjoy an optional stroll through the town (time permitting).The train travels towards the jungled Udzungwa Mountains and negotiates the dramatic switchbacks, viaducts and tunnels of the escarpment.
Day 16 : Nyerere National Park
Enjoy a game visit and lunch (weather permitting) in the Nyerere National Park, the largest in Africa at 30 000km2. This evening the train traverses the fertile lands of Tanzania towards Gwata.
Day 17 : Dar es Salaam
After breakfast, arrive at journey’s end in Dar es Salaam at Tazara Station.
NB
This itinerary also operates in reverse. Depending on the railway capacity this journey could be routed slightly differently.
Need Help?
Pricing
Pricing (per person), NZD
TYPE |
TWIN from |
SINGLE from |
EXTRA from |
---|---|---|---|
2026 | |||
1 Jan – 31 Dec | |||
Pullman Suite |
NZ$30,000 |
NZ$43,640 |
|
Deluxe Suite |
NZ$39,640 |
NZ$57,275 |
|
Royal Suite |
NZ$52,000 |
On Request |
Departs
2026 |
Cape Town to Dar es Salaam |
9 Jan |
2 Jul |
6 Oct |
Dar es Salaam to Cape Town |
28 Jan |
21 Jul |
25 Oct |
Included
- Luxury rail journey
- 16 nights’ accommodation onboard in your suite of choice
- All meals (B, L, D) during your trip
- Afternoon tea onboard most days
- All beverages onboard unless otherwise mentioned
- Water, coffee/tea, and breakfast juices at your accommodations off-train
- Historian and doctor onboard
- Shared guided excursions as per the itinerary
- Entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Room service and limited laundry onboard
Not Included
- International sparkling wine onboard
- All other off-train beverages
- Gratuities
Gratuity
Recommended USD $10 to $20 per person per night
Important Notes
- Pricing varies due to fluctuations in exchange rates; please contact us for current pricing
- Please enquire about pricing for children (3 to 9 years) and singles in Royal Suites
- The minimum age requirement is 3 years
- No child-minding services or activities are available onboard
- Long journeys are not recommended for children 12 & under
- Included excursions are subject to change based on the achieved train schedule
- Formal attire is required at dinner most evenings
Please refer to World Journeys terms & conditions
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