Experience the elegance of rail travel on one of the most luxurious trains in the world. the Rovos Rail Cape Town to Pretoria luxury train offers a unique 4-day safari through the heart of South Africa. Travel the grasslands of the gold-rich Highveld to the haunting barrenness of the Great Karoo. Trundle through the spectacular mountain ranges and the scenic Winelands of the Cape.
This journey combines some of the most dramatic scenery in Africa with the glamour and excitement of the golden age of rail. Rovos Rail combines the opulence of pre-war travel with subtle modern innovations. For example you will dress up for dinner. For gentlemen, a jacket and tie are a minimum requirement. And for the ladies cocktail/evening dresses or suits will complete the feel of a ‘once in a lifetime experience’.
The Observation car allows you to watch the unfolding scenery of the great interior of South Africa from a fascinating perspective. Whilst the comfortable non-smoking lounge cars lies in the middle of the trains usually ahead of the dining cars. Deep sofas and wing-back chairs offer a comfortable space where you can read or nod off for an afternoon snooze. As with all the service cars the lounges are air-conditioned. And you can open the windows to allow in the sights, sounds, and scents of Africa.
Your accommodation is in air-conditioned suites with exquisite wood panelling and period Edwardian features. All the suites are equipped with a writing desk, a personal safe, and a bar fridge filled with the drinks of your choice. 24-hour room service is available. The bathrooms combine original fittings with the modern technology of hot showers, hairdryers, and shaver plugs.
This 3-night Cape to Pretoria itinerary offers just the right mix of relaxation (especially if it's in the middle of a busy itinerary) and exploration. Plus you can combine the Rovos Rail Journey with a few nights in Botswana, Victoria Falls, or a great safari in South Africa.
Contact us for the departure dates. There are usually between 2-3 departures each month in both directions. Note that the single supplement is 50% on the per person sharing prices below.
Please note: The railway line in and out of the Pretoria Station is currently under maintenance. So we make need to make alternative arrangements to disembark/start at Kookrus Station instead, which is ±100km south of Pretoria. This will only affect some departures and we will advise you nearer the time.
Why don't you contact us for some tailor-made ideas!
At 16h00, depart from Cape Town Station. Trundle through the Winelands of the Western Cape towards Worcester. Tea is served in the lounge and observation cars.
19h30 – Dinner is served in the dining cars as the train climbs ±750m up the face of the escarpment. (Dress: Formal)
Around midnight, the train arrives at the first of four tunnels on the pass. The last tunnel is 13.5km long so guests are to be careful when walking through the train.
Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00. Disembark at Matjiesfontein for an opportunity to stroll through the historic village. Of special interest is the museum on the platform and a collection of historic cars and railway carriages to the right of the Lord Milner Hotel.
The train travels through the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea. Over millions of years, the volcanic matter was ground down and deposited as silt upon the seabed to form what geologists call the Karoosystem.
13h00 – Lunch is served in the dining cars.
16h30 – Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19h30 – Dinner is served in the dining cars. Overnight on board. (Dress: Formal)
Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 08:30. Today you 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.
12h00 – Lunch is served as the train travels northeast towards Klerksdorp and the broad grassland plains of the Highveld.
16h30 – Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
19h30 – Dinner is served in the dining cars. Overnight on board. (Dress: Formal)
Arrive at journey’s end at Rovos Rail Station, Pretoria.
*Disembark at Kookrus Station (±100km south of Rovos Rail Station). An optional complimentary transfer (±90min) from Kookrus Station to Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria is available.
This is a set tour using specific camps. However many tours can be adapted. Chat to us about your options. It excludes international flights but includes an estimate for all domestic or regional flights within the tour.
Accommodation; all meals; all beverages; room service; limited laundry; excursions with a qualified guide (where applicable); entrance fees as per itinerary; government tax.
EXCLUDESInternational sparkling wine; gratuities; personal expenses; visas; travel insurance; pre- and post-tour transfers, accommodation and flights; items of a personal nature.
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