An Authentic African Adventure: Rovos Rail South Africa to Tanzania Lu

Cape Town to Dar Es Salaam - An Authentic African Adventure: Rovos Rail (Northbound)

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Overview

Embark on one of the world’s most iconic rail journeys aboard Rovos Rail, a 16-night adventure covering 5,800 km across South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania. Beginning in Cape Town and ending in Dar es Salaam, this extraordinary journey blends timeless luxury with ever-changing landscapes, from vast savannas to lush tropical scenery. Along the way, guests explore historic destinations such as Matjiesfontein, Kimberley, and Pretoria, enjoy a memorable safari experience in the renowned Madikwe Game Reserve, and witness the grandeur of Victoria Falls. Traveling along the historic TAZARA railway, the journey continues through remote regions of Zambia and Tanzania, including the spectacular Nyerere National Park, offering a rare glimpse into some of Africa’s most untouched landscapes—all while enjoying the elegance and comfort of one of the world’s finest luxury trains.

Images: Courtesy - Rovos Rail

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Itinerary

Your Itinerary

Loco SHAUNPlatform at Rovos Rail Locomotives

Day 1

CAPE TOWN

Please check-in a minimum of 90 minutes before departure at Rovos Rail Lounge, 1 Adderley Street, Cape Town.
Depart from Cape Town Station.
Lunch is served in the dining cars. Trundle through the winelands of the Western Cape towards Worcester.
Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train climbs ±750m up the face of the escarpment.

Dress: Formal

Hex River Valley at Rovos Rail Train Journeys/Cape Town/Scenic

Day 2

MATJIESFONTEIN

Lectures will take place throughout the journey in the lounge car. Please consult Lecture Sheets for details.

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 traverses the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea.

Day 3

KIMBERLEY

Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.

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.
Lunch is served in the dining cars.
Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train travels to Union.

Dress: Formal

Day 4

PRETORIA

Breakfast is served in the dining cars.
Transfer (±90 min) 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). Return (±90 min) to the train.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train travels to Zeerust.

Dress: Formal

Madikwe Tau Lions at Rovos Rail Train Journeys/Dar es Salaam/Excursions

Day 5

MADIKWE GAME RESERVE

Please pack a small overnight bag for the stay in Madikwe. Tog bags have been placed in your suite for your convenience. See below for inclusions/exclusions. Spa facilities available (own account). Payment in ZAR or by credit card only. Times of meals and activities confirmed on arrival. Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.Transfer (±90 min) to a lodge in Madikwe for a two-night stay.

Lunch is served on arrival.Afternoon tea and game drive (approximately 3 hours).Dinner at the lodge. Dress: Casual Madikwe is a prime malaria-free Big 5 wildlife reserve bordering Botswana.

Events Lounge at Rovos Rail Private Hire

Day 6

MADIKWE GAME RESERVE

Early morning game drive (approximately 3 hours).
Breakfast is served at the lodge until 09:30.
Lunch at the lodge.
Afternoon tea and game drive (approximately 3 hours).
Dinner at the lodge.

Dress: Casual

Madikwe Leopard at Rovos Rail Train Journeys/Dar es Salaam/Excursions

Day 7

MADIKWE GAME RESERVE

BORDER: KOPFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA / TLOKWENG, BOTSWANA Please ensure luggage is ready for collection at 10:00 and proceed to check-out. Early morning game drive (approximately 2 hours).Breakfast is served at the lodge until 09:30. Depart the lodge. Transfer 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 (luggage may be searched).Lunch is served in the dining cars.

The train crosses the Tropic of Capricorn and the eastern edge of the KalahariBasin.

Day 8

VICTORIA FALLS

BORDER: FRANCISTOWN, BOTSWANA / PLUMTREE, ZIMBABWE

Victoria Falls: If you have decided to book activities through the onboard historian, please ensure you have
done so before lunch. Cash accepted.
Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00. Border formalities.
Lunch is served in the dining cars.
Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train travels along one of the world’s longest stretches of straight railway line –114 kilometres (Gwaai–Dete) – and along the eastern edge of Hwange Park.

Dress: Formal

Day 9

VICTORIA FALLS

Please pack a small overnight bag for the stay at Victoria Falls Hotel. See below for inclusions/exclusions.Meals are taken at the Victoria Falls Hotel. Currency exchange is available at the hotel (passports not required); there is a business centre and Wi-Fi available throughout. If you are crossing the border into Zambia during your stay, please obtain your passport from the Train Manager or Guest Services Manager.

Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.Arrive at the incomparable Victoria Falls. Disembark with an overnight bag and walk across to the hotel. Welcome address on the lawn followed by lunch at Jungle Junction.

Day 10

VICTORIA FALLS

BORDER: VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE / LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA Check-out time is normally at 10:00 (to be advised). If you have organised morning activities, please ensure you have checked out. Luggage storage at reception is complimentary until afternoon departure. Please call the front desk and they will send a porter to collect your luggage.Breakfast is served at the Jungle Junction Restaurant until 10:00.

Day at leisure in Victoria Falls.Lunch at Jungle Junction.Meet on station platform. Please ensure the Train Manager or Guest Services Manager has your passport.Cross the Victoria Falls Bridge. Tea in the lounge and observation cars. Border formalities.Dinner is served in the dining cars.

Day 11

LUSAKA

Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.
Lunch is served in the dining cars.
Tea in the lounge and observation cars. 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.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train passes Zambia’s capital, Lusaka.

Dress: Formal

Obs Car Sunset at Rovos Rail Public Cars - OTHER

Day 12

TAZARA RAILWAY

Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.

The 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.
Lunch is served in the dining cars.
Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train travels to Kasama.

Dress: “Africa” Theme or Smart Casual

Day 13

CHISIMBA FALLS

BORDER: NAKONDE, ZAMBIA / TUNDUMA, TANZANIA Breakfast is served in the dining cars.Enjoy a visit to Chisimba Falls where guests can take a pleasant walk down to the rock pools at the base of the falls or admire them from various viewpoints. Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train climbs to the border, almost exactly the midpoint between Africa’s two Great Rift Valley lakes.Tea in the lounge and observation cars.Dinner is served in the dining cars.

Border formalities.

Pullman Dbl Bed at Rovos Rail Suites - Images

Day 14

MAKAMBAKO

Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00. The train traverses the Rift Valley and baobab forests towards Mbeya.
Lunch is served in the dining cars. 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.
Tea in the lounge and observation cars.

Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train travels to Makambako.

Dress: Formal

Day 15

MAKAMBAKO

Breakfast is served until 10:00.

Enjoy an optional stroll through Makambako (time permitting) before departure at 09:30.

Lunch is served in the dining cars. The train travels towards the jungled Udzungwa Mountains and negotiates the
dramatic switchbacks, viaducts and tunnels of the escarpment.
Tea in the lounge and observation cars.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train travels to Fuga Halt.

Dress: Formal

Lounge Car Tea at Rovos Rail Public Cars - OTHER

Day 16

NYERERE NATIONAL PARK

Continental breakfast is served in the dining cars until 08:00.
Brunch is served in the dining cars until 12:00.
Enjoy a game visit (weather permitting) in the Nyerere National Park, the largest in Africa at 30 000km2.
The train traverses the fertile lands of Tanzania.
Dinner is served in the dining cars. The train travels to Gwata.

Dress: “1920s” Theme or Smart Casual

Day 17

DAR ES SALAAM

Please ensure luggage is ready for collection 15 minutes before arrival and that you have your passport.

Breakfast is served in the dining cars until 10:00.

The train arrives at journey’s end at Tazara Station in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

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Terms & Conditions

Payment Terms

A deposit of 25% of the total tour cost is required at the time of booking to confirm the reservation.
The remaining balance of 75% must be paid no later than 65 days prior to the date of the first service provided by Travbuzz / Palace Tours.

Cancellation Policy

25% of the total tour value will be charged for cancellations made more than 65 days prior to the date of the first service.
100% of the total tour value will be charged for cancellations made between 64 days and the departure date.

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect against unforeseen circumstances and cancellation penalties. For more information on available plans or to purchase coverage, please visit: www.palacetours.com/insurance.

Inclusions & Exclusions

INCLUDED:

Accommodation; all meals; all beverages on board; room service; limited laundry; guided excursions (where applicable); preselected local wines, beers and soft drinks on excursions; entrance fees as per itinerary; onboard historian and doctor; government tax.

EXCLUDED:

All other beverages; international sparkling wine; gratuities; personal expenses; visas; travel insurance; pre- and post-tour transfers, accommodation and flights.

INCLUDED in off-train accommodation: Overnight bag; meals; guided excursions; preselected local wines, beers and soft drinks.

EXCLUDED from off-train accommodation: All other beverages; meals at unspecified venues; laundry; personal expenses.

MEALS ON BOARD (unless adjusted)

Breakfast 07:00-10:00

Lunch 13:00

Tea 16:30

Dinner 19:30

Accommodations

THE TRAIN: The observation car seats ±32 passengers. With its open-air balcony, big picture windows, bar, sofas and booths, it has great mingling areas or quiet corners to while away the days. On most days, afternoon tea is served at 16:30 in the lounge and observation cars while bar service is from ±07:00-01:00.

Vintage carriages combine with modern luxuries in three suite types available in double or twin: Royal ±16m² (two per carriage), Deluxe ±10m²(three per carriage) and Pullman/Pullman Gold ±7m²(five per carriage).

THE SUITES offer privacy, comfort and modern conveniences with double or twin beds. All mattresses have a soft and hard side with the soft side up from the outset, which can be changed on request. All pillows are faux-down microfiber with a cotton down-proof casing. Double beds are made up with fitted sheets and blankets with single duvets at night-time. All suites have an ensuite bathroom, linen, amenities, adequate suitcase storage, small cupboards with hangers and shelves and are serviced daily. Some Royals and Deluxes have a room divider. Suite layouts may differ from images.

Frequently Asked Questions & Tips

Please dress accordingly for excursions/game drives: mornings can be cool then warm up considerably; afternoons can be warm then cool down considerably. Warm clothing, comfortable shoes, hats and sun protection are advised. Rain capes are available.

Excursions may be changed according to schedule achieved. Times are approximate and cannot be guaranteed. Please check with the Train Manager for any changes.

In your Suite is a Journeys magazine featuring articles of interest related to the route.

Please ensure passports and the required visas are valid prior to departure for Africa.

View Passport & Visa Guide. Train station platforms are not always accessible from ground level.

Message from Rovos Rail: "We strongly discourage giving any form of handout to children while travelling. This action may have detrimental consequences to local communities. If you would like to give responsibly, we support many local charities and would be happy to assist."