Rovos Rail · 4 days · 3 nights
Pretoria to Cape Town
Pretoria · Kimberley · Matjiesfontein · Cape Town
Rovos Rail · 16 days, 15 nights
African Trilogy: Pretoria to Walvis Bay
Fifteen nights from Pretoria to the Atlantic, linking the Kruger, eSwatini and Durban with Kimberley, the Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei and Etosha.
- PretoriaDay 1
- MiddelburgDay 1
- MalelaneDay 2
- Kruger National ParkDay 3
- MpakaDay 3
- MantengaDay 4
- HluhluweDay 5
- DurbanDay 6
- LadysmithDay 7
- BethlehemDay 7
- KimberleyDay 8
- UpingtonDay 9
- Fish River CanyonDay 10
- Garas ParkDay 10
- SossusvleiDay 11
- WindhoekDay 12
- OtjiwarongoDay 13
- Etosha National ParkDay 14
- Walvis BayDay 16
Train stopExcursion by road
Duration16 days
Nights15
RoutePretoria → Walvis Bay
Places visited19
From, per personUS$263,500
Overview
The African Trilogy combines the east and west of the subcontinent. From Pretoria it visits the Kruger, eSwatini, Hluhluwe and Durban, crosses the Drakensberg to Kimberley and Upington, then explores Namibia: the Fish River Canyon, Garas Park, a night at Sossusvlei, Windhoek, a cheetah project and a night in Etosha before Walvis Bay.
- Game drives in the Kruger, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Etosha
- Swazi Candles and Mantenga Cultural Village
- Durban tour and botanical gardens
- Kimberley Diamond Mine Museum and the Big Hole
- Fish River Canyon and the quiver trees of Garas Park
- Flights to a Sossusvlei lodge with desert drives and a bush dinner
- Windhoek and a cheetah conservation project
Day by day
Day 1PretoriaOn board
Check in two hours before departure for a tour of the train's station and museum. The train then takes the eastern line to Middelburg.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2At leisure on boardOn board
Roll through the hills around Belfast, Machadodorp and Dullstroom, known for trout fishing, then descend the Drakensberg escarpment towards Malelane.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 3Kruger National ParkOn board
Enjoy a game drive in the Kruger with lunch and a chance to shop for curios. The train then crosses into eSwatini at Mpaka.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 4eSwatiniOn board
Transfer about 90 minutes to Swazi Candles and Mantenga Cultural Village for a visit with lunch at Mantenga Lodge, then cross back into South Africa.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 5Hluhluwe-iMfolozi ParkOn board
Transfer about 30 minutes for a game drive in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, Africa's oldest proclaimed reserve. The train passes avocado and sugarcane plantations on its way to Durban. Tonight is an Africa-themed evening, or smart casual.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 6DurbanOn board
Tour Durban and its botanical gardens with lunch on Umhlanga's beachfront and an afternoon at leisure. The train then climbs through the Valley of a Thousand Hills towards Ladysmith.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 7At leisure on boardOn board
A day on board beneath the Drakensberg, the 'Dragon Mountains', with the train heading on to Bethlehem.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 8KimberleyOn board
After an early lunch, tour Kimberley's Diamond Mine Museum and the Big Hole.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 9UpingtonOn board
The train travels to Upington on the Orange River, where an activity is planned, then crosses into Namibia and runs towards Holoog.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 10Fish River Canyon & Garas ParkOn board
Transfer about an hour to the Fish River Canyon, then later visit Garas Park and its quiver trees. The train heads north through the Kalahari towards Windhoek.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 11SossusvleiSossusvlei lodge
Pack an overnight bag and fly about an hour by light aircraft to Sossusvlei. After lunch at the lodge, enjoy an afternoon desert drive and a bush dinner after sunset.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 12Sossusvlei & WindhoekOn board
An early desert drive ends with breakfast in the vlei near Deadvlei. Fly to Windhoek for lunch and a visit to the transport museum, then rejoin the train.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 13Cheetah conservation projectOn board
After an early lunch, visit a cheetah conservation project in Otjiwarongo. The train then travels to Otavi.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 14Etosha National ParkEtosha lodge
Transfer about an hour to a lodge in Etosha National Park, famous for its great white salt pan. After lunch, set off on a game drive of about three hours, then dine at the lodge.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 15Etosha National ParkOn board
An early-morning game drive in Etosha is followed by breakfast at the lodge and a transfer back to the train, which heads southwest towards the Atlantic. Tonight is a roaring-twenties themed evening, or smart casual.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon tea · Dinner
Day 16Walvis Bay
Cross the Namib Desert over breakfast, with the observation car leading the train for the final stretch, and arrive at Walvis Bay Station.
Meals: Breakfast
Where you spend each night
- Night 1On board
- Night 2On board
- Night 3On board
- Night 4On board
- Night 5On board
- Night 6On board
- Night 7On board
- Night 8On board
- Night 9On board
- Night 10On board
- Night 11Sossusvlei lodge
- Night 12On board
- Night 13On board
- Night 14Etosha lodge
- Night 15On board
The map is schematic. Dashed lines are excursions by road.
Most spacious
Royal Suite
2 per carriage · ±16 m²
- Takes up half a carriage
- Private lounge area
- Victorian bath plus separate shower
- Double or split twin beds
- Minibar, safe and air conditioning
Mid-size
Deluxe Suite
3 per carriage · ±10 m²
- Own small lounge area
- En-suite shower, toilet and basin
- Double or split twin beds
- Writing desk, fridge and tea facilities
Long journeys
Pullman Gold Suite
5 per carriage · ±7 m²
- Lengthways twin beds set as sofas by day
- Converts to a lengthways double
- En-suite shower, toilet and basin
- Fold-up writing desk
Short journeys
Pullman Suite
5 per carriage · ±7 m²
- Comfortable sofa-seat by day
- Side-by-side double or upper and lower bunks at night
- En-suite shower, toilet and basin
- Safe, small fridge and air conditioning
Suite configurations depend on availability, and some Royal and Deluxe suites have a room divider.
- Accommodation on board
- All meals
- All beverages on board
- Room service
- Limited laundry
- Overnight bag
- Guided excursions where applicable
- Preselected local wines, beers and soft drinks on excursions
- Flights as per itinerary
- Entrance fees as per itinerary
- On-board historian
- Government tax
- Off-train stays: meals, preselected local wines, beers and soft drinks, guided excursions
- Deposit
- 25% of the total at booking
- Final payment
- 65 days before departure
Dates and prices
Live availability. Choose a cabin type, then select Book Now to reserve online, or Join waitlist on sold-out dates.
Royal Suite
October 9, 2026
Call Us
Deluxe Suite
October 9, 2026
US$ 355,000.00 pp dbl
October 9, 2026
US$ 355,000.00 pp sgl
Pullman Suite
October 9, 2026
US$ 263,500.00 pp dbl
October 9, 2026
US$ 263,500.00 pp sgl
Join the waitlist
This departure is currently sold out. Leave your details and we will contact you the moment a cabin becomes available.
Questions about this journey
How long is the African Trilogy?
It is 15 nights and 16 days, covering about 5,000 km from Pretoria to Walvis Bay. Two nights are spent in lodges, at Sossusvlei and in Etosha.
Which countries does it visit?
It travels through South Africa, eSwatini and Namibia. The train manager holds your passport for the border crossings.
How many game drives are there?
There are game drives in the Kruger, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and twice in Etosha, plus desert drives at Sossusvlei and a visit to a cheetah conservation project.
Are the Sossusvlei flights included?
Yes. Flights as per the itinerary are included, along with the lodge stay, meals and guided excursions there.
Is there an expert on board?
Yes, an on-board historian is included on this journey.
How do I check dates and fares?
Live dates and fares are shown on this page, and our reservations team can help on (866) 484-7882.
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