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Africa · South Africa · Botswana · Zimbabwe · Zambia · Tanzania · Namibia · Angola · Swaziland

Pride of Africa — Rovos Rail

The most luxurious train in the world, journeying across the heart of Africa

About the Train

Rovos Rail has a style all its own — a blend of earthy African safari and traditional luxury, where a divine soak in a full-sized Victorian bath on a moving train is simply part of the experience. The Pride of Africa is very much more than rail transportation: from these transports of delight, guests experience the richness of southern Africa, with north and southbound routes between Pretoria and Cape Town as well as a range of spectacular journeys to the east and west.

Trains combine the golden age of rail travel with modern conveniences, creating an unforgettable extravagance redolent of a bygone era. From the fabulous Edwardian-styled private station in Pretoria to the opulent carriages that roll through the African night, this is an experience not to be missed.

All fares include accommodation, all meals and excursions, and alcoholic beverages while on board. Complimentary mini-bars are stocked to each guest's individual preference, and 24-hour room service is available throughout.

Gallery

Accommodation

Royal Suite

The four Royal Suites (16 sqm) each occupy half a carriage and feature a private lounge area and a full en-suite bathroom with Victorian bath, separate shower, toilet and basin. Guests enjoy double or twin beds and the exclusive attention of a dedicated host/ess. A bar fridge is stocked with the on-board beverages of the passengers' choice.

  • Double or twin beds
  • En-suite with bath, shower, toilet and basin
  • Private lounge area and writing desk
  • Safe, air conditioning, fridge and tea facilities
  • Bespoke amenities, robes and slippers

Deluxe Suite

The Deluxe Suites (11 sqm) have a lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower, toilet and basin, and accommodate one or two guests in double or twin beds. A dedicated host/ess and stocked bar fridge are included.

  • Double or twin beds
  • En-suite with shower, toilet and basin
  • Lounge area, writing desk, safe and air conditioning
  • Bespoke amenities, robes and slippers

Pullman Gold Suite

The Pullman Gold suites, used on longer journeys, accommodate one or two guests. By day the suite is configured with sofa-seats; by night, beds are made up in double or twin arrangement. An en-suite with shower, toilet and basin is included, along with a dedicated host/ess.

  • Double or twin beds (daytime sofa configuration)
  • En-suite with shower, toilet and basin
  • Fold-up writing desk, safe and air conditioning
  • Bespoke amenities, robes and slippers

Pullman Suite

The Pullman Suites (7 sqm), used on shorter journeys, feature a comfortable sofa-seat by day converting to double or twin beds (or upper and lower bunks) for the evening. En-suite with shower, toilet and basin, and a dedicated host/ess throughout.

  • Double or twin beds / upper and lower bunks
  • En-suite with shower, toilet and basin
  • Fold-up writing desk, safe and air conditioning
  • Bespoke amenities, robes and slippers

Dining

The Rovos dining cars offer a wonderful range of cuisine featuring local delicacies such as game, with an emphasis on fresh and seasonal ingredients complemented by excellent South African wines. Crisp linen, sparkling glass and silver, and seamless service create an atmosphere of Victorian elegance — a remarkable achievement from galley kitchens rolling beneath the African sun.

Lounge and Observation Cars

The opulent lounge cars invite guests to relax and watch the spectacular scenery drift past, while the rear observation car offers the incomparable experience of standing outside on the open platform as Africa unfolds — a special memory in the balmy darkness of the African night.

Itineraries

Choose the journey that calls to you. Each itinerary may be reserved through our concierge.

Cape Town Journey — Pretoria to Cape Town / Cape Town to Pretoria
3 nights · 4 days · Pretoria ↔ Cape Town
+

Travel the grasslands of the gold-rich Highveld to the haunting barrenness of the Great Karoo, through spectacular mountain ranges and scenic wine lands, arriving in Cape Town beneath the imposing bulk of Table Mountain. Stops include the perfectly preserved Victorian village of Matjiesfontein and Kimberley's legendary Big Hole diamond mine.

from R45,000 per person (Pullman Suite)

Detailed itinerary & questions →

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Victoria Falls Journey — Pretoria to Victoria Falls / Victoria Falls to Pretoria
3 nights · 4 days · Pretoria ↔ Victoria Falls
+

Meander northward through diverse African scenery, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn and the Beitbridge border into Zimbabwe, past Bulawayo and Hwange Game Reserve where wildlife can be spotted from the train, before arriving at the magnificent Victoria Falls. A 4-night option adds an excursion to Matobo Nature Reserve.

from R57,600 per person (Pullman Suite)

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Durban Safari — Pretoria to Durban / Durban to Pretoria
2 nights · 3 days · Pretoria ↔ Durban
+

Experience the splendour of KwaZulu-Natal on this 2-night safari: Big Five game viewing at the malaria-free Nambiti Conservancy, a battlefields tour with a world-class historian, and a visit to Ardmore Ceramics in the rolling midlands before the train arrives in Durban.

from R40,800 per person (Pullman Suite)

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Golf Safari — Pretoria to Pretoria
9 nights · 10 days · Pretoria → Pretoria (circular)
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A 9-night circular journey designed for the discerning golfer, with rounds at Leopard Creek, Royal Swazi, Durban Country Club, Champagne Sports Resort and Sun City Lost City. Non-golfers enjoy game drives at Hluhluwe and Kruger, battlefields tours and visits to Ngwenya Glass Factory.

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Dar es Salaam Journey — Cape Town to Dar es Salaam / Dar es Salaam to Cape Town
16 nights · 17 days · Cape Town ↔ Dar es Salaam
+

An epic 15-night transcontinental journey from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, traversing South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. Highlights include a two-night stay at Madikwe Game Reserve, an overnight at the Victoria Falls Hotel, a bush walk at Chisimba Falls, and a dawn passage through the Selous Game Reserve.

from US$16,500 per person (Pullman Suite)

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The Southern Cross — Pretoria to Victoria Falls / Victoria Falls to Pretoria
11 nights · 12 days · Pretoria ↔ Victoria Falls
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A magnificent 11-night sojourn through South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, including game viewing in Kruger Park, a tour of Maputo's colonial capital, a visit to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, and game drives at Antelope Park and Hwange, culminating in the spectacle of Victoria Falls.

from R165,000 per person (Pullman Suite)

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Namibian Safari — Pretoria to Walvis Bay
11 nights · 12 days · Pretoria ↔ Walvis Bay
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A 13-night, 3,400-kilometre annual journey from the Highveld savannahs to the Atlantic coast, taking in Kimberley's diamond-rush history, the Fish River Canyon, the Kalahari Desert, Namibia's capital Windhoek, the extraordinary dunes of Sossusvlei and the game-rich Etosha National Park, ending at the preserved German port of Walvis Bay.

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The Copper Trail — Victoria Falls to Lobito (Angola)
14 nights · 15 days · Victoria Falls → Lobito, Angola
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A 14-night adventure across Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola: a Kafue River sunset cruise, a visit to Lusaka's elephant orphanage, a three-night fly-in safari to South Luangwa National Park, a tour of Lubumbashi, and a journey along the historic copper trail to journey's end in Lobito. Available in reverse.

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The African Trilogy — Pretoria to Walvis Bay
15 nights · 16 days · Pretoria → Walvis Bay
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A panoramic 15-night journey from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic, encompassing Kruger Park, the Kingdom of eSwatini, Hluhluwe, Durban, the Valley of a Thousand Hills, the Drakensberg, Kimberley, the Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei's towering dunes, Windhoek, a cheetah conservation project, Etosha National Park and finally the wild Atlantic at Walvis Bay.

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African Collage
12 nights · 13 days · Pretoria → Cape Town
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A twelve-night southbound crossing from Pretoria to Cape Town, the longest of Rovos Rail's South African routes.

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Malawi Meander
16 nights · 17 days · Pretoria → Lilongwe / Lilongwe → Pretoria
+

A sixteen-night journey between Pretoria and Lilongwe, run in both directions. Off-train accommodation, flights, meals and non-motorised activities are included, and an onboard historian and doctor travel with the train.

Enquire about this itinerary

Departure Dates

DateDirection / RouteStatus
Tue, 11 Aug 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Wed, 19 Aug 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 21 Aug 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 23 Aug 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 25 Aug 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 25 Aug 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Thu, 27 Aug 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Sun, 30 Aug 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Wed, 2 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Thu, 3 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 4 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 6 Sep 2026 Dar es Salaam → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 6 Sep 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 8 Sep 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Wed, 9 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Sun, 13 Sep 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 15 Sep 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Thu, 17 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 18 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Durban Available Reserve →
Fri, 18 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 20 Sep 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Mon, 21 Sep 2026 Durban → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 22 Sep 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 25 Sep 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Sun, 27 Sep 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Wed, 30 Sep 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 2 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Durban Available Reserve →
Fri, 2 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sat, 3 Oct 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Sun, 4 Oct 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Mon, 5 Oct 2026 Durban → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 6 Oct 2026 Cape Town → Dar es Salaam Available Reserve →
Thu, 8 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 9 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sat, 10 Oct 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Sun, 11 Oct 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 13 Oct 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Thu, 15 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 16 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 18 Oct 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 20 Oct 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Thu, 22 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Sun, 25 Oct 2026 Dar es Salaam → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 25 Oct 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Thu, 29 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 30 Oct 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Sun, 1 Nov 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Mon, 2 Nov 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Tue, 3 Nov 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Wed, 4 Nov 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Sun, 8 Nov 2026 Victoria Falls → Pretoria Available Reserve →
Wed, 11 Nov 2026 Pretoria → Victoria Falls Available Reserve →
Fri, 13 Nov 2026 Pretoria → Durban Available Reserve →
Fri, 13 Nov 2026 Pretoria → Cape Town Available Reserve →
Fri, 13 Nov 2026 Cape Town → Pretoria Available Reserve →

Cabins & Prices

Cabin / SuiteBasisPrice
Royal Suiteper person sharingR 45,000
Deluxe Suiteper person sharingR 64,800
Pullman Suiteper person sharingR 45,000
Royal Suiteper person sharing (Victoria Falls 3 or 4 nights)R 108,000
Deluxe Suiteper person sharing (Victoria Falls 3 or 4 nights)R 82,800
Pullman Suiteper person sharing (Victoria Falls 3 or 4 nights)R 57,600
Royal Suiteper person sharing (Durban Safari)R 84,000
Deluxe Suiteper person sharing (Durban Safari)R 63,000
Pullman Suiteper person sharing (Durban Safari)R 40,800
Royal Suiteper person sharing (Dar es Salaam)US$ 28,600
Deluxe Suiteper person sharing (Dar es Salaam)US$ 21,800
Pullman Suiteper person sharing (Dar es Salaam)US$ 16,500
Royal Suiteper person sharing (The Southern Cross)R 313,000
Deluxe Suiteper person sharing (The Southern Cross)R 235,000
Pullman Suiteper person sharing (The Southern Cross)R 165,000

Prices are indicative and subject to change and availability. Contact us for the latest rates and offers.

Destinations on This Journey

In-depth guides to the places you'll visit — what to see and where to eat at each stop.

Questions About the Pride of Africa — Rovos Rail

What exactly makes Rovos Rail's Pride of Africa different from a normal train trip through South Africa?+
The Pride of Africa is built around meticulously restored vintage carriages, many dating from the 1920s–1950s, refitted with wood panelling, brass fixtures and Victorian-style bathrooms rather than standard rail compartments. It runs at a deliberately unhurried pace so guests can properly see the landscape, and every fare is fully inclusive of accommodation, dining, excursions and drinks. Our guests often tell us it feels closer to a grand hotel on rails than a form of transport. For current departures and pricing, call Palace Trains toll-free at 1-800-724-5120 or email travel@palacetours.com.

More in the journal →

How far in advance should I book, and how do I check which departure dates are available?+
Rovos Rail's longer and more specialised journeys, such as the Copper Trail or the African Trilogy, run on limited annual departures and sell out well ahead of the season, so booking six to twelve months out is wise for those routes. The shorter Cape Town, Victoria Falls and Durban journeys run more frequently but Royal and Deluxe Suites are limited in number and go quickly. Contact Palace Trains at 1-800-724-5120 or travel@palacetours.com and we'll check live availability across every itinerary for you.

More in the journal →

How do I book the Pride of Africa through Palace Trains, and what happens after I reserve?+
Simply call Palace Trains toll-free at 1-800-724-5120 or email travel@palacetours.com with your preferred itinerary, dates and suite type, and our team will confirm live availability directly with Rovos Rail. Once booked, we help coordinate flight timing into Pretoria, Cape Town or your chosen departure city, and can advise on pre- or post-trip stays. As the specialist booking source for the Pride of Africa, we're able to answer detailed questions on suites, routes and seasonal timing that general travel sites often can't.

More in the journal →

Read the full Pride of Africa — Rovos Rail Journal — 23 questions answered →

From the Journal