Touch down in vibrant Cape Town, where the Atlantic breeze mingles with crisp mountain air and the iconic outline of Table Mountain crowns the skyline. After clearing immigration and collecting your luggage, you’ll be met by your driver for a comfortable private transfer to your hotel.

Depending on your arrival time, ease into the city with a gentle wander along the V&A Waterfront—a lively harbour precinct of boutique shops, cafés, galleries, and buskers. Sip a coffee by the marina as yachts sway in their berths, or pause for your first photo of Table Mountain reflected in the water.

As afternoon light softens, consider a relaxed introduction to the city’s food scene with fresh seafood or Cape Malay flavours, or simply unwind at your hotel and reset after the flight. Cape Town will be your springboard to world-class coastal drives, Cape Winelands tastings, and dramatic ocean vistas—an inspiring beginning to your South African adventure.

Optional at extra cost: Sunset champagne cruise from the V&A Waterfront, or a guided city orientation including Signal Hill viewpoint (weather permitting).

Start with a city orientation that threads from the historic Company’s Garden and Castle of Good Hope to the colourful façades of Bo-Kaap, where cobbled lanes and spice-scented air tell stories of the Cape’s Malay heritage. Your guide will share the city’s layered past as you pass Parliament, St. George’s Cathedral and the lively City Bowl markets.

Weather permitting, ride the revolving cable car up Table Mountain for panoramic views sweeping from Lion’s Head to Robben Island and the Twelve Apostles. Back at sea level, follow the Atlantic Seaboard past Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, where palm-fringed promenades and powder-soft beaches frame the turquoise shore—perfect for a coffee stop and a few postcard shots.

In the afternoon, choose your rhythm: linger in galleries and cafés at the V&A Waterfront, stroll the Zeitz MOCAA precinct for contemporary African art, or wander leafy avenues at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden beneath the mountain’s eastern slopes. As golden hour arrives, a short hop to Signal Hill or the Camps Bay tidal pools sets the scene for a memorable sunset.

Optional at extra cost: Pre-booked fast-track Table Mountain tickets; guided Robben Island visit (ferry-dependent); 12–20 minute helicopter flip over the Atlantic Seaboard; private foodie tour with Cape Malay cooking demo; sunset champagne cruise from the V&A.

This afternoon, you will be transferred to Cape Town’s historic train station to step aboard the legendary Rovos Rail – a journey that blends old-world glamour with the romance of rail travel. As you settle into your elegant, wood-panelled suite, the excitement builds for the adventure ahead, carrying you through South Africa’s ever-changing landscapes in unrivalled comfort.

Shortly after departure, savour a refined afternoon tea in one of the train’s lounges, watching as the city skyline fades and the vineyards of the Cape Winelands begin to roll past your window. The rhythmic click of the rails sets the pace for an unhurried journey, allowing you to truly appreciate the beauty unfolding outside.

As evening descends, dress for a formal dinner in the Victorian-style dining car, where polished silverware, crisp linen, and warm candlelight set the scene. Relish a gourmet multi-course meal, perfectly paired with exquisite South African wines, while the train glides smoothly into the night – the beginning of an unforgettable rail experience.

Optional at extra cost: Upgrade to a deluxe or royal suite for enhanced space and amenities.

Awake to the gentle rhythm of the rails and the soft glow of morning light spilling across the vast South African landscapes. After a leisurely breakfast in the dining car, step off the train late in the morning to explore the charming Victorian railway village of Matjiesfontein. This beautifully preserved National Heritage Site offers a glimpse into the elegance of a bygone era, once famed as a fashionable health retreat. Wander past 19th-century architecture, including the old courthouse and period hotels, soaking in its quaint and timeless atmosphere.

After your short guided tour, return to the comfort of the Rovos Rail to continue your journey. The train glides northward into the heart of the Karoo, a vast and arid semi-desert where open plains stretch endlessly beneath sapphire skies. This unique and striking landscape is punctuated by dramatic rock formations and scattered farmsteads, painting a scene of serene remoteness.

Relax in your suite or enjoy the panoramic views from the observation car as you savour lunch and watch the scenery change hour by hour. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the train’s gracious hospitality, culminating in another elegant dinner paired with fine wines as the South African night envelops the Karoo.

Optional at extra cost: Private guided tour of Matjiesfontein’s transport museum and Victorian gardens.

This morning, the Rovos Rail continues its steady journey through the Great Karoo and Klein Karoo, passing vast open plains, rugged hills, and small farming communities that dot the semi-arid landscape. By midday, you arrive in Kimberley, the historic heart of South Africa’s diamond-mining legacy.

Disembarking at the station, you board a charming electric tram for a short ride into the city centre. Your first stop is the Kimberley Diamond Museum, an open-air museum that brings the fascinating story of diamond discovery and trade to life. Here, you can view glittering gems, historic artefacts, and exhibits that trace the city’s transformation during the diamond rush of the late 19th century.

A highlight of the visit is the chance to explore a recreated mine shaft, offering insight into the working conditions of the miners who once laboured here. You’ll also have the opportunity to marvel at the Big Hole — an immense, hand-dug excavation and one of the largest of its kind in the world, created during the frenzied search for diamonds.

After two and a half hours of exploration, you return to the train and settle back into the luxurious rhythm of rail travel. The journey eastwards continues through changing landscapes, culminating in another exquisite dinner paired with South African wines as the sun sets over the horizon.

Optional at extra cost: Private curator-led tour of the Kimberley Diamond Museum for an in-depth historical experience.

Your Rovos Rail journey draws to a close as you arrive in Pretoria in the early morning. Enjoy one final, leisurely breakfast onboard, savouring the refined elegance of the dining car before disembarking. At the station, your driver will be waiting to whisk you to your hotel in Johannesburg, a city that bridges South Africa’s complex history with its dynamic modern identity.

The remainder of the day is yours to relax or set out to explore. You might stroll through the Maboneng Precinct, a vibrant urban renewal project where former warehouses have been transformed into art galleries, boutiques, cafés, and restaurants, all set against a backdrop of colourful murals and striking street art.

Alternatively, delve into the nation’s turbulent history at the Apartheid Museum, one of the most compelling and thought-provoking museums in the country. Its immersive exhibits detail the rise and fall of apartheid, its human cost, and the triumph of democracy, with a focus on the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.

Whether you choose cultural exploration or quiet relaxation, this evening is yours to soak in the atmosphere of South Africa’s largest city before continuing your journey.

Optional at extra cost: Guided half-day tour of Soweto, including visits to Vilakazi Street and the Hector Pieterson Memorial.

This morning, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Skukuza or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. Upon arrival, a lodge representative will meet you for a scenic transfer into the world-renowned Sabi Sands Game Reserve, one of Africa’s most exclusive safari destinations and famed for its exceptional leopard sightings and intimate wildlife encounters.

After settling into your lodge and enjoying a delicious lunch, you’ll embark on your first exhilarating afternoon game drive. Accompanied by expert rangers and trackers, venture deep into the reserve in an open 4x4 vehicle, scanning the bush for the legendary Big Five as the golden afternoon light bathes the savannah. With no fences between Sabi Sands and Kruger National Park, wildlife roams freely, offering unparalleled opportunities for photography and observation.

As dusk falls, pause for sundowners in a spectacular setting, then continue your drive under the glow of the spotlight to seek out nocturnal species. Return to the lodge for a sumptuous dinner beneath a canopy of stars, sharing the day’s thrilling encounters around a crackling fire.

Optional at extra cost: Private photographic safari experience with a professional wildlife photographer.

Rise before dawn for a steaming cup of coffee or tea before setting out on an early morning game drive. The cool hours just after sunrise are when the bush is most active, and you stand the best chance of spotting predators returning from the hunt, herds of elephants on the move, and perhaps the elusive leopard draped across an acacia branch.

Your expert ranger and tracker team will share their deep knowledge of the reserve’s ecosystems, from the intricate tracks on the ground to the soaring birdlife above. Stop mid-drive for a refreshing drink in the wild, soaking in the tranquillity and vastness of this iconic safari destination.

Return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast, then spend the late morning at leisure — perhaps enjoying the pool, browsing the lodge’s library, or watching wildlife from the comfort of your deck. In the afternoon, set out again on safari, following fresh tracks and listening for the telltale alarm calls of antelope and monkeys that may lead you to predators on the prowl.

As the African sun dips below the horizon, savour another sundowner moment in the bush before returning to the lodge for dinner and fireside storytelling beneath the starlit sky.

Optional at extra cost: Guided bush walk offering a close-up perspective of the flora and smaller wildlife often missed from a vehicle.

Wake up to the soft sounds of the African bush as the sun begins to rise over the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Head out on an early morning game drive, when predators are still active from the night’s hunt and the bush is alive with movement. Your guide and tracker will help you search for the elusive leopard, spot giraffes grazing in the distance, and watch herds of elephants moving gracefully through the savannah.

After breakfast back at the lodge, enjoy some leisure time — perhaps relax by the pool with uninterrupted views of the surrounding wilderness, or join a short guided walk to learn more about the smaller details of the ecosystem, from unique plants to animal tracks in the sand.

In the afternoon, set out for another thrilling safari drive. This is a prime time to witness big cats lounging in the shade, hippos wallowing in waterholes, and antelope grazing in the golden light. As dusk approaches, stop for a sundowner in the open bush, soaking in the tranquillity before returning to the lodge for dinner under a starlit African sky.

Optional at extra cost: Evening bush dining experience with traditional South African cuisine served around a crackling campfire.

Savour your last sunrise game drive in the Sabi Sands, when the bush is cool, quiet, and alive with possibility. Track the morning movements of lions and leopards, pause for coffee in the veld, and soak up the golden light one more time as birdsong rises around you.

Return to the lodge for a relaxed breakfast and some unhurried time on the deck or by the pool, binoculars close at hand for any passing wildlife. In the afternoon, head out for a final safari, following fresh tracks and listening for tell-tale alarm calls—one last chance to complete your Big Five stories and capture those closing photographs.

As dusk settles, toast the adventure with a classic sundowner before a celebratory dinner back at the lodge. Share highlights with your ranger team beneath a sky scattered with southern stars—fitting memories to carry into the next chapter of your journey.

Optional at extra cost: Private photographic vehicle for the final drive; bush-dining experience to mark your last night.

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxed morning at the lodge or a final stroll with camera in hand before your transfer to the airport. Bid farewell to the landscapes and wildlife that have defined your journey as you check in for your homebound flight. As the plane climbs, watch the patchwork of bush and city fade below—memories of sunrise game drives, golden sunsets, and warm South African hospitality traveling with you.

Optional at extra cost: Day-use room to freshen up before your flight, or a short guided stop at a local craft market (time permitting) en route to the airport.