Your flight glides in over the highveld this morning, touching down at Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport. After clearing immigration, collecting your luggage and passing customs, you step into the arrivals hall where you’ll be met by a local representative holding a sign with your name or the company logo. A warm welcome, a quick orientation and you are soon on your way by private road transfer to Pretoria, South Africa’s gracious administrative capital, around an hour’s drive away (traffic permitting).

As you leave the airport sprawl behind, the road rises gently across open grassland dotted with suburbs, shopping precincts and distant mine dumps, giving you a first glimpse of Gauteng province. Your driver may point out landmarks along the way or simply let you relax and watch the scenery slide by. This is your first taste of the big African sky, with wide horizons and a light that feels different from home, even on a hazy day.

On arrival in the capital, you check in to the Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park (or similar), a modern, comfortable base well placed for an overnight stop before your rail journey. Rooms are contemporary and air-conditioned, with everything you need to reset after the long-haul flight – a proper shower, a comfortable bed and space to unpack your essentials. Depending on your arrival time, you may be able to check in straight away; if not, the hotel can usually store your luggage while you enjoy a coffee or light snack in the lounge or rooftop bar area until your room is ready.

The rest of the day is at leisure. You might choose to take things very slowly – a shower, a nap and then a relaxed drink on the rooftop as the afternoon light softens over the city. Alternatively, if you’re feeling energetic, you can stretch your legs with a short stroll around the immediate neighbourhood, or ask reception to arrange a taxi into central Pretoria for an informal wander past Union Buildings or the jacaranda-lined streets (season-dependent), keeping any exploration low-key and unhurried.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at the hotel or nearby eateries (meals at leisure unless pre-arranged/own costs), then an early night if jet lag is biting. Tomorrow you’ll meet the team at Rovos Rail Station and step aboard one of the world’s most evocative trains – but for now, your only task is to rest, rehydrate and gently settle into Southern Africa. Overnight in Pretoria – Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park.

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxed morning in Pretoria before making your way to the private Rovos Rail Station, a lovingly restored rail terminal that sets the tone for your classic journey. Check in for your Rovos Rail adventure and take a moment to soak up the old-world atmosphere: polished wood, vintage luggage trolleys and the gentle bustle of staff preparing the train for departure.

With welcome drinks served and formalities complete, you are invited to board and settle into your elegantly appointed suite. Wood-panelled walls, crisp linens and thoughtful touches create a sense of stepping back into the golden age of rail, with modern comforts discreetly woven in. As the train eases out of Pretoria and gathers pace, you can head to the lounge or observation car to watch the city give way to wide horizons and rolling countryside, the first glimpse of the scenic African landscapes that will unfold over the coming days.

Afternoon tea is typically served as the views shift outside your window, and there’s time to unpack, freshen up and change for dinner. In the evening, make your way to the dining car for a multi-course dinner on board, accompanied by fine South African wines (where offered) and attentive service. The soft rhythm of the train, candlelit tables and conversation with fellow guests create a distinctive, gently nostalgic atmosphere. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, D)

Wake to the gentle clatter of the wheels and the soft light of morning on the countryside as your Rovos Rail journey continues towards one of South Africa’s most scenic regions. After breakfast in the dining car, you disembark for a full-day Panorama Route tour, one of the country’s iconic scenic drives, where lush escarpments tumble down towards the Lowveld and viewpoints frame sweeping river valleys and rugged rock formations.

Your first stop is Pilgrim’s Rest, a once thriving gold rush town whose streets still echo with stories of 19th-century fortune-seekers. Wooden shopfronts, corrugated iron roofs and old-time signage line the main street, giving the village the feel of an open-air museum. As you wander past former general stores, old pubs and miners’ cottages, your guide brings the tales of the goldfields to life – from prospectors panning in mountain streams to the boom-and-bust cycles that shaped the town’s history. There may be time for a coffee or a quick browse in the small curio shops before you continue along the escarpment roads.

Next, you visit the extraordinary rock formations of Bourke’s Luck Potholes, where swirling water has carved strange cylindrical cavities into the sandstone over millennia. Walk along the network of viewing bridges and paths to look down into these natural sculptures, their smooth-sided pools glowing in shades of ochre, rust and green. Your guide explains how the confluence of the Blyde and Treur Rivers, combined with swirling pebbles and floodwaters, created this geological “gallery”. The combination of intricate rock patterns, waterfalls and narrow gorges makes this one of the most photogenic stops on the route.

You then continue to the Graskop area, a small town perched on the edge of the Drakensberg escarpment, famed for its sweeping views over the Lowveld. Depending on conditions and timings, you may head to one of the nearby viewpoints to gaze out over forested slopes, plunging cliffs and the vast plains beyond. On clear days, you can see the landscape stretch away for kilometres, layers of ridges fading into soft blue. It’s a chance to appreciate just how dramatically the highveld drops down towards the low-lying bush country that leads, eventually, to the Kruger region. Lunch is typically taken off the train during your tour (at your own expense or as arranged on the day), with time to stretch your legs and soak up the fresh escarpment air.

In the late afternoon, you travel to Nelspruit to rejoin Rovos Rail. Back on board, there’s time to freshen up in your suite before the train eases away from the station and heads towards Malelane, tracking closer to the boundary of South Africa’s famous safari country. As the sun sinks over the hills, you can enjoy a drink in the observation car or lounge, watching the changing light on the fields and river valleys. Dinner is served in the dining car as night falls, with the rhythm of the rails and the clink of glassware creating a wonderfully nostalgic atmosphere. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, D)

Dawn finds your train near the fringes of South Africa’s most famous reserve, the legendary Kruger National Park. After an early breakfast on Rovos Rail, you transfer to open safari vehicles for a full-day wildlife drive in one of Africa’s great conservation areas, a landscape of acacia-dotted plains, riverine thickets and mopane woodland that supports an astonishing diversity of animals and birds.

With an experienced ranger and tracker at the wheel, you drive through the cool of the early morning when wildlife is most active. This is classic “Big Five” country, and your guide will be scanning constantly for lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. Sometimes the first sightings are subtle – fresh tracks on a dusty road, alarm calls from impala, a cluster of vehicles gathered quietly under a tree. At other times the bush reveals itself all at once: a breeding herd of elephants crossing the road in single file, giraffes stepping delicately through the scrub, or a lion pride lounging in the shade after a night spent hunting. Along the way, you may also encounter cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, hyenas and wild dogs if luck is on your side, along with a colourful host of antelope and birdlife.

As the sun climbs higher, you pause at designated rest stops inside the park to stretch your legs, grab refreshments and enjoy the views across rivers, plains or waterholes. Your guide shares insight into animal behaviour, tracking, vegetation and conservation, helping you read the landscape like a story – from the smallest spoor in the sand to the way vultures circling overhead can signal a recent kill. The middle of the day is often quieter for predators, but excellent for spotting hippos dozing in pools, crocodiles sunning on sandbanks and large herds gathering at water sources. Lunch is taken either at a rest camp or picnic site (as per the day’s arrangements), with time to relax in the shade before you continue your afternoon drive as temperatures soften once more.

Later in the afternoon, as golden light returns and long shadows stretch across the bush, your vehicle gradually makes its way back towards the park boundary. The final hour often delivers some of the most memorable moments: elephants dust-bathing in the glow of sunset, a rhino emerging from the scrub, or a lone male lion silhouetted against the horizon. By the time you leave the gate, your camera card is likely full and your head buzzing with images – a day’s worth of Kruger safari memories packed into one immersive experience.

You then rejoin Rovos Rail, where cool drinks and a chance to freshen up in your suite await. As evening falls, the train gently pulls out, heading east across the border and onwards towards Mozambique. Watch the last light fade from the observation car or lounge, reflecting on the wildlife you’ve just seen, before sitting down to another elegant dinner on board. The rhythmic sway of the carriages and the distant calls of the night outside provide the soundtrack as you drift to sleep, with the promise of coastal flavours and new horizons ahead. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, D)

This morning you wake to a different rhythm and light: the pastel hues and warm coastal air of Maputo, the bustling capital of Mozambique. After breakfast on Rovos Rail, you step down onto the platform to begin a guided exploration of a city that blends African energy with Portuguese colonial heritage, wide boulevards shaded by jacarandas and palm trees, and a relaxed, sea-breeze tempo that feels distinctly different from South Africa’s interior.

Your city tour takes you past some of Maputo’s most striking architecture. You may see the ornate Maputo Railway Station, often rated among the world’s most beautiful, with its green-domed roof, wrought iron details and echoes of grand European termini reimagined in a tropical setting. Nearby, historic buildings such as the Central Market, Cathedral and stately government structures showcase an eclectic mix of Portuguese colonial, Art Deco and Afro-modernist styles. As you drive and walk through the streets, you’ll notice brightly painted façades, local cafés spilling onto pavements, street vendors selling cashews and seasonal fruit, and murals celebrating Mozambique’s independence and cultural icons.

Your guide shares the story of Maputo’s evolution – from its days as Lourenço Marques, a colonial outpost, to its modern role as a lively Indian Ocean capital. You may visit a local market, where stalls are piled high with spices, seafood, fresh vegetables and everyday goods, and where bargaining is part of the social fabric. If time allows, you might stroll along the palm-lined waterfront promenade, catching glimpses of the bay, fishing boats and perhaps locals relaxing in seaside cafés. Throughout, there’s a sense of a city rediscovering itself, with new restaurants, galleries and music venues rubbing shoulders with older, worn-but-characterful buildings that still carry the stories of past decades.

Lunch is included during your time in Maputo, giving you the chance to sample some of the region’s famed coastal flavours. Think freshly grilled fish, prawns or calamari (depending on what’s available), often accompanied by peri-peri marinades, coconut-infused sauces or fragrant rice. Even if you choose simpler fare, the combination of sea air, local spices and the city’s easy-going atmosphere makes this meal a memorable contrast to the bushveld scenes of previous days. After lunch, there may be a little free time for photos or a final stroll before you return to the station.

Back on board Rovos Rail, afternoon tea is served as you find your place in the lounge or observation car and watch Maputo’s suburbs and shoreline slip away. The train turns inland, heading towards the border and making for Mpaka in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). As the scenery shifts from coastal plains to rolling hills and rural villages, you have time to unwind, catch up on your journal or simply gaze out at the changing landscape. Later, you dress for dinner and make your way to the dining car for another elegant evening meal, accompanied by the gentle sway of the train and the knowledge that tomorrow brings yet another country and a new chapter in your Southern Africa journey. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, L, D)

Today your journey turns inland again as Rovos Rail rolls into the small kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). After breakfast on board, you disembark at Mpaka and meet your local driver-guide for a scenic transfer of around 90 minutes through rolling countryside, rural homesteads and sugarcane fields. As you travel, your guide introduces the history and traditions of this landlocked kingdom, where royal heritage, craft skills and community life remain strongly woven into everyday culture.

Your first stop is the well-known Swazi Candles complex, a vibrant hub of artisan workshops and small boutiques. Here, skilled craftspeople shape and decorate distinctive, handmade wax candles in bold African patterns and animal forms. You can watch the process up close – molten wax poured, layered, cut and moulded into colourful designs – and see finished pieces ranging from small keepsakes to sculptural statement candles. In the surrounding courtyards you’ll usually find additional craft stalls selling woven baskets, textiles, beadwork and woodcarvings, making this an excellent place to pick up locally made souvenirs that support community livelihoods.

From here you continue to the Mantenga Cultural Village, set in a lush valley beneath granite outcrops and green hills. This living museum offers an accessible introduction to Swazi traditions, architecture and daily life. You’ll see a reconstructed homestead made of thatched rondavels and reed fencing, learn how roles are traditionally divided within the family, and hear about customs surrounding marriage, music, dance and spiritual beliefs. Often, your visit is accompanied by song and dance performances, where rhythmic drumming, powerful choral voices and energetic footwork bring the stories of Eswatini’s past and present to life. It’s an engaging, good-humoured experience that also gives you insight into how communities are working to preserve cultural heritage in a rapidly changing world.

Lunch is served at Mantenga Lodge (or similar), a property perched to take advantage of the area’s valley and mountain views. As you relax over your meal, you can look out across tree-clad slopes, rocky ridges and the Mantenga stream winding below, a quieter, gentler side of southern Africa than the big-game landscapes of Kruger. The pace here is unhurried: time to savour your food, breathe the fresh air and absorb the scenery before you begin the return journey to the train.

In the afternoon, you transfer back to Mpaka to rejoin Rovos Rail. Once everyone is aboard, the train sets off again, crossing the border as it travels back into South Africa and heads northwards towards Hoedspruit, gateway to private reserves and the greater Kruger region. Settle into the lounge or observation car for afternoon tea, watching the Eswatini hills slowly give way to a broader African landscape of farms, bushveld and distant ranges. As dusk falls, you change for dinner and make your way to the dining car for another gracious, multi-course onboard dinner, with the gentle rhythm of the rails and the occasional distant village light reminding you that you are moving steadily towards your next wildlife chapter. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, L, D)

The day begins with first light brushing the horizon as Rovos Rail eases to a halt near Hoedspruit, gateway to some of South Africa’s most wildlife-rich private reserves. After an early breakfast, you transfer to open 4x4 vehicles and drive into the Kapama Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger ecosystem. The air is cool, the bush alive with birdsong and the possibility of tracks on every sandy road. With an experienced ranger and tracker team leading the way, you set off on a morning wildlife drive in search of the Big Five and the many other species that call this 13,000-hectare reserve home.

As the sun climbs, you scan open plains, bushwillow thickets and dry riverbeds for movement: a herd of elephants threading silently between the trees, a journey of giraffes silhouetted against the sky, or a crash of rhino grazing in the morning light. Your ranger interprets the clues – fresh spoor in the sand, alarm calls from impala, the distant bark of baboons – helping you understand how predators and prey move through this landscape. There is always the chance of encountering lion or leopard resting in the shade after a night’s hunt, as well as buffalo herds, zebras, wildebeest, warthogs and a wealth of antelope and birdlife. A brief coffee stop in the bush gives you time to step out, stretch your legs and listen to the quiet rustle of the reserve waking fully to the day.

Later in the morning, you continue to the renowned Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, an important facility dedicated to the care and conservation of rare, vulnerable and endangered animals, with a particular focus on cheetahs. During a guided visit, you learn about the centre’s work in breeding, rehabilitation and reintroduction, as well as the challenges of protecting predators and other threatened species in a modern, human-pressured landscape. As you move between the spacious enclosures and viewing areas, your guide explains how genetics, veterinary care and careful management support the long-term survival of these animals. It’s an eye-opening contrast to the open wilderness of Kapama: here you see conservation at close quarters, with practical, science-based programmes underpinning the beautiful animals in front of you.

By midday you return to Rovos Rail, where lunch is served as the train prepares to depart once more. Settle into the dining or lounge car as the carriages glide away from Hoedspruit, following a scenic route towards Tzaneen and onwards into the Limpopo province. The landscape outside your window shifts from lowveld bush to subtropical plantations and forested hills, with glimpses of rural villages and farmsteads along the way. In the late afternoon and evening, you can relax over tea, a good book or conversation with fellow travellers as the train makes an overnight stop near Louis Trichardt. Another multi-course dinner is served in the dining car, accompanied by the gentle rhythm of the rails and the knowledge that your overland adventure is steadily carrying you further north towards the historic heart of Zimbabwe. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, L, D)

Today is all about slowing the pace and savouring the romance of classic train travel in Africa. With no excursions scheduled, you have a full day to simply relax on board Rovos Rail as the train heads steadily north towards Zimbabwe, tracing a route through ever-changing landscapes, rural communities and big-sky horizons. It’s a chance to catch your breath between safari adventures and cultural stops, and to enjoy the journey every bit as much as the destinations.

After a leisurely breakfast in the dining car, you might wander through to the lounge or make your way to the open-sided observation car at the rear of the train, where the views are at their most expansive. Outside, the world passes in a moving panorama: sunlit fields, acacia-fringed ridges, distant mountains and the occasional homestead or small town. Children sometimes run to the edge of villages to wave at the passing train; cattle graze near the line; birds skim across the track ahead. With your coffee in hand and a comfortable armchair beneath you, it’s easy to slip into a reflective rhythm, watching the landscape slowly unfold and feeling time stretch out in a way that’s rare in everyday life.

Mid-morning might be the perfect time to browse the small onboard library, update your travel journal or take the opportunity to sort photos from your Kruger and Kapama game drives. As you revisit images of lions in the early light or elephants at the water’s edge, the passing scenery outside forms a natural backdrop to your memories. The staff move quietly through the train, offering drinks and snacks, and there’s always the option to chat with fellow guests – swapping favourite sightings, sharing stories from previous trips, or talking about what lies ahead at Great Zimbabwe, Matobo, Hwange and Victoria Falls.

Lunch is served as the heat builds outside, another carefully prepared multi-course meal that nods to South African flavours and seasonal ingredients. White tablecloths, polished silver and picture windows make even a simple dish feel special; the landscape becomes part of the experience as the train glides through broad valleys and wooded hills. Afterwards, many guests retreat to their suites for a siesta, read in the cool of the lounge or simply sit and watch the railway line vanish into the distance from the observation deck, the warm breeze carrying the scent of dust, grass and occasional wood smoke.

As the afternoon wears on, the light softens and the colours outside deepen – fields glow golden, trees cast long shadows and smoke from distant cooking fires rises in pale blue threads. This is a lovely time to take a walk up and down the train, pausing at different vantage points to see how the view shifts from carriage to carriage. If you’re interested in the technical or historical side of rail travel, staff are often happy to chat about Rovos Rail’s restored rolling stock, the routes they operate and the challenges of running luxury trains across multiple countries and gauges in southern Africa.

As dusk approaches, the bar in the lounge and observation car becomes the social heart of the train, with guests gathering for a pre-dinner drink. Watching the sun set from the rear of the train is a particular highlight: the rails glinting in the last light, the sky shifting through soft pinks and oranges into deep indigo, and the silhouettes of trees and distant hills sliding past like cut-outs on a stage. When the dinner gong sounds, you make your way once more to the dining car for an unhurried evening meal, accompanied by carefully selected wines (where offered) and the gentle clink of glasses over conversation.

Later, as the train continues its northbound journey towards Zimbabwe, you return to your wood-panelled suite. Outside, only the rhythmic hush of the rails and the occasional distant light disturb the dark; inside, you can draw the curtains, settle into bed and fall asleep to the unique sensation of being carried across a continent in comfort and style. This is one of the purest pleasures of a Southern Africa rail adventure – a day devoted not to rushing from sight to sight, but to simply travelling, watching and absorbing the quiet drama of the landscape from your moving, gently rocking home. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, L, D)

By morning, Rovos Rail is deep in the heart of Zimbabwe, easing towards a little-used siding near Oreti. After breakfast on board, you step down onto the platform and meet your local guide for the drive through rural countryside to one of Africa’s most important archaeological treasures: the Great Zimbabwe Monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest ancient man-made structure in sub-Saharan Africa – often described as the greatest stone city south of the Egyptian pyramids.

As you approach the site, granite hills and miombo woodland give way to the first glimpses of dry-stone walls, rising from the landscape without mortar, their perfectly fitted blocks testifying to the engineering skill of the Shona-speaking civilisation that flourished here between the 11th and 15th centuries. Your guided tour begins with an introduction to the three main areas of the complex – the Hill Complex, the Great Enclosure and the Valley Ruins – and to the debates that once raged about who built this city, how it functioned and why it was eventually abandoned. Today, scholars recognise Great Zimbabwe as the centre of a powerful African kingdom that controlled regional trade routes and connected the interior to coastal ports on the Indian Ocean.

You might start by climbing gently up towards the Hill Complex, where narrow stone passages lead to terraces, platforms and ancient enclosures perched on the granite outcrop. From here, views stretch across the surrounding plains and down towards the Great Enclosure, giving you a sense of how strategically this royal citadel was placed. Your guide explains how the elite may have lived and ruled from this vantage point, surrounded by ritual spaces and spiritual symbolism, while traders, craftsmen and farmers occupied the valley below. The path up is rocky in places, but the reward is a sweeping panorama and a powerful feeling of stepping into a long-vanished world, where stone walls and boulders still hold echoes of ceremony and power.

Descending again, you walk towards the iconic Great Enclosure, perhaps the most famous image of Great Zimbabwe. Here, a soaring outer wall of meticulously shaped granite blocks, some sections rising over ten metres high, curves in a graceful ellipse around an inner tower and secondary walls. As you pass along the narrow, winding passageways, your guide points out the precision of the stonework, the mysterious conical tower whose exact purpose is still debated, and the way space may have been used for royal ceremonies or initiations. The sheer scale and elegance of the architecture – built without mortar, using only gravity and craftsmanship to hold the blocks in place – is quietly astonishing, especially when you consider that this city thrived centuries before Europeans arrived in the region.

You also explore parts of the Valley Ruins, where clusters of smaller stone enclosures and house foundations hint at a once-bustling urban landscape. Here, archaeologists have found beads, pottery and imported goods that tell of long-distance trade links stretching to the Swahili coast, the Middle East and beyond. Your guide may share stories about the famous Zimbabwe Birds – carved soapstone icons that became national symbols – and the way colonial-era myths sought to deny African authorship of Great Zimbabwe, before modern research restored the narrative to its true roots. Taken together, the hill, enclosure and valley tell a complex story of power, spirituality, commerce and creativity in precolonial southern Africa.

At some point during your visit you break for an included lunch near the site, with time to sit in the shade, sip a cold drink and reflect on the scale of the ruins and the civilisation that built them. Afterwards, there may be a short opportunity to browse a local craft market where artisans sell stone carvings, wooden sculptures and textiles inspired by the patterns and motifs of Great Zimbabwe. Then it’s time to return by road to Oreti, where your train awaits amid the quiet of the countryside.

Back on Rovos Rail, afternoon tea is served as you settle into the lounge or observation car and watch the historic hills recede into the distance. The train continues its journey across Zimbabwe, bound for your next overnight stop and the further adventures ahead at Antelope Park, Matobo, Hwange and Victoria Falls. As evening falls, you dress for another relaxed yet elegant dinner in the dining car, sharing impressions of the day’s discoveries: the scale of the walls, the fit of the stone, the sense of standing in a place that was once the thriving heart of a powerful African kingdom. Later, rocked gently by the motion of the carriages, you fall asleep with the knowledge that you have walked among some of the greatest stone ruins on the continent. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, L, D)

This morning your Rovos Rail journey pauses near one of Zimbabwe’s most talked-about private reserves: Antelope Park. After breakfast, you disembark and transfer by road to this long-established property, set on open grasslands and acacia woodland threaded with rivers and small lakes. The atmosphere here feels distinctly different from the great national parks you’ve visited or are heading towards; Antelope Park combines wildlife experiences with a strong focus on conservation and education, particularly around lion protection and broader ecosystem management.

On arrival, you are welcomed by the lodge team and given an orientation to the property and its conservation work. Antelope Park has been closely associated with the ALERT lion conservation programme, which has focused on the long-term protection of lions through research, monitoring, community engagement and awareness. During an introductory talk or guided activity, you learn about the challenges facing lion populations in Africa – habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, declining prey numbers and illegal trade – and how different conservation tools, from anti-poaching patrols to community projects, are used to help safeguard these apex predators and the ecosystems they shape. It’s a chance to engage with conservation from a practical, ground-level perspective and to ask questions about how responsible tourism can support positive outcomes for wildlife.

Beyond the core conservation story, Antelope Park offers a variety of optional activities (available at extra cost) that reveal different sides of the landscape. You might choose a gently paced wildlife drive in open vehicles, exploring the reserve’s open plains and riverine fringes in search of plains game such as zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, various antelope species and a rich birdlife. The slower, more intimate scale of a private reserve allows your guide to focus on behaviour, tracks and smaller details: browsing patterns, territorial markings, bird calls and the subtle interplay between species in this semi-wild setting. For those who enjoy a more active angle, there is often the option of a horseback wildlife experience, riding quietly among non-predatory game for a very different vantage point on the bush (typically suitable for confident riders only, with local safety guidance followed closely).

Water is a defining feature of the park’s character, and some guests opt for a canoeing excursion on the reserve’s waterways (optional at extra cost), gliding quietly along the surface as kingfishers flash past, herons stalk the shallows and the late-afternoon light paints the banks in gold. Alternatively, a relaxed birdwatching cruise (also optional) allows you to sit back and let the scenery drift by, binoculars in hand, as your guide helps you spot and identify species ranging from fish eagles and storks to bee-eaters and weavers. Whether you choose to stay largely on foot and in the lodge area, or add on one or two of these activities, the overall rhythm of the day is unhurried, with time built in for a sit-down lunch, quiet moments on the deck and conversation with staff about life and wildlife in this part of Zimbabwe.

Throughout your visit, there is a strong emphasis on responsible wildlife viewing and ethical practice. Your guides will advise on how close you can safely and respectfully get to animals, which activities are suitable for your interests and fitness level, and how your visit contributes to ongoing conservation and community work. It’s a thoughtful complement to your big-park experiences at Kruger and your upcoming safaris in Hwange, adding a more intimate and interpretive layer to your understanding of southern Africa’s wildlife story.

Later in the day, you say goodbye to Antelope Park and transfer back to Rovos Rail. Once aboard, you have time to freshen up in your suite before afternoon tea and departure. As the train pulls away, the open paddocks and reserve woodlands give way to the broader Zimbabwean countryside, with the line turning westwards towards Bulawayo, the country’s second city and gateway to the granite landscapes of Matobo. From the lounge or observation car, you can watch small settlements, fields and distant kopjes slide past as the sun dips lower in the sky. Evening brings another unhurried, multi-course dinner on board, the perfect setting to reflect on the day’s conservation insights and optional adventures before you retire to your cabin and let the gentle sway of the train carry you into the night. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, D)

By morning, Rovos Rail has drawn close to the granite highlands surrounding Bulawayo, gateway to one of Zimbabwe’s most atmospheric landscapes: Matobo (Matopos) National Park. After breakfast on board, you disembark and travel by road into this UNESCO-listed area of dramatic balancing rocks, rounded kopjes and hidden valleys. The closer you get, the more the scenery shifts: smooth, whale-backed domes of rock rising from the bush, precarious boulders poised as if they might roll at any moment, and scattered villages nestled between the hills. This is a place that has drawn people for millennia, both for its natural shelter and its spiritual power.

Your full-day tour begins among the park’s iconic granite outcrops, shaped over millions of years by wind and weather into fantastical forms. As you drive deeper into Matobo National Park, your guide points out towering rock stacks, narrow gullies and vast “whalebacks” of bare granite that seem to float above the surrounding trees. The light changes constantly, throwing sharp shadows in the morning, soft glows by afternoon, and the landscape feels both intimate and immense. Small antelope move between the boulders, lizards bask on warm stone, and raptors circle on thermals overhead – this area has one of the highest densities of eagles and birds of prey in Africa, a sign of the park’s ecological richness.

One of the day’s most poignant stops is the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, the controversial British imperialist whose legacy is deeply entwined with the region’s colonial history. Buried high on a rocky hill he named “World’s View”, Rhodes chose this spot for its sweeping panoramas over the Matobo Hills. A short but sometimes steep walk brings you up onto the summit, where enormous granite slabs form a natural platform and a simple stone marker indicates his burial place alongside other early colonial figures. Your guide explains the layered narratives around Rhodes – his role in shaping Southern Rhodesia (modern Zimbabwe), the impacts of his policies on local communities, and the ongoing debates about memory, heritage and reconciliation. Standing here, looking out across rolling waves of granite and bush that seem to stretch endlessly into the distance, you can feel why this location has long been considered a place of power by both local communities and later settlers.

Equally compelling, and much older, are the San (Bushmen) rock art sites hidden among the hills. Matobo is one of southern Africa’s richest regions for ancient rock paintings, and during your visit you typically walk into at least one sheltered cave or overhang to see these delicate images up close. A short trail leads through the granite and scrub to a natural rock shelter, where your eyes gradually adjust to pick out ochre and white figures on the stone: hunters with bows and arrows, herds of antelope, stylised humans in dance or trance, and sometimes more abstract shapes whose meanings are still being interpreted. Your guide explains how these paintings may have been linked to spiritual practices, storytelling and everyday life, and how they have survived for thousands of years thanks to the protection of the rock and the dry climate. It’s a humbling experience, realising that you are standing where ancient artists once stood, painting by firelight in a world both very different and strangely familiar to our own.

In between site visits, there is time to simply enjoy the quiet beauty of Matobo. You may stop at a picnic area or simple lodge viewpoint for an included lunch, eating in the shade while you look out over a valley dotted with granite boulders and cluster of trees. Rock hyraxes – the small, rabbit-sized relatives of elephants – often scamper across the rocks nearby, and you might spot klipspringer antelope standing motionless on impossibly narrow ledges. Your guide can also share stories about local Ndebele and Shona traditions, the role of sacred sites in the hills and the way these landscapes have witnessed both historic conflict and ongoing spiritual practice. In some areas, this is also white rhino country, and while sightings cannot be guaranteed, they add an extra sense of anticipation to drives through the park’s lower-lying zones (exact wildlife routes may vary and are often part of separate specialist tracking excursions).

As the afternoon progresses, the light in Matobo softens and the rocks take on warm, honeyed tones. You begin the drive back towards Bulawayo, leaving behind the granite labyrinth with a sense of having glimpsed several layers of Zimbabwe’s story at once: deep-time geology, ancient San culture, colonial ambition and modern nationhood. On reaching the station, you rejoin Rovos Rail, where tea, cold drinks and time to freshen up await. Soon after, the train departs once more, heading north-west towards Kennedy – your next stepping stone en route to Hwange National Park and the wildlife-rich plains that lie ahead.

As the sun sets, you make your way to the dining car for another multi-course dinner on board. The conversation often turns to the images of the day: the enormous rock dome at World’s View, the fine lines of antelope etched on cave walls, the sweeping vistas that seem to hold centuries of memory. Later, back in your suite, the gentle sway of the train and the occasional distant call of the African night lull you to sleep, carrying you onward across Zimbabwe towards the next chapter of your Southern Africa rail adventure. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, L, D)

Today you venture into one of Africa’s great wildlife strongholds: Hwange National Park, the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe and renowned for its prolific elephant, lion and wild dog populations. After an early breakfast on Rovos Rail, you disembark near the park’s boundary and board open 4x4 safari vehicles. The morning air is cool, the sky a pale wash of colour, and there is an immediate sense of anticipation: out here, every track in the sand and every distant call could signal an encounter with some of Africa’s most iconic species.

Your full-day game drive takes you deep into Hwange’s mosaic of open grasslands, teak and acacia woodland, mopane scrub and natural waterholes known as pans. With an experienced guide at the wheel, you bump along sandy tracks and skirt the edges of broad plains where antelopes, zebras and giraffes graze, always alert for predators. Hwange is especially famous for its huge herds of elephants, and it’s not uncommon to see family groups emerging silently from the trees, calves tucked close to their mothers, or to watch them gather in large numbers around pans to drink, bathe and socialise. The low rumble of their communication, the clash of tusks between young bulls, and the sight of an old matriarch leading her clan are memories that linger long after you leave.

As the drive continues, your guide scans the terrain for signs of lion and other predators. Fresh paw prints etched into the sand, alarm calls from impala, or vultures circling overhead can all point towards recent activity. You may find a pride sprawled in the shade after a night’s hunt, cubs tumbling over one another while lionesses doze, or a male lion patrolling his territory along the edge of the road. Hwange also offers a real chance of encountering African wild dogs, one of the continent’s most endangered carnivores. If you are lucky enough to find a pack, you’ll see how they move with fluid coordination, trotting in loose formation along the tracks or resting in the cover of bushes, always aware, always alert. Alongside these headline species, the park supports buffalo, spotted hyena, cheetah, sable and roan antelope, kudu, wildebeest and an impressive variety of birds, from lilac-breasted rollers to martial eagles and kori bustards.

Mid-morning, you pause at a viewpoint or picnic site to stretch your legs, enjoy refreshments and take in the silence broken only by birdsong and the rustle of the wind. Your guide uses this time to share insight into Hwange’s conservation story: how artificial waterholes (pumped pans) help sustain wildlife through the dry season, the work of rangers in anti-poaching patrols, and the delicate balance between supporting large elephant populations and protecting vegetation for other species. As you drive on, you’ll notice how life clusters around the pans – herds waiting their turn to drink, elephants splashing, birds flocking to the shoreline – and how the rhythm of the bush is dictated by access to water, especially in the drier months of the year.

Lunch is usually taken in the bush (as a picnic) or at a simple lodge or camp inside or near the park, depending on the day’s arrangements. Sitting under a spreading tree or on a shaded terrace, you can eat as you look out over a waterhole or open plain, watching wildlife come and go while you pause. This mid-day break is a chance to absorb the setting at a slower pace, to ask questions about behaviour and ecology, or simply to savour the feeling of being in the middle of one of southern Africa’s classic safari landscapes, far from cities and main roads. As the heat builds, predators often retreat to deeper shade, but herbivores continue to move and feed, giving you ample opportunity to spot species you might have missed earlier in the morning.

In the afternoon, as the sun begins to dip and the light softens into gold, you set off again for another loop through the park. This is often one of the best times of day for photography and sightings: elephants silhouetted against the sky, giraffes feeding from treetops, hippos yawning in sunlit pools, and perhaps a lion pride stirring from its daytime rest as the temperature drops. The scent of dust and dry grass hangs in the air, bird calls change as daytime species quieten and nocturnal ones begin to stir, and you may find yourself pausing at a pan simply to watch the elephant-herds and other animals gathering at dusk, the surface of the water reflecting pastel skies. If conditions and regulations permit, your guide might linger just long enough to see the first stars appear before heading back towards the park boundary.

By late afternoon or early evening, you leave the park and return to Rovos Rail, your head full of images and your camera card likely overflowing with Hwange safari moments. Back on board, you have time to freshen up before afternoon tea and cocktails in the lounge or observation car. As the train prepares for its onward journey, you can watch the last light fade over the bush, the silhouettes of trees and distant hills merging into the dark as the first village lights blink into view. Dinner is served in the dining car, another multi-course meal accompanied by carefully chosen wines (where offered) and the gentle movement of the train. Conversations at neighbouring tables often turn to the day’s sightings: the size of the elephant herds, the intensity of a lion’s gaze, the thrill of watching wild dogs on the move. Later, you retire to your suite, falling asleep to the steady rhythm of the rails and the lingering sense of having spent a day in one of Africa’s truly remarkable wildlife sanctuaries. Overnight on Rovos Rail. (Meals: B, L, D)

This morning your Rovos Rail adventure reaches one of Africa’s most iconic landmarks: Victoria Falls, known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, “The Smoke That Thunders”. After breakfast on board, the train eases into the charming Victoria Falls Station, a heritage building with sweeping views towards the spray rising above the trees. Here you disembark, say a fond farewell to the train crew and meet your local guide for the short transfer to your hotel and the start of your Victoria Falls experience.

Your first introduction to Victoria Falls is a guided walking tour through the rain-forest fringe that clings to the cliff edge opposite the cataract. As you follow the stone path, the sound builds from a distant rumble to a deep, constant roar, like distant surf magnified. The air turns cooler and more humid, mist drifting across the trail and beading on your skin. At each viewpoint the forest opens onto a new angle: Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Horseshoe and Rainbow Falls cascading in vast white curtains into the narrow gorge below. In high-water season the view is a blur of spray and rainbows; in lower-water months you can see individual rock ledges and separate veils of water dropping into the chasm. Your guide explains how the Zambezi River has carved its way through a series of fault lines, leaving today’s falls as just one in a chain of ancient gorges.

Along the way you pause for photos and simply to absorb the scale of it all: water thundering over a 1.7km-wide lip, spray rising like smoke into the sky, and the ever-present growl of the falls echoing around the basalt walls. Between viewpoints, the rain-forest microclimate feels almost otherworldly — dripping ferns, mossy trunks, towering palms and the flash of birds moving between branches. Your guide shares stories of early explorers, local beliefs surrounding Mosi-oa-Tunya and the seasonal rhythms of the river, helping you understand why Victoria Falls has long been considered one of the great natural wonders on any Southern Africa holiday.

After your tour of the falls, you transfer to your base in town, the welcoming Ilala Lodge Hotel (or similar). Set within walking distance of the falls entrance and railway station, this landmark lodge offers leafy gardens, a pool and a calm, colonial-style ambience that feels like a natural continuation of your rail journey. You check in, drop your bags and have some free time to relax: perhaps a quiet drink on the terrace, a swim to wash away the day’s heat or a gentle stroll around the grounds, where warthogs sometimes graze on the lawns and the distant sound of the falls drifts across on the breeze.

In the late afternoon, you are collected for one of the most atmospheric experiences of any Victoria Falls holiday: a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. You board a comfortable riverboat and ease out onto the wide, dark ribbon of the upper Zambezi, where islands and channels break the current into smooth glides and gentle ripples. With a drink in hand and snacks served on board, you drift along as the sun sinks lower, the light softening to amber and gold. Keep an eye out for hippos surfacing with snorts and grunts, crocodiles basking on sandy banks and elephants coming down to the water to drink or cross between islands. Birdlife is prolific: fish eagles calling from high branches, kingfishers darting over the water and herons, egrets and storks working the shallows in the long evening light.

As the sun finally dips, the sky often flares in shades of orange, pink and deepening purple, silhouetting the trees along the banks and reflecting in ripples on the river’s surface. It’s a serene, contemplative counterpoint to the daytime drama of the falls: the same great river, but here broad and unhurried, drifting towards the lip of the gorge some kilometres downstream. After the cruise, you return to Ilala Lodge Hotel, where the evening is yours to unwind — perhaps with dinner at the hotel’s restaurant or at one of the nearby eateries in town (meals at leisure unless otherwise pre-arranged).

You spend the night at Ilala Lodge Hotel, falling asleep to the distant rumble of Victoria Falls and the knowledge that you are now at the dramatic finale of your Southern Africa rail and safari journey. (Meals: B)

Today is deliberately unhurried: a full free day in Victoria Falls to shape exactly as you wish. After breakfast at Ilala Lodge Hotel, the day stretches ahead with no fixed schedule, giving you the chance to revisit your favourite viewpoints, relax by the pool, shop for local crafts or add in one of the area’s optional activities at extra cost. Whether you lean towards soft adventure, gentle exploration or pure downtime, this is your opportunity to make the most of your time at Mosi-oa-Tunya – the Smoke That Thunders.

If you choose the scenic helicopter flight (optional), you’ll transfer to the helipad, where safety checks and a short briefing precede boarding. Once airborne, the view is nothing short of spectacular: the broad, placid Zambezi River winding through islands and channels, then suddenly dropping in a dramatic, foaming line into the narrow chasm of the Victoria Falls gorge. From this vantage point, you can fully appreciate the falls’ 1.7km width, the plume of spray rising like white smoke into the sky and the way the river twists through successive gorges downstream. Cameras work overtime here; every banking turn reveals a fresh angle on one of the world’s most famous waterfalls. After landing, you return to the lodge or continue with more exploring, your sense of scale forever changed by the aerial perspective.

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace. You might stroll into town to browse local craft markets where artisans sell hand-carved wooden animals, stone sculptures, textiles and beadwork. Many travellers like to pick up a carving or soapstone piece inspired by wildlife or the falls themselves, a tangible reminder of their Southern Africa journey. Alternatively, you could return independently to the falls viewpoints for a second visit (entry fees at extra cost), perhaps at a different time of day to capture new light and rainbows, or simply to stand once more in the cool spray and feel the thunder of the water under your feet.

If you prefer a slower rhythm, Ilala Lodge Hotel is an easy place to linger. You can stretch out on a lounger by the pool with a book, listen to the distant roar of the falls and the calls of hornbills in the trees, and watch for warthogs and other small wildlife grazing on the lawns. The terrace bar is ideal for a lazy drink, perhaps a gin and tonic or a chilled local beer, sipped as you reflect on earlier parts of your trip – from Kruger and Kapama to Great Zimbabwe, Matobo and Hwange. This is a day to let it all sink in, to scroll through photos, write postcards or capture impressions in a journal while they are still fresh.

As evening approaches, you might choose a relaxed dinner at the lodge’s restaurant or head out to one of the nearby eateries in Victoria Falls town (meals today are at leisure unless pre-arranged). Night falls quickly in this part of Africa, and with it comes the familiar chorus of crickets and frogs, the occasional distant rumble of water from the gorge and the quiet murmur of travellers swapping stories under the stars. You return to your room at Ilala Lodge Hotel for a final night in Victoria Falls, savouring the last full day of your Southern Africa rail, safari & Victoria Falls holiday. (Meals: B)

Your final morning in Victoria Falls arrives with the now-familiar soundtrack of birdsong in the gardens and the distant rumble of Mosi-oa-Tunya in the background. After breakfast at Ilala Lodge Hotel, there is usually a little time for a last walk around the grounds, a final browse in the hotel shop or one more quiet moment on the terrace as you take in the warm air and the sight of the spray rising above the treeline. It is the gentle closing chapter to a journey that has taken you from South Africa’s highveld and bushveld through Mozambique’s coast, Eswatini’s hills, Zimbabwe’s stone ruins, wildlife reserves and, finally, to the edge of the great Zambezi gorge.

At the appointed time, you meet your driver in the hotel lobby for your airport transfer. The drive to Victoria Falls Airport offers a last look at the region’s landscapes: broad skies, tree-dotted bush, glimpses of local homesteads and the occasional warthog grazing by the roadside. On arrival, you check in for your flight to Johannesburg, clear formalities and perhaps have a few minutes to pick up final souvenirs or snacks before boarding. As the plane lifts off, there’s one last chance to look down on the Zambezi and surrounding bushland, retracing in your mind the route you&rsquove travelled by train, 4x4 and riverboat over the past days.

Landing in Johannesburg, you follow the signs for international departures and connect through to your overnight flight back to the NEW YORK (or onward destination, as booked). Once on board and settled into your seat, the scenes of your journey replay like a private highlights reel: elephants clustered at Hwange’s pans, granite domes in Matobo, the stone walls of Great Zimbabwe, the glow of sunset over the Zambezi, the sleek lines of Rovos Rail curving through the bush, and the mist and roar of Victoria Falls. Somewhere over the African continent, dinner is served, cabin lights dim and you drift into sleep, carried north through the night.

By the time your aircraft descends towards home, you arrive with not just a list of destinations visited, but a collection of Southern Africa travel memories: the feel of warm air on a dawn game drive, the clink of glasses in the observation car, the scent of dust after rain, and the echo of lions in the dark distance. Your rail, safari & Victoria Falls holiday may be over, but its stories and images will stay with you long after your bags are unpacked. (Meals: B) – Overnight flight)