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Explore Africa: Victoria Falls to Pretoria13-Day Journey from Victoria Falls to Pretoria
Explore Africa: Victoria Falls to PretoriaWatch the wilderness roll by from your private train. Through Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland, cross epic landscapes in
the comfort of your private train.
Settle into the rhythm of railroad life, as you tour four countries, and join extended wildlife safaris, over thirteendays on a train trip from Victoria Falls to Pretoria. The African Explorer train offers a range of options for you to travel with ease. No need to keep repackingsuitcases, or worry about navigating inland flights or coach connections. Instead, enjoy dinner in the dining car, as your private train softly powers through the night to bring you to yournext destination. Awake refreshed, have breakfast, and enjoy the freedom of your next adventure, knowing thatyour hotel on wheels securely awaits your return at the end of another incredible day.Straightforward and simple exploration. This is pure traveling pleasure.
What Makes Your Journey Unique
• Four epic countries in one trip—South Africa, Swaziland,Mozambique and Zimbabwe—explored with unbeatable ease byprivate train. Some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth• The sensational, thundering power of Victoria Falls, one of thelargest waterfalls in the world• Two safaris, including an exhilarating night safari, in both Krugerand Hwange National Parks.• Watch leopards, elephants, hippos, lions, crocodiles, zebra andgiraffe roam in their natural habitats• Get up close to cheetahs and rare African wild dogs at theHoedspruit Endangered Species Centre• An epic ride along the Drakensberg escarpment and the BlydeRiver Canyon
Dates
• 22 Aug 18 - 03 Sep 18 (13 days)
Info and Booking
Jakob RastetterE-Mail: [email protected]
Itinerary
Day 1, Arrival at ZambeziStand on your private balcony, gazing at ripples on a watering hole fringed by pink earth and green brush.Moments ago, you were on a plane, landing in Victoria Falls Airport. Now, a short ride later, you’re in theuntouched wilderness of the Zambezi National Park. This afternoon, take a boat along the wide Zambezi River,where elephants drink and hippos swim. As night closes in, sit around a flickering fire under the stars to eat braai,a traditional barbecue in southern Africa. What a welcome to Zimbabwe.
Overnight: Victoria Safari Lodge (or similar). Meals included: dinner (D)
Day 2, Victoria FallsGigantic plumes of spray, shimmering light, and the relentless roar of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.You’re standing over the largest waterfall on Earth, Victoria Falls, also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or the Smokethat Thunders. In the long afternoon shadows, you step into the wood-paneled comfort and old-world charm ofyour private train, the African Explorer. Night approaches, and your car rolls south into Africa’s largest gamereserve.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast (B) and dinner (D)
Day 3, Hwange National Park As the sun rises over the savannah, you drive deep into the park and have breakfast at a water hole. Gazing intothe wilderness with the dawn light spreading through the scrub, you seek out elephants, giraffes, lions andantelopes. Then it’s time for an optional lunch in a safari lodge, and the chance to explore Africa’s largest gamereserve in an open vehicle with a professional ranger. After a full day of experiencing the natural beauty of Africa,you retreat to the comfort of your private train. Next stop: Bulawayo.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast (B) and dinner (D)
Day 4, Matobo National ParkUnder a bright morning sun, you visit Matobo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. From a distance,natural granite sculptures crown its rolling hills, each crafted by the elements over two billion years. Up-close, yousee man-made art nestling among the monoliths—intricate rock paintings, thousands of years old. You stop at thegrave of Cecil Rhodes to take in the view. A spectacular vista across a stunning landscape. In the afternoon, youtake a tour of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city, and choose whether to visit the extraordinary collectionsof its Natural History Museum or the relics in the Railroad Museum, including the personal rail car of Rhodeshimself. Back on the African Explorer, you enjoy dinner and set off on your journey south.
Overnight on board. (BD)
Day 5, Great ZimbabweVast ruins loom above the forest trees. Walls 36-feet (11 meters) high surround you, built from thousands ofinterlocking granite blocks. These are the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest pre-colonial monument southof the Sahara, and the city that gave modern Zimbabwe its name.
Overnight on board. (BD)
Dates
• 22 Aug 18 - 03 Sep 18 (13 days)
Info and Booking
Jakob RastetterE-Mail: [email protected]
Itinerary
Day 1, Arrival at ZambeziStand on your private balcony, gazing at ripples on a watering hole fringed by pink earth and green brush.Moments ago, you were on a plane, landing in Victoria Falls Airport. Now, a short ride later, you’re in theuntouched wilderness of the Zambezi National Park. This afternoon, take a boat along the wide Zambezi River,where elephants drink and hippos swim. As night closes in, sit around a flickering fire under the stars to eat braai,a traditional barbecue in southern Africa. What a welcome to Zimbabwe.
Overnight: Victoria Safari Lodge (or similar). Meals included: dinner (D)
Day 2, Victoria FallsGigantic plumes of spray, shimmering light, and the relentless roar of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.You’re standing over the largest waterfall on Earth, Victoria Falls, also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or the Smokethat Thunders. In the long afternoon shadows, you step into the wood-paneled comfort and old-world charm ofyour private train, the African Explorer. Night approaches, and your car rolls south into Africa’s largest gamereserve.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast (B) and dinner (D)
Day 3, Hwange National Park As the sun rises over the savannah, you drive deep into the park and have breakfast at a water hole. Gazing intothe wilderness with the dawn light spreading through the scrub, you seek out elephants, giraffes, lions andantelopes. Then it’s time for an optional lunch in a safari lodge, and the chance to explore Africa’s largest gamereserve in an open vehicle with a professional ranger. After a full day of experiencing the natural beauty of Africa,you retreat to the comfort of your private train. Next stop: Bulawayo.
Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast (B) and dinner (D)
Day 4, Matobo National ParkUnder a bright morning sun, you visit Matobo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. From a distance,natural granite sculptures crown its rolling hills, each crafted by the elements over two billion years. Up-close, yousee man-made art nestling among the monoliths—intricate rock paintings, thousands of years old. You stop at thegrave of Cecil Rhodes to take in the view. A spectacular vista across a stunning landscape. In the afternoon, youtake a tour of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city, and choose whether to visit the extraordinary collectionsof its Natural History Museum or the relics in the Railroad Museum, including the personal rail car of Rhodeshimself. Back on the African Explorer, you enjoy dinner and set off on your journey south.
Overnight on board. (BD)
Day 5, Great ZimbabweVast ruins loom above the forest trees. Walls 36-feet (11 meters) high surround you, built from thousands ofinterlocking granite blocks. These are the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest pre-colonial monument southof the Sahara, and the city that gave modern Zimbabwe its name.
Overnight on board. (BD)
Day 6, Across the Limpopo by TrainBeneath you, the steady beat of the wheels, while outside the train window, wild landscapes scroll by. Anunending visual feast as your private train winds through the red rock mountains and emerald forests of theSoutpansberg range. It’s a day to relax to the rhythm of the railroad, before crossing the wide, churning waters ofthe Limpopo River at the border town of Breitbridge. You’ve arrived in South Africa. Welcome!
(BLD)
Day 7, Meeting Cheetahs and the Big FiveLook out at vast herds of antelope, grazing on the plains of the 13,000 hectare private Kapama Game Reserve.All of Africa’s Big Five live here, including leopards, elephants and rhino, and you watch them on your morning’ssafari through the park. Later, touch cheetahs and rare African wild dogs at the Hoedspruit Endangered SpeciesCentre, where animals are prepared for their release into the wild.
Overnight on board. (BLD)
Day 8, The Drakensberg MountainsA bus takes you along the legendary Drakensberg escarpment, taking a panoramic route through the mountainrange. Look down and see the sheer drop through the forest, leveling into the green plains of the Lowveld 3,000feet below. More exquisite natural beauty awaits at the Blyde River Canyon, where gentle slopes curve aroundtowering rock formations. As the sun sets, you relax with a cold drink on the terrace of a safari lodge in KrugerNational Park, and watch elephants, hippos and crocodiles interact on the banks of Crocodile River. The lodge isyour accommodation for the night and you’re traveling light, your luggage securely stowed aboard the AfricanExplorer. As night falls, climb into an open Jeep for a thrilling night safari before enjoying a bush dinner under theAfrican night skies. A day that will leave you exhilarated just at the memory.
Overnight: Pestana Kruger Lodge (or similar). (BLD)
Day 9, On Safari in Kruger National ParkA full day to explore one of the world’s largest game reserves. Board your bus and head out into the wild, wherezebra and giraffe roam and lion prides rest from the night’s adventures. In the afternoon, return to the AfricanExplorer and the comfort of your compartment. Under the warm red glow of a setting sun, you continue on toMozambique.
Overnight on board. (BLD)
Day 10, Maputo and the Shores of the Indian OceanOvernight, you cross a border, and when morning arrives, you awake at Maputo railroad station, a domed,century-old masterpiece of elegant wrought iron. Welcome to the capital of Mozambique. On a tour of this singularcity, with its mix of crumbling colonial Portuguese buildings and socialist apartment blocks, you take in the trulyunique architecture of the Catholic Cathedral and the Casa do Ferro. After visiting tranquil botanical gardens,energetic markets, national landmarks, and enjoying a fresh lunch on a palm-lined beach, you return to the stationand your train.
Overnight on board. (BLD)
Day 11, The Kingdom of Swaziland In an air-conditioned bus, you enter the tiny kingdom of Swaziland. After witnessing the gentle, green, pastoralbeauty of the Ezulwini valley, you tour the capital Mbabane and the small town Piggs Peak. You browsehand-carved wooden artefacts and fine raffia items at the markets. As shadows lengthen into the late afternoon,your train journeys into South Africa, where your private train awaits. Time for a last dinner in the dining car, andyour last night on board, as the African Explorer carries you to Pretoria where your train journey comes to an end.
Overnight on board. (BD)
Day 12, PretoriaIn the glorious gardens of the Union Buildings, you look up at the magnificent symmetry of South Africa’sparliament. Before it, arms outstretched, stands a huge statue of a smiling Nelson Mandela. You feel a strongsense of how far the country has come. In the charming green gardens of your lodge, you relax and prepare foryour last evening in Africa. Then, a farewell dinner, and a chance to reminisce with your companions,remembering spectacular scenery and the wildlife you’ve seen.
Overnight: Misty Hills Lodge (or similar). (BLD)
Day 13, Au revoir, AfricaA transfer takes you to the airport. Memories of Africa, the people, their history, the wilderness and the wildlife willstay with you forever.
(B)
Highlights of Your Journey
• Visit UNESCO World Heritage Site Matobo National Park, including the grave of Cecil Rhodes• Explore dramatic landscapes by rail: the Highveld plateau, the subtropical Lowveld, the Drakensberg mountains,the savannah, and Hwange National Park• Discover Pretoria, South Africa’s historic capital, with its grand, monumental buildings and purple-floweredjacaranda trees
Rates Include
• 9 nights aboard the private African Explorer train in the category booked• 1 night at a safari lodge at Victoria Falls• 1 night at a safari lodge near the entrance to Kruger National Park• 1 night at a charming lodge in Pretoria• Multilingual tour director guiding you from Victoria Falls to Pretoria• English-speaking tour guide for up to 23 guests from Victoria Falls to Pretoria• Onboard doctor• All meals as per itinerary (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)• All excursions and sightseeing including admission fees• Excursions and transfers in air-conditioned buses• Porter service to and from Victoria Falls and Pretoria airports
Not Included
• International flights• Visa fees• Gratuities
Entry Requirements
• Passport and visa are required. Please check with your local embassy• Depending on your country of origin, you may require vaccinations. Malaria tablets are recommended. Pleaseconsult your doctor
Dates and Prices
22 Aug 18 - 03 Sep 18Elephant 6,120 US-$ Bookable
3,080 US-$ Single use supplementLeopard 7,990 US-$ Bookable
Price and availability as of: 2018-01-31
