South Africa|Safaris in South Africa
Southern Cross Rail Journey
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Fast Facts
Travelling to:
Pretoria, Soweto, Pilgrim's Rest, Kruger National Park, eSwatini, Kapama Private Game Reserve, the Great Zimbabwe Monument, Antelope Park, Matopos National Park, Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls
duration:
16 Days - 17 Nights
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An impressive and panoramic journey through the countries of South Africa, eSwatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe aboard the Shongololo Express train.
You start your sojourn in Pretoria with a guided tour of Soweto & Pretoria before the trains departs for the stunning Panorama route and Kruger National Park for game drives before heading south east to the capital of Mozambique. Maputo is a city of contrasts offering an exciting mix of cultures.
A new morning brings you to the tiny Kingdom of eSwatini (Swaziland). Travelling north back into South Africa and the Limpopo Province where the off-train excursions gives you more game viewing and a visit to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre before you cross the border in Zimbabwe and visits to The Great Zimbabwe monument, Antelope Park, Matopos National Park to visit the grave of Cecil John Rhodes. You wind northwards to one of Zimbabwe’s best national parks – Hwange for a full day game viewing before your journeys end at the magnificent Victoria Falls.
Outline Itinerary
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Day 1 - Travelling
Take your flight.
Day 2 - Pretoria
Staying at: Castello Di Monte
Met on arrival – you will be taken to Pretoria – South Africa’s administrative capital. Check into the hotel and remainder of the day at leisure.
The cosmopolitan city of Pretoria, also known as ‘Tshwane’, is situated in the province of Gauteng and functions as one of three capitals of South Africa. Pretoria has been dubbed ‘The Jacaranda City’, which is owed to the annual bloom of magnificent purple blossom trees that adorn the wide avenues of the city. Discover several historic monuments, fine government buildings, and fascinating museums, and explore several interesting cultural sites. The Transvaal Museum is a natural history museum showcasing an ancient dinosaur fossil found at the nearby Cradle of Humankind; the Pretoria Botanical Gardens offers visitors a glimpse of different biomes, and the Voortrekker Monument is a famous National Heritage Site. Don’t miss the nearby Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary as well as the beautiful Wonderboom and Groenkloof Nature Reserves.
Day 3 - Shongololo Express
Early depart this morning for the station. Once checked in you will enjoy a full day guided tour of Soweto. Soweto houses one-million people and was made famous by the Apartheid laws. Pass the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (the largest hospital in the Southern Hemisphere) and the only street in Africa that once housed two Nobel Peace laureates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Visit the Hector Petersen Memorial, named after one of the first students to be killed in the 1976 uprising against the Apartheid government. Spend the afternoon in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, visiting the Union Buildings. Designed by the famous colonial English architect, Sir Herbert Baker, and completed in 1913, the Union Buildings house the offices of the President and Ministers. Before leaving the capital behind visit the Voortrekker Monument that commemorates the ‘Great Trek’ of the 1830s.
Day 4 - Shongololo Express
Full-day tour of historical areas Pilgrim’s Rest, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and Graskop with lunch. The Graskop viewing lift takes visitors 51m down the face of the gorge into the forest below where wooden walkways and suspension bridges meander along a 600m trail through the indigenous forest with an interactive exhibit. Pilgrim’s Rest is a living museum and declared a National Monument. Gold was discovered in this area in 1873 attracting 1500 prospectors. Today many of the restored miner’s houses serve as shops and restaurants. Bourke’s Luck Potholes are strange deep cylindrical cavities formed by river erosion and floodwater. Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve has the most spectacular viewpoints overlooking South Africa’s Lowveld, so-named because it is much lower than the high escarpment along which the Panorama Route runs
Day 5 - Shongololo Express
Early rise this morning as you disembark the train for game drives in the famous Kruger National Park, home to an astonishing array of different animals, plant species and the Big Five. Evening departure overnight to Mozambique.
Day 6 - Shongololo Express
Today you explore the capital city of Maputo. Its architecture is a blend of African, Portuguese and early Colonial traditions with old Catholic churches side-by-side with mosques, fortresses, Victorian mansions and other buildings from a bygone era.
Day 7 - Shongololo Express
An overnight journey brings you to eSwatini (formerly Swaziland). This tiny landlocked country borders South Africa and Mozambique nand is laregely mountainous. You will be taken to Swazi Candles where you interact with the artisans as they make a variety of candles. Woodcarvings, colourful textiles and superb basketwork are also on display. Mantenga Cultural Village, a living museum of old traditions representing a classical Swazi lifestyle during the 1800s. With the traditional artifacts on display, the village illustrates many facets of the ancient Swazi way of life: social, economic and religious. Mantenga Lodge is nestled in the mountains overlooking ‘Execution Rock’ and is an interesting lunch stop before returning to the train for its afternoon departure.
Day 8 - Shongololo Express
Day Itinerary
Early morning again as you are taken on a game drive in a private game reserve. Situated in South Africa’s northernmost province of Limpopo, renowned for its prolific and diverse wildlife, Kapama Private Game Reserve is home to over 40 different mammal species including the Big Five, approximately 350 bird species and a myriad smaller species. The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre is a unique African wildlife facility focusing on conservation and the sustainability of rare, vulnerable and threatened species. Return to the train and an afternoon departure northwards again.
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Day 9 - Shongololo Express
Day on board the train travelling to Oreti in Zimbabwe. Clear customs and immigration at Beitbridge enroute and sit back and enjoy the everchanging landscape as your relax onboard.
Day 10 - Shongololo Express
Transfer this morning after breakfast to the Great Zimbabwe Monument for a tour with lunch. Travel through attractive granite hill country to the monument, a hugely impressive monument situated on the south eastern edge of the central plateau and the largest precolonial monument south of the Egyptian pyramids. A celebrated achievement of the African people and a place where magical fables such as the story of King Solomon’s Mines find their origins amongst the ruins of an ancient city built by the Rozwi people. Discover how these ancient people lived and mined gold and silver, which were ultimately taken out of Africa by Arabic and Portuguese traders.
Day 11 - Shongololo Express
Another morning – another new destination Antelope Park. Set in over 3000 acres of open savannah grassland, Antelope Park is a unique game reserve and a haven of tranquillity welcoming guests and volunteer eco-tourists alike. It is home to the world-famous African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (ALERT) lion rehabilitation programme, which is a multiphase lion conservation initiative. It is Africa’s first genuine programme working to ethically re-introduce the offspring of captive-bred African lions back into the wild.
Day 12 - Shongololo Express
Full-day tour of Matopos National Park with lunch. Visit the grave of Cecil John Rhodes as well as bushmen caves before returning to the train late afternoon.
Day 13 - Shongololo Express
Early rise this morning as another highlight awaits you. Hwange National Park covers 1 462 000 hectares making it the nation’s largest wildlife area. It contains a variety of animals and bird species but is well-known for its prolific lion population. Spend the day game viewing (with a packed lunch) before returning to your train for your last night aboard the train.
Day 14 - Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Staying at: Victoria Falls Hotel
Mid-morning arrival into Victoria Falls station where you disembark across the lawn from the Victoria Falls Hotel You will be taken for a guided visit to the breath-taking Victoria Falls (with lunch included). Time to check in for the next 2 nights at the Victoria Falls Hotel before you are taken to the rivers edge for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River.
Victoria Falls is one of the world’s most impressive waterfalls. It is set on the magnificent Zambezi River which creates the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. These spectacular falls can be easily visited and viewed from the Zimbabwean side. Considered to be the world’s widest waterfalls, Victoria Falls measures an impressive 1708 metres in width. The small town of Victoria Falls, which lies adjacent to the waterfalls, serves as a great base from which to explore the many attractions this area of Zimbabwe has to offer. The surrounding area provides a wide range of adrenalin-filled activities for adventure lovers. Visitors can look forward to an array of wonderful activities including: scenic flights, micro lighting, white water rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking, and once-in-a-lifetime expeditions into the incredible Chobe National Park.
Day 15 - Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Staying at: Victoria Falls Hotel
Full day of independent exploration – perhaps take some of the adrenaline filled activities which includes bungee jumping, bridge swings, river rafting, helicopter or microlight flights over the top of the falls to appreciate its 1-mile wall of water
Day 16 - Overnight Travel
Check out today, you are driven to Victoria Falls airport in time to check in for the indirect flights (via Johannesburg) overnight to the UK
Day 17 - End of Itinerary
Arrive back into the UK.