Luxury & Heritage: Discover South Africa Tour by Train

Camps bay beach in Cape Town, South Africa

What to expect on this itinerary

Traversing iconic landscapes on journeys of old-world elegance, the luxury Blue Train offers a window into the soul of Africa. Across dramatic mountain ranges to arid desert, through colonial relics to big-game dominated savannah, two indulgent train journeys reveal the splendor of a land untouched by time. Travel is about the journey, yet when you disembark, the destinations also provide dreamy African experiences: Cape Town, Nelson Mandela's Soweto, and Kruger National Park.

Countries Visited

South Africa

Places Visited

Cape Town, Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Matjiesfontein, Pretoria, Soweto, Hoedspruit, Kruger National Park, MalaMala Game Reserve

Suggested Duration

11 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Cape Town – The Charms of the Coast

Land in the city and you immediately explore nature, Table Mountain dominating the skyline and endless waters flanking luxurious coastal areas. Two oceans collide here; the sun sets evocatively over the frothy Atlantic waves while lush blue Indian waters flow behind the vertical peak of Table Mountain. One glance at the landscape provides a beautiful introduction to the country you will be exploring over the next 11 days. After the airport meet and greet, you're transferred to the five-star Cape Grace, located on a private quay between the harbor and the V & A Waterfront. A large pedestrianized area provides easy exploration on this first day, leading you to boutique markets, excellent seafood restaurants, and a variety of historical sights.

What's Included:

Accommodation
Transfer
Day 2

Cape Town – Table Mountain and the History of Robben Island

Day 3

Cape Town – Exploring the Vineyards of the Cape Winelands

Day 4 - 5

Blue Train – Luxury Blue Train Across South Africa

Day 6

Blue Train – Apartheid Museum and Nobel Prize Soweto

Day 7 - 8

Blue Train – Luxury Train From City to Big-Game Wilderness

Day 9 - 10

MalaMala Game Reserve – Exclusive Big-Game African Safari

Day 11

MalaMala Game Reserve to Johannesburg – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Gaze through the window to the soul of South Africa and admire the country from the luxury of the Blue Train
  • Traverse the dramatic landscapes of South Africa on the iconic train journey from Cape Town to Pretoria, then on a new rail route from Pretoria to Kruger National Park
  • Travel in the majesty of centuries past, with elegant dinners, high tea, and decadent old-world fittings
  • Explore an evocative history with tours of Robben Island, Soweto, and the Apartheid Museum
  • Celebrate the Cape's mystical landscapes by standing on the summit of Table Mountain and spending a day amidst the vineyards of Stellenbosch
  • Complete your South Africa tour with a 3-day luxury safari in MalaMala Game Reserve, where exclusivity complements authenticity and thrilling big-game moments
  • Combine game drives and bush walks, each bringing intimate encounters with the giants of the African savannah

Detailed Description

Defying the imagination, South Africa's landscapes celebrate the mystique of an entire continent. Vertical mountains hide rugged canyons where baboons yelp at sunrise. Arid desert plains are dappled by ostriches and a sense of infinity. Savannah rolls towards the horizon, the panoramas dappled with nomadic elephants and rumbling buffalo herds. Occasionally a town appears from nowhere, a colonial relic of wooden facades and bougainvillea-lined boulevards. From ocean to desert to grasslands, gaping valleys to expressive peaks, South Africa is as much about the journey as the destinations. The ultimate way to admire both the scale and the details is on the old railway line through the continent, aboard a train of luxurious old-world grandeur.

The Blue Train provides a window into the dreamy authenticity of South Africa. It departs from Cape Town, flanked by Table Mountain and two oceans. Traversing vineyards and valleys it rumbles north, crossing the evocative desert and rolling over the high-altitude plateau to Pretoria. This is a traditional train route, as iconic as it was a century ago. But the railway now continues, curving around the mountains before descending into the big-game savannah of Kruger National Park. Giraffe and elephant may be spotted from the window before the train stops in the heart of South Africa's premier safari destination. It's lavish and luxurious on board, helping create one of the world's premier train experiences. Think high tea, elegant dinners, and private suites that come with en-suite bathrooms and bath tubs, decadent lounge areas, and a personal butler. Using restored wooden carriages, it feels like a train journey from centuries past.

The journey provides the focal point of this South Africa tour. Then the destinations are equally evocative. Cape Town, with Table Mountain rising majestically above the city and Robben Island providing narratives just off the coast. The Cape Winelands, a sensual celebration of history and charm. Pretoria is a base for exploring the vibrancy of Nelson Mandela's Soweto, where two Nobel Prize winners lived on one street and excellent museums present memoirs to apartheid and peaceful protest. Then you complete this South Africa tour in MalaMala Game Reserve, an exclusive enclave that borders Kruger National Park. The thrilling safari experience combines game drives with bush walks, then the elegance of watching wildlife from your private verandah. It's three days of luxury in what is widely considered to be Africa's finest private reserve.

Starting Price

$14,300 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 1124 reviews

Carolyn T.
South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe Trip Review: Wildlife, Local Cuisine, 13-Day Trip

Wow, I ran out of superlatives–fantastic, awesome, amazing. Everything was well organized and the recommended accommodations were all top-notch. The guides were so expert in their field. Every activity was well worth the time. Every meal was delicious.

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Anil M.
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Tour Review: 10 Nights

Our first trip to southern Africa was amazing, exceeding all expectations. We saw everything we came to see, and more. The game rides were well structured and safe, the visuals were unbelievable, and taking a side trip to Victoria Falls was a great idea. The accommodations were quite luxurious, despite being considered mid-range. There was always someone there to greet us and guide us at every travel point.

Zicasso's tour operator tailored our itinerary to our wishes and was wonderful to work with. Things couldn’t have gone better.

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Grace J.
South Africa Travel Review: Safaris, 1 Week

We had an awesome trip. Zicasso's travel expert was amazing. She accomplished everything.

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Nancy H.
South Africa, Zimbabwe Tour Review: Cape Town, Franschhoek, Wine Tasting, Elephant Experience, River Cruise, Wildlife, Nature, Scenery, 13 Nights

Zicasso's trip planner arranged the most fabulous trip for my family. She knew exactly what I wanted and delivered a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa! She always answered my questions promptly. She chose memorable experiences for us, our lodgings were top-notch, and she "kept in touch, behind the scenes," to ensure all elements were going smoothly. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone planning a trip to Africa!

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LESLIE W.
Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique Trip Review: Gorilla Trek, Bush Camps, 3 Weeks

It was very well planned. Zicasso's travel specialist was responsive and flexible in the planning process and throughout the final details.

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Catherine R.
South Africa, Zimbabwe Vacation Review: Safari, 11 Nights

The trip was amazing. Zicasso's trip expert did an awesome job planning the trip. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and exceeded all of our expectations. The “in-country” travel was seamless. Our accommodations and tours were all top-notch. I can‘t thank her enough for planning this awesome experience.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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