9 Day Kruger, Rovos Luxury Rail & Victoria Falls Experience

You have a short flight in the early afternoon from OR Tambo International Airport to Kruger.  A driver will be waiting at Eastgate Airport to transfer you to Thornybush Game Reserve.

Arriving at the Lodge you are checked into your rooms and have time to freshen up before your afternoon safari drive. After the drive, you return to the lodge and there is time to relax before enjoying dinner.

The day begins early with coffee or tea at around sunrise. Then it’s time to depart on our open game drive vehicle. The next three hours will be spent tracking and locating game. During this time, there will be a stop made for coffee and tea at an appropriate spot. On returning to the lodge, there is time to freshen up before a sumptuous breakfast is served.

After breakfast, you can join the short bush walk or simply relax at the swimming pool or at the hide – or even have a sleep. Most guests take their showers during this often-hot time of the day. Lunch is served at about 14h00.

Thereafter it’s time to get ready for the afternoon game drive. This departs about two hours before sunset and lasts about three hours. A stop around sunset is the perfect opportunity for a drink and snacks – the famous ‘sundowner’, a great safari tradition.

And then the last part of the game drive sees the tracker using a spotlight to locate nocturnal wildlife. After returning to the lodge you will be escorted to your accommodation to freshen up for dinner. Dinner is generally served outside under the stars.

After dinner relax around the campfire, listening to the sounds of the bush, or join us in the bar. But not for too long… before heading off to bed, to be up in time for an early morning start.

The final day of your Safari will see you go on one last safari drive before breakfast is served. After breakfast, there is time to check out for your transfer to the Eastgate Airport for your flight back to Johannesburg.

A driver will be waiting at OR Tambo Airport to transfer you the Peermont D'oreale Grande Hotel at Emperors Palace

After checking in to the hotel the rest of the day is spent at your own leisure.

Emperors Palace is home to where royalty rest their heads and fortune favours the brave. Offering decadent accommodation in four unique hotels, a glorious health and beauty spa, a magnificent casino with unparalleled gaming enjoyment, the finest dining options, spectacular entertainment choices, world class conference facilities, and impeccable service, this is YOUR Empire to discover.

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This morning after breakfast you will check out from the hotel and be transferred to Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria.

Arriving at the station you will be checked in and shown to your suite, please see information below on Rovos Rail Journey & itinerary.

This three-night adventure begins with the train’s departure from Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria. It then winds its way north through Warmbaths, so named for its mineral waters, and Nylstroom, christened by the Voortrekkers as the source of the Nile River as the town’s river happened to be north flowing. The train then passes the edge of the escarpment and crosses the Tropic of Capricorn en route to the border with Zimbabwe. 

10h00 The train departs Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria.
13h00 Lunch is served in the dining cars as the train travels north through Warmbaths and Nylstroom, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn.
Enjoy afternoon tea and dinner en route to Messina and Beitbridge for Zimbabwe border formalities.
(Breakfast 07h00-10h00 • Lunch 13h00 • Tea 16h30 • Dinner 19h30)

DRESS: - Days on board are smart casual: Neat, conventional yet relatively informal in style combining casual and formal clothing pieces. - Evening attire is more formal: For gentlemen a jacket and tie is a minimum requirement while for ladies we suggest cocktail/evening dresses or suits. On long journeys we enjoy theme evenings where guests can dress up accordingly or opt for smart casual:

After formalities at Beitbridge the next morning, the train travels towards Bulawayo, second city of Zimbabwe, capital of Matabeleland and industrial capital of the country. 

Day at leisure. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served as the train travels towards Bulawayo via West Nicholson. Overnight stop on board at Mpopoma.

DRESS: - Days on board are smart casual: Neat, conventional yet relatively informal in style combining casual and formal clothing pieces. - Evening attire is more formal: For gentlemen a jacket and tie is a minimum requirement while for ladies we suggest cocktail/evening dresses or suits. On long journeys we enjoy theme evenings where guests can dress up accordingly or opt for smart casual:

The following day sees the train travelling along one of the world’s longest stretches of straight railway line – 114 kilometres – before traversing Hwange National Park, a rich and diverse wildlife sanctuary where animals can be spotted from the train and a game drive excursion is enjoyed.

07h00 Breakfast is served as the train departs Mpopoma.
13h00 Enjoy lunch while travelling along the eastern edge of Hwange Park along one of Africa’s longest stretches of straight railway line – 114 kilometres.
15h00 Arrive at Kennedy Siding for a game drive at The Hide.
19h30 Dinner is served in the dining cars en route to Thompsons Junction for the overnight stop.

DRESS: - Days on board are smart casual: Neat, conventional yet relatively informal in style combining casual and formal clothing pieces. - Evening attire is more formal: For gentlemen a jacket and tie is a minimum requirement while for ladies we suggest cocktail/evening dresses or suits. On long journeys we enjoy theme evenings where guests can dress up accordingly or opt for smart casual:

 After a service stop at Thompsons Junction, the sojourn ends at the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River.  07h00 Breakfast is enjoyed while travelling towards the Zambezi River. 10h00 Arrive at journey’s end in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

A driver will be waiting at the station to transfer you to your hotel in Zambia, The Royal Livingstone Hotel.

After checking in the rest of the day is spent at your own leisure, optional afternoon activities can be booked with the hotel directly or with us.

Wake up to the sight of zebras wandering the hotel grounds. Raise a glass at sunset to the marvellous waterfall thundering to its depths as you recline in style. Surrender to relaxation with spa therapies under the shade of monkey trees on the banks of the river. 

The Royal Livingstone is located on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, overlooking the Zambezi River and with direct access to the Victoria Falls. 

After breakfast the rest of the day is spent at your own leisure. Exclusive private entrance to Victoria Falls All Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara guests have free and unlimited access to view and experience this majestic waterfall which has been deemed one of the wonders of the world.

The Victoria Falls constitutes one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. The Local people call it "Mosi-oa-Tunya", the smoke that thunders and is a waterfall in southern Africa on the Zambezi River at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

There is a magic about them manifested in the towering column of spray when the river is high, the thunder of the falling water, the terrifying abyss and tranquil lagoons upstream in which hippo and deadly crocodiles lurk.

The Victoria falls is 1 708 meters wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic meters of water plummet over the edge every minute. Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria falls inspires visitors as much today as it did David Livingstone in the 1860s. The falls and the surrounding area have been declared National Parks and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialization. 

Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Statistically speaking, it is the largest waterfall in the world. This recognition comes from combining the height and width together to create the largest single sheet of flowing water. Livingstone named the falls after the reigning queen at the time.

After a leisurely breakfast, you check out and you will be transferred to the Livingstone Airport for the flight back to Johannesburg.