The Pearl of
Africa
Beautiful Cape Town and a thrilling safari are combined with a luxurious Rovos Rail train journey for a superb South African vacation.
Trip Details
Cape Town | Johannesburg | Umhlanga | Durban | Kruger National Park
- Summary
- Itinerary
- Pricing
- Options & Add-ons
Relax
- On a magnificent luxury train journey as you gaze at scenic countryside views from the train’s observation car
Taste
- Savor gourmet cuisine at the Azure Restaurant
- High Tea experience at the Oyster Box Hotel
- Enjoy elegant dining with fine wines on board Rovos Rail
Experience
- Thrilling close encounters with Africa’s untamed wildlife
- Try to spot a leopard in this area famed for its leopard sightings
Choice
At additional cost:
- Explore picturesque towns and taste superb wines on a Winelands Tour
- Photograph dramatic cliffs and adorable penguins on a Cape Peninsula Tour
- Stroll through magnificent botanical displays on a Kirstenbosch Tour
- Try delicious curry at the Oyster Box Hotel
The experience promotes and educates our guests on sustainable consumption and production and educates our guests on the importance of natural ecosystems or wildlife conservation and contributes to their restoration or repopulation with a stay at Bushman's Kloof. To further reduce their carbon footprint at Bushmans Kloof, indigenous herbs and vegetables are picked daily from their organic garden and incorporated into dishes on the menu. All vegetable waste is composted, minimizing landfill contribution, and reducing the need for chemicals to fertilize and enrich the soil in their garden.
Day 1 - Cape Town
On arrival at Cape Town Airport, you will be met by a Lion World Travel Representative and transferred to the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa. The cosmopolitan city of Cape Town is fifteen minutes away by complimentary shuttle.
Enjoy a complimentary three course dinner at Azure Restaurant.
Accommodation: Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa - Classic Room (D)
Day 2 - Cape Town
Today is at leisure for independent exploration. We would be happy to assist in pre-planning and arranging sightseeing tours to suit your interests.
Perhaps take the shuttle to the vibrant Victoria and Alfred Waterfront to browse or shop at the array of shops, craft markets and restaurants.
Accommodation: Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa - Classic Room (B)
Day 3 - Cape Town
A day of leisure to explore Cape Town or on request we can arrange additional sightseeing or a car rental.
Cape Town and its surrounding areas offer enough activities to keep you occupied for a long time. You can frolic on the beach with penguins by day and spend the evening savoring every bite of a world-class meal in a sophisticated urban restaurant.
Accommodation: Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa - Classic Room (B)
Day 4 - Cape Town
Your final day in Cape Town to explore historic and cultural sites, world-class museums and bustling markets, inviting beaches and lush gardens.
Accommodation: Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa - Classic Room (B)
Day 5 - Cape Town/Bushmans Kloof
Transfer by road to the 5 star Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat, nestled in the foothills of the Cederberg Mountains.
There are a variety of lodge activities including nature drives, guided rock art excursions, botanical walks, canoeing, archery, fly fishing, hiking, swimming, special interest presentations (birding, stargazing and entomology) for you to enjoy.
Accommodation: Bushmans Kloof - Luxury Room (B, L, D)
Day 6 - Bushmans Kloof
Bushmans Kloof is a refuge of luxury within the untamed wilderness of the Western Cape. The sparsely populated region is well known in South Africa for its spectacular natural features, Bushman rock art and jaw-dropping displays of colour in the flower season. The dominant characteristic of the geography is unusual sandstone formations and turrets.
Accommodation: Bushmans Kloof - Luxury Room (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Bushmans Kloof/Cape Town/Johannesburg
Depart by road to Cape Town Airport to connect with your scheduled flight to Johannesburg for your one-night stay at the 5 star Melrose Arch Hotel, in an area with a variety of trendy retail shops, outstanding restaurants and leisure amenities. The pool deck which features oversized galvanized buckets, a heated swimming pool with underwater music and furniture in the shallow end.
Accommodation: Melrose Arch Hotel - Standard Room (B)
Day 8 - Johannesburg / Rovos Rail
Transfer to Rovos Rail's private station in Pretoria where you will be welcomed warmly before boarding the luxurious train for your two-night journey to Duban. This journey includes luxury accommodation, all meals, alcoholic and other beverages, 24-hour full room service and bar facilities and excursions accompanied by a qualified tour guide (where applicable).
The 5 star Pride of Africa offers opulence of a bygone era with subtle modern innovations. Enjoy fine cuisine complimented by a selection of fine South African wines, in luxury as some of the most varied scenery imaginable unfolds beyond the windows.
Lunch and dinner will be served on board.
Accommodation: Rovos Rail - Deluxe Cabin (B, L, D)
Day 9 - Rovos Rail
Disembark and join a game drive in the Nambiti Private Game Reserve. Return to the train for brunch as the train moves along to your next stop. In the afternoon, disembark and take a drive to Spionkop Lodge (directly translated this means 'spy head' in English).
Once you arrive you have a choice between two excursions: an escorted tour of the battlefields or a game drive in the Spionkop Game Reserve.
Return to the train for dinner.
Accommodation: Rovos Rail - Deluxe Cabin (B, L, D)
Day 10 - Durban/Umhlanga
Today you will visit Ardmore Ceramics Gallery and enjoy tea in the garden. At noon, the train will depart and arrive at journey's end in Durban. Once you have disembarked, you will be met and transferred to the Oyster Box Hotel on the Kwa-Zulu Natal Coast.
One of South Africa's quintessential hotels, the 5 star Oyster Box Hotel stands majestically on Umhlanga's beachfront, with views of the Indian Ocean, the iconic lighthouse and direct beach access. This colonial-styled hotel is a 5-minute walk from Umhlanga Village Centre which offers a selection of shops, restaurants and bars.
During your stay you will have traditional English high tea served in the Palm Court, with everything from freshly baked scones, pastries, quiches and cakes to finger sandwiches and savories.
Insider tip: Be sure to have a photograph taken with the hotel's most well-known resident - Skabenga The Cat!
Accommodation: Oyster Box Hotel - Classic Room (B)
Day 11 - Umhlanga
Enjoy your day at this oasis of relaxation. You may choose to indulge in a spa treatment or simply relax in the pool and gardens.
The food is an experience, so be sure to try out the restaurant's serving of ethnically inspired menus.
Accommodation: Oyster Box Hotel - Classic Room (B)
Day 12 - Umhlanga / Durban / Kruger National Park
Transfer to Durban’s King Shaka Airport and fly to Kruger-Mpumalanga Airport. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the 5-star Simbambili Game Lodge, located in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Each suite has its own plunge pool and Sala overlooking the watering hole - perfect for relaxing between game drives.
The area is famed for its abundant wildlife. You will be reaching for your camera on the early morning and late afternoon game drives, leg by qualified guides and trackers on open safari vehicles.
Accommodation: Simbambili Game Lodge - Suite (B, L, D)
Day 13 - Simbambili Game Lodge
A day of wilderness experience begins with morning and afternoon game drives. You are accompanied by highly skilled game rangers who provide interesting information and anecdotes about the inhabitants of the bush. While seeing big game is always exhilarating, there are many other smaller species that are just as captivating.
Accommodation: Simbambili Game Lodge - Suite (B, L, D)
Day 14 - Kruger National Park/Johannesburg/Depart
After an early morning game drive to track the animals that may have eluded you so far, followed by breakfast, you will be transferred to Kruger-Mpumalanga Airport for your flight to Johannesburg to connect with your flight back home. (B)
Return home with a lifetime of memories!
Add-Ons
Victoria Falls in Style - From USD $1,999
Experience a fabulous blend of luxury tented accommodations, game drives, river cruises and the impressive Victoria Falls for an exciting add-on! Victoria Falls in Style is a 3-night package. Spend one night in Johannesburg and enjoy two nights in Victoria Falls staying in a stunning tented lodge on the Zambezi River.
Cape Town Tours
Pricing Valid until October 31, 2022
Cape Town, the Mother City, is a historically, culturally and breathtakingly vibrant city that has been named the best city in Africa and the second best city in the world by Condé Nast Traveller.
Please note the scheduled tours below have additional drop off and pick up points and will have other guests on board. If available, private tour pricing is listed below and offers a vehicle and driver just for your use and allows more flexibility (please note that the venues visited will have other guests).
Cape Town City Tour - Half Day
Departs: Daily between 7:35am and 8:30am. Returns: Approximately 12:30pm.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$45 | Private Tour US$130 (both tours based on a minimum of two people, prices are per person.)
This tour is designed to orientate and give you a full-color insight into the extraordinary magic of Cape Town. Enjoy a cable car ride to the summit of the legendary Table Mountain (weather permitting) for panoramic views, including the city and surrounding layout of this southernmost tip of Africa (tickets are for your own account). Next up is a visit to The Cape Castle and the Company Gardens, then you’ll be driven past Parliament Buildings, City Hall which is where Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after his release from prison and the Slave Lodge. Next, it’s up the cobblestoned hills to the beautifully colorful homes of the Bo-Kaap in the Malay Quarter. The tour ends with a visit to a diamond works.
Cape Point Tour - Half Day
Departs: Daily between 7:40am and 8:45am. Returns: Approximately 12:30pm.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$80 | Private Tour US$205 (both tours based on a minimum of two people, prices are per person.)
The Cape Peninsula and Cape Point provide wild and breathtaking views. Drive along Millionaires Paradise, eyeing the glamorous homes of Clifton Beach and Camps Bay, then on towards the charming coastal town and working harbor of Hout Bay. Next, driving over the legendary Chapman’s Peak Drive you’ll arrive at the Cape of Good Hope Section of the Table Mountain National Park. Continue on with a visit to the African penguin colony at Boulders beach (on your own account, approximately USD $5 per person), before moving on to Simon’s Town.
Stellenbosch Winelands Tour - Half Day
Departs: Mon-Sat between 12:45pm and 1:45pm. Returns: Approximately 5:30pm.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$65 (based on a minimum of two people, price is per person.)
Stellenbosch, with its Cape Dutch architecture, is the warm and wonderful heart of the Cape Winelands and is surrounded by stunning wine estates. You’ll love exploring the fine art galleries, the history, and the curious and quaint shops here. You’ll be taken on a leisurely drive to become acquainted with the area, before being introduced to the wine-making process in a fascinating cellar tour. Of course, you‘ll have a chance to taste the wine for which this area is renowned.
Robben Island Tour - Half Day
Departs: Daily, weather permitting. Ferries depart at 9:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm. Tour lasts approximately 3½ hours.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$65 | Private Tour - Rates Available On Request (based on a minimum of two people, price is per person.)
Board the Robben Island Ferry at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and take part in a half day Robben Island tour.
For nearly 400 years, Robben Island was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment for political prisoners and social outcasts. During the apartheid years Robben Island became internationally known for its institutional brutality. Some freedom fighters spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for their beliefs. Nelson Mandela was one of them. You will be escorted around the island by an ex-political prisoner, and given insight into the past and how the human spirit triumphs.
Cape Malay Cooking Experience with Fayruza Abrahams - Half Day
Departs: Timing may vary. Departs around 10:30am, lasting approximately 3 hours. (Subject to chef's availability).
Pricing: Private Tour US$100 (based on a minimum of two people, price is per person.)
“Food is not a thing. It’s a feeling,” – says the poised and refined Fayruza Abrahams.
Fayruza was born in the Bo-Kaap and still lives in the same house you will visit to cook with her. For many years Abrahams has been introducing visitors to her kitchen, to the delicious world of Cape Malay cooking. She grew up eating meals prepared from extremely humble ingredients. It was her grandmother who taught her to prepare simple delicious food, and this is when she discovered she was a “foodie”.
The whole experience is colorful, fun and delicious. Choose between a hands-on Samosa Folding Class where you will have a tutorial and learn how to mix spices, and fold and fill samosas, or a Cape Malay Dessert Cooking Experience.
Sea Kayaking - Half Day
Departs: Daily, subject to weather.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$185 (based on a minimum of two people, price is per person. Please note the tour excludes transport to and from Simon's Town — transport prices available upon request.)
Visit one of the most unique places in the world — a penguin colony in suburban Cape Town. And the best way to see it is from the water. Leave from Simon's Town Waterfront and paddle past the civilian and Naval Harbor and out to Boulders Beach. After visiting the penguins, stop on a lovely semi-private beach for refreshments, swimming and snorkeling (snorkels and bottled drinking water are provided). Your double kayak is very stable and perfect even if you have no paddling experience.
Cape Town Tours - Full Day
Cape Winelands Tour
Departs: Mon-Sat between 8:00am and 9:00am. Returns: Approximately 5:30pm.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$85 | Private Tour US$240 (both tours based on a minimum of two people, prices are per person.)
This is a superb day exploring the exceptional Winelands region with its heavenly scenery. The area is rich with history, and you can’t help but feel it as you visit this region. Experience a wine cellar tour, where you’ll learn all about the process of winemaking, and have the chance to savor the wines. Visit the charming little town of Franschhoek, pass by the impressive Huguenot Monument, and enjoy lunch (your own account) – the town is known as the gourmet capital of South Africa. After lunch, the tour takes you over the Helshoogte Mountain Pass to the pretty university town of Stellenbosch. You will have time to stroll through this little town, absorbing the quaintness, and enjoying the shops!
Cape Peninsula Tour
Departs: Daily between 7:45am and 8:45am. Returns: Approximately 6:00pm.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$105 | Private Tour US$265 (both tours based on a minimum of two people, prices are per person.)
On this tour you will see why the area earned the name of The Fairest Cape. Sit back and relax, as you’re driven along the exquisite stretch of coastline known as Millionaire’s Paradise – from Clifton to Camps Bay, to the exclusive beach hamlet of Llandudno – towards the charming working harbor of Hout Bay. You then wind your way along the legendary Chapman’s Peak Drive, hugging the cliffs and relishing the breathtaking ocean views. After a stop for lunch (your own account), visit the wild and beautiful Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park, an integral part of the world-renowned Cape Floral Kingdom.
After, you'll head back along the coast towards the City, visiting the historic naval port of Simon’s Town and the endearing African penguin colony at Boulders Beach (own account – approximately USD $5 per person). Next, you’ll head inland to the last stop of the day. In the summer months this will be at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. With the sun setting over the tall peaks of Table Mountain, the last rays sparkle on the trees and flowers. In the winter months (May 1st to Aug 31st), the last stop is at Groot Constantia where you’ll stop for a wine tasting and cellar tour of South Africa’s oldest wine estate.
Cape Town Tours - Evening Options
Sunset and Beach Dinner
Departs: Tuesdays and Thursdays, September - May only. Between 5:30pm and 6:00pm. Returns: Approximately 10:00pm.
Pricing: Scheduled Tour US$100 | Private Tour US$210 (both tours based on a minimum of two people, prices are per person.)
Join your host and head out of the city before sunset. Savor a chilled glass of sparkling wine while overlooking one of Cape Town’s most beautiful beaches and taking in the sunset. You’ll be shown how to find the Southern Cross in the night sky (if the moon isn’t too bright!), before enjoying dinner at a sensational restaurant offering seafood and South African specialties.
Custom Cape Town Day Tours
We can tailor make tours to match your interests or simply arrange for you to have a vehicle and driver available with no plan in mind to take you wherever you feel like going. In addition to the beautiful Winelands, Cape Point and City tours, consider a family day out, to see seals, penguins, monkeys and butterflies; plan a big shopping extravaganza; or indulge in a grand gourmet food and wine tour.
Half Day Private Tours
Departs: Daily, on request. Trip can run from either 8:30am to 12:30pm or 1:30pm to 5:30pm and covers up to 150km (93 miles) of driving.
Pricing: Private Tour US$240 (based on a minimum of two people, prices are per person.)
Half day custom trip with private vehicle and driver.
Full Day Private Tours
Departs: Daily, on request. pickup time of 9:00am, drop-off time of 5:30pm and covers up to 250km (150 miles) of driving.
Pricing: Private Tour US$425 (based on a minimum of two people, prices are per person.)
Full day custom trip with private vehicle and driver.
Both half and full day options exclude all entrances, parking fees, toll fees and any other costs which you would need to settle directly at the venues visited and in the case of parking, with the driver. Touring is done in an air-conditioned 7-seater vehicle with a tour guide.
Prices are per person in US Dollars, for land arrangements only, based on double occupancy accommodations. Based on a minimum of 2 passengers to operate. Single supplement pricing available on request.
Contact us for 2023 rates.
Inclusions:
- Accommodation as specified
- Rovos Rail: All beverages served on board the train, guided sightseeing excursions and associated entrance fees, room service, limited laundry service
- Private road transfers as specified
- All services as specified
- All transfers as specified
- Meals as specified – including a complimentary dinner at the Azure Restaurant at the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa
- High Tea at the Oyster Box Hotel
- Transportation in luxury air-conditioned vehicles
- Game viewing as arranged by Simbambili Game Lodge
- Lion World Travel Representative meet and greet upon arrival
Exclusions:
- All international and domestic flights, fuel surcharges and taxes
- Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls, etc.
- All other services not mentioned
- Gratuities/Tips for game rangers/trackers, Rovos Rail staff, hotel staff, guides and drivers
- Costs of obtaining Passports or Visas
- Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption and Medical Insurance are required for the entire duration of your travels – please note that insurance for this trip is a mandatory requirement from suppliers in Africa – proof of insurance must be provided before bookings are confirmed. It is your personal responsibility to ensure you have sufficient insurance coverage.
Travel Testimonial
"Absolutely loved it! We fell in love with Cape Town, so much to see and do. Wonderful accommodations and great location.
Kruger was fabulous! Spectacular game drives. All in all it was the trip of a lifetime!"
Safaris & Experiences
To excite the senses
