Riviera Travel South Africa With Rovos Rail

• Return flights and transfers
• 13nts in 3/4* accommodation
• Selected meals: 16 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 7 dinners
• 3 nights on Rovos Rail
• 20 included experiences
• Expert tour manager
• Checked luggage

• Spot South Africa’s iconic wildlife on game drives in Kruger National Park
• Enjoy seasonal whale watching in Hermanus, one of the world’s best shore-based viewing spots
• Visit natural wonders including Blyde River Canyon, the Cape of Good Hope and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
• Take a scenic journey through the kingdom of Eswatini
• Explore Cape Town, Pretoria and Johannesburg
• Spend three nights aboard Rovos Rail, travelling from Cape Town to Pretoria with stops in Matjiesfontein and Kimberley

Day 1: Departure
Take your overnight flight to Johannesburg.

Day 2: Arrival in Johannesburg
Following your morning arrival, embark on a thought-provoking visit to the Apartheid Museum. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.

Day 3: Panorama Route
After breakfast, journey through the Highveld’s open spaces and farmlands via the Panorama Route to Kruger National Park, renowned for its scenic beauty. Along this picturesque drive, trace the stunning rim of the Blyde River Canyon.

Day 4: Kruger Game Drive
Today, embark on a thrilling full-day game drive using specially adapted 10-seat 4×4 vehicles. Traverse sweeping savannahs, encounter riverbanks teeming with hippos, and observe animals gathering at muddy waterholes to quench their thirst.

Day 5: Kruger Free Day
Today offers leisure options: relax by the hotel’s pool or engage in hippo-spotting from the scenic riverside lawn.

Alternatively, weather permitting, explore elephant interaction, thrilling microlight flights, or river rafting. Enjoy sunset safaris or night safaris, experiencing the exhilarating open 4×4 game drive by spotlight. For Riviera Travel guests, limited slots are available for an overnight stay at a tented camp with a bushwalk experience.

Day 6: Eswatini & Kwazulu Natal
Today, bid farewell to Kruger as you journey toward the Zululand battlefields. Following breakfast, head south, crossing into the charmingly picturesque country of Eswatini. The route takes you through captivating landscapes, including the intriguingly named Piggs Peak. Descend through lush green fields,  passing through Eswatini’s petite capital, Mbabane, catching glimpses of the parliament house and Royal Palace along the way. In the afternoon, re-enter South Africa and make your way into the Kwazulu Natal province.

Day 7: Isandlwana & Rorke’s Drift
After breakfast, visit the battlefields of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift in the company of a specialist Zulu guide before returning to the hotel in the afternoon.

Day 8: Knysna
Following breakfast, make your way back to Johannesburg airport and board a flight to George, situated in the heart of the scenic Garden Route. From there, a brief drive brings you to the charming coastal town of Knysna

Day 9: Knysna & Featherbed Nature
In the morning, head into Knysna to board a ferry across the lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve. Board 4×4 vehicles to explore the area, learning about the fauna, flora and history. After taking the ferry back the rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 10: Hermanus
Take a long scenic drive to the beautiful Winelands before heading to Hermanus, one of the world’s best spots for onshore whale watching (usually between July and November).

Day 11: Winelands
Spend the day exploring the Winelands, stopping first in the town of Stellenbosch, with time to explore before visiting a local wine estate for a tour and tasting. After, visit Franschhoek before enjoying a Cape Malay buffet dinner at the hotel.

Day 12: Cape Town
This morning visits the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, set against the slopes of Table Mountain, before arriving in Cape Town.

Day 13: Cape of Good Hope
This morning, explore Cape Point and the iconic Cape of Good Hope. Start by driving past pristine beaches to reach the charming fishing harbour of Hout Bay.

Next, embark on the stunning Chapman’s Peak Drive, offering rugged coastal views. Your journey takes you to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, a global biodiversity hotspot, and then to Cape Point itself. Here, witness the meeting of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean currents and the perilous rocky promontory, a historical hazard for sailors.

The final stop is Boulders Beach, home to a penguin colony, before returning to the city in the afternoon.

Day 14: Free day in Cape Town
Enjoy a full day to explore the city however you wish.

Day 15: Board Rovos Rail
Savour a leisurely morning in Cape Town before your afternoon embarkation on the Rovos Rail. Settle into your luxurious cabins, before enjoying in a traditional afternoon tea in the Lounge and Observation cars. Head to one of the two dining cars for a delectable dinner showcasing fresh local ingredients and traditional dishes.

Day 16: Matjiesfontein
After breakfast, disembark in Matjiesfontein and take a stroll through the historic village. Then continue through the Karoo, passing through the open plains.

Day 17: Kimberely
Wake up to breathtaking views of the landscape. Following breakfast, embark on a tour of Kimberley, known for its part in diamond-producing history. During the town, visit the Diamond Museum and the Big Hole.

Day 18: Johannesburg
After enjoying breakfast on board, disembark in Johannesburg. After having lunch at the hotel before transferring to the airport for your flight home.

Day 19: Arrive Home
Arrive home

Overnight tented accommodation at Kruger National Park
Enjoy an overnight night stay in luxury tent, and enjoy both an early morning and sunset game drive before enjoying dinner

Rovos Rail Upgrades
You may wish to upgrade your cabin aboard the Rovos Rail, either to a Deluxe Suite or the Royal Suite.

Full Day Walk of Freedom including Robben Island
View Mandela’s statue at City Hall before visiting the District Six museum. Tour Langa township, visiting the local market. In the afternoon, board a ferry to Robben Island

Call 0800 707 6229 for more information or to add any extras or upgrades to your tour.

Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg
The four-star Indaba Hotel, offers an array of amenities including swimming pools, a spa, lounge, restaurant, fitness centre, and a 24-hour front desk. The hotel’s low-rise buildings are surrounded by lush gardens with two outdoor pools. Guests can also unwind with spa treatments in one of the 260 comfortably furnished, air-conditioned rooms featuring en-suite bathrooms, hairdryers, cable TVs, safes, and tea/coffee makers.

Hippo Hollow Country Estate, Hazyview
The three-star superior Hippo Hollow Country Estate offers a range of amenities, including a 24-hour front desk, lounge, restaurant, swimming pool, boutique gift shop, air conditioning, laundry service, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Accommodation options include 109 rooms in low-rise buildings or thatched chalets with garden views, each equipped with TVs, air conditioning, en-suite shower/WC, a safe, and a tea/coffee maker. The hotel is beautifully situated amidst lush riverine forest on the Sabie River’s banks, just a 10-minute drive from the National Park gate.

Battlefield Lodge, Dundee
The three-star Battlefields Country Lodge offers 50 rooms with features including a swimming pool, breakfast restaurant, air conditioning, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Set in beautiful gardens, the lodge is located near Dundee in Kwazulu Natal’s battlefields region, nestled in a green valley overlooking rolling hills and the historic Talana Hill, the site of the first battle between the Boers and British soldiers.

Protea Hotel Knysna Quays
Located overlooking the waterfront in Knysna, this hotel offers a variety of amenities, as well as spacious rooms equipped with a tv, tea/coffee making facilities, air-conditioning and wi-fi

Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa
This hotel sits in easy reach of both renowned vineyards and scenic trails. There are two restaurants on site as well as a spa. Rooms here feature a walk-in shower, tea/coffee making facilities, a safe, seating area, tv, and wi-fi

Southern Sun Waterfront, Cape Town
The stylish Southern Sun Waterfront hotel in Cape Town offers an array of amenities, including a swimming pool, lounge, bar, restaurant, fitness centre, 24-hour front desk, air conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, and laundry service. Rooms are well-appointed and feature amenities like air conditioning, bath, shower, hairdryer, safe, satellite TV, and tea/coffeemakers. Additionally, it’s conveniently located within a 10-minute stroll of numerous restaurants, bars, and shops, with a shuttle service to the waterfront.

Fact File

• Currency: South African Rand
• Flight time: Approx.  11 hrs 30 mins
• Language: English, Afrikaans
• Time zone: GMT+2
• Country: South Africa

*All transfer times listed below are approximate and dependent on traffic. Please note that en route to the hotel in Johannesburg, you spend 2 hours at the Apartheid Museum.

What’s included in Riviera Travel South Africa with Rovos Rail?
This tour includes return flights and transfers, 13 nights in three and four-star accommodation, three nights aboard the luxury Rovos Rail, selected meals, 20 included experiences, checked luggage and the services of an expert Riviera Travel Tour Manager.

How active is this tour?
This tour is suitable for travellers comfortable with some longer touring days, game drives, sightseeing excursions and walking around attractions, historic sites and nature reserves.

Will I have any free time?
Yes, the itinerary includes leisure time in destinations such as Kruger National Park and Cape Town. There are also optional experiences available, including safari activities and upgrades during your stay.

Who is this tour suitable for?
This tour is ideal for travellers looking to experience the very best of South Africa, combining wildlife, spectacular scenery, cultural heritage, historic sites and a luxury rail journey aboard Rovos Rail in one holiday.

Exclusive prices available on request. Our Pricing Policy.