Since its first journey in 1989, Rovos Rail has become a byword for luxury rail travel in Africa. Covering seven African countries, we’ve highlighted two exceptional journeys from the mountainous peaks of South Africa and Zambia’s wildlife-rich South Luangwa National Park, to the arid landscapes of Namibia’s Kalahari and Namib deserts, and the mining heartlands of the DRC. Safari game drives, city tours, conservation visits and cultural experiences woven into each journey awaken the landscapes and stories of southern Africa, crossing borders with barely a flight in sight. From two to 15-night routes, we can book Rovos Rail as part of a wider itinerary, or as a standalone experience.
Life Onboard Rovos Rail
A trip onboard Rovos Rail takes you back to a bygone age when people dressed for dinner and travellers were in less of a rush. Refreshingly, there are no televisions or radios onboard, giving more time to appreciate and learn about the regions you will travel to, through informal daily talks. Afternoon tea is served each day in the lounge and observation car, which features an open-air balcony and large picture windows to maximise passing views. Evening dress is formal, with dinner served on fine china and crisp linen tablecloths. Expect fresh and local dishes onboard, accompanied by South African wines. Vintage wood-panelled sleeper carriages have large windows, an en suite bathroom and air conditioning.
Copper Trail: Zimbabwe – Zambia – Democratic Republic of Congo – Angola
Duration and distance: 15 days, 3,100 kilometres
Zimbabwe to Angola departures: 5-19 July, 2026
Angola to Zimbabwe departures: 22 July-5 August, 2026
Transport: Train and return charter flight from Ndola to South Luangwa National Park
Accommodation: Train plus three-night safari lodge stay
Activities: Kafue river sunset cruise, visits to the Lusaka Elephant Sanctuary in Zambia, Kolwezi copper mine visit in DRC, Zambia game drive, guided walks and city tours
Guide Price: From £13,200 per person in a Pullman Suite (excluding international flights)
Departing from the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls, this 14-night route journeys through four African countries, crossing into Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, key mining cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and ending in Lobito, Angola, on the Benguela Railway. In Zambia, experience a sunset cruise on the Kafue river and a three-night safari in South Luangwa National Park where leopard and lion sightings are high. Cross the border into the DRC for a city tour of Lubumbashi and visit a copper mine in Kolwezi. Continue into Angola for walking tours in Luau, Luena and Huambo to learn more about Angola’s history, before ending in Benguela, a coastal city distinguished by its impressive Portuguese colonial architecture.
Africa Trilogy: South Africa – Eswatini – Namibia
Duration and distance: 16 days, 5,000 kilometres
Departures: 4-19 February; 9-24 October, 2026
Transport: Train, flight from Windhoek to Sossusvlei and road transfer from Tsumeb to Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Train, one-night lodge stay in Sossusvlei and one-night safari stay in Etosha National Park
Activities: Durban botanic gardens tour, cheetah conservation project visit, game drives, Namib Desert stay, museum tours, cultural village visits and city tours
Guide Price: From £10,659 per person in a Pullman Suite (excluding international flights)
Departing from Pretoria, this 15-night odyssey starts with a spectacular descent through the Drakensburg mountain range en route to Kruger National Park, where a game drive offers a chance to see some of South Africa’s most prolific wildlife. Cross the border into Eswatini for a visit to a cultural village before returning to South Africa for a game drive in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, renowned for its rhino conservation. Next, enjoy a guided tour of Durban and the Botanic Gardens, before the train departs for Kimberley, capital of the Northern Cape. Here, learn about the history of the diamond rush era with a tour of the Mine Museum and the Big Hole, the largest hand-dug excavation in the world. The journey continues into Namibia’s Fish River Canyon; second only to the Grand Canyon in scale. Traverse the Kalahari Desert to Namibia’s capital Windhoek where a short flight takes you to Sossusvlei for a night in the Namib Desert for 4×4 dune drives and breakfast overlooking the hauntingly beautiful Deadvlei pan. The final days include a visit to a cheetah conservation project and a night at a safari lodge in Etosha National Park. End on the windswept Atlantic coast at Walvis Bay.
Madagascar: The Fianarantsoa – East Coast (FCE)
For a more rickety experience of African train travel, board the Fianarantsoa-East Coast (FCE) railway*, travelling 163 kilometres from Fianarantsoa in the highlands, to Manakara on the coast. Don’t expect to leave each station on time; this is more about meeting the locals, taking in the scenery, embracing the chaos of trade exchanges at stations, possible breakdowns and a journey time that can take anything from 12 to 48 hours. 18 stations, 48 tunnels, 67 bridges and four viaducts, skirting steep highland slopes, winding through dense rainforest and crossing the runway of Manakara Airport, certainly makes for a memorable ride.
*The FCE is not operated by Rovos Rail.
Speak to our Africa experts, Chris and Illona to start planning your next adventure.