Luxury Train Travel In South Africa: Family-Friendly Holiday Options

The African continent must be seen to be truly appreciated and if you are thinking about a family-inclusive holiday, a luxury train tour across Africa is the best way to see and experience the natural beauty. Family berths are reasonably priced and your kids will experience Africa in a way they will never forget.

There are quite a few luxury train tours that use Rovos Rail, the network that connects South Africa and Namibia. Below are a few examples.

African Explorer

From Cape Town to Windhoek, this 13-night experience takes in Upington, Fish River Canyon, Nemib-Naukluft National Park, a visit to Swakopmund and Etosha National Park to finish the trip at Windhoek. The best luxury train tours South Africa has on offer are designed with families in mind, and the staff are experienced in taking care of families.

African Trilogy

Commence your journey at Pretoria and enter Kruger National Park where you spend a few days watching the wildlife, then you arrive at Eswatini, which is a small kingdom of just 17,000 sq km. Formerly Swaziland, the nation changed its name in 2018 to Eswatini; this tiny country has two capital cities: namely, Mbabane and Lobamba – the latter being the royal capital and the former being the administrative capital. The next stop is the colourful port city of Durban and then you reach the famous diamond mines at Kimberley and Fish River Canyon. This 14-night tour includes the Orange River, which forms part of the borders between South Africa and Namibia. This is one of the most popular tours, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Southern Cross

The northbound train starts at Pretoria and ends at Victoria Falls, while the southbound Southern Cross begins at Victoria Falls and finishes in Pretoria. Either way, this is a 2,500km trip that takes in Kruger National Park, Maputo in Mozambique, the mountain Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Kapama Reserve, which is home to many animals, including the Big 5. Then the train crosses the border into Zimbabwe and Limpopo Province, where you can view the Great Zimbabwe Monument, which is the largest pre-colonial monument after the Egyptian pyramids. Antelope Park has much to offer the tourist in terms of observing the wildlife in their natural habitat. Finally, you arrive at Matobo National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and visit to the Hwange National Park before arriving at your final destination, namely the amazing Victoria Falls.

Cape Town To Dar Es Salam

This is a 5,800km trip that takes 15 nights and 16 days, and runs through South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Congo and Tanzania. Regarded as the premier tour of the African continent, you can do the reverse trip if you prefer; starting at the Victoria Falls and ending in Cape Town. Leaving Cape Town, you meander through South Africa and visit the famous Kimberley Diamond Mines and pass through the Karoo Desert, plus there are lots of opportunities to watch the wildlife.

If you would like to see detailed schedules of all luxury African train tours, start with a Google search to find a reputable tour operator and when you find the right tour for you and your family, you can make a provisional booking and get ready for what will surely be the experience of a lifetime!

Luxury train holidays in South Africa are very popular; you may have to book now for 2024, such is the demand. As soon as you can confirm your dates, you should make a provisional booking on your preferred tour to ensure you are not disappointed.