Rovos Rail - Dar es Salaam

You only live once, so why not live it in luxury and style? With our Dar Es Salaam safari package, you will truly experience the beauty of Africa. Our safari is a total 15-day experience in which you will get to travel through places like:

South Africa
Zimbabwe
Botswana
Zambia
Tanzania

You will see the African planes in a way you have never seen before. By taking this journey, you will truly experience the different cultures of these destinations and learn a little about the history of these countries.

This trip is one for the books, from sightseeing to shopping excursions, cultural immersion, and more. Not only does this train traverse through Africa, but it can also be done in reverse! So you can choose whether to start your journey in Cape Town and end in Dar Es Salaam or do it the other way around. Either way, you will get spectacular views, go on fantastic excursions, and see why Africa is one of the world’s most beautiful countries.

The Dar Es Salaam journey will make stops in the following places:

In Cape Town, passengers will begin with an excursion to the striking and majestic village of Matjiesfontein
A tour of the diamond town of Kimberly, home to the ‘Big Hole.’
A tour of Pretoria
A two-night stay at the Madikwe Game Reserve
An overnight stay at the Victoria Falls hotel in Zimbabwe
Bush walks along Chisimba Falls
Excursions into the Selous Game Reserve

Overnight stays in luxury resorts, private game drives, bush walks, sightseeing, and more! Our Dar Es Salaam safari caters to both adventure and comfort, allowing passengers to traverse through the lands in the lap of luxury.

In short, not only will you get the unique experience of traversing the African continent by train, but you will also get to view Africa more intimately. Immerse yourself in the African continent’s culture, history, and beauty. We can guarantee you will be left in awe from border to border.

Rates for 2023 are as follows:

Royal Suites: $23 600 (R408 765)
Deluxe Suites: $17 995 (R311 684)
Pullman Gold Suites: $13 600 (R235 560)

Included in the packages passengers will receive are:

24-hour room and bar service, limited laundry service, guided tours, and excursions. Entrance fees are included in the rates, and hairstylists and onboard doctors are available to passengers should they be needed.

Departure From Cape Town to Dar Es Salaam

Day One

Departure from the Cape Town Station will be at 11 am. Once passengers have boarded the train and have given their passports to the Administration Deputy or Train Manager, they can mingle in the lounge and observation cars after freshening up.

At 1 pm, lunch will be served in the dining cars when the train traverses through Hex River Valley and then passes through the tunnels. Passengers are advised to be careful when the train goes through the tunnels as the passageways may be dark.

Tea will get served at 4:30 pm in the lounge and observation cars for passengers who want tea. The first of many excursions will happen shortly after the tea is served when the train stops in Matjiesfontein. Passengers can go through the town or even tour the local museum, which contains a beautiful collection of historic cars and railway cars.

A formal dinner will start at 7:30 pm, with passengers engaging and mingling with one another in the dining car.

Day Two

Breakfast will get served in the dining car from 7-10 am. During this time, passengers can take in the scenic view as the train travels across the Karoo.

At 12:30 pm, lunch will be served in the dining cars, and the train will stop in Kimberly. Passengers will then take a private tour of Kimberly’s Diamond Mine Museum and the Big hole.

Tea is served in the lounge and observation cars at 16h30. Dinner will be served at 7:30 pm and will require a formal dress code.

Day Three

Breakfast will be served from 7-9:30 am as the train travels through the Goldfields.

The train will stop at the Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria at 10 am. On this excursion, passengers can tour the locomotive and station workshops; this includes lunch and will be followed by a city tour of Pretoria.

Day Four

Days four and five will include an overnight stay at the Madike lodge. Passengers are advised to bring an overnight bag to enjoy their stay fully.

Breakfast will be available in the dining cars from 7-10 am, after which the train will stop once it reaches Madikwe at 11 am.

Once the train has reached the lodge in Madikwe, the passengers will exit the train on a private game drive approximately three hours long, after which the passengers will get taken to the lodge to check in for their two-night stay. Tea will be served at the lodge at 11 am.

With a formal dress code, dinner will be served at the lodge at 7 pm, giving passengers ample time to freshen up and get ready for dinner.

Day Five

Day five on the Madikwe lodge will begin with a morning game drive lasting up to 3 hours! Breakfast will be served from 7-9:30 am.

Lunch will be served at 12:30 pm and will take palace at the lodge. Lunch will be followed by an afternoon game drive, allowing everyone to see things they may have missed in the morning game drive.

The lodge will serve dinner at 7 pm, and the dress code will be casual, giving passengers ample time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Day Six

Breakfast will be served at the lodge from 7-9:30 am, giving passengers enough time to wake up and enjoy their morning before check-out. In addition, a morning game drive of two hours will be available for all interested parties.

Check-out and luggage collection will happen at 10 am. All passengers are advised to have their luggage ready and on hand to return to the train by this time.

At 10:30 am, the train will be transferred to Gaborone in Botswana, and all passengers will present themselves to the officials as the border formalities begin.

Lunch will be served at 1 pm in the dining cars as the train crosses over the Tropic of Capricorn along the eastern edge of the Kalahari Basin.

Tea will be served at 4:30 pm and available in the lounge and observation cars.

Dinner will be at the standard time of 7:30 pm in the dining cars, and the dress code will be formal for all passengers.

Day Seven

Day seven will be a leisure day for passengers as the train travels through the border of Francis Town and Botswana to continue en route to Victoria Falls. Lectures will take place throughout the day for those who want to participate and learn more about Victoria Falls.

From 7-10 am, breakfast will be served in the dining car while the Zimbabwean border formalities take place. Lunch will follow shortly after, at 1 pm.

At 4:30 pm, tea will be served in the lounge and observation areas, allowing passengers to take in the scenic view around them as the train travels 70.8 miles on the railway along the edge of the Hwange National Park.

Dinner will be served in the dining car at 7:30 pm, and the dress code will be formal.

Day Eight

Days 8 and 9 will include an overnight excursion off of the train. Passengers are advised to pack accordingly and prepare themselves for an epic adventure!

The day will start bright and early, with breakfast served from 8-10 am in the dining cars.

At noon, the train will arrive in Victoria Falls, after which the passengers will leave and head to the hotel for their overnight stay.

While the luggage is being delivered to the rooms and check-ins have finished, lunch will be served at Jungle Junction.

Passengers will then embark on a Zambezi River cruise. The cruise will start at 3:45 pm in winter and 4:15 pm in summer. The length of the cruise will depend on availability and weather patterns.

To finish off an exciting day, a formal dinner will take palace in the Livingstone Room at Victoria Falls hotel. The dress code will be smart casual and formal wear.

Day Nine

Breakfast will get served in the Jungle Junction room at the Victoria Falls Hotel from 06h30-10h00. Check-out time will be from 10 am, so passengers and guests are advised to have their luggage packed and ready to return to the train by check-out time.

Day nine will be a leisure day, so passengers are free to roam the Victoria Falls Hotel and surrounding areas but must be back in time for lunch. Lunch will be served at 1 pm in the Jungle Junction room of the Victoria Falls Hotel.

At 3 pm, it will be time to return to the train, and everyone will be required to meet at the station platform before the train heads toward Zambia.

At 4 pm, border formalities will occur as the train crosses the Victoria Falls Bridge. Tea will also be served in the observation and dining cars for those interested.

To finish a relaxing day spent in Victoria Falls, passengers will be served dinner in the dining car at 7:30 pm; dinner will have a formal dress code.

Day Ten

As the train begins to pass through Zambia, day ten will be a day of leisure and relaxation for the passengers. Breakfast will be served in the usual dining areas from 7-10 pm.

Lunch will be served at 1 pm in the dining car as the train crosses the Kafue Railway Bridge spanning 108 feet, giving passengers a spectacular view to go along with a hearty meal.

As passengers relax, tea will be served at 4:30 pm in the dining or lounge cars. At 7:30 pm, dinner will be served in the dining car. The theme will be Africa or smart casual.

Day Eleven

Day eleven will have to be a leisure day as the train travels across the long Tazara Railway line to reach its next destination.

Breakfast will be served from 7-10 am, lunch will get served at 1 pm, and tea will be served at 4:30 pm with a formal dinner at 7:30 pm.

Day Twelve

Breakfast will be available from 6-8 am for passengers. The train will stop at Chrisimba Falls at 8 am, and passengers will begin their next excursion on a bush walk through nature to see the wildlife and waterfalls around them from diverse viewpoints.

At 11:30 am, passengers can take in the view as the train meets the border, which is precisely between Africa’s Great Rift Valley Lakes – followed by lunch at 1:30 pm in the dining cars.

At 4:30 pm, tea will be served, and the border formalities will begin.

Dinner will be served at 19h30 and will have a formal dress code. As the train travels through the Baobab Forests, passengers will be advised to put their watches an hour ahead to account for the time zone difference.

Day Thirteen

From 7-10 am, breakfast will be available in the dining cars.

If time permits, an excursion through the town of Makambako will happen at 9 am.

By 11 am, the train will be navigating through the narrow passageways and tunnels en route to the Udzungwa Mountains, and lunch will be served at 1 pm.

Tea will be served at 4:30 pm in the lounge and observation cars, followed shortly by a formal dinner at 7:30 pm in the dining cars.

Day Fourteen

From 7-8 am, an extensive continental breakfast will get served in the dining cars. This time, the train will be en route to the Selous.

Brunch will be in the dining cars from 10-11:45 am. Excursions to the Selous Game Reserve will be at noon, with a return time of 6 pm, giving passengers ample time to explore and view the beauty of one of the most significant game reserves in Africa up close.

At 7:30 pm, dinner will be in the dining cars, and passengers will be required to dress according to the 1920s theme or smart casual for those not wanting all of the glitz and glam.

Day Fifteen

At 7-10 am, breakfast will be served in the dining cars. Luggage and passport collection will happen at 9:45 am, allowing passengers to get everything they need.

The journey will end at 11 am, with departure happening at the Tazara Station in Dar Es Salaam.

Call one of our specialists on

Charity Safaris is a US Agent for Rovos Rail. We specialize in luxury train vacations. Please contact Dick Kennerknecht at 970-615-0867 for more details and bookings. We are taking reservations for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Contact us today!