A Rich Tapestry of Landscape

Rovos Rail will once again run this annual journey starting 20th May 2010. This panoramic nine-day sojourn commences at the Rovos Rail Station at Capital Park in Pretoria. The first leg of the journey takes the train through Witbank and Middleburg and then traverses the majestic Drakensberg escarpment en route to the lowveld of Mpumalanga. The following morning you will receive an early wake up call to join a game drive through the famous Kruger Park. Brunch will be served in the dining car while the train winds its way southwards to Swaziland in time for an afternoon game drive in the Mkhaya Reserve. During the night the train will continue south to the village of Hluhluwe in Zululand. Starting early once again, a wide variety of game can be seen on an early morning game drive through the scenic Hluhluwe Game Reserve. The Pride of Africa departs mid morning and makes its way south through the lush cane fields and rolling hills of Kwazulu Natal, arriving in Durban late afternoon.

After an evening in Durban the train steadily ascends the scenic escarpment through Pietermaritzburg and The Valley of a Thousand Hills en route to Ladysmith and Bethlehem. This route takes the train past Lesotho and the highest mountains in the Drakensberg range at 3 482 metres. During the night we continue onto Bloemfontein, the Free State capital, with a morning tour of the city. The journey continues southwards overnight to the coastal capital of the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth, where we will enjoy a morning visit to the Addo Elephant Park.

An early morning departure from Willowmore takes the Pride of Africa into Oudtshoorn for a visit to the Highgate Ostrich farm followed by another spectacular rail descent down the Montagu pass into George. A morning visit to Knysna and the surrounding attractions will complete the visit to this natural paradise. The train sets off at midday from George travelling along the scenic Garden Route through Mossel Bay and Riversdale. The next morning, after a short visit to the KWV Brandy Distillery in Worcester, the Pride of Africa ends its magnificent collage in the Mother City of Cape Town.

Map: African Collage

African Collage Itinerary - 20 until 28 May 2010
Pretoria • Malelane • Hluhluwe • Durban • Port Elizabeth • Oudtshoorn • Knysna • Cape Town

Day 1 Thursday 21 May
10h00 Depart Rovos Rail’s private station in Capital Park, Pretoria.

Day 2 Friday 22 May
05h00 Wake up call for game drive in the Kruger Park in open vehicles.
11h00 Brunch is served in the dining car while we travel through Komatipoort to the Swaziland border. 15h30 Arrive Mkhaya reserve for afternoon game drive.
20h00 The train departs for overnight journey to Hluhluwe in Zululand.

Day 3 Saturday 23 May
05h00 Wake up call for a game drive in the Hluhluwe Reserve.
09h30 The train departs Hluhluwe for Durban. 18h00 Arrive Durban for an evening in the City.

Day 4 Sunday 24 May
06h00 Depart Durban en route to Bloemfontein. Day at leisure on board.

Day 5 Monday 25 May
10h00 Tour of Bloemfontein.
13h00 Depart Bloemfontein en route to Port Elizabeth.

Day 6 Tuesday 26 May
09h00 Tour of Addo Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth.
12h00 The train departs Port Elizabeth for Oudtshoorn.

Day 7 Wednesday 27 May
10h00 Arrive Oudtshoorn for Ostrich Farm visit.
15h30 Arrive George for afternoon at leisure.
18h30 Depart for dinner at Fancourt Golf Estate.

Day 8 Thursday 28 May
09h00 Depart for morning tour of Knysna.
13h30 Depart George.

Day 9 Friday 29 May
11h00 Arrive Worcester for KWV Brandy Distillery tour.
17h00 Arrive in Cape Town. Excursions may be changed according to

PRICES FOR 2010:
PULLMAN SUITE: R36 000
DELUXE SUITE: R54 000
ROYAL SUITE: R72 000
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: +50% ON ALL SUITES