Life Altering Adventure

...and so it begins, a railway journey through Africa

All the planning, all the stressing over which route to choose is over. Your life is about to change forever — You will not return home the same person who left.

Source:bbs.zhnews.net

Once you feel the unmistakeable tug of the train leaving the station your already heightened adrenaline will swell to a restless excitement. The anticipation of things to come will be nearly irrepressible. Soon you'll want to run from window to window, but savor each moment. Tame your euphoria.
The route ahead is not a straight one; not a get there quick route. It's a twisted turning route over and around impenetrable obstacles. Although getting from point A to B may be how it started, the views form the train would not be ignored and word spread of an irresistible journey.
At nearly every turn there are breathtaking views, along seemingly endless coastlines, past sweeping vistas, through mountain ranges, over deep gorges, or past the most magnificent waterfalls. You are on a journey that will imprint your life. At times you may feel like your in the middle of a new migration toward the Ark. The opportunities you'll have here will not present themselves again in any other land or on any other train. In the end you will know you have experienced extraordinary and nothing will ever be the same.

“To see ten thousand animals untamed and not branded with the symbols of human commerce is like scaling an unconquered mountain for the first time, or like finding a forest without roads or footpaths, or the blemish of an axe. You know then what you had always been told -- that the world once lived and grew without adding machines and newsprint and brick-walled streets and the tyranny of clocks.” ~ Beryl Markham 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

The hardest part about coming to South Africa for a Rovos Rail journey will be choosing your route. The good news is you can't make a bad decision. Each choice is spectacular which means, the truly hardest part will be leaving.

Here are a couple options straight form the Rovos website:

CAPE TOWN and DURBAN SAFARI Package

7 days
This seven-day journey begins in Cape Town and ends in Durban. Travel on our Cape Town Journey to Pretoria through the spectacular mountain ranges and scenic winelands of the Cape to the haunting barrenness of the Great Karoo and the goldfields of the Witwatersrand. Arrive in Pretoria and transfer to your hotel for the night. Enjoy the day at leisure or tour the city, Soweto, Johannesburg, Constitution Hill and the Apartheid Museum. The train departs the following morning on the Durban Safari for two nights with visits to a Big Five bush retreat, an 11 000-acre nature reserve and a charming and influential ceramics gallery before travelling the Valley of a Thousand Hills to Durban. Available in reverse. These journeys can also be combined with own arrangements in Pretoria. See the itinerary and downloads below for more details.

PRETORIA and VICTORIA FALLS 

(+) the Stanley & Livingstone Private Game Reserve - 6 days

This five-night adventure begins in Pretoria with the Victoria Falls Journey. The train travels northwards across Botswana and the Tropic of Capricorn through Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park where a game-drive excursion is enjoyed. The sojourn ends at the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River. Transfer to the Stanley & Livingstone Private Game Reserve (6000 acres) for a two-night stay on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis including a game drive. Available in reverse. Please note that depending upon railway capacity this journey could be routed northwards through Beitbridge and Zimbabwe.

DURBAN to VICTORIA FALLS 

(+) Fairmont Zimbali, Royal Elephant & Victoria Falls Hotel  - 11 days

Embark on this 11-day adventure with a two-night stay at the Fairmont Zimbali, one of South Africa’s premier resorts on KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast. Board the Pride of Africa on our Durban Safari to Pretoria for two nights. Arrive at Rovos Rail for an introduction to our beautifully appointed private station before spending the night at your hotel. Spend the following three nights on board the train on theVictoria Falls Journey. Arrive at the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River and enjoy a two-night stay at the colonial-style Victoria Falls Hotel.

The Right Track - Rovos Rail

ALL ABOARD!

√  Brochure read (several times)
√  Scanned the website (every page)
√  Google searched (every relatable image)
√  Travel Blogs read (several)
√  Files created (virtual and actual)
√  Clothes packed (resisted the urge to buy khakis & pith helmet)

This trip clears a half dozen items from anyone's bucket list: scenery and wildlife, thrilling and exotic, decadent and luxurious. The mere thought of this adventure will leave you giddy as a school girl with anticipation.



If you could choose only one train journey in your lifetime, it should be a Rovos Rail journey. It's the winning lottery ticket of train trips - beyond spectacular! And, it's not just the view from the train that's impressive, the accommodations are nearly as incredible.

The London Daily says,

"Discover Africa in the wood paneled, gleaming five-star luxury of a bygone era."

A Walk Among the Trees

South Africas's Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Boomslang canopy walkway allows visitors to experience the magical gardens from a different perspective. A stunning, tranquil walk among the trees.

What Dreams May Come

Fall Foliage Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden

Does anyone remember the movie 'What Dreams May Come'? During the film Robin Williams character searches the afterlife for his wife through some very surreal, color saturated gardens. I'm beginning to think it may have been filmed here. That, or we've stumbled upon one of Claude Monet's colorful canvases, only bigger, a whole lot bigger! This extraordinarily beautiful and unique place was rightfully selected as a World Heritage Site. 

From the unique and iconic Table Mountain to the truly dramatic coastlines, beautiful mountain passes and valleys further East, to the semi-arid regions to the North, each area is home to a diverse group of rare plants. You may find you'll pinch yourself while here because this place is truly a dream come true.

Good to KNOW

There are nearly a thousand nationally and international recognized World Heritage Sites across the globe. Ideally, protected to preserve and conserve their natural beauty or cultural and historical significance. Eight of these sites are in South Africa and were declared World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
They are:

• The Cape Floral Region
• Robben Island
• The Greater St Lucia Wetland
• uKhahlamba - Drakensberg
• The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
• The "Cradle of Humankind" (Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs)
• Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landschape
• Vredefort Dome

The Cape Floral Region, the fynbos vegetation region (indigenous flowering scrubland), of Western and Eastern Cape Province, South Africa is one of the richest and most diverse floral areas in the world. Recognized for its natural beauty and scientific importance, 70% of its floral species occur nowhere else on the planet. Table Mountain National Park, which is part of this remarkable wilderness area, has more plant species in its 22,000 hectares than Britain or New Zealand. In total, the site covers 553,000 hectares of land that are particularly rich in plant species, representing nearly 20% of Africa's flora. The unique flora of the region is of particular value to science as there is a huge diversity and density of Fynbos species within a relatively small area. The species density in the Cape Floral Region is also amongst the highest in the world and it has been identified as one of the world's 18 biodiversity hot spots.

more, good to KNOW Kirstenbosch botanical garden

If you have limited time or just can't bare all that hiking you can see nearly every indigenous plant in South Africa at  Kirstenbosch. Against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain sits this amazing botanical garden. Established in 1913, it was the first botanic garden in the world to be devoted to a country’s indigenous flora. Set aside to promote, conserve and display the extraordinarily rich and diverse flora of southern Africa. It is time well spent.

Conebush Proteas Kogelberg Reserve SA

Succulents are among South Africa's botanical wonders

A Walk in the Clouds

Rise early. Put on your walking shoes or hiking boots. Prepare to be amazed! Just outside of Cape Town, looming large and inviting, is the crowning jewel of an amazing South African national park, Table Mountain. The park stretches roughly 60 km from Signal Hill around Cape Town then south to Cape Point, encompassing one of the most incredibly scenic mountain chains in the world. Fringed by beautiful valleys, forests, bays and beaches, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. South Africa has the rare claim of eight World Heritage sites, each an area of extraordinary beauty and importance. Table Mountain is also listed on the New 7 Wonders of Nature (a  2001 global pick initiative). Table Mountain is South African's precious jewel among jewels. Recognized for its rich, diverse flora, it forms a partial border for the thriving, cosmopolitan city of Cape Town. Table Mountain National Park is actually divided into three separate sections. The Table Mountain section includes Signal Hill, Lion's Head, Table Mountain, Devil's Peak, the Twelve Apostles (actually 17 peaks), and Orange Kloof. There are a number of hiking trails accessible from Cape Town for exploration. If you are super fit, you can walk up Table Mountain in roughly three hours. Thankfully, the Table Mountain Cableway carries visitors from the Lower Cable Station to the top, allowing visitors to avoid the arduous walk up and offering spectacular views along the way.

"70% of its floral species here occur nowhere else in the world." Rich in floral biodiversity the park is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom World Heritage Site, said to be one of the most diverse floral areas in the world. Fynbos, an ancient type of vegetation developed over millions of years, is the most abundant plant which produces magnificent flowers in spring (September/October).

Although larger predators and large herbivores disappeared from the park at the hands of the European settlers long ago, smaller mammals are still found in the park and some large herbivores are being re-introduced. Sadly, the animals are gone, but the parks spectacular beauty and amazing views make up for the lack of wildlife.

You may even get to walk among the clouds. 

Table Mountain's "Table Cloth" 

Photo by Samantha Reinders for The New York Times

Photo by Alice e Marco

Far Far Away

Photograph by Ande Truman

Everything is possible, but where do possibilities begin...with a slumbering white lion and a train, of course. After all, the journey of a lifetime has to start with a BIG dream ~ Dream of Africa.

While you're at it, why not start with its furthest edge. On the southernmost end of the African continent. Here mountain ranges mark the last stronghold, before this rugged land gives way to the sea. Cliffs rise like fortress walls, while enormous boulders stand sentry guarding the shoreline, unwavering against the thieving sea. Not one, but two oceans battle for more ground here. This vibrant land, South Africa,  rises spectacularly, as if it were the last vestige of land at the edge of the world.

South Africa: a land far, far away...

It should be said, while a visit to South Africa will be incredibly memorable for its beauty, this is a land deeply scarred. It is a country still trying to resolve its rocky past; a country riddled with controversy and upheaval, but through it all settlers and travelers continue to come for its spectacular beauty. The wounds of the past are glaringly evident in Cape Town, where we begin this journey. Here a huge percentage of South Africans still live in poverty. The road is long both behind, and ahead of this country, but the possibilities are great. I keep a favorite quote by Maya Angelou on the home page of this blog. It is perhaps no more suitable than here. It reads, "Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends."* South Africa will hopefully become a place where all its citizens are treated and cared for equally well. Awareness is key.

Arriving in Cape Town ~

Groot Constantia Estate

As you can imagine, at this point, after the long flight, anticipation for the spectacular train trip ahead will be almost unbearable. You'll eagerly await the call, "All aboard," like mice waiting for the Pavlov's bell to ring. However, before you hop the train, give yourself a day or two to rest and explore this bustling, colorful city; a day or two to get acquainted with this country and its people. After all, this is your once-in-a-lifetime journey, so, arrive early. Why not? It is your big dream.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden

There are vineyards here and beautiful botanical gardens…museums, mountain ranges and oceans…penguins and, yes, even white lions. Bordered to the North by Table Bay, to the West by Signal Hill and the Atlantic, and to the South by Table Mountain National Park, it's not a place that is, "just as good as any," to start the trip of a lifetime, it is an extraordinary place to start.

The Old Biscuit Mill Market

Cape Heritage Hotel built in 1771 or the Vineyard Hotel, are both lovely places to choose as a base. South Africa's unique flavors can be found at any number of restaurants, but to truly experience an abundance of South African flavors and goods visit the markets: Greenmarket Square for traditional African arts and crafts, V&A Market on the Wharf known for fresh, organic or homemade, or at Saturday's ritual the Old Biscuit Mill. If flora is your thing don't miss Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden which boasts over 22,000 indigenous plant species, and was the first botanical garden to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There's a one of a kind "steampunk" coffee shop called Truth and more than one world class winery.
Cape Town is said to be one of the most photogenic cities in the world, so of course exploring it should be included in a trip of a lifetime to Africa.

Truth Coffee Shop

Cape Heritage Hotel

*Tourism does help support South Africans, but it's not enough. While visiting this amazing part of the world consider finding other ways to help South African's in need.