20 Apr 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£7,598pp
Flights from UK airports
Single from £9,018
Escorted tour
South Africa with Rovos Rail & Flights – 19 Days
Kruger, the battlefields, the Garden Route, Cape Town and Rovos Rail, with flights.
19 days
From £6,509 incl. flights
Tour overview
This 19-day tour travels the length of South Africa, finishing with a journey aboard the luxurious Rovos Rail. Return flights are included, and a tour director escorts the group, which numbers between twenty-five and forty-eight. You stay sixteen nights in hotels and on the train, with breakfast on most days and several other meals, including all meals and drinks on Rovos Rail.
After visiting the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, you drive the Panorama Route to the edge of Kruger for a full-day game drive and a free day. You travel through Eswatini to KwaZulu-Natal for the battlefields of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift, then fly to the Garden Route at Knysna.
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You visit the Featherbed Nature Reserve, watch for whales at Hermanus, tour the Winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and explore Cape Town, Kirstenbosch and the Cape of Good Hope. Finally you board Rovos Rail for the journey north via Matjiesfontein and Kimberley to Pretoria.
The physical rating is low. This tour suits travellers who want the whole of South Africa with a memorable rail finale.
Trip highlights
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The Panorama Route (Day 3)
-
A Kruger game drive (Day 4)
-
Isandlwana (Day 7)
-
Hermanus (Day 10)
-
The Cape of Good Hope (Day 13)
-
Rovos Rail (Days 15–17)
Your route
20 stops from Johannesburg to Johannesburg
- Johannesburg Days 1–2
- Blyde River Canyon Day 3
- Kruger National Park Days 3–5
- Piggs Peak Day 6
- Mbabane Day 6
- KwaZulu-Natal Days 6–7
- Isandlwana Day 7
- Johannesburg Day 8
- George Day 8
- Knysna Days 8–9
- Featherbed Nature Reserve Day 9
- Hermanus Day 10
- Franschhoek Days 10–11
- Stellenbosch Day 11
- Cape Town Days 12–15
- Cape Point Day 13
- Boulders Beach Day 13
- Matjiesfontein Day 16
- Kimberley Day 17
- Johannesburg Day 18
Why choose this tour
The whole country with a luxury rail finale. Flights and all meals on Rovos Rail included.
Best suited to
- Rail lovers
- Travellers who value comfort
- First-time visitors to South Africa
- Couples and solo travellers
Day-by-day itinerary
19 days from United Kingdom to United Kingdom
-
Day 1 · United Kingdom Fly to South Africa
Depart for Johannesburg.
- Hotel
- Overnight flight
-
Day 2 · Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg Johannesburg
Arrive in Johannesburg.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 3 · Panorama Route, Kruger Panorama Route
To Kruger.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 4 · Kruger National Park Kruger
A game drive.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 5 · Kruger Kruger
A free day.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 6 · Eswatini, KwaZulu-Natal Eswatini
Through Eswatini.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 7 · Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift Isandlwana
The battlefields.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
-
Day 8 · Johannesburg, Knysna Knysna
Fly to the Garden Route.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 9 · Featherbed Nature Reserve Knysna
Knysna Heads.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Lunch
-
Day 10 · Hermanus, Franschhoek Hermanus
Whale country.
- Hotel
- Le Franschhoek Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 11 · Stellenbosch, Franschhoek Winelands
The Winelands.
- Hotel
- Le Franschhoek Hotel
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 12 · Kirstenbosch, Cape Town Cape Town
A botanical garden.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 13 · Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach Cape of Good Hope
Penguins and cliffs.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 14 · Cape Town Cape Town
A free day.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 15 · Cape Town Rovos Rail
Board the train.
- Hotel
- Rovos Rail
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 16 · Matjiesfontein Matjiesfontein
A Victorian village.
- Hotel
- Rovos Rail
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 17 · Kimberley, Pretoria Kimberley
The Big Hole.
- Hotel
- Overnight flight
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 18 · Johannesburg Fly home
Fly to the UK.
- Hotel
- Overnight flight
- Meals
- Lunch
-
Day 19 · United Kingdom Arrive home
Land in the UK.
Where you stay
- Johannesburg (1 night) Hotel
- Kruger (3 nights) Hotel
- KwaZulu-Natal (2 nights) Hotel
- Knysna (2 nights) Hotel
- Franschhoek (2 nights) Le Franschhoek Hotel
- Cape Town (3 nights) Hotel
- Rovos Rail (2 nights) Rovos Rail
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Return flights and an internal flight
- Accommodation 13 hotel nights and 2 nights on Rovos Rail
- Meals 13 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners
- Full-day Kruger game drive
- Battlefields, Winelands and Cape Peninsula tours
- All meals and drinks on Rovos Rail
- Tour director throughout
Not included
- Optional excursions
- Meals not included 3 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 11 dinners
- Tips
- Travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want a small group
- You want an active holiday
- You want a short holiday
- You want a budget trip
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–8, 10, 12–14 and 16–17 · Lunch: Days 7, 9 and 18 · Dinner: Days 3, 8, 11 and 15
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £6,509 per person, including flights. 8 upcoming departures.
Flights from UK airports.
24 Aug 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£6,549pp
Flights from UK airports
Single from £8,338
13 Sept 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£7,838pp
Flights from UK airports
Single from £8,438
19 Oct 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£6,749pp
Flights from UK airports
22 Feb 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£6,749pp
Flights from UK airports
01 May 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£7,409pp
Flights from UK airports
12 Sept 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£6,509pp
Flights from UK airports
19 Sept 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£6,509pp
Flights from UK airports
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Are flights included?
Yes, return flights and an internal flight to the Garden Route.
Do I need a visa for South Africa?
No, UK citizens can visit South Africa visa-free for up to 90 days. Your passport needs two blank pages.
What is Rovos Rail like?
A luxury train with spacious suites, fine dining and all drinks included except Champagne.
Which meals are included?
Most breakfasts, several lunches and dinners, and all meals on Rovos Rail.
Can I have my own room?
A single supplement is available.
Who looks after the group?
A tour director escorts the group throughout.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary