The Grand Rail, Safari & Beach Journey
Cape Town by luxury train, Sabi Sand by private vehicle, Zanzibar by the sea — one journey, three Africas
Overview
This is the trip we build for travellers who do not want to choose between the train, the bush and the beach — so we give them all three, in the right order, with the long dull transfers flown rather than endured. You begin in Cape Town with Table Mountain and the Winelands, then board the Rovos Rail for two nights across the Great Karoo, where the train itself is the reason you are there. From Pretoria we fly you straight to the Sabi Sand for three nights of private Big Five game viewing, and finish on the warm Indian Ocean in Zanzibar. It is paced so that each leg has room to breathe.
We are honest about what rail travel is and is not. The Cape Town to Pretoria run is one of the great scenic railway journeys on earth, and two nights aboard is a pleasure. Dragging the whole itinerary onto the tracks for a fortnight is not — so we don't. After the train, you fly, and your safari and beach days stay full rather than being eaten by long overland stretches.
Who It's For
Couples marking an anniversary or retirement, lifelong rail enthusiasts, and anyone who wants the full sweep of Southern and East Africa — a great city, a great reserve and a great beach — inside a single well-planned trip.
Package Highlights
Two Nights Aboard Rovos Rail
The Cape Town–Pretoria run across the Great Karoo, wood-panelled suites and a dining car in black tie
Cape Town & Table Mountain
Two nights in the Mother City with the cable car, Cape Point and the Winelands
Sabi Sand Big Five
Three nights of private off-road game viewing in Africa's finest leopard country
Zanzibar Finish
Four nights on the Indian Ocean with Stone Town, a spice farm and a dhow at sunset
Fly the Long Legs
Private and scheduled flights replace the tedious transfers so every day stays useful
Private-Guided Throughout
Your own guide and vehicle on safari, private transfers and a trip planner on call
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrive at Cape Town International and transfer to your hotel below Table Mountain. The rest of the day is yours to settle in. If your flight lands early, we send you up Signal Hill for the sunset over the Atlantic before a quiet welcome dinner near the waterfront.
🏨 Accommodation: Cape Grace / Ellerman House
🍽️ Meals: Dinner
Your Route
Tap a marker to see each stop on your journey.
Featured Lodges & Accommodation
Rovos Rail (Pride of Africa)
📍 Cape Town to Pretoria
Restored wood-panelled carriages, en-suite suites with proper beds and a dining car served in black tie. Two nights aboard across the Great Karoo, with an open observation deck at the rear of the train.
From $1,400 per person per night
Cape Grace
📍 V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
A warm, well-run hotel on its own quay at the Waterfront, within walking distance of the harbour and an easy base for Table Mountain and the peninsula.
From $600 per person per night
Leopard Hills Private Reserve
📍 Western Sabi Sand
Glass-fronted suites looking over a busy waterhole in the western Sabi Sand, with some of the most reliable leopard viewing in the reserve and raised timber decks for watching the bush.
From $1,200 per person per night
Baraza Resort & Spa, Zanzibar
📍 Bwejuu, east coast Zanzibar
Swahili-Arabic villas on a wide stretch of the east coast, each with its own plunge pool, a good spa and direct beach access. An all-inclusive option makes the beach leg easy.
From $700 per person per night
Pricing & Options
All prices per person sharing. Customize any tier to your preferences.
Standard
(~$864/night)
Pullman suite aboard Rovos Rail, 4-5 star Cape Town hotel, quality Sabi Sand lodge and a good east-coast beach resort
Get QuoteLuxury
(~$1,682/night)
Deluxe suite aboard Rovos Rail, Ellerman House or Cape Grace, Leopard Hills and Baraza with private transfers throughout
Get QuoteUltra-Luxury
(~$2,909/night)
Royal suite aboard Rovos Rail, top Cape Town hotel, Singita Ebony, private villa in Zanzibar, private guide and vehicle on safari and private charters on the flown legs
Get QuoteWhat's Included & Excluded
✓ Included
- ✓ Two nights aboard Rovos Rail, Cape Town to Pretoria, full board
- ✓ Nine nights hotel, lodge and beach accommodation as per tier
- ✓ All meals on the train and on safari; breakfast at Cape Town and Zanzibar
- ✓ Private guided touring in Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula
- ✓ Twice-daily private game drives in the Sabi Sand
- ✓ Stone Town tour and spice farm visit in Zanzibar
- ✓ Flights Pretoria–Sabi Sand and Sabi Sand–Zanzibar (via Johannesburg)
- ✓ All private road and airstrip transfers
- ✓ Park, reserve and conservation fees
✗ Excluded
- ✗ International flights to Cape Town and from Zanzibar
- ✗ Travel insurance (required)
- ✗ Tanzania and South Africa visa fees
- ✗ Premium cellar wines and champagne beyond the house selection
- ✗ Spa treatments unless stated
- ✗ Gratuities for guides, train crew and lodge staff
- ✗ Zanzibar infrastructure tax payable on arrival at the lodge
- ✗ Personal expenses and optional activities
Photo Gallery
Best Time to Travel
May to October lines up well for all three legs: dry, cool game-viewing weather in the Sabi Sand, clear days in Cape Town and fine, drier conditions on the Zanzibar coast. April and November sit on the shoulder — quieter and cheaper, but the coast can be wet.
Why Choose This Package
Rail Where Rail Belongs
Two nights aboard Rovos Rail on the genuinely scenic Cape Town–Pretoria run, not a fortnight of forcing the whole trip onto the tracks. After that, you fly.
Three Very Different Africas
A great city, the best leopard reserve on the continent and a warm Indian Ocean island, in an order that builds rather than exhausts.
Honestly Paced
Full safari days and real beach days, because the long transfers are flown. Nobody spends this journey staring out of a car window.
Private and Built Around You
Private guiding on safari, private transfers throughout and a planner who adjusts the trip as you go rather than handing you a fixed packaged route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Experience the The Grand Rail, Safari & Beach Journey?
From $9,500 per person | 12 Days / 11 Nights
⚡ Limited availability for peak season 2026 — book early to secure your dates
