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South Africa/Zimbabwe/Namibia/Botswana

Southern Africa Safari and Train Adventure: From Cape Town to Victoria Falls

Program No. 21423RJ
Journey through iconic countryside by train, and spot an abundance of wildlife while on safari. Plus, enjoy expert lectures on the region’s cultural traditions and natural wonders.

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Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.

DATES & PRICES

Pullman Train Suite Deluxe Train Suite
Filling Fast!
Feb 9 - Feb 24, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Mar 1 - Mar 16, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Filling Fast!
Mar 15 - Mar 30, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Mar 22 - Apr 6, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Apr 5 - Apr 20, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Filling Fast!
Apr 26 - May 11, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
May 10 - May 25, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Filling Fast!
Aug 9 - Aug 24, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Aug 30 - Sep 14, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Filling Fast!
Sep 6 - Sep 21, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Filling Fast!
Sep 27 - Oct 12, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Nov 1 - Nov 16, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899

DATES & PRICES

Pullman Train Suite Deluxe Train Suite
Feb 9 - Feb 24, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Mar 1 - Mar 16, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Mar 15 - Mar 30, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Filling Fast!
Mar 22 - Apr 6, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Apr 5 - Apr 20, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Apr 26 - May 11, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
May 10 - May 25, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Filling Fast!
Aug 9 - Aug 24, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Aug 30 - Sep 14, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Sep 6 - Sep 21, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Sep 27 - Oct 12, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Nov 1 - Nov 16, 2024
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099

At a Glance

Explore Southern Africa in the romantic style of the past on this safari-and-train adventure. Start your journey by experiencing Cape Town's complex history and dramatic natural beauty. Then board Rovos Rail for an evocative train trek to Victoria Falls, making a stop along the way to search for magnificent wildlife. In Zimbabwe, follow in the footsteps of Dr. Livingstone to marvel at Victoria Falls, then journey to Chobe National Park to witness elephants and Cape buffalo quenching their thirst along the Chobe River.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles daily on uneven terrain. Game drives in open-air safari vehicles can be bumpy and dusty; stamina and flexibility are required. Elevations up to 4,100 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Journey from Pretoria to Victoria Falls on Rovos Rail, a luxurious private train recalling the romance of Victorian era railroad travel.
  • Encounter African wildlife during boat excursions on the Chobe River and safari game drives in national parks.
  • Explore Cape Town's colorful and historic sites including District Six, where a local resident speaks about the forced removals experienced during the apartheid era.

General Notes

Due to the special nature of the program, we regret that we are unable to match solo participants with roommates. Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Helen Malisan
Helen Malisan’s passion for exploration began in high school when she visited Italy, her ancestral country. After completing her final year at school, she immediately joined South African Airways where she worked for 10 years. In 1993, her love for nature and South Africa inspired her to complete the necessary courses to become a wilderness excursion leader, spurring her career as a safari leader in Namibia and Zambia. Helen says her interest in people, nature and animals inspires her work.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Helen Malisan
Helen Malisan View biography
Helen Malisan’s passion for exploration began in high school when she visited Italy, her ancestral country. After completing her final year at school, she immediately joined South African Airways where she worked for 10 years. In 1993, her love for nature and South Africa inspired her to complete the necessary courses to become a wilderness excursion leader, spurring her career as a safari leader in Namibia and Zambia. Helen says her interest in people, nature and animals inspires her work.
Profile Image of Lisa Reed
Lisa Reed was born in Zimbabwe, spent her school years in South Africa, and now lives in Botswana. She has worked or visited most Southern and East African safari destinations, and has managed safari camps on her own and with others since being in Botswana. Lisa has a natural affinity with adults and children, and enjoys passing on her years of experience and knowledge to the next generation. She has been leading safaris for Road Scholar for more than 15 years.
Profile Image of Johann Roscher
Johann Roscher View biography
Johann Röscher was born in South Africa and grew up on State Forestry stations along the coastal belt of the Cape Province. He joined the military and studied at the North West University, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science. After traveling through the Middle East and Eastern Europe, he returned to South Africa to work as a socio-political researcher. Disillusioned with city life, Johann decided to change careers and lead safaris. He’s been taking groups on safaris in Kalahari and Okavango Delta for 17 years, and he’s never been more content with his choice to move to that beautiful and remote region.
Profile Image of Keith Chisnall
Keith Chisnall View biography
A local of northern Zimbabwe, Keith Chisnall relishes in showing the bush culture to travelers from around the world. As a child, Keith learned the medicinal value of bush plants, how to track animals, tribal customs and the indigenous flora and fauna, and his knowledge has only grown since then. He’s worked as an engineer, salesman and detective, but his most meaningful work has been in leading educational adventures. After over 20 years of experience leading groups in “Big Five” territory, you can rely on Keith to explain every aspect and every detail of the wilderness!
Profile Image of Mark Geraghty
Mark Geraghty View biography
Mark Geraghty was born in Ndola, Northern Zambia where his father was stationed in the British Army. He grew up in Zambia, until his family moved to Harare, Zimbabwe. Not only has Mark traveled extensively throughout Southern Africa, but he has also spent time in Kenya and the Congo. His marriage into a prominent Zimbabwean family sparked an interest in Africa’s early history, specifically the “Scramble for Africa.” Mark is a passionate storyteller with a piercing insight and great sense of humor.
Profile Image of Victoria Falls Heritage Tours, David Livingstone Presentation
Victoria Falls Heritage Tours, David Livingstone Presentation View biography
A dynamic storyteller from Victoria Falls Heritage Tours will join your group to discuss David Livingstone's fascinating life and his explorations, which covered more than 28,000 miles of uncharted territory. Dr. Livingstone's unparalleled story is truly an inspiration and will offer new-found perspectives on the African continent.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Tomorrow is Another Country, The Inside Story of South Africa's Road to Change
by Allister Sparks
Essential to understanding South Africa today, this comprehensive account shows the extraordinary developments that led to multiracial democracy in South Africa.
Southern Africa Wildlife, A Visitor's Guide
by Mike Unwin
A popular, photographic guide to the mammals, birds, reptiles and habitats south of the Zambezi. With 300 color photographs and illuminating text.
Out of Darkness, Shining Light
by Petina Gappah
So begins Petina Gappah's powerful novel of exploration and adventure in nineteenth-century Africa—the captivating story of the loyal men and women who carried explorer and missionary Dr. Livingstone's body, his papers and maps, fifteen hundred miles across the continent of Africa, so his remains could be returned home to England and his work preserved there.
The Big Conservation Lie
by John Mbaria, Mordecai Ogada
This book takes the reader through Kenya’s conservation ‘industry’ and the players therein with all their prejudices, weaknesses and commitment to causes. It is a call to indigenous Africans to claim their place at the table where the management of their natural resources is being discussed, and invites well-meaning donors to look beyond the romantic images and detect the possible role of their money in the disenfranchisement of a people.
Lonely Planet Southern Africa
by Anthony Ham
This hefty practical guide to the nine nations of southern Africa, including Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland (Eswatini), Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho, is ideal for independent travelers on a multi-country tour.
Africa Is Not a Country: Notes on a Bright Continent
by Dipo Faloyin
So often, Africa has been depicted simplistically as a uniform land of famines and safaris, poverty and strife, stripped of all nuance. This book offers stories that bring to life Africa’s rich diversity, communities, and histories.
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
An unpretentious tale of an extraordinary life. Mandela recounts the circumstances of his imprisonment and ultimately his successful drive to end Apartheid.
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
by Trevor Noah
A harrowing look at life in South Africa under apartheid and country's lurching entry into a post-apartheid reality told through the prism of Trevor Noah and his family. Noah is the most successful comedian in Africa and is the current host of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show on Comedy Central.
Disgrace
by J.M. Coetzee
Set in Cape Town and on a remote farm in the Eastern Cape, Coetzee's Booker Prize-winning novel explores the devastating realities of racial politics in post-apartheid South Africa.
The Last Elephants
by Colin Bell & Don Pinnock
African savanna elephants--among the most magnificent and beloved of our fellow mammals--are an extraordinary, social, and intelligent species. The Last Elephants, an homage to these animals and a clarion call for their preservation, is based upon a shocking finding: savanna elephant populations across Africa are being decimated, with two to three murdered every hour for their ivory. Without action, these elephants soon will vanish from our world. They are a species in imminent danger of extinction, and it is up to us to save them.
Cape Town, A Lonely Planet City Guide
by John A. Murray
A practical guide to the city and surroundings, featuring suggested walks, excursions and attractions. This surprisingly complete book also includes color photographs and a map.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.