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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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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
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itinerary
Please Note:
The itinerary for this program is different on certain dates.
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
Accommodation Details

Pullman Suites are equipped with a comfortable sofa-seat that converts into a double bed or twin-sized bunk beds for sleeping, as well as an en-suite bathroom with shower.

Accommodation Details

Private and spacious, deluxe train accommodations offering either a double bed or twin beds; includes a lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower.

Aug 18 - Sep 2, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,499
Deluxe Train Suite 10,199
Sep 1 - Sep 16, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,499
Deluxe Train Suite 10,199
Sep 8 - Sep 23, 2023
Pullman Train Suite 8,499
Deluxe Train Suite 10,199
Itinerary Note

This departure will visit the Chobe Riverfront in Namibia first before staying in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe; all program content remains the same.

Sep 15 - Sep 30, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,499
Deluxe Train Suite 10,199
Oct 20 - Nov 4, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,499
Deluxe Train Suite 10,199
Nov 3 - Nov 18, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 8,499
Deluxe Train Suite 10,199
Feb 9 - Feb 24, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Mar 1 - Mar 16, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Mar 15 - Mar 30, 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
Apr 26 - May 11, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
May 10 - May 25, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Aug 9 - Aug 24, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Aug 30 - Sep 14, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
Sep 6 - Sep 21, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 8,999
Deluxe Train Suite 10,899
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
Accommodation Details

Pullman Suites are equipped with a comfortable sofa-seat that converts into a double bed or twin-sized bunk beds for sleeping, as well as an en-suite bathroom with shower.

Accommodation Details

Private and spacious, deluxe train accommodations offering either a double bed or twin beds; includes a lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower.

Aug 18 - Sep 2, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,089
Deluxe Train Suite 12,199
Sep 1 - Sep 16, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,089
Deluxe Train Suite 12,199
Sep 8 - Sep 23, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,089
Deluxe Train Suite 12,199
Itinerary Note

This departure will visit the Chobe Riverfront in Namibia first before staying in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe; all program content remains the same.

Sep 15 - Sep 30, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,089
Deluxe Train Suite 12,199
Oct 20 - Nov 4, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,089
Deluxe Train Suite 12,199
Nov 3 - Nov 18, 2023
SOLD OUT
Pullman Train Suite 10,089
Deluxe Train Suite 12,199
Feb 9 - Feb 24, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Mar 1 - Mar 16, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Mar 15 - Mar 30, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Apr 5 - Apr 20, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Apr 26 - May 11, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
May 10 - May 25, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Aug 9 - Aug 24, 2024
Pullman Train Suite 10,699
Deluxe Train Suite 13,099
Aug 30 - Sep 14, 2024
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 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 Sisa Moyo
Sisa is Ndebele by tribe and grew up in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s beautiful wilderness and wildlife inspired him to begin leading overland trips. In 2011, Sisa served as an Ambassador for Zimbabwe at Walt Disney World, raising awareness about conservation issues. He currently lives in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe with his wife and family. In his "office," covering thousands of miles in Southern Africa, Sisa shares his passion for the bush and his country with travelers from around the world.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Myth of Wild Africa
by Jonathan Adams, Thomas McShane
A no-holds-barred attack on old-style conservation in Africa, provocative and dead-on. The authors explore the fallacy of an untouched continent where animals roam freely in sanctuaries.
The Scramble for Africa
by Thomas Pakenham
A well-written, meticulously researched history of the Victorian land grab in Africa. The book includes especially good portraits of the egomaniacal personalities who overran the continent.
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.
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.
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.





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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.