"We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right"
...Nelson Mandela
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Rovos Rail:Pretoria to Victoria Falls |
Pretoria • Witbank • Hoedspruit • Pietersburg • Victoria Falls |
A NOSTALGIC EXPEDITION TO THE VICTORIA FALLS RELIVE THE ROMANCE OF A BYGONE AFRICA ON A NOSTALGIC EXPEDITION TO VICTORIA FALLS BY LUXURY TRAIN AND CLASSIC AIRCRAFT Experience a three-day journey through one of the most scenic areas of South Africa as Rovos Rail's luxurious train meanders down the escarpment and through the lush bushveld region of Mpumulanga. At Pietersburg board the company's Convair 440 for an interesting flight to the spectacular Victoria Falls.
The adventure begins as the train departs the gracious station at Capital Park in Pretoria, pausing in Witbank, a rich coal-mining area, where Rovos Rail was founded in 1986. At this town, too, the intrepid young Winston Churchill leapt aboard a freight train to escape from his Anglo Boer War captors. | |
The Pride of Africa retraces his route towards Mozambique, reaching its highest point at Belfast (1970ms/6463ft) before descending the breathtaking Drakensberg Escarpment. The descent between the quaint towns of Waterval Boven and Waterval Onder is one of the most challenging in the world as the train winds through many switchbacks and tunnels. | 
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Journey on in comfort through the lush, sub-tropical Mpumulanga bushveld, through country that inspired Henry Rider Haggard's yarns of African adventure, to Nelspruit and the Crocodile River valley. Follow the border of the world-famous Kruger Park towards Hazyview and Hoedspruit the heart of South Africa's celebrated game-viewing paradise.
 | Ascend the Highveld through the tangled indigenous forests of Magoebaskloof, with its deep gorges and ancient cliffs where "living fossil" cycads flourish, before arriving in the high-lying land of the primeval Baobab tree. Travel past tea estates, trout streams, natural woodlands and then through some of South Africa's vast citrus estates. |
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| At Pietersburg board a classic aircraft for the two - hour flight to journeys end, the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River. |
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PRETORIA - VICTORIA FALLS (LIVINGSTONE/ZAMBIA)
THURSDAY
10:00 The Pride of Africa departs Rovos Rail's station in Capital Park
13:00 Lunch is served in the Dining Car en route to Witbank.
20:00 After descending the Drakensberg escarpment en route to Nelspruit, dinner is served.
FRIDAY
05:00 Wake up call for an early game drive in the Kapama Game Reserve.
09:30 Brunch at the Rhino Inn followed by a visit to the Cheetah and Wild Dog Project.
13:30 Depart Klaserie and enjoy the relaxed meander of the train en route to Tzaneen and Duiwelskloof.
SATURDAY
08:30 Arrive in Pietersburg.
09:00 Passengers transfer to the airport for a two-hour flight to Livingstone.
12:45 Arrive at the Livingstone Hotel, and 13:15 arrival at Victoria Falls Hotel. | VICTORIA FALLS (LIVINGSTONE/ZAMBIA) - PRETORIA
SATURDAY
12:00 Guests collected from Victoria Falls Hotel.
12:30 Guests collected from the Royal Livingstone Hotel.
13:30 Take off from Livingstone Airport.
SUNDAY
05:00 Wake up call for an early game drive in the Kapama Game Reserve.
09:30 Brunch at the Rhino Inn followed by a visit to the Cheetah and Wild Dog Project.
13:30 Depart Klaserie and enjoy the relaxed meander of the train en route to Nelspruit.
MONDAY
07:00 The train begins the climb between Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven, via a series of tunnels and switchbacks. Breakfast is served in the Dining Car until 10:00. During the morning the train passes through Witbank, where young Winston Churchill, an escaped prisoner of war, jumped a freight train to Mozambique.
14:15 At Rayton, the Pride of Africa is connected to the Rovos Rail Steam Locomotive for the last leg of the journey to Pretoria.
16:00Arrive at journey's end, the gracious Capital Park Station in Pretoria. |
Zimbabwe and Zambia visa fees
This information was correct as at 24 December 2003 - please note that this information can change at any time. Please check with your travel agent or relevant consulates.
Since our earlier newsletter of April 2002 advising of changes to the Victoria Falls itinerary and the relevant visa requirements, there have been new developments.
Zimbabwe now requires British citizens visiting the country to be in possession of a Zimbabwean visa. Visas can be obtained prior to departure at the relevant Zimbabwe Consul or on arrival at a Zimbabwean Airport/border post at a cost of USD 55 p.p. for a single entry visa or USD 70 p.p. for a double-entry visa. Zimbabwe visa charges for
citizens of other countries apply as shown in the table below: | COUNTRY | ZAMBIA | ZIMBABWE | | | Single | Double | Single | Double | Australia | - | - | $ 30 | $ 45 | Austria | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Barbados | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Belgium | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Denmark | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | France | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Bermuda | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | - | Germany | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Brazil | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Canada | - | - | $ 30 | $ 45 | Hong Kong | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | - | Hungary | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | * | Greece | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Finland | - | - | $ 30 | $ 45 | Ireland | - | - | - | - | Israel | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Italy | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Japan | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Latvia | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | * | Luxembourg | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 |
| COUNTRY | ZAMBIA | ZIMBABWE | | | Single | Double | Single | Double | Malaysia | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | - | Mexico | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | * | Netherlands | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | New Zealand | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Norway | - | - | $ 30 | $ 45 | Poland | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Portugal | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Reunion | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | * | Russia | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | * | Singapore | - | - | $ 30 | $ 45 | South Africa | - | - | - | - | Spain | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Sweden | - | - | $ 30 | $ 45 | Switzerland | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Turkey | $ 25 | $ 40 | - | * | U.A.E. | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | United Kingdom | **$ 35 | **$ 45 | $ 55 | $ 70 | United States | $ 25 | $ 40 | $ 30 | $ 45 | Zimbabwe | - | - | - | - |
NOTES:*Visas must be obtained 7 working days in advance in South Africa or in country of residence.** Payment of visas for UK citizens for entry into Zambia at port of entry, will only be accepted in cash US Dollars i.e at current exchange rate Single: ±$ 60 Double: ±$ 75
N.B No Zambian visa fees payable if staying at a registered property in Zambia on the manifest system
As the Victoria Falls journey with Rovos Rail is a combined train/aircraft trip, Rovos Rail's preferred airport of arrival/departure (unless otherwise advised) is Livingstone Airport on the Zambian side of the Falls.
Although Rovos Rail arranges transfers from the airport to the Royal Livingstone Hotel (Zambia) or the Victoria Falls Hotel (Zimbabwe) on the Northbound route or vice versa for the Southbound route, all guests remain responsible for payment of relevant visa fees. This means that all guests who choose to stay on the Zimbabwe side of the Falls are required to pre-arrange and pay for both Zimbabwean and Zambian visas.
Guests staying at a recognised property on the Livingstone side will be issued a Zambian Multiple-entry visa free of charge on arrival at Livingstone airport (provided their passport details have been submitted to Rovos Rail in advance). Furthermore, entry to the falls viewing site on the Zambian side is free of charge when staying at The Zambezi Sun or Royal Livingstone hotels as opposed to a USD 20 per person fee which applies to all visitors wishing to view the Falls from the Zimbabwe side. In effect, this means that UK/EU/US guests electing to stay on the Zambian side of the Falls can save up to USD 150 per person in visa and Falls-viewing fees alone. In addition, guests staying on the Zambian side of the Falls have a choice of staying at the five-star Royal Livingstone, three-star Zambezi Sun or a selection of privately owned camps/lodges such as Taita Falcon Lodge, Tongabezi, The River Club, Islands of Siankaba, Sussi and Chuma, Lost Horizons, Stanley Safari Lodge, Natural Mystic and Thorntree Lodge. The Zambian experience also offers a full range of adventure, game-viewing, water and air activities around the Falls area.
We ask you to kindly inform guests booked on our Victoria Falls trains of the above visa requirements and cost implications before making a decision on their place of stay whilst visiting the Falls.
Luggage:
Please could guests be requested to restrict their luggage to 15 kg per passenger. Guests with baggage exceeding 15kg are requested to leave excess baggage at our station in Capital Park, Pretoria for later delivery to Johannesburg International Airport or hotels in Gauteng. |
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