Southern Africa: Once-in-a-lifetime experience on the African Continent with the post-cruise program "From Zimbabwe to South Africa on a Luxury Train" (port-to-port cruise)

We’ll meet up at the hotel at 11:30 a.m. We’ll have lunch before visiting the Apartheid Museum (the Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday. In case of a visit a Monday, this museum will be replaced by the Mandela House. On Tuesday, it will be replaced by the Hector Pieterson Museum), the first museum centering on South African history in the 20th century. Afterwards, we’ll set off for a panoramic tour of Johannesburg, the city of superlatives. We’ll arrive at our five-star hotel LS. You’ll enjoy dinner and spend the night at the hotel.  

We’ll take a regular flight from Johannesburg to Kasane, Botswana. You’ll be transferred from the airport to your CroisiEurope lodge on board small private boats. You’ll settle into your comfortable lodge ideally located at the heart of the wilderness. We’ll have dinner and spend the night at the lodge.

Enjoy a full-day safari in Jeeps to explore the Chobe National Park and its majestic fauna. Lunch in a “floating restaurant” with incredible views of the surrounding nature. Afterwards, we’ll board small private boats and sail off on Chobe River all the way to Sedudu Island and its marshes. We’ll have dinner and spend the night at the lodge.

Discover traditional villages on Impalila Island. We’ll return to our lodge for lunch. This afternoon, you can enjoy time at leisure at the lodge or join us for a discovery of the Zambezi River on small private boats. We’ll have dinner at the lodge. Tonight, let your guide tell you all about the traditions of this particular island. Night spent at the lodge.

Enjoy one last water safari in the Chobe National Park area. After lunch along the water, we'll set out for the Kasane airport. On board small private planes, you’ll discover the stunning panoramas over Lake Kariba during your flight from Kasane to Kariba. You’ll be transferred to board the ship and comfortably settle into your cabins. We’ll start sailing across the lake. We’ll have dinner and spend the night on board.  

At sunrise, we’ll set sail through Lake Kariba. We’ll set out on a small private boat to discover the small waterways going into the Matusadona National Park and their unique wildlife. We’ll return on board for lunch. This afternoon, we’ll sail towards Palm Bay. Later, we'll set out on small private boats to admire the sunset. We’ll have dinner and spend the night on board.

We’ll journey out this morning on a safari to discover the area around Matusadona National Park and its numerous wild animals. We’ll enjoy lunch on board and start sailing again. During this time, a round table will be the opportunity to learn more about the creation of the Lake, its inhabitants as well as its ecosystem. We’ll have dinner and spend the night on board.

At sunrise, we’ll set sail towards Kariba to disembark and journey out to the airport. We’ll discover the gigantic Kariba Dam which was created to form Lake Kariba before flying out to Victoria Falls on board private planes. Lunch cruise on the Zambezi River. This afternoon, enjoy a tour on foot of the falls. Tonight, enjoy dinner and spend the night at a four-star hotel LS.

Optional early morning excursion: Soar over Victoria Falls in a helicopter (must reserve when signing up for the cruise).

Lunch will be served at the hotel. Guided tour of Victoria Falls Bridge. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, this superstructure spans the Zambezi River and connects Zimbabwe and Zambia. Learn about the history of the bridge and set off on a stroll across its walkways for some impressive views. You'll then head to the Victoria Falls train station, where you'll settle comfortably in your suite as the train sets out for a 932-mile trip (1,500 km). Enjoy dinner in the Dining Car and the night on board as the train begins its travels towards Southern Zimbabwe.

Morning dedicated to exploring Hwange National Park in four-wheel-drive vehicles. The best place for safaris in Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park, was delineated in 1928 and is one of the best places to observe the impressive "Big Five" animals: lions, African buffalo, leopards, rhinoceroses, and elephants. The park is home to the largest elephant population in the country. The train will continue on its way while lunch is served on board. You'll travel along one of the longest straight-line railroad tracks in the world this afternoon, approximately 71 miles (114 km). The line passes through Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe and the industrial capital of the country. We'll have dinner and spend the night on board.

Sit back and enjoy the scenery from the Observation Car as the train crosses the border and the Limpopo River before arriving in Musina, South Africa. We'll have lunch on board. We'll cross the Tropic of Capricorn, the southern-most latitude where the sun appears directly overhead at noon during the December solstice. Enjoy the tea service in the Lounge as the train continues its trips through the spa town formerly known as Warmbaths, now renamed in the local language as Bela Bela ("boiling, boiling"). Next is the city of Nylstroom, called Nyl by its first inhabitants, who believed they had discovered the source of the Nile River. The vast golden plains of Highveld, where zebras and antelope abound, will close out this adventure. We'll have dinner and spend the night on board.

Enjoy one last breakfast on board before disembarking. Visit the Rovos Rail museum to see its antique rail collection. You'll be transferred to the center of Pretoria—called Jacaranda City, as the tropical jacaranda trees turn the city a magnificent purple hue each spring. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the "Executive Capital" of South Africa. Discover its famous Union Building, home to the South African presidential offices. The building has been the site of many important events, including Nelson Mandela's inauguration. We'll have lunch in the city. You'll be transferred to the airport in Johannesburg. End of our services at OR Tambo airport around 5:00 pm.