This dventure begins with an overnight in Pretoria. The next morning, you will be transferred to the nearby Rovos Rail train station where you will board the Rovos Rail! It then winds its way south through Johannesburg and the goldfields of the Witwatersrand before travelling west alongside the Magaliesberg Mountains. After border formalities at Mafikeng, the train travels north the following day through Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, crosses the Tropic of Capricorn and continues via Mahalapye and Francistown to the Zimbabwean border at Plumtree. The next day the train passes through Hwange National Park – a rich and diverse wildlife sanctuary – where animals can be spotted from the train and a game drive excursion is enjoyed. After a service stop at Thompsons Junction, the sojourn ends at the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River. You will be transferred to the Victoria Falls Hotel where you will stay for two nights. The first night, enjoy a sundowner cruise down the Zambezi River. The following morning, embark on a guided tour of the majestic Victoria Falls. The surrounding areas offer travellers many recreational opportunities including cruises, whitewater rafting as well as superb game viewing and photo safaris.
The Victoria Falls Hotel is situated in the Victoria Falls National Park, a world heritage site, and is a member of the exclusive Leading Hotels of the World group. It is one of only three IS0-accredited hotels in Zimbabwe. The Edwardian-style five-star hotel, built in 1904, is set in lush tropical gardens with lily ponds, palm trees and semi-tropical shrubs, providing the tranquility and seclusion that many guests seek. The famous Victoria Falls are just a ten-minute walk away using the hotel’s private pathway, and “the smoke that thunders” or “Mosi-O-Tunya” in the local dialect, is clearly audible and visible from this luxurious landmark. The ambience of the hotel is steeped in that history with all suites decorated in the gracious Edwardian style of Zimbabwe’s colonial era. Waking up to the sound of the Falls, seeing the sun rise beneath the mist of one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the lunar rainbow at night, all the while soaking up the history and ambience of a bygone era, is more than unforgettable – it is unique.
World-class service and food and beverage choice are second to none, making the hotel a magnet for international and local visitors. The opulent Livingstone Room for fine dining and dancing, the Jungle Junction with its famous breakfast and dinner buffets and ethnic entertainment in the evenings, offer a wide variety. Stanley’s Terrace, with its clear view of the Victoria Falls Bridge, connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia, is renowned for its cocktails and afternoon teas. The Terrace has been a rendezvous for adventurers in Africa for over a century.
