Epic Africa in elegant style
South Africa has some of the most moving, distinct and dramatic landscapes this world has to offer, which can all be enjoyed from the smooth gait of a luxury locomotive pulling along its plains, swallowing up the savannah and coursing along its coastlines.
There’s also nothing more effortlessly comfortable and convenient, nor more hopelessly romantic, than travelling by luxury train through Africa. We offer a number of differing routes and trains that snake through some of South Africa’s most extraordinary scenes.
What’s more if you prefer to hop on or off at a particular point to enjoy a safari stay or a beachside break, we can incorporate this into your personalised itinerary.
Highlights
Explore lively Cape Town
Marvel at the epic Victoria Falls
View wildlife at Africa’s premier game reserve, Sabi Sands
Fill up a glass in the Winelands, tasting some of the best wine in the country
James Harris
Travel Designer
There's not much that's more luxurious than exploring beautiful scenery by rail. Taking in all of the sights, sounds and flavours of South Africa from the comfort of an elegant cabin, but still having the freedom to stop off and explore lively cities and unmatched safaris. It really is like putting yourself at the heart of all South Africa has to offer.
James Harris
Travel Designer
Luxury rail accommodation in South Africa
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Trip Inspriation
Discover South Africa
Cape Town
Cape Town can really take your breath away. The horizon is dominated by the iconic Table Mountain rising up in the background, whilst in the foreground are the crisp waters of the cape and the laid-back bustle of the city’s waterfront skirted by sandy beaches and picturesque suburbs.
Discover moreSabi Sands
Widely regarded as Africa’s premier game reserve, Sabi Sands is world renowned for the abundance of game (particularly leopard), and is the best place to see all of the ‘Big Five’ in South Africa.
Discover moreThe Kruger
Founded in 1898 by President Paul Kruger, this National Park remains one of the oldest and largest wildlife reserves in the world.
Discover moreThe Winelands
Just a short drive from Cape Town one enters the verdant, rolling hills of South Africa’s wine country. Home to fantastic wine and some of Africa’s best restaurants.
Discover moreThe Kalahari
Although termed a desert, this semi-arid sandy savannah supports more animal and plant life than what is typical and is, in fact, not a desert in the truest sense.
Discover moreThe Whale Coast
As you might imagine, the marine life of the Whale Coast is the main draw of the area, but you can’t help but credit them for picking such a spectacular stretch of coastline around which to gather.
Discover moreMadikwe
The Madikwe Game Reserve, bordering the Kalahari Desert and Botswana in South Africa’s north west corner, is one of the country’s lesser known and more remote of the Big Five safari experiences. Moreover, it’s malaria-free, making the area great for families.
Discover moreLimpopo Province
“The Great North” or South Africa’s northernmost province of Limpopo, justifies its nickname with some of the most magnificently scenic and contrasting terrain you’ll see throughout the country.
Discover moreThe Garden Route
This exquisitely pretty, pleasant and popular strip of South Africa’s Western Cape and coastline is a nature lover’s paradise and a horticulturist’s dream.
Discover morePhinda
In the northern corner of the KwaZulu Natal’s eastern coast, the Phinda Private Game Reserve is a small and exclusive gem of conservation-based hospitality and authentic African splendor.
Discover moreThe Elephant Coast
The north-eastern corner of KwaZulu Natal, tucked beneath Swaziland and Mozambique, possesses some of the best beaches in the whole country.
Discover moreDrakensberg Mountains
Now affectionately known as ‘the Berg’, Drakensberg, meaning ‘Dragon Mountains’, magically encapsulates the escarpment’s otherworldly feel. Tabletop peaks, wind-swept plains, mighty cliffs and glorious waterfalls make up just some of the spectacular grandeur.
Discover moreThe Western Cape Mountains
Sweeping from the north of Cape Town and curving eastward underneath the southern limits of the Northern Cape, this arched expanse incorporates the Cederberg mountains, a good portion of the Karoo plateau spilling over into the Overburg interior.
Discover moreThe Battlefields
An exceptionally scenic swathe of the KwaZulu Natal province is where many significant and epic battles took place between the Boers, Zulus and the British to shape the modern South Africa.
Discover moreDurban
Durban is another of South Africa’s great seaside cities, with the added feature of enjoying a warm sub-tropical climate all year round.
Discover moreMeet your Africa team
When to visit
Rail travel is great any time of year. Rates tend to fluctuate between the high season (September to November) and low season (January to August, and most of December).
Safari
May - October
Wildflowers
August - September
Cape Town
October - April
Plan your trip to South Africa
Whatever you want from your rail adventure in South Africa, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Everything about our trip to South Africa arranged by Jacada Travel was exceptional. Jody Van Merode, Senior Tavel Designer, listened to our wants and needs and put together a perfect trip that was within our stated budget. She was great to work with! Jody and our assigned concierge, Betty Gatwiri, communicated with us frequently before our trip about what to…
Jacada was great. The knowledgeable people at Jacada - James, Betty, Wade to name the ones we were in touch with - plus all the people who were there meeting us at planes, picking us up at hotels -- on time. While the sights and sounds in the bush were amazing, the hospitality at Lion Sands River Lodge and Thornybush…
We recently returned from a trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia booked through Jacada Travel. From the initial stages of planning through to following up with us at the end of our vacation, Jacada went above and beyond our expectations with personalized service. Jamie and Eugenia, our travel designer and concierge respectively, took our ideas and preferences and ran…
My husband and I recently traveled to South Africa and we utilized Jacada travel services. Jody Van Merode planned the perfect trip for us- we spoke over the phone and she put together an itinerary that would best match what we wanted to see, our interests and our budget! We visited two very different game reserves - each beautiful in…
The trip was perfect from start to finish which I completely attribute to the communication with James and Eugenia. I really felt as if our needs were anticipated and our style of travel understood. They truly picked the best accommodations and made transfers between easy. I've never had such a seamless and well-organized travel experience. It is so worth it…
Plan with peace of mind
When you book a trip in today’s world there’s a lot to think about. But with the right advice and expert planning, you can do it with confidence.
If you book to travel with us but your plans are impacted by circumstances you can’t control, we’ll change your reservation or cancel your booking for a full credit towards future travel.