The JoMel Group

Pre-Day – Johannesburg

You will be met upon arrival at O.R Tambo International Airport and transferred to the train. Having a pre-day allows guests to acclimatise and unpack prior to the first day of touring. A pre-night on board will include dinner, bed and breakfast.

A pre-night on board will include dinner, bed & breakfast.

The train remains stationary in Germiston Reef Steamers Yard - Johannesburg for the night.

Day 1 Pretoria / Johannesburg / Soweto

Should you only arrive at Johannesburg International Airport today, you will be met upon arrival and transferred to the train. Please note that you should arrive no later than 08h00 at the airport in order to be able to participate in the days excursions.
Gauteng is the economic powerhouse of the Southern African region and home to some of Africa’s greatest cities. The name of the province is a Sotho word meaning “Place of Gold”, which is very suitable since much of the wealth of Gauteng has derived from this precious metal.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 200 km)
The train departs in the evening from Johannesburg to Nelspruit.
Included Meals: D

Day 2 Swaziland

The tiny Kingdom of Swaziland covers only 17 000 square kilometres, making it the second smallest country in Africa.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 400 km)

Guests leave the train in Nelspruit and will meet it again at Mpaka Station in Swaziland.
The train departs in the evening to Maputo
Included Meals: BD

Day 3 Maputo (Mozambique)

Maputo, the capital of Mozambique is a city of contrasts and offers an exciting mix of cultures. The city swings along to a beat that is like no other in Africa and offers true African hospitality. Its architecture is a blend of African, Portuguese and early colonial traditions, with old Catholic churches side-by-side with mosques, fortresses, Victorian mansions and other buildings from a bygone era.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 40 km)
Evening Activity : Dinner will be enjoyed at a local seafood restaurant.

The train remains stationary at Maputo Station over night.
Included Meals: BD

Day 4 Maputo (Mozambique)

Today’s tour offers guests a good impression of the character of the city. A visit to the municipal market is followed by a stop at the old Fortaleza, which dates back to 1769. Other interesting city sites include the Catholic Cathedral, the Civic Centre, Louis Trichardt Trek Memorial, Samora Machel Statue, the Jardim Tunduru (Botanical Gardens) and Eiffel’s Iron House (Casa do Ferro). The Polana Hotel, built in the 1920s, with its striking white exterior and stunning décor, is the best-known landmark in the city and from its gardens one can see Xefina Island. Next we visit an art gallery where furniture and sculptures are crafted out of old AK47 weapons. A drive along the Marginal takes us to Costa do Sol. At Costa do Sol there is an opportunity to relax while having a cold drink. Lunch (guests’ own account) will be at Mundos restaurant or alternatively in one of the other restaurants or hotels in town. After lunch we head back to the train. An afternoon high tea will be served on board while we rock’n roll through the countryside.

(Half day. Distance travelled: ± 60 km)

The train departs from Maputo at around 15h00 and travels to Komatipoort where we will over night.
Included Meals: BD

Day 5 Kruger National Park

The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience second to none. Its 2 million hectares are unrivalled in diversity of life forms and the park is a world leader in advanced environmental manage-ment techniques. The park is home to an impressive number of species, e.g. 336 species of trees, 49 species of fish, 34 species of amphibians, 114 species of reptiles, 507 species of birds and 147 species of mammals. Game drives will be conducted in our air-conditioned vehicles.

(Full day. Departure time depends on the season, as gates open and close with sunrise and sunset. Distance travelled: ± 220 km)

Guests rejoin the train in Komatipoort where it will remain over night.

Included Meals: BD

Day 6 Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga, meaning “Land of the Rising Sun” is a province of extraordinary natural beauty.

1. Kruger National Park
The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience second to none. Its 2 million hectares are unrivalled in diversity of life forms and the park is a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques. The park is home to an impressive number of species, e.g. 336 species of trees, 49 species of fish, 34 species of amphibians, 114 species of reptiles, 507 species of birds and 147 species of mammals. Game drives will be conducted in our air-conditioned vehicles.
(Full day. Departure time depends on the season, as gates open and close with sunrise and sunset. Distance travelled: ± 220 km)

2. Nelspruit
Nelspruit is considered the gateway to Mpumalanga Province. The city’s sub-tropical climate, abundant sunshine and fertile soil provide perfect conditions for the cultivation of citrus and tropical fruits (mango, banana, avocado, macadamia and pecan nuts) resulting in the city becoming a trading centre for the outlying fruit growing area. The Lowveld Botanical Gardens just outside the town have a rare collection of plant species and the first man-made rain forest. Lunchtime will be spent at the Riverside Mall.
In the afternoon you will head to the nearby Sudwala Caves and Dinosaur Park. A guided tour in the caves will expose your senses to primitive Africa.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 130 km)

Guests rejoin the train in Nelspruit and stable for the night.
Included Meals: BD

Day 7 Panorama Route

Guests depart the train this morning from Nelspruit.
In 1873 gold was discovered in the area around the quaint town of Pilgrim’s Rest, now a living museum and National Monument. The find attracted 1500 diggers and today, many of the restored miner’s houses serve as shops. Further along the escarpment we find the great Blyde River Canyon, a gorge 26 km in length and 800 m deep, carved from the face of the escarpment. The Three Rondavels, three huge rock spirals rising out of the far wall of the canyon and resembling African huts present an unforgettable sight. Bourke’s Luck Potholes are strange deep cylindrical cavities formed by river erosion and floodwater. From the vantage point of God’s Window we gaze across the sweeping landscape of the Lowveld, where subtle fragrances of the lower region rise to merge with the crisp winds of the Highveld.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 280 km)

The train departs this evening for the Zimbabwe Border.
Included Meals: BD

Day 8 Day On The Rails To Zimbabwe

Guests spend the day relaxing on the train as it travels through the countryside of Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo Provinces. We cross the border into Zimbabwe at Beit Bridge and head onto Rutenga Station where guests spend the night, departing for Great Zimbabwe the following morning.

Lunch will be served on the train and our guides will host informative talks in the lounges.
Included Meals: BD

Day 9 Great Zimbabwe

We travel from Rutenga through attractive granite hill country to Great Zimbabwe, a hugely impressive monument situated on the south-eastern edge of the central plateau and the largest pre-colonial monument south of the Egyptian pyramids. A celebrated achievement of the African people and a place where magical fables such as the story of King Solomon’s Mines find their origins amongst the ruins of an ancient city built by the Rozwi people. Discover how these ancient people lived and mined gold and silver, which were ultimately taken out of Africa by Arabic and Portuguese traders. The tour is followed by lunch at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel (guests’ own account), before rejoining the train.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 300 km)

Guests rejoin the train at Rutenga and travel to Bulawayo.
Included Meals: BLD

Day 10 Bulawayo And Matobo National Park

Matobo means “bald headed ones” and aptly describes the dramatic hills and granite rocks of this area. Highlights include a visit to the burial place of Cecil John Rhodes, who gave the country its previous name of Rhodesia. Afterwards, we will go and visit one of the more accessible bushman caves, of which there are many hidden amongst the hills. There will be time for lunch (guests’ own account) before returning back to the train late in the afternoon.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 150 km)

The train remains at the station in Bulawayo.
Included Meals: BD

Day 11 Bulawayo And Matobo National Park

After Breakfast guests tour the city of Bulawayo with visits including the Natural History Museum, which is one of the best of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Lastly, we take a drive through the city and visit the Art gallery before returning to the train. Light Lunch will be served in the train as it departs for Dete.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 150 km)
Included Meals: BD

Day 12 Hwange National Park

Situated in the north-west corner of Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park is the nation’s largest wildlife area and contains a variety of animals and bird species, but is most well known for its prolific lion population. Covering
1 462 000 hectares, Hwange is roughly the same size as Belgium. An early morning game drive in the park is followed by breakfast at the Sable Valley Lodge. After a morning of game viewing, lunch (guests’ own account) will be at the Sikumi Tree Lodge. There will be an opportunity to relax at the pool for a while before we resume our game viewing later in the afternoon.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 120 km)

The train departs for Victoria Falls in the evening.
Included Meals: BD

Day 13 Livingstone (Zambia)

Guests cross the great Zambezi River via the famous rail/road bridge. Our first stop is on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls before continuing to the town of Livingstone, named after David Livingstone, the Scottish visionary, who had an insatiable appetite for exploration and a desire to open Africa to the world. The existence of the Falls had of course been known to local tribes long before he ‘discovered’ them. Upon hearing stories about “Mosi oa Tunya” (the smoke that thunders),he arranged to be taken there by dugout canoe and on November 16, 1855 Livingstone came to the northern end of what is now Livingstone Island. From there he crawled to the edge of the precipice and beheld the spectacle of the waterfall for the first time. We visit the Livingstone Museum before heading to the Waterfront Lodge for lunch (guests’ own account). Our last visit in the afternoon will be at the Fifth Gorge for a spectacular view of the Zambezi River.

(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 70 km)

An off-rail dinner is planned for this evening.
The train remains stationary at Victoria Falls Station over night.
Included Meals: BD

Day 14 Chobe National Park (Botswana)

A 70-kilometre road trip brings us to the Botswana border, where we cross into the famous Chobe National Park. There is a great array of wildlife and the Chobe elephants are well respected, as are the many hippos which can be seen in large numbers basking in the river. Highlights include a game drive in 4x4 vehicles and a river cruise on the Chobe River. Lunch (guests’ own account) will be taken at a waterfront lodge where there is a swimming pool.
(Full day. Distance travelled: ± 200 km)

The train remains stationary at Victoria Falls Station over night.

Included Meals: BD

Day 15 Victoria Falls

Forming the largest single “curtain” of falling water on earth (on average the curtain is 92 m deep) The Victoria Falls’ 500m plume of spray can be seen from as far as 70 km away. The sound of the water can also be heard from kilometres away and up close this muted ‘thunder’ becomes a roar. In full flood, over 550 million litres of water per minute cascade over the brink. The vast width of the Falls, extending 1 708 m, allows for many safe vantage points from where you will be able to get different views of the rolling water as it crashes into the gorge and whose constant spray maintains the Rain Forest. The forest is an attraction on its own with many of the trees marked to help identification. These include fig, mahogany, date palm, milkwood and ebony. The bird life is also prolific and species that may be seen include the colourful sunbird and large trumpeter hornbill. Craft and curio shops abound with enough variety for everyone to find something to take home as a souvenir.

(Morning. Distance travelled: ± 15 km)
The afternoon is spent at leisure.

The train remains stationary at Victoria Falls Station over night.
Included Meals: BD

Day 16 Transfer Day

Guests transferring to a hotel will be taken during the morning. Guests flying out of Victoria Falls later in the day may take one of the optional tours.

The train remains stationary at Victoria Falls Station over night.
Included Meals: BD

Day 17

Victoria Falls - departure
Included Meals: B