Rovos Rail from East to West – A Journey Across Africa from the Zambezi to the Atlantic (2026/2027)
starting at 21.200 €

Rovos Rail: Victoria Falls – Lobito

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20-day special train tour with Rovos Rail through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Congo, and Angola

Africa

Angola

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia

Zimbabwe

14 - People

21 days

In July 2019, a Rovos Rail train traveled along the historic Benguela Railway to Angola for the first time. This was a first not only for Rovos Rail, but also the first journey of a passenger train along the legendary Copper Route—from the heart of Africa to the Atlantic Ocean. In a unique way, this African rail expedition combines exploration in the heart of the continent with the utmost comfort. In addition to safaris in Zambia’s wildlife-rich South Luangwa National Park, you can also look forward to exploring some of Africa’s least-traveled regions and landscapes.

Stephanie Gräf

A specialist in personalized and exciting trips around the globe.

I am your contact person for questions and bookings regarding your trip.

You can reach me by phone or email:
+49 (0)201 858 90 960
welcome@inventia.de

Select consultation appointment

HIGHLIGHTS

Over 3,000 kilometers of railroad tracks from the Zambezi to the Atlantic Ocean
A Unique Train Journey Along the Copper Route and the Historic Benguela Railway Line
Following the Pioneers' Trails Through Southern Congo and the Angolan Highlands
Three nights' lodging and game drives in Zambia's wildlife-rich South Luangwa National Park
Africa's Most Impressive Waterfalls: Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River
Sundowner Boat Cruise on the Kafue River in Zambia
Tour of a copper mine
Exploring Angola: Luanda, Lobito, and Luena
Fascinating lectures on the history and present-day situation of the countries visited

route

itinerary

Day 1 Flight to Africa

Day 2 Arrival at the Zambezi

Your tour guide will welcome you upon arrival at Victoria Falls Airport and accompany you to your hotel, the Victoria Falls Hotel. This true legend has been welcoming travelers from all over the world since 1904 and is famous for its high tea with a view of the historic Victoria Falls Bridge. In the late afternoon, you’ll explore the Zambezi River by boat, keeping an eye out for elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and fish eagles. Dinner will be served on board—with an African sunset as the backdrop. (MA)

Day 3: Victoria Falls – Welcome Aboard!

You’ll explore the magnificent waterfalls on a guided walk. Along a cliff edge nearly two kilometers long, the Zambezi River roars into a gorge a hundred meters deep—a truly unique natural spectacle! After lunch at a restaurant with a magnificent view overlooking the gorge, you can take a helicopter flight over the waterfalls (optional excursion). Then your grand train journey across Africa to the west coast of Angola begins. You’ll be warmly welcomed by the train crew and then settle into your compartment. The train crosses the Zambezi River via the Victoria Falls Bridge, and you’ll enjoy one last view of the falls. You are now in southern Zambia and will continue your journey via Livingstone toward Choma. In the evening, a stylish welcome dinner awaits you in the on-board restaurant. (FMA)

Day 4: Across the Kafue River

Your train moves leisurely northeast toward the Batoka Plateau in the Zambian interior. You are now on the old colonial-era railway line that, according to Cecil Rhodes’ plans, was once intended to be built from Cape Town to Cairo. Your train crosses the Kafue, a tributary of the Zambezi, via a railway bridge nearly 500 m long. During a boat excursion in the warm evening light, you’ll then experience the Kafue from the water as well. After dark, if the sky is clear, you can admire the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere. (FMA)

Day 5: Lusaka – the capital of Zambia

In Lusaka, the capital and—with over two million residents—Zambia’s largest city, you’ll disembark the train for a trip to the Elephant Sanctuary. Elephants orphaned by poaching are taken in here by rangers, cared for, and prepared for reintroduction into Kafue National Park. The train then continues its journey northward. During the night, it passes through the town of Kapiri Mposhi. Here, the old colonial railway line branches off to the east onto the TaZaRa railway line toward Tanzania. This line was built in the 1970s by Chinese engineers to provide landlocked Zambia with access to the ports on the Indian Ocean. Your train, however, takes the western branch, which leads to the Copper Belt in the border region between Zambia and the former Zaire. (FMA)

Day 6: Ndola – Into the Wilderness by Charter Flight

After breakfast, you’ll leave your rolling home with a small travel bag that will be waiting for you on the train. Your large luggage will remain safely on board. A one-hour charter flight will take you from Ndola to South Luangwa National Park in the eastern part of the country. On the way, you’ll fly over the region where the Congo River has its source and where David Livingstone once lost his heart to Africa. Literally, because in 1873, his faithful servants Sussi and Chuma buried the missionary and explorer’s heart in Chitambo, in eastern Zambia. You’ll spend three nights at a beautifully situated safari lodge. (FMA)

Day 7: South Luangwa National Park

At sunrise, you’ll set out on an extended game-viewing drive in open-top SUVs. After lunch and a short siesta at your lodge, you’ll head out on another safari in the afternoon. South Luangwa National Park, which was founded in 1904 and covers more than 9,000 km² around the wildlife-rich Luangwa River Valley, is home to over 400 bird species, leopards, lions, elephants, buffalo, and countless other animal species. (FMA)

Day 8: On Safari

The wake-up call for today’s morning safari will sound again before sunrise, because early morning offers the best chances to spot herds of animals and perhaps even catch a glimpse of big cats with their prey! Fresh animal tracks reveal their hiding places in the bushes, and the birds put on quite a show. After brunch, you’ll enjoy a few relaxing hours on your chalet’s terrace until high tea. Then it’s off on safari again. The afternoon hours offer special lighting conditions and a wonderful atmosphere. While some animals are slowly making their way to their sleeping spots, others are just waking up… (FMA)

9. Off to the Heart of Africa!

After one last safari, a charter flight lasting about an hour will take you back to Ndola, where the friendly train crew will be waiting to welcome you back on board. After a short drive, your train will reach the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo at Sakania. Once border formalities are completed, it will continue rolling northwest through the more densely populated regions of the so-called Copper Belt. (FMA)

Day 10: Lubumbashi

In the morning, your train arrives in Lubumbashi, the second-largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Founded by the Belgians in 1910 and named after their queen, Elisabethville, Lubumbashi—now home to two million people—was even briefly the country’s capital from 1999 to 2003. On a sightseeing tour, you’ll get a sense of this rapidly growing city, which serves as both a transportation hub and the country’s most important economic center. Back on board, your train continues northwest, passing small villages and settlements as well as the abandoned copper and cobalt mine at Luishia. (FMA)

Day 11: Africa's Copper Belt

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world, although it is also one of the richest in natural resources. In addition to diamonds and gold, the country primarily mines copper and cobalt, whose deposits in southern Congo are considered the largest in the world. Today in Kolwezi, you’ll have the opportunity to tour a copper mine and learn more about the mining and processing of this versatile and highly sought-after semi-precious metal. You’ll enjoy lunch as a brunch at a lodge. Then you’ll continue by train through the far south of the country to Mutshatsha—a place very few visitors have ever ventured to! (FMA)

Day 12: Through the Congo

Time and again shaken by wars and unrest, the Congo looks back on a turbulent past. Once one of Africa’s greatest kingdoms, it has been under Portuguese, Dutch, and Belgian rule over the past few centuries. Fascinating onboard lectures will allow you to delve deeper into its history and provide you with background knowledge about Africa’s second-largest country. Over 40% of the country’s land area is covered by pristine rainforest. In contrast, the resource-rich region in the south that you will be visiting is relatively well-developed. (FMA)

Day 13: Welcome to the land of joyful rhythms!

In the morning, your train crosses the border into Angola, which has become a true hidden gem among globetrotters in recent years: The country captivates visitors not only with its ancient culture and the now world-famous kuduro rhythms, but also with its unique mountain and coastal landscapes. In the border town of Luau, you’ll take a guided walking tour before your train continues its journey on the historic Benguela Railway. The railway was built during the Portuguese colonial era and still plays a significant role in Angola’s economy today, as it transports raw materials from the interior of the continent to the seaport of Lobito. Soon, the route runs along the Kasai River, the largest tributary of the Congo. In the villages of Cassai and Cameia, with a little luck, you may see fishermen at work. The river is teeming with fish and thus serves as an important source of food for the local population. (FMA)

Day 14: Luena – The Vast Angolan Plains

You’ll take a guided walk through the small, grid-patterned town of Luena and learn fascinating facts about Angola’s recent history. Then it’s time to board the train again! Your Rovos Rail train continues westward toward Tchicala Tcholohanga. Listen to a fascinating talk by your tour guide about Angola as your train travels through ever-changing landscapes, venturing deeper and deeper into the Angolan highlands. (FMA)

Day 15: In the Heart of the Ovimbundu Kingdom

You’ll explore Kuito, the capital of Bié Province and the center of the former Ovimbundu Kingdom, on a morning walk. Severely affected by the civil war in the 1990s, entire neighborhoods have been rebuilt over the past two decades. Your train will then wind its way through the magnificent landscapes of the highlands. Among other things, the Cubango River has its source here; further south, it feeds Botswana’s famous Okavango Delta. (FMA)

Day 16: Huambo

Huambo is Angola’s second-largest city after the metropolis of Luanda, which has a population of over a million and serves as the country’s capital. On a guided tour, you’ll explore the city, which was named “New Lisbon” by the Portuguese and, as a UNITA stronghold in the 1970s, was a key battleground in the struggle for independence. Back on board, the final leg of your grand train journey awaits: From the highlands at an elevation of 1,700 m above sea level, the train descends to the Atlantic coast, and the dry highland climate gradually gives way to tropical air once again. In the evening, an atmospheric farewell dinner awaits you in the dining car. (FMA)

Day 17: Arrival in Lobito

After a final breakfast on board, your train arrives at the Lobito train station. This is where your eventful journey with Rovos Rail comes to an end. After checking into your hotel, you’ll explore the Restinga Peninsula on foot, taking in the lighthouse, a beautiful sandy beach, and the informative Ethnographic Museum. Here you’ll gain insights into the history of this coastal region, where the slave trade with Brazil and Cuba played a major role. (FMA)

Day 18: Luanda

From Lobito, you’ll fly just under an hour north along the coast to the Angolan capital, Luanda. Founded in 1576, making it one of the oldest cities on the West African coast, Luanda today is characterized by stark contrasts. The country’s oil reserves have made Luanda one of the most expensive cities in the world, yet by no means do all of its residents benefit from this wealth. A city tour will give you a sense of this rapidly growing metropolis. (FMA)

Day 19: Goodbye, Africa!

Depending on your scheduled departure time, you’ll still have time to relax at your deluxe hotel or do some last-minute souvenir shopping. Transfer to the airport and return flight to Europe. (B)

Day 20 Arrival in Germany

Information

Included services:

Flights from Germany to Victoria Falls, Lobito to Luanda, and Luanda to Germany in Economy Class
Rail cruise from Victoria Falls to Lobito, including 11 nights in a compartment suite of the booked category with shower and toilet
3 nights' lodging at a lodge in South Luangwa National Park, including flights on charter planes
1 night at a deluxe hotel in Victoria Falls, 1 night at a comfort hotel in Lobito, 1 night at a deluxe hotel in Luanda
Meals as listed in the itinerary (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner); all meals and all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included on board the special train
Game drives in open off-road vehicles in South Luangwa National Park
German-speaking Lernidee tour guide from Victoria Falls to Luanda
Trip to Victoria Falls
Tour of a copper mine
Guided walks in Huambo, Kuito, and Luena
City Tours in Luanda, Lobito, and Lubumbashi
Boat trips on the Zambezi and Kafue Rivers
All excursions and sightseeing tours are led by German-speaking guides and include admission fees
Your large luggage will be safely stored on the train during your stay at the lodge
Care provided by an English-speaking doctor
Entertaining onboard presentations
Laundry Service on Board the Train
All transfers and porter service