Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725
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Example holiday
Rovos Rail - Pretoria to Cape Town (3 Nights)
We hope that this example holiday will give you give some inspiration to help you begin to plan your own dream holiday to Africa.
The next couple of pages show a summary of the itinerary, followed by a detailed page on each destination.
Important travel information for visitors to South Africa is included at the back of this document.
All the holidays we offer to our clients are tailor-made so we can adjust this trip to fit in with your travel dates, interests, preferred accommodation...and of course your budget.
All our travel consultants have extensive knowledge of travel throughout Southern and East Africa, and our strong relationships with suppliers mean that our rates to you will always be competitive.
Let us take the hard work out of planning your trip: you can get in touch either by giving us a call on +44 (0) 1483 266725, completing the Enquiry Form on our website or emailing us at info@travelbutlers.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Travel Butlers Team
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725
Page
Rovos Rail - Pretoria to Cape Town (3 Nights)
Example Itinerary
Example Cost
Holiday Title: Rovos Rail - Pretoria to Cape Town (3 Nights)
Holiday Destination: Holiday to South Africa for 3 nights
Passengers: 2 Adults
Example Cost for 2 Adults: * per person sharing.
*Excludes international flights from your home country - please ask us if you would like us to include these for you.
ABTOT provides protection for your booking as set out in Section 6 of our booking conditions.
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Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725
Page
Summary Of The Itinerary
Holiday Title: Rovos Rail - Pretoria to Cape Town (3 Nights)
Passengers: 2 Adults
Day 1
Check in at 10:00 the Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria for the 11:00 departure. Guests may freshen up in their suites before joining fellow travellers in the lounge car or observation car at the rear of the train.
You begin your journey by travelling across the goldfields of the Witwatersrand and the broad grassland plains of the Highveld. Lunch is served at 13:00 followed by afternoon tea at 16:30 in the lounge and observation cars. Dinner is served at 19:30 in the dining cars as the train travel en-route to Klerksdorp and you then settle down for your first night on the train.
Day 2
Breakfast is served from 07:00 until 10:00 in the dining cars. Look out of the windows at approximately 09:30 as a shallow lake appears on the right-hand side of the train where, on most occasions, there are spectacular flocks of lesser flamingos (approximately 23,000). lunch is served at 12:30. The train then arrives into Kimberley and guests can disembark for a tour of the city, the Diamond Mine Museum and the Big Hole. Return to the train, when dinner is served in the dining cars at 19:30.
Day 3
Breakfast is served from 07:00 until 10:00. During breakfast, the train travels through the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region that was once an enormous inland sea. Over millions of years, volcanic matter was ground down and deposited as silt upon the seabed to form what geologists today call the Karoo system. Lunch is served at 13:00 and after lunch, there is a chance to disembark the train at the Whitehall Siding and walk 5 km into Matjiesfontein - a member of staff will accompany the group (comfortable walking shoes are essential). For those not inclined to walk, the train continues and arrives at Matjiesfontein for an opportunity to stroll through the historic village. Of special interest is the museum on the platform and a collection of historic cars and railway carriages to the right of the Lord Milner Hotel. Return to the train for afternoon tea. About an hour after departing Matjiesfontein the train then arrives at the first of 4 tunnels on the pass. The first tunnel is 13.5 kilometres long so guests need to be careful when walking through the train. Dinner is served at 19:30 as the train descends approximately 750m down the face of the escarpment through the Hex River Valley towards Worcester.
Day 4
Breakfast is served from 07:00 until 09:30. The train pulls into Cape Town Railway Station at 10:00.
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725
Page
Rovos Rail - Pretoria to Cape Town
Rovos Rail: 3 Nights
Experience the extravagent elegance of rail travel on one of the most luxurious trains in the world. Rovos Rail's epic 3 night journey between Pretoria and Cape Town combines magnificent scenery with the glamour and excitement of the golden age of rail travel. Step aboard the reconditioned wood-panelled coaches and sit back and relax while the stunning views unfold beyond the windows.
Departing Pretoria in the afternoon on selected dates throughout the year, travel the grasslands of the gold-rich highveld to the haunting barrenness of the Great Karoo, trundle through spectacular mountain ranges and the scenic Winelands of the Cape, and end your journey in Cape Town, the Mother City of South Africa.
Highlights of the journey include a visit to the historic village of Matjiesfontein, and a stop in Kimberley, providing an opportunity to enjoy a city tour and a visit to the Diamond Mine Museum and the world's largest man-made excavation, the Big Hole.
Guests can enjoy accommodation of the highest standard, combining the opulence of a bygone era with subtle modern innovations. The Pullman Suites are equipped with a comfortable sofa-seat during the day with a conversion to double or twin beds for the evening, and also have an en-suite bathroom with shower. The slightly larger Deluxe Suites accommodate 2 passengers in either twin or double beds and have a lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower. The Royal Suites, each of which take up half a carriage, are spacious and elegant. Each has its own private lounge area and full bathroom with Victorian bath and separate shower.
For many travellers, the friendly interaction with the people who make up the Rovos Rail 'Pride of Africa' staff is as much a highlight as the scenery and the train itself.
Example Details For Rovos Rail - Pretoria to Cape Town
| Nights: |
3 Nights |
|
|
| Adults: |
2 |
Children: |
0 |
| Room: |
0 x Pullman Suite |
| Includes: |
Three meals daily; all alcoholic and other beverages; sightseeing excursions accompanied by a qualified tour guide; entrance fees to places of interest; and 24 hour full room service/bar facilities are included. Please note that any off-train excursions cannot be guaranteed and will be undertaken only if time permits. PLEASE NOTE: The rate excludes any off-train beverages. |
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725
Page
Important Travel Information For South Africa
Passport, Visa and Entry Requirements
Normally, holders of the following passports do not require a visa to enter South Africa when travelling as a tourist for stays up to 90 days: United Kingdom; United States of America; Canada; Australia; Ireland; Belgium; Netherlands; Italy; France; Germany; Spain, Switzerland.
If you are a passport holder from another country, please contact your local South Africa High Commission or Embassy for up-to-date visa requirements, as citizens of certain countries (including New Zealand) are required to obtain visas before travelling. Please note that if you are applying to the Embassy for your visa, some visas can take a long time to be processed so please do take this into consideration, as it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa in place before you travel.
Children under 18 years of age who require a visa to enter South Africa may be required to provide additional information when applying for the visa including an unabridged birth certificate and affidavit if travelling with only one parent. There are also additional rules for unaccompanied minors and/or South African children - details available on request or via the SA Department of Home Affairs at http://www.dha.gov.za.
Please note that anyone travelling to South Africa should have a valid return ticket and a valid passport. Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 30 days from the date of exit from South Africa. However, some immigration officials still request that a passport should have at least 6 months validity from the date of entry to South Africa so to avoid problems on arrival, we advise that your passport meets this requirement instead. The passport must also have sufficient pages for entry/exit stamps - AT LEAST 2 BLANK PAGES.
South Africa has implemented biometric capturing at all ports of entry. This may result in some delays at land borders so you should allow additional time for border crossings.
PLEASE NOTE: Countries can change their entry requirements at any time. Travel Butlers try to ensure that the information displayed here is correct, but the onus remains with the traveller to verify the information with the relevant High Commission or Embassy and ensure that they can comply with the applicable entry requirements.
Medical
You are advised to contact your doctor or clinic around 4-8 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations and to get their professional medical advice regarding travel to South Africa.
To help avoid heatstroke, drink plenty of bottled water/fluids, and keep out of the midday sun.
Tap water is purified and safe to drink in major cities and towns, however, we do advise that you do not drink the water in more remote places such as the camps in the National Parks - the water may be safe to drink, but it simply is not worth the risk, as bottled water is widely available.
Whatever you do, do not drink water from any river lake without firstly purifying the water. Always take water with you when you go on a hike, and have a bottle in the car on a long journey to avoid dehydration.
There is a risk of malaria in and around the Kruger National Park/Mpumalanga Province, the Limpopo (Northern) Province, and the north-eastern part of KwaZulu-Natal - check with your doctor about suitable antimalarial tablets. Try to avoid mosquito bites wherever possible - wear loose long-sleeved clothing and trousers, and use a repellent on clothing and exposed skin.
There is no risk of yellow fever in South Africa, so a yellow fever vaccination is NOT required for travellers whose sole destination is South Africa. However, in accordance with International Health Reguations, South Africa requires all travellers over one year of age arriving from a yellow fever risk country, or having been in transit longer than 12 hours at the airport of such a country, to have a yellow fever certificate. These countries include Kenya and Uganda but it is up to the traveller to check the full list here https://nathnacyfzone.org.uk/factsheet/60/yellow-fever-maps
If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 10177 and ask for an ambulance.
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725
Page
Important Travel Information For South Africa
Continued
Languages And Culture
The 11 official languages are Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana, Sotho, Tsonga, Swati, Venda and Ndebele. Whilst many visitors will hear at least a couple of the tribal languages during the course of their stay, it is possible to travel extensively and comfortably with just English as a language.
The South African society is quite liberal, as gay marriage was legalised in 2006 nationwide and everyone’s rights are protected under the constitution. In some more rural areas, however, the local people may not be quite as liberal thinking, so whilst everyone is of course entitled to their own sexual preferences and gender identity, we would advise all clients of the LGBT+ community to refrain from public displays of affection (including kissing and holding hands) and to be as discrete as possible about their relationship if travelling to a rural/remote area.
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725
Page
Book With Confidence
Travel Butlers have 20 years experience of booking travel to Africa and the Indian Ocean for clients from all around the world. In this time we have supported clients through disruptions caused by numerous unexpected events including natural disasters, localised disease outbreaks and airline cancellations. Nobody can be certain exactly what will happen in the future, however Travel Butlers can offer you peace of mind and flexibility to ensure that you feel confident booking a holiday with us.
Flexibility and peace of mind before you travel
Our team are specialists in travel to Africa and the Indian Ocean, and we are constantly monitoring the changing situation regarding travel to the region. If your trip cannot go ahead due to specific travel restrictions related to Covid-19 then we will get in touch to offer you the choice of the following:
- Postponing to a later date
- Switching to another destination
- Receiving a full refund of all monies paid to Travel Butlers for the trip, providing the balance due has been paid in full
The specific Covid-19 travel restrictions are defined as follows:
- The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel or your booked country is placed on the red list
- The government in your country of residence (non-UK residents) restricts all but essential travel
- The destination you are travelling to has entry restrictions in place that prohibit you travelling, such as closed borders or extended quarantine requirements
- International flights are cancelled without alternative routing available for you to use to reach the destinations in the itinerary
We would not normally be able to confirm that your trip cannot proceed due to travel restrictions until a couple of weeks before the start of your trip, however should you want to look at postponing or altering your trip before then we would aim to be as flexible as possible.
If we confirm that your trip is unable to proceed due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, then we will not charge you an amendment fee if you choose to postpone your trip or move it to another destination. We may need to adjust the cost of your trip to reflect the new dates, particularly if those coincide with a more expensive season of travel or higher grade of accommodation. Equally, if the cost of your postponed trip is less, we will reduce the cost accordingly.
You should still take out travel insurance that includes Covid-19 to cover you in the event that your trip can go ahead but you are unable to travel due to illness or a change in your personal circumstances. If there are no travel restrictions in place that mean your trip could not go ahead but you need to cancel due to illness or a change in your personal circumstances then our normal terms and conditions would apply. You should ensure that your travel insurance provides adequate cover for cancelling due to illness, including Covid-19, and you may be able to make a claim against your travel insurance depending on the cover offered by your policy.
Support whilst you are away
We offer 24/7 telephone assistance to all our clients whilst they are away, and also have partners in each country that are able to assist with any PCR tests or other issues that might arise during your trip.
If you fall ill whilst you are away, or if your trip is disrupted due to Covid-19 whilst you are travelling, then our experienced team will be on hand to assist you in whatever way you need. You would need to pay any additional costs incurred due to illness or travel disruption whilst you are away, however you may be able reclaim these expenses on your travel insurance depending on the cover offered by your policy. Travel Butlers will be able to assist by providing supporting documentation for your claim.
Financial protection for your Travel Butlers holiday
All of the holidays we sell are 100% financially protected through our ATOL and ABTOT bonding so your money is in safe hands when you book a Travel Butlers holiday. Furthermore, our business is well positioned to navigate through the challenges which the travel industry is currently facing.
Please read our Terms and Conditions for more information.
Finding suitable travel insurance that covers Covid-19
You can now get insurance that offers cover for disruption related to Covid-19, and these policies could include cover for:
- cancellation if you or anyone covered by the policy gets a positive coronavirus test in the two weeks before you travel
- medical costs if you get coronavirus while you are away
- additional transport and/or accommodation expenses if you fall ill with coronavirus while you are away
Not all policies offer this kind of cover, not necessarily even all policies from the same provider, so you should ensure you check the policy details carefully before buying your insurance.
You can read more about choosing suitable travel insurance in the FCDO guide to travel insurance.
