Bushtracks Africa (a Ker & Downey Africa subsidiary) — commercial heritage concession on the Zambia Railways (ZR) network
Zambia
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The Journey
Navigate from Livingstone Railway Station (1905 Rhodesia Railways edifice, heritage-listed, 25.8544°E / 17.8489°S) to Victoria Falls Bridge deck-arch border crossing (Zambia/Zimbabwe, 25.8456°E / 17.9283°S) across a span of 15km.
Scenery Highlights
Victoria Falls Bridge — iconic 1905 deck-arch bridge at the Zambia/Zimbabwe border, 128 m above the Zambezi gorge
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park — UNESCO World Heritage site (1989), sightings of elephant, giraffe, hippo and zebra from the dining car
Zambezi River gorge at sunset from the bridge — peak flow April–July creates the most dramatic spray
Sefsaane Halt — heritage watering stop with photo opportunity next to the active steam locomotive at the gauge-change halt
Jinga Jinga curve — slow-speed traverse through the densest mopane woodland segment, prime elephant-spotting zone
Livingstone Island aerial view of Victoria Falls from the bridge (Devil's Pool swim access — seasonal mid-August to mid-January)
Quick Facts
Duration
4 hours
Distance
15 km
Est. Price
USD 178–220 per person (2026 published: Historic Train Canapé Safari from US$178; Historic Train Dinner Safari US$220; Historic Mulobezi Line US$220; verify current rate at booking)
Heritage steam: Northern British Locomotive Company 12th Class 204 (built 1928, 4-8-2 Mountain, two outside cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, refurbished 2008) alternating with 10th Class 156 (built 1922); Historic Mulobezi Line uses diesel locomotive
Locomotive Weight
Approximately 80–95 tonnes (12th Class 204 in working order)
Track Gauge
1,067 mm (Cape gauge, Zambian national standard)
Braking Technology
Vacuum brake system (original equipment on heritage rolling stock — no air-brake retrofit)
Route Engineering Challenges
Narrow 1,067 mm Cape gauge limits carriage width and interior layout flexibility (versus 1,435 mm standard gauge)
Steam-locomotive maintenance requiring skilled boilermakers, coal/water logistics and heritage parts sourcing
Operation in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park with strict speed and noise controls to minimise wildlife disturbance
Crossing the 198 m Victoria Falls Bridge deck-arch structure (built 1905) with heritage loading limits
Rainy-season (November–April) line-vegetation and earthworks management on the 350 km Mulobezi branch
Sourcing South African wine and five-course menu supplies in remote Livingstone with limited cold-chain infrastructure
Original vacuum-brake system maintenance — heritage parts not in production, requiring skilled fabrication in South Africa
Stained-glass skylight preservation on carriage roofs — water ingress over 90+ years requires ongoing caulking and frame restoration
Route
Livingstone Railway Station → Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park → Victoria Falls Bridge, ~15 km round-trip steam itinerary
Mulobezi Line
Diesel-hauled full-day Livingstone → Mulobezi charter (approximately 350 km one-way) — seasonal May–October
Duration
~4 hours (round-trip steam dinner / canapé); full-day for Mulobezi Line charter
Gauge
1,067 mm Cape gauge (Zambian national standard)
Locomotives
Heritage steam: 12th Class 204 (NBL 1928) and 10th Class 156 (1922); diesel on Mulobezi Line
Max Speed
Approximately 20–25 km/h (heritage line)
Carriages
Restored 1930s vintage dining and observation carriages with brass fittings and stained-glass skylights
Brake System
Original vacuum brake system on heritage stock — no air-brake retrofit
Bridge
Victoria Falls Bridge — 198 m deck arch, built 1905, carries the railway across the Zambezi gorge at the Zambia/Zimbabwe border
Operator
Bushtracks Africa (Ker & Downey Africa subsidiary) commercial heritage concession on the Zambia Railways (ZR) network
Schedule (2026 peak)
Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays (April–September)
2002 (Bushtracks Africa / Ker & Downey Africa on Zambia Railways)
Comparable to
Rovos Rail (Pretoria), Blue Train (South Africa), Shongololo Express, Royal Livingstone Express's sister 1920s NBL locomotives still operating in South Africa (Outeniqua Power Van, Garden Route)
Quick Facts
Duration
4 hours
Distance
15 km
Est. Price
USD 178–220 per person (2026 published: Historic Train Canapé Safari from US$178; Historic Train Dinner Safari US$220; Historic Mulobezi Line US$220; verify current rate at booking)