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Rovos Rail

by That’s travel

Rovos Rail

the most luxurious train in the world

Rovos Rail – an entrepreneurial story

As so often it was a variety of factors and events that led to the purchase of the first car, the beginning of what was to become the Rovos Rail.

A Wilbur Smith heroine with her own private railway car, a man named Phil Acutt with a passion for trains and the presence of the Witbank Steam Railway in the coal city where Rohan Vos ran his successful car parts business played a role

Read here the whole story.

But see for yourself. 30 years later Rovos is still driving… more successful than ever before.

from Pretoria to Cape Town

This 1,600 kilometre route is an excellent example of South Africa as a world in one country. Travel through the grasslands of the gold-rich Highveld to the stunning Karoo; cross the spectacular mountain ranges and picturesque wine-growing areas of the Cape.

mother city of South Africa

The end of the journey is Cape Town, the mother city of South Africa, surrounded by the impressive mass of Table Mountain, the Devil’s Pointed and the Lion’s Head. Highlights of the north and south routes include a visit to the historic village of Matjiesfontein; this authentically perfectly preserved Victorian village – founded in 1890 by Mr Logan as a refreshment station – also has an impressive museum on the platform.

Another stop is at Kimberley, where you can take a city tour and visit the Diamond Mine Museum and the world’s largest artificial pit, the Big Hole.

all journeys, rates and dates you find here.

from Pretoria to Victoria Falls

This three-day adventure begins with the departure of the train from Rovos station in Pretoria. Then it winds north through Warmbaths, named after its mineral water, and Nylstroom, named by the Voortrekkers as the source of the Nile, as the city’s river accidentally flows north.

Tropic of Capricorn

The train then passes the edge of the steep coast and crosses the Tropic of Capricorn on its way to the border with Zimbabwe. After the formalities in Beitbridge the next morning the train leaves for Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe, the capital of Matabeleland and the industrial capital of the country.

longest straight railway lines in the world

The next day the train travels along one of the longest straight railway lines in the world – 114 kilometers – and then crosses Hwange National Park, a rich and diverse nature reserve where animals can be observed from the train and a safari tour is undertaken. After a service stop at Thompsons Junction, your stay ends at the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River.

all journeys, rates and dates you find here.

Namibia Safari

This nine-day, 3,400-kilometer journey takes you by train from the savannahs of Highveld to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.

From Pretoria you first go to Kimberley, the centre of one of the most famous diamond noise areas in the world, where you can enjoy the atmosphere of the mining village from the 1870s.

North Cape to Fish River Canyon

The train crosses the rugged landscapes of the North Cape to Fish River Canyon – the second largest after the Grand Canyon – and Garas Park with its Quiver Tree Forest and Giant’s Playground. We continue through the wild and romantic beauty of the Kalahari Desert to the capital of Namibia; Windhoek is a lively, cosmopolitan city with a strong German flair.

Namib Desert

Then we continue to Sossusvlei, a breathtaking pan in the Namib Desert, for an overnight stay and a night in the wild Etosha National Park. On the last morning the train travels through the Namib to the perfectly preserved German Hanseatic city of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay from the 19th century – an unforgettable end to a remarkable journey. Bookable also in the opposite direction.

all journeys, rates and dates you find here.

Pretoria to Dar es Salaam

This epic 15-day train journey leads through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania and is one of the most famous in the world. The journey begins in Cape Town and takes guests to the historic village of Matjiesfontein, the diamond town of Kimberley and the capital Pretoria on short tours, followed by two overnight stays in the Madikwe Game Reserve*.

Victoria Falls

Continue through Botswana to Zimbabwe, where guests stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel. After crossing the mighty Zambezi River, the train connects with the Tazara Line in Zambia and continues to the Chisimba Falls, where guests will take a bush walk.

Great Rift Valley

The train climbs up to the Tanzanian border and then descends into the Great Rift Valley, where it passes through the tunnels, serpentines and viaducts of the spectacular Rift Valley. As the trains climbs further, he crosses the Selous Game Reserve – the largest on the continent and a vision of the timeless Africa – before the busy arrival in Dar es Salaam the next day. Available in reverse order.

Please note that this trip may be northbound via Beitbridge and Zimbabwe depending on the capacity of the train.

*Or Kwa Maritane in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve

all journeys, rates and dates you find here.