Enjoy a unique rail journey through Southern Africa on board the historic Pride of Africa, a luxurious vintage train that offers every possible pampering experience with breathtaking scenery as a bonus
The luxury vintage Rovos Rail train, nicknamed ‘The Pride of Africa’ has recently been named one of the seven most luxurious trains in the world by Wired.com. Operating throughout Southern Africa, this plush locomotive offers a superlative experience as guests travel through spectacular countryside en route to exotic destinations.
The entire experience involves stepping back in time to a more refined, gentler, slower pace, where savoring the moment, slowly enjoying the luxury of great food, plush accommodations and superlative service is the order of every day.
Traveling in the slow lane enables one to press pause and relax completely and enjoy every moment as the train ambles along at a speed of just 45km per hour. Traveling in luxury means there are a maximum of 72 passengers on board at any given time, so service is pampered and personal.
The Classic and Edwardian trains comprise luxury guest sleepers as well as two pre-1940 dining-cars, each seating 42 passengers, a lounge car, observation car and smoking lounge. Cuisine is a highlight of the journey, enjoyed in a charming Victorian atmosphere with delightful dishes prepared from fresh local ingredients at lunch and dinner. There’s also traditional afternoon tea, not to mention pre- and post- dinner drinks. Of course, formal attire is required at dinner.
Rovos Rail offers numerous journeys of discovery, the most popular being a 4-day trip to or from Cape Town and Pretoria in Gauteng, 11 glorious days from Durban to Victoria Falls or 6 nights from Pretoria to Vic Falls, or a scenic 7-day trip from the Mother City, Cape Town to the port of Durban. These journeys include staying in luxurious hotels, game lodges or beach resorts en route.
Rovos also offers chartered journeys on their trains, enabling travelers to book a bespoke trip with guests of their choice on board. One of the most popular of these chartered rail journeys is a Steam Safari, a very unique opportunity to enjoy long-distance travel behind steam traction, followed by going on safari to see some of Africa’s famous Big Five wildlife and staying in a luxury lodge.