If you’ve ever thought about taking a luxurious train journey that takes you through some of the most stunning African country imaginable, stopping off at those “must see” places along the way, then you could not do any better than to indulge yourself in the sheer luxury that Rovos Rail has to offer. You will see a name board on the side of the train carriages that says “Pride of Africa” and that sums up the experience to a tee. It’s luxury on wheels. It’s the best way to see Africa in comfort, and here is why.
People travelling on this train are not ordinary, everyday rail passengers – they are guests of the rail company. As soon as you step on board you are made to feel special and your needs and desires are catered for by the professional and courteous staff throughout the entire journey. Numbers are limited so that everyone can enjoy the experience to the full. The Victorian-style dining cars will serve fantastic meals from breakfast time, through lunch and into the evening when a formal dining experience is the norm. Smart/casual attire can be worn throughout the day but when the gong sounds guests are expected to dress for dinner. Ladies in evening or cocktail dresses; gentlemen in jacket and tie as a minimum, but some male guests will wear dinner jackets of course.
Accommodation on board is provided in three levels of suites from the Pullman class which gives you approximately 7 square metres of lounge, sleeping and en-suite bathroom space up to the Royal suites which are huge, taking up about half a carriage. The fixtures and fittings in all the suites are of the highest standard with modern electrics and plumbing to ensure that guests feel like they are staying in a fine hotel. All of the carriages have been modified for luxury travel, thus ensuring that guests will enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep as well as getting a smooth ride during the day when they are at leisure in the observation cars or in the various lounges.
From the start of the trip to journey’s end guests will enjoy the last word in guaranteed luxury. Rovos Rail even has its own private railway station at Capital Park, Pretoria. It’s a colonial style station, full of graceful buildings and sets exactly the right tone for guests embarking on their journey. Whether you are taking a short three-night trip or maybe a much longer one there really is no better way to see the delights of Africa.
I’m so looking forward to welcoming the team from Rovos back to Connections Luxury — this time in the Algarve in late March. If you’d like to come along please drop me a note. As always I’m micaela@travelweekly.co.uk.
