This 13-night voyage across Africa promises to be one of the most memorable of your life. Traversing thousands of kilometres over ancient volcanic land and vast deserts, this luxury train takes adventurers from the lush ravines and open plains of the Savannahs to the Atlantic in the West.
Early morning desert drives, sunset dinners, a spot of cheetah and flamingo watching, exploring cosmopolitan cities with a German flavour, and leisurely sundowner cruises - these are just a few of the highlights. Despite covering over 3000 kilometres, this is far from just one long train trip. Travellers even indulge in a bit of classy dress-up with themed 1920s nights and absorb the vast scenery and sunshine from the observation car, which has big picture windows, sofas, and booths.
Hopping on board one of the train's vintage carriages in the famous city of Pretoria, known for its beautiful jacaranda trees and impressive monuments, travellers are taken south through the goldfields of the Witwatersrand before making way to diamond-rich Kimberley.
A series of memorable experiences awaits, including the Big Hole Tour at the 18th-century mine museum village, a ride over the vast volcanic Karoo, and sundowner cruises over South Africa’s longest river. The Great Karoo was once an enormous inland sea, with volcanic matter grounded down over millions of years. At magical Sossusvlei, travellers enjoy a bush dinner after sunset and snap photos of the majestic red dunes. As the light changes throughout the day, so does their appearance.
Second only in size to the Grand Canyon, the vast rocky landscape of the iconic Fish River Canyon offers breathtaking cliff views. At Lüderitz, travellers can see seals, flamingoes, and ostriches. Legendary horses are even rumoured to roam the Namib.
Flowing through the town of Upington, the Orange River rises in the Drakensberg Mountains and flows westward to the Atlantic. The town’s namesake had famously captured the leader of the Orange River pirates.
Garas Park near Keetmanshoop is a beautiful and serene park densely populated with tall Quiver Trees with forked branches and ancient rock formations. TripAdvisor reviewers say this is where you can “enjoy amazing sunset views.” For another traveller, this was their second time on the Rovos Rail Train, reporting “yet again, we had a truly wonderful and memorable trip.”
Travellers also recommend the “delicious” four-course meals. While one pointed out the large number of people on board their trip, others pointed out that most of the days are spent absorbed in excursions and activities.
Other luxury train routes, which are shorter but equally rich in experiences, include the trip from Victoria Falls to Pretoria. Over 3 or 4 nights, you’ll meander in a northerly direction crossing the tropic of Capricorn en route to the border with Zimbabwe. At Hwange Game Reserve, animals can be spotted from the train windows. There’s also a spot of white-water rafting on the Zambezi River and photo safaris nearby.
